Theodore or Garon

[sabumnimhabs]

Too quick to blame?!!!

For the past eleven years I have seen nothing but choking and struggling from this team. Something is really wrong, because ut doesn't matter who is behind the bench or who is the GM we are getting ripped off with our trades and our players are working hard and choking. Something is missing, and if you haven't noticed one game left, so that something we are missing needs to come fast. Like I said time and time again, not one person can be blamed for any of this. What we know:

1) Since Kovalev has arrived we have done nothing!!! His consistant inability to pass, which has lead to many turnovers. Sure he has scored, but defensively speaking, when he is on the ice we need four D and him to cover up for his blunders. Overall: Not worth a second chance or look or anything

2) Theo has choked, once again I might add. IF anyone remembers Theo did not do well two years ago until the Zednik incident, in which he decided to get back at them the best way he could. When he puts his mind to it he can do almost everything!!! However, that was the past, and now Theo is struggling and I bet you that it makes the D hold their sticks that much tighter.

3) The team plays a clumped game style which allows for easy clogging of the neutral zone by the oppositions forecheckers. This is why our PP sucks, they know that they just need to clog the one side of the ice and suddenly our man advantage doesn't add up. Watch next game b/c I doubt things will change and see that Boston will actually fork out usually three forecheckers on their PP!!!! Overall: There is more ice that we need to cover

4) I have seen so many bad pinches going on that my head is spinning!! The D needs to step back a bit more and not leave their partner and Theo out to dry.

5) We need to actually utilize Perreault, we seem to get burned tons on the faceoffs.

6) They dump the puck life a bunch of sissies!!! I mean are they are too scared to actually shot the freaking thing so that it can go all the way around the boards?

7) They are not pestering Raycroft half as much as they should be!! Enough said

8) The D leaves their position to chase the opposition around in their own zone like chickens with their heads cut off!!

9) Not so much of a problem as before, but Julien seems to think that working on the technical will yield little, b/c his answer to a loss is a line changeup!!!

10) The reffing sucks!! And I think that this is the most important, and not just to the habs but to all the teams. Players have no clue what they can do game in and game out!!! No doubt the fact that Kovy stopped skating lead to the OT winner, but that was a penalty. I have seen this in other series as well. If one thing I want changed for next year, its to actually get some f*&king refs that can actually follow the rule book, rather than making it up as they go, like a gameshow!!

:nono:

IMO after much thought, not much of this can be dealt with and will have to wait until after the golf course, but we need a spark and some bloody captaincy!!!! I don't know about you, but after the first game loss, Koivu looked like crap and during his interview I swear he put me to sleep!! We need someone to lead off the ice, we have Saks leading on the ice, but not off!!! I want killer back!!

Oh and can anyone please tell me why the hell Koivu and Thornton were allowed back? I mean I have never seen anything like this and I was confused, as well as everyone that watched the game with me!!

:ghg:

[rocketrichard]

Theo should be. He's got the playoff experience. Even though he hasn't been playing that well in this series I have complete confidence in him to step up and have a big game in game 5.

GO THEO GO

GO HABS GO

C'EST LE BUT!!!:hlogo::hlogo:

[simonus]

If it were as simple as taking theo out for a game or two and sticking garon in his place I might consider the possibility, but people are not so mechanical.

If you take out Theo you are basically telling him you have no cinfidence in him and could very well insult him permanently. You could end up losing theo forever. A goalie's confidence and ego can often be sensitive (see Roy,Hasek, Cujo,Czechmanek,etc.) and pulling your top man out on the most important night of the year seems like just the thing to destroy it.

Let us say,hypothetically, that we don't care, that we have lost faith in theo and don't want him back on the team. Okay - now try and trade a five million dollar goalie who is understood to be unable to cut it in the playoffs. Philly doesn't need a goalie anymore, Colorado seems fine. Are the Rangers still buyers? Want to make that Cloutier trade that is getting so much buzz? We wouldn't be able to get Lalime if we tried at that point.

Let us say that some way you get rid of him - okay... let us assume that you trade theo for a skater and that you've probably eaten some of his salary (or ended up with a horribly overpriced skater, perhaps some insane holik deal). Who is your goalie? Who is your backup goalie? Okay, put Garon in nets... he isnt playing 60 games, maybe 50-55. Who plays the other 25-30 games? Damphousse, Danis, Michaud? Maybe we bring them each up for a couple of games... have a new backup every couple of weeks! Does anyone remember Andy Chiodo and Jason LaBarbara?

I dunno... I am kinda getting extreme here, but it's tough to lose faith in your top goalie and you usually end up getting hit in the head for it later.

[Leafs Suck]

Why go with Garon?

We wouldn't be where we are if Garon was our starter.

Live with Theodore, die with Theodore...

[Ribeiro]

Why go with Garon?  

We wouldn't be where we are if Garon was our starter.  

Live with Theodore, die with Theodore...

Glad to see knowledgable fans at the forum. As we all know, it's easiest to blame the goaltender.

The team has a lot bigger problems than Theo and as already mentioned, he's our best player.

I can't believe someone would actually suggest to put in an inexperienced Garon in net in place of our best player in a Do or Die match.

[Fanpuck33_]

Of course we go with Theodore. I'm not happy with his attitude lately (admitting to losing focus in games) but he is the reason we are here. He may turn out to be a poor playoff goalie. Who knows? But at this point, he is our man. Goalie cntroversy in the playoffs should not exist, and there is not one here. Theo all the way. Like Leafs Suck said, "Live by Theo, die by Theo."

