Rooster

What I'm saying is that Dagenais does one thing well and one thing only -but he does it very well- and that is shoot and score. If you'd like me to try to break down why, I'd say that he has a hard deceptive shoot and great hand eye coordination allowing him to pick the open spots and put it in the net. When I played hockey, we just called it having a scoring touch...some guys were naturals, others less so. Dags is very much a natural. Ryder is a another guy that has a good scoring touch and, although not a very complete player himself, is far more complete than Dags which makes him far more valuable than Dags no question about it. Does Dags have more natural one on one against the goalie scoring ability than Ryder? Really a moot question as a lot more aspects goes in to evaluating a player's effectiveness and Ryder easily has the upper hand, but my sense is that Dags may very well have a better scoring touch. Like I said before, Dags utility and effectiveness is very limited. He lacks in just about very other aspect of his game. He is a very slow skater, isn't very agile, does not have great on ice vision or game sense, doesn't show much grit or determination either. These shotcomings complete kill his utility in just about evry game situation other than shootouts (where he has shown in preseason shootouts and last night he is very good) and possibly the PP. I say "possibly" cause more than an effective shot goes into PP utility (like sound positioning, on ice vision and playmaking ability). However I feel that with his size (if he could park in the slot) and with his shoot he could -remains to be seen due to his shotcommings- be usefull on the PP and I'd like to see him get a consistent shot for a few games. On 5 on 5 or 4 on 4 situations, with the way the game is played this year, Dags is useless and a liability. I'm not a fan of Dagenais, I prefer far more complete players. But I do recognize that he has one particular ability that can help the team in particular situations, namely shootouts (where I do believe he is second best on the team) and possibly the PP. His uses are very limited and I wouln't mind seeing him go, but while he is here, he can help the team in very precise situations.

Daglis (half Bulis, half Dags, all beast)!!!! Great idea guys, that would be the ideal solution for both players. Gave me a good laugh. Can't believe some people are questioning Dagenais' shot here. Come on give credit where credit is due. Pierre Dagenais has one of the best shots and scoring touches (maybe even second only to Kovalev) on the team. This he has. Unfortunatly, he doesn't seem to have anything else. I'd like to see him get regular 2nd wave PP shifts for a while, he might have some success and help the team. But I agree that outside of shootouts and the PP, he is utterly useless to he team. [Edited on 2005/11/23 by Rooster]

Quite happy with Arsenal's win today. Haven't quite followed the soccer discussions on this site, any other diehard Arsenal fans? I've been hooked ever since studying in the UK some -already- 5 years ago.

Looks like Theo will be starting tonight. http://www.src.ca/sports/hockey/2005/11/18...v-preview.shtml Gotta love the Habs, they announce an injury just when the guy is ready to come back.

Good job on the game thread, thanks. Lots of info, didn't know the Habs PP was up to 6th in the league. Rooster's never acurate prediction for today: Habs 5 (Koivu2, Perezhogin, Rivet, Ribeiro) Devils 2 Good luck to Les Glorieux!

Well I don't so help me understand. This has to be the only country in the world where people from all areas wanna seperate. Quebec, Newfoundland, the West... It never ends. Isn't anyone proud to be Canadian anymore? Well for one the only real 'i am proud to be a canadian' stuff on goes on in ontario. Second, the newfoundland thing is because it use to be separate from canada, and everyone makes fun of newfie's. Western Canada alienation started when Pierre Trudeau said "Why do I need to sell you wheat" and giving the bird to a bunch of protesters. And the way the federal elections go all you need to do is to win ontario and you are in power, which makes elections west of sudbury kind of pointless on the federal level. Then there is alberta, people there are nuts just ignore them. And Quebec is Quebec. Basically its like the U.S. when it comes to federal politics except when people get pissed they just throw around the lets separate from canada card to rile up support. Kind of like what the republicans due down south with the three g's god, guns and gays. Another thing about Western Provincial Alienation is that they think to much attention goes to Quebec and that the west isnt given their due. But its also really goofy in the Western Provinces to however. Vancouver is super liberal. While Calgary is super conservative. Oh well thats what makes Canada fun. Sorry, I don't agree with a lot of your allegations and don't quite see your main point. Is it that people all over the country want to seperate for their own little grievances (which often seem to have begun from anecdotal events) and Quebec is just playing bluff? [Edited on 2005/11/18 by Rooster]

