Keep the Faith

[Wamsley01]

No, no, don't read too much into the parallel - I mean that Higgins thus far strikes me as a 60-point complementary player, and in that specific sense like Dumont, that's all. Obviously he brings all kinds of great qualities that Dumont probably doesn't. (In fact, that's why he might be viable trade bait in a package for a serious offensive leader. Every team would love to have him). My point is simply that he's probably not the answer, not the key missing ingredient that's haunting our entire rebuilding effort. In that sense he's tradeable.

OK, just checking. I thought maybe I was missing something.

You are 100% right. Even though I have a mancrush on Higgins he could at best play a Hard working, 110%, take a slapshot in the face type guy to ride shotgun with a Star player. In the right situation, with an elite centre he could put up big numbers, but he would be a product of his linemates like you said.

I still think he pots 40 in the next 3 years, but it will probably only come with 25 assists.

[JMMR]

To a greater extent, Kostitsyn's production is worrisome - he's getting the minutes now, so he has to produce at least 20 goals this year.

Latendresse is a power forward, and those are notoriously hard to develop, but within a couple of years when he finally gets all his game together he'll be a force.

Chipchura will not really take over the team, but I think he will be a good checking line centre with some offensive capability.

Getting the minutes are you kidding me?

For forwards for time on ice per game he ranks 247th -- just so you know a few players who play more Jamal Mayers, Jon Sim, Kyle Calder if you want more ask

And as for power play time which is important for offensive players he ranks 192nd want to know a few who get more Scott Walker Devin Setoguchi and Mike Peca.

So Kostitsyn has not been getting a real shot to produce Carbonneau plays 4 lines way to much and does not provide the ice time necessary for many of his offensive players to get engaged in each and every single game.

[ShortHanded]

Higgins said he was a 40 40 man before the season started or at least it was his goal to become one. I hope he has it in him I know he has the heart but I dont think he has the skills.

Higgins said his goal was TO BE a 40 40 man, not that he already was one. Big difference. One shows a lot of arrogance while the other shows having high aspirations and working hard. I don't htink he's a 40 40 guy this year. Probably not next year either. He may be some day, but I suspect he'll settle into a regular 30-35 goals a season as he matures.

[JMMR]

Higgins said his goal was TO BE a 40 40 man, not that he already was one. Big difference. One shows a lot of arrogance while the other shows having high aspirations and working hard. I don't htink he's a 40 40 guy this year. Probably not next year either. He may be some day, but I suspect he'll settle into a regular 30-35 goals a season as he matures.

I sure hope so guys but I think the A may have been rushed upon him.

Markov and Komisarek may have deserved it first.

Higgins needs to watch Kovalev and see how patient he is with the puck and even Gui who has shown more patience around the net.

[Cataclaw]

An extra reason to keep the faith: 3 very solid top D.

Markov - yup, he's been struggling on and off for a couple of games, but he's #1 in all-star fan balloting for a reason. He's good.

Komisaurus Rex - Big, good hockey skills, and keeps improving! Hasn't hit his best yet and he's already pretty darn good.

Hamrlik - 3 cheers for Bob Gainey. Calm, cool, and incredibly solid defensively. Everything Souray wasn't. He isn't perfect, no one is, but i have a hard time remembering a single time he's made a bad mistake this season.

[Habsfan]

I agree. Hamrlik has been a damn good acquisition by Bob! He's stabilized our defense and I'm sure that if Hamrlik could play a season or two with O'Byrne, he will make the kid a better d-man faster!

[simonus]

Getting the minutes are you kidding me?

For forwards for time on ice per game he ranks 247th -- just so you know a few players who play more Jamal Mayers, Jon Sim, Kyle Calder if you want more ask

And as for power play time which is important for offensive players he ranks 192nd want to know a few who get more Scott Walker Devin Setoguchi and Mike Peca.

So Kostitsyn has not been getting a real shot to produce Carbonneau plays 4 lines way to much and does not provide the ice time necessary for many of his offensive players to get engaged in each and every single game.

More and more I believe that this is one of the big problems on the team. Carbo doles out the ice time to evenly among the players. The fourth line gets far too much time and we end up icing a lesser team because of it. Perhaps some of the forwards could not handle higher minutes each night, but assembling top lines that can go 20+ minutes should be a priority. I am not certain Koivu could hold up if his TOI/g goes up too much, but I think the Plek line could. Last night Markov or Hamrlik were on the ice for almost 50 minutes - this should be the case each night. I think Komi can easily handle the kind of minutes that would allow Markov to be on the ice for 27+ mins. I hope that O'Byrne can allow Hamrlik to log a smilar amount of ice time.

Right now Markov is 14th in D-man TOI/g, Hamrlik is 24th... I guess that is not horrible and I know that Markov may be limited insofar that he is playing through an injury, but I think they can be used more.

Saku is 45th among centres, Plekanec is 59th. I'd like to think both could handle at least a another minute or so.

Kovalev is 22nd among RWs. Kovalev is the 8th highest scoring RW in the league. I'd like to see what he could do with a few more shifts per game. Kovalev's shooting percentage is currently at an unsustainable 18% (his career average is 12%, a rate which he has not equaled since 02/03). If we want Kovalev to maintain his scoring pace, he will need more shifts.

If the top centremen on the team are unable to handle more ice time, why not double shift our top scorers (Kovalev and Higgins) on the energy lines every once in a while. The energy dropoff from Begin to Higgins is minimal at most, a Latendresse-Chip-Kovalev line could be productive in small doses. I am in no way a coaching expert, but does anybody more knowledgeable than I think this could be effective?

[BTH]

I think Latendresse and Chipchura would be good wingers for Kovalev. I believe that someday he will find a niche on Chipchura's line, the two seem to complement each other so well. I don't think there is a need to double shift our top wingers though. Carbo has already spoken about the way he rolls four lines, he says it's the only way to go. He wants to keep everyone fresh down the stretch, which I don't have much of a problem with as long as we're winning.

[simonus]

I think Latendresse and Chipchura would be good wingers for Kovalev. I believe that someday he will find a niche on Chipchura's line, the two seem to complement each other so well. I don't think there is a need to double shift our top wingers though. Carbo has already spoken about the way he rolls four lines, he says it's the only way to go. He wants to keep everyone fresh down the stretch, which I don't have much of a problem with as long as we're winning.

well, that's the problem...

[BTH]

well, that's the problem...

Yeah, I knew you'd say that. That's how it gows though - if we're winning, every borderline