[GoHabs2002]

To make things worst for Theo, if he does not manage to salvage some of this series to show he can handle the playoffs, next season (of course, if there is one, blah blah) is a no win situation for him because its his contract year.

If Theo comes out and dominates like he can and once did for the most part of the season and plays great in the playoffs. Alot of followers will start to bring up the fact that he only plays good when it comes time to cash in. ( I don't follow that, but it happened to many players before all over the league).

Or, if he doesn't dominate like he can, that can leave the negotiations to take a whole different spin on things.

And plus, perhaps he might be a UFA if the new CBA allows for a younger UFA age.

[Ribeiro]

I'm not happy with his attitude lately (admitting to losing focus in games) but he is the reason we are here

WTF? That is a great attititude.

I would rather see him admit his faults and problems as opposed to pretending he has none like Cloutier. Dan Cloutier insists that fans boo him simply because Vancouver is harsh on goalies - never has he admitted to making any mistakes.

Cujo during Team Canada's game against Sweden said that he was having no problems out there. Yeah...right.

At least Theodore has the balls to realize what's wrong - the first step to fixing it.

[habsfan88]

Some of you guys are taking this way too far. Stay with theodore. I'm not saying garon is a bad goalie, he's a good goalie, but our playoff hopes are on the line tonight, and you can't just through in a goalie into playoff action, who hasn't even played a game yet this series, he's got no experience. As I said, hes a good goalie, but some of you people don't have your heads screwed on tonight. Come on, think logically!

[Fanpuck33_]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

I'm not happy with his attitude lately (admitting to losing focus in games) but he is the reason we are here

WTF? That is a great attititude.

Sure, it's fine he knows what he is doing wrong, but a player like him cannot be losing focus. His teams depends on him too much to let his mind wander.

[ricucity]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

Why go with Garon?  

We wouldn't be where we are if Garon was our starter.  

Live with Theodore, die with Theodore...

Glad to see knowledgable fans at the forum. As we all know, it's easiest to blame the goaltender.

I'm no pushover you know. :mad:

[ricucity]

Originally posted by habsfan88

Some of you guys are taking this way too far.  Stay with theodore.  I'm not saying garon is a bad goalie, he's a good goalie, but our playoff hopes are on the line tonight, and you can't just through in a goalie into playoff action, who hasn't even played a game yet this series, he's got no experience.  As I said, hes a good goalie, but some of you people don't have your heads screwed on tonight.  Come on, think logically!

Maybe I was caught up in the moment when I posted this. I think simonus' post really made me rethink my decision that Garon should start. This IS the last game possibly, and Garon has not played since G-d knows when, and to stick him in may hurt. I still think that Theo has been near awful this series, but we are on the verge of elimination and I guess we can't make as drastic a change. Using the Wings as an example is a poor support, as CuJo IS the veteran goalie there, and Manny is in the skates that Garon would be in. I would like to say I was wrong with my initial statement, but who knows, by the end of the night maybe people will be clamoring for Garon. I doubt it though, I am pretty confident that Theo can let us hold on for another ice and take it back to the Bell. We HAVE outplayed the B's in 3 of the 4 games, and I think this last mishap will teach our team a lesson.

:ghg:

[Leafs Suck]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

Why go with Garon?  

We wouldn't be where we are if Garon was our starter.  

Live with Theodore, die with Theodore...

Glad to see knowledgable fans at the forum. As we all know, it's easiest to blame the goaltender.

The team has a lot bigger problems than Theo and as already mentioned, he's our best player.

I can't believe someone would actually suggest to put in an inexperienced Garon in net in place of our best player in a Do or Die match.

I don't get it either. It's so easy to blame Theodore for everything, but it's not his fault. People become so forgetful around this time of year. During the season it was "Theodore for Vezina" "Theodore for Hart"... Now the guy who took us to one of the best seasons in the last 10 years is being ripped and for what? The team cannot score. Thats not Theodore fault. He has kept us in this series in clutch moments. If the offense got it's act together, things would look alot different.

The unfair flack Theo is getting reminds me of the crap Cujo put up with last year. He played so well in the series against Anaheim, too bad his opponent gave one of the greatest goaltending performances in hockey history. A performance that happenes maybe once every 15-20 years. 9 out of 10 series, his play would have been good enough to advance his team to the next round. Same with Theodore.

[Psycing]

Bringing this back to life, just for my pleasure... hehe...

now that Garon is gone, i guess its not hard to see who management chose. But i still think that Garon will be the Better Goalie eventually.

Sure Theo got the break and did everything he did 2 years back with the heart and vezina... but he has to prove he is not just a one hit wonder...

I really hope That Garon steals the starting job over in LA... he deserves it...

I find it interesting, if you follow the habs well, you will remember what im talkin about.... Montreal had a western road trip, and we had a game in LA, and Garon got the nod. He let in one goal... but.. stoped 40 of 41 shots in the game... and he did it standing on his head. if it wasnt for his play, we would have lost big time. Now, LA is the team who picks him up, mostly because they had an on ice view of the "Garon Show"

I really believe he is capable of having these games all the time. But... only time will tell i guess. One thing is for sure, I'll be following Garon for the rest of his career, as he is one of my favorite goaltenders.

[Guy_Guy_Guy]

Ya man me too I hope Garon gets the nod as starting goalie in LA and plays very well except of course against the habs....

[Uwey]

So does management now sit with the pair of Huet & Davos if Theodore goes down with a serious injury during the season or do they try to sign a more experienced backup this off-season???