Well I don't so help me understand. This has to be the only country in the world where people from all areas wanna seperate. Quebec, Newfoundland, the West... It never ends. Isn't anyone proud to be Canadian anymore? I find the reasons for "sepeartism" to be pety and I think they're just a bunch of whiners. Lots of countries (including in the western world) have regions that want to seperate. Canada is a bit particular as, as far as I know, it is by far the country that take the most permissive stance on the idea of its possible breakup. My sense is that this comes from an overall low sense of national identity.....or too great a sense that whatever group wants to self-determine, it can. Of course, Quebec is the only region where nationalistic allegences are realy profondly divided (in the sense that seperation is a real possibility). Many people in that province see themselves as a distict "people" much more than, say, Albertans. Seperatism (fuelled by nationalism) is, sadly, purely an emotional response....not a rational one (ie. Albertans would have better rational arguments for wanting out than Quebec would....but the sense of "belonging" is in the end all that unfortunately matters). Kidda wish people would explore what motivates their actions and beliefs more. The world would be a liitle less dangerous place. As for "helping understand" why Quebecois would want to seperate: the feeling is akin to what you may perhaps experience at the serious thought of Canada merging into the US or France, with it's federal capital now in Washington or Paris. Anyone of those two actions might actually make sense and be overall beneficial, but most people's reactions would likely be "well no that would not work, we are just too different from them and they greatly outnumber us making "us" irrelevant". [Edited on 2005/11/18 by Rooster]

I'll have to go with Chara. Going down to the wire, I don't think anybody in the league could handdle Chara.

Agreed, the win record has been very impressive and the team's long term future looks bright. Great time to be a Habs fan!

Just posted on RDS. Apparently Theo has been suffereing from a groin injury for 10 days or so and that is why he didn't play against Florida. He is doubtful for friday's game. I'm not too worried if it's short term as Danis has been solid, but what's up with all the groin injuries. Seriously, i've never seen so many groin injuries in my life. Is it due to reduced activity during the lockout? http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/192201.html [Edited on 2005/11/17 by Rooster]

Only 93 as far as I know.

If that is so, maybe the Kings have been waiting since 93 till the last few minutes of their upcomming game in Montreal to call Koivu to task and win the game on the PP.

I remember having had a long argument on this point with Beckham way back when. I too do not see how the NHLPA asked or allowed (whatever it might be) this clause to be in the CBA. It essentially forces teams to make a year long call on applicable player at the end of training camp. Lots of NHL ready players are loosing out on mid season chances to prove their worth.

Good post Joliat and welcome (actively) to the site. What kept you looking from the outside for years? Personally, my opinion of Ribs, since I'm also a Montreal born dude of Portuguese descent, is that he is a fantastic player and Gretzky doesn't have anything on him. Seriously, as Joliat stated, this is Ribs and Ryders evaluation years. BG will decide his long term approach to these two players at season's end. I'm ambivalent towards Ribs. Ribs is a second center, I think we have to keep that in mind (don't judge Bulis or Begin by first line standards, judge him with reference to his role on the team).....and even if Koivu left, Ribs would not be our 1st center (or at least shouln't be.....they should bring someone else in to take the 1st spot). Offensively, I feel he is a great second center. He does lack, I feel, grit and heart, but he is improving. I think we forget that Ribs was an extremely imature player in junior and in his first years with the organization. He is gaining maturity, but it is taking time. The question at the end of the day is whether the organization feels confident that he I the future as the second line center and the trade off is having a 2nd center that is more offensively gifted than most, but one that will never really have blue chip character and determination. My view is that unless the team has the chance to get a 2nd center (at a decent price) which is obviously superior character wise with comparable offensive skills, Ribs will rightfully stay. As for now til the offseason, no way Ribs goes anywhere in my view.

Here's the most intelligent comment I've seen about Theo from someone. I wrote the exact same thing in one of my posts. Watch and see guys, Theo is not the guy we need. Theo's great performances and big saves have always come in games we are bombarded. Also, there was no pressure 3 years ago as there was no expectation on the team because it was lousy...now its a whole new situation. Theo as a very weak concentration level and always gives bad goals in games where we dominate and he gets few shots. I've almost never seen him make great saves in games where he gets under 25 shots. As for Bob, I'm sure that Theo is not in is long term plans...can you spell PRICE. Maybe he was great for us back then, but I seriously that he can be a great goalie for a dominante team. He needs plenty of action to be good and he won't get it anymore now that we are a dominating team. I agree that trading him now is probably not the best move because we wouldn't be getting a fair return at this stage of the season. Look at Fedorov's trade, Columbus gave almost nothing in return. But idealy, if we had a solution to replace him, I would trade him now before his contract and performances make him difficult to trade. All this to say that this is only my opinion and every single one of you who made fun of my comments are just immature kids who need a serious dose of growing up. Its so much easier to make a stupid comment then to actually bring actual facts and thoughts to a discussion. Honestly guys, since when as insulting and laughing of someone brought anything constructive to an argument? Hatred only brings even more hatred. Quite pathetic to read some people's comments. Good thing I don't fall so easily in this type of shamefulness.:nono: You are entitled to your opinion, although I must say a lot of people disagree with you. When you look at the teams goaltending prospects however there is merit to what your saying, they didn't draft a goalie #1 for no reason and Danis is certainly showing great potential so Theo certainly could be moved in the next couple of years but I don't believe it's going to happen anytime soon as he is our only proven starter. Theo has played well enough this year to enable us to be where we are and I truly believe that his performance will get better as the season wears on :hlogo: No you're wrong there, olematelot, I don't think anyone would disagree with Komisarek the Cruncher's opening position in his latest post. Good one. I wasn't commenting on that particular post but to all the posts that he has made on this subject and therefore I'm not wrong as a lot of people do disagree with him, read the whole thread:eyes: It was a joke. The opening line of Crusher's post states, refering to part of Peter Puck's post, that it was the most inteligent thing on Theo he had seen. So Peter Puck said that you are wrong to disagree with the statement that he made the most intelligent comment. Just a joke on that very precise point, says nothing on the rest of your posts.

Nothing more than a sloppy and lazy man who, for lack of actually following and analysing a team, simply states lame stereotypical views of a team. Can't believe people get paid for efforts like this.

Not a very scientific statement on my part, but the Habs are just Kick ass at developing high end quality goalies. They rule!

He has admitted to having done cocaine as a cabinet minister (don't know to what extent). Obviously quite an issue, but I'm not getting the impression that that will hurt him much with Quebec voters.

Like it's been said here before, this is pure salary dump. When I looked up Fedorov's salary, I was actually quite shocked that anybody wanted to take him on. He is set to make a little over 6M$ a year all the way to 2008!!! He is 35 years old and injury prone. I think he is at the very best a 60-70 point center now, and this will only decline in the upcomming years. That money, in this cap world, can be much better spent elsewhere. The Jackets impatience with trying to find a quick fix to winning now, is going to cost them in the long run. Burke must be happy he got rid of that horrendus salary. Fedorov was a great player/ is a good player, but value counts for alot in the new economic system and Fedorov, at his salary, was horrible value. Ducks are lucky the Jackets wanted him.

Here's the most intelligent comment I've seen about Theo from someone. I wrote the exact same thing in one of my posts. Watch and see guys, Theo is not the guy we need. Theo's great performances and big saves have always come in games we are bombarded. Also, there was no pressure 3 years ago as there was no expectation on the team because it was lousy...now its a whole new situation. Theo as a very weak concentration level and always gives bad goals in games where we dominate and he gets few shots. I've almost never seen him make great saves in games where he gets under 25 shots. As for Bob, I'm sure that Theo is not in is long term plans...can you spell PRICE. Maybe he was great for us back then, but I seriously that he can be a great goalie for a dominante team. He needs plenty of action to be good and he won't get it anymore now that we are a dominating team. I agree that trading him now is probably not the best move because we wouldn't be getting a fair return at this stage of the season. Look at Fedorov's trade, Columbus gave almost nothing in return. But idealy, if we had a solution to replace him, I would trade him now before his contract and performances make him difficult to trade. All this to say that this is only my opinion and every single one of you who made fun of my comments are just immature kids who need a serious dose of growing up. Its so much easier to make a stupid comment then to actually bring actual facts and thoughts to a discussion. Honestly guys, since when as insulting and laughing of someone brought anything constructive to an argument? Hatred only brings even more hatred. Quite pathetic to read some people's comments. Good thing I don't fall so easily in this type of shamefulness.:nono: You are entitled to your opinion, although I must say a lot of people disagree with you. When you look at the teams goaltending prospects however there is merit to what your saying, they didn't draft a goalie #1 for no reason and Danis is certainly showing great potential so Theo certainly could be moved in the next couple of years but I don't believe it's going to happen anytime soon as he is our only proven starter. Theo has played well enough this year to enable us to be where we are and I truly believe that his performance will get better as the season wears on :hlogo: No you're wrong there, olematelot, I don't think anyone would disagree with Komisarek the Cruncher's opening position in his latest post. Good one.

Well what do you think? Think it was the wisest choice the PQ membership could have made. As in many other places, charisma goes a long way for Quebec politicians. He is the best bet to rally enthusiasm during a referendum. First, are you a federalist or a sovereignist? I'm (to a very large degree) a non-nationalist. Don't like to make my choices based on emotional responses or attachments that are counterproductive to the solution I'm trying to get reach. To the best of my abilities (which often lack), I try to be as rational as I can when making my mind up on important issues. I have never been convinced of the rational underpinnings of Quebec sovereignty and I have discussed this at length for years with an open mind (I would however be in favour of Quebec sovereignty if we were in the 60s and earlier). Same applies to my views with regards to Canada, there are a number of scenarios where I would be in favour of Canada becoming part of a larger binding political body. Anyways, on the point of Quebec sovereignty and the discussions above of rallying Anglophone and Allophone support, I strongly believe that this will never happen in any significant manner. The Quebec sovereignty movement (as the vast majority of sovereignty movements) is quasi entirely based on nationalistic sentiment. It's a basic emotional response, association with what is considered by an individual as their "people" and a will of self-determination for that "people" (which is absolutely impossible, for very practical and/or very political reasons for all but the largest and strongest of "peoples"). Anglophones and Allophones who don't see themselves as part of that "people" (I know of all the new flavour "civic nationalism" thing, I just strongly believe that nationalism is much more deeply based....in the common history, myths, language, religion and general sense (both factual and mythical) of common past and future that the "civic nationalism" doesn't properly weight) will quite normally and expectedly not see the point in Quebec sovereignty. This will never really change, because, in cases like Quebec and many others, there is no rational base for wanting independence over remaining in Canada outside of the emotional realm. People don't want independence in this case unless they "feel" it and they won't "feel" it unless they identify themselves as part of the "people" and a lot goes into creating this identity in persons. I for one think it's best to consciously try to take a step back and look at the rational for wanting something other than going with feelings evolved for completely different purposes (evolving strong feelings of group identity has huge evolutionary benefits, using them in this case without discrimination...not so beneficial). Wow that was way too long, especially for a site dedicated to hockey!!! sorry. Second, do you think Boisclair is a good choice for the party? yes, see above. Third, do you think he could lead Quebec? I actually think the PQ has put up very strong governments and Boisclair appears to have many of the qualities to be a great leader for Quebec. Boisclair was at Harvard last year completing a masters in public administration. A good friend of mine was also there and they went to lunch frequently. From what I've heard and from the outside, he does seem to be a nice cut above your average politician, including the current Quebec Prime Minister IMHO. Again too long sorry folks, hopefully nobody read this far:) [Edited on 2005/11/16 by Rooster]

Sure ya can. Zed races the puck into the Panther zone, stops, falls flat on his butt. Koivu picks up the puck and bounces it off Luongos back. The puck then trickles out in front and RYDER SCORES!!!!! Now that is a planned drop-pass-score play.....:) For that play to be realistic, Dags would also have to be in front of the net where he has been told to go....causing the Habs to have too many men on the ice.

Apparently Ferland is injured. I was wondering why he didn't get the call after the camp he had if the habs wanted a gritty two way player. Guess that answers my question.

The funniest thing from that article is that Avery is trying to defend himself by saying he doesn't know FOR WHICH dive he is being fined

In my opinion, speed is what is needed to complement the first line (and that means Perezhogin). Ryder and Zed are not complementary players, they play similar roles on their respective lines. The top two lines are fine as projected (Perezhogin-Koivu-Zed / Ryder-Ribeiro-Higgins) in my book. [Edited on 2005/11/15 by Rooster]