Rooster

Me knows. I've set those priorities strait for tonight:) Should be an interesting game with all the player and line changes. The habs really should come out with an all out effort in the circumstances.

Good to know thanks:/) ...but I still prefer to find a way to make both work as much as possible. Really frustrating to work like 3 minutes away from the Bell Center and still have to miss the odd game you got tickets for.

Got tickets and think I'll actually be able to go to this one (already had to miss a few games I had tickets for cause of a stupid thing called work). This one looks to be the right one..keeping my fingers crossed. Go Habs Go!

Wow, so much passion in this thread. I'm kidda thinking that 5.3M is too much for Theo AND I think we did the best thing by signing him to the contract we signed him to. I just think the Habs are an earthly organization that has to do the best with what they have in the real world. The situation they have/had is this: BG had a goalie last summer who is one of the better starters in the league and who was to become a free agent at the end of the year with many teams sure to be highly interested in siging him. 5.3M is "objectively" too high for his services and BG probably knows this, but BG also knows that prices aren't set in a vaccum they are set with reference to a market and the market does set a price at about that for Theo (UFA next summer, several awards, one of the better starters, game breaking ability, still young, numerous teams without a solid goalie, numerous teams thinking solid goalies are essential to winning, etc.). BG also has just drafted a top goalie prospect and has a strong farm of unproven goalies in the system. 5.3M is too much, but is the price that has to be paid to get the ONLY proven better end goalie that he can get right now. He makes it a 3 year deal so that, if the very good prospect he just drafted or another younster proves that he can pick up the torch by then, he will be in a very good position to significantly better his cap position with a cheap talented goalie. Why am I stating this? Because I don't think anything has changed. The Habs, as a serious organization with a chance at winning now and in the near future, are not going to trade their proven better end starting goalie for a mediocre one and a forward that really won't change much. They aren't going to trade him for a "star" forward either (someone actually mentionned St-Louis here - God I wouln't touch him and his 6!!! year contract with a 10 foot poll, that was a move of desperation by TB) and be without a proven starter. What happens if Theo is moved and we get say Richards (sticking to TB, why not) and Danis can't after all be an adequate starter in the NHL? Worse, what if Price also sucks? Second half of the 90s again anyone. Theo doesn't "objectively" deserve 5.3M a year IMHO, but at the same time Theo's correct salary in the real world (taking into account his situation described above and the market) is pretty much around that. Can the organization and the fans want more from him, no doubt. Has he been so bad that the Habs should complete re-set their whole long term goaltending strategy and rush him out anytime soon? Absolutely not. It's just not going to happen, unless something really major comes up in his play, the Habs are going to stay their long term course and rightfully so. I'm hoping Theo becomes more consistent (because he has had his moments of brilliance this year) and so is everybody, but I really haven't seen anything to lead me to think that a huge gamble will need to be taken by the Habs by going the way of a fundamental shakeup of their long term plans for the team. Maybe I'm just the prudent type that doesn't like throwing away wise long term business plans on a whim. [Edited on 2005/11/14 by Rooster]

Gotta give it up for Kovalev though, playing the way he has been while injured and in pain. That's guts and will. Respect!

Time to be missed seems to be speculative at this point, they will know more after his tests tomorrow.

Let's hope the Als can go into Toronto and return last year's favour.

Don't think it would be wise to make a move to replace Kovalev for a few weeks this early in the season. Kovalev going down really hurts, but he should be back before we even hit mid-season. Doesn't make sense to me to deal for another forward simply to replace Kovalev for his time out. The Habs have plenty of forwards, if there is any area where they would need to improve via trade is at the blue line. I think the Habs just have to weather this one out. Thank God for our forward depth, but Kovalev's absence will hurt the team while he is out. We'll miss both his offensive production and the pressure he attracted from other teams leaving his linemates with more room to move. Hopefully Perezhogin will once again demonstrate strong 1st line play.

Boy, oh boy. what horrible news this morning. Not good at all.

Nope, made that one up. Thought it was figuratively better than alternatives. It's Rooster talk. Sorry.

The guy can't skate to save his life, but he is a very good natural goal scorer. Did you happen to see him in the preseason shootouts by any chance? He was probably second only to Kovalev (and maybe Perezhogin) in shootouts. It doesn't take grit, heart, skating abilities or great on ice sense to score shootout goals. It takes a good scoring touch and that is the one thing Dagenais has.

Don't think yesterday's line up was bad at all. Dags should get a shot as well when in the lineup. Gotta go with your top snipers. It amazes me how much more goals seem to be scored on breakaways during games then on penalty shoots or shootouts. They gotta stop thinking so much. [Edited on 2005/11/11 by Rooster]

Amen. An extraordinarily poor article. Can't really take good intentions into much account when they are just based of fluff and fantasy. Going back to WWII, well noted mrgodo, the French were defeated by blitzkrieg tactics and poor defenses along the Belgian border, not for lack of preparations (see Maginot line) or lack of "showing up". Not actually sure why we are debating this, but whatever.

Anybody else getting the feeling that, maybe since the end of the Flyers game two weeks ago, the Habs seem to have lost some of their early season hunger and drive? They seem to be playing much more complacent games lately and I'm seeing that as worrisome.

Answered my own question. Caron is injured and MAF was called up to replace him. Sorry for that.

I'd love to see Perezhogin get regular time again on the first two lines (actually, would love to see him back on the first line with Zed on the second).

Maybe if we all pray all lucky stars Redden can be signed by the Habs in the offseason, but I'd bet the Sens would trade him if it was apparent that they couln't get him under contract before the end of the year. A LOT of teams would be interested in a sign and trade.

Did they bring up Fleury as backup or is that just a rumour?

Lets just hope Theo doesn't get hurt tonight forcing Huet to play (without having played a single game in a very long time). Kinda dangerous. I still wonder why they didn't just bring up bring up Michaud as backup for tonight's game. That seems to have been the save thing to do.

Got the feeling that this could be a BIG night for Kovalev. His puck skills could really be showcased against the Pens D.

I think a lot of the "disapointment" about Sourray steams from the belief that he is a number 1 dman based on a half a season of point shots going in. Sourray is a valuable dman, but is not and never was number 1 dman material. Even he seems to have trouble with this and has consistently been trying to play above his head this year. I think Sourray is a 3-4 dman. If he is used that way and recognized as such, he should be fine (albeit he could also benefit to adding more to his point game than simply shooting, Dagenais fashion, any puck that is remotely close to him).

I'm looking for the Pens to really be hungry for a win vs the Habs, Crosby, Mario and TBO in particular. Think a lot will depend on the habs game plan. If they play conservative, they should get a close win.....if they open it up, it could be a real wild one. Will in any event be a very interesting game. I'm really looking forward to this one. Little prediction: Habs 6 / Pens 4 (with a wild third period) TBO has a GAA of over 5!!!!

Well argued points Cruncher. I don't think what we're saying is really that far apart. I'm no fan of McCabe either, but do recognize that he is off to a great offensive start and, at his pace, he would get "serious" consideration for the award (he is on pace for over 100 points) IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY....so for this reason, and even if the rest of the season remains to be seen, I don't think we can brush him off as of today.

The last part of your post needs to talk to the first:)

Will be fun to get a look at the baby Habs. I'm looking forward to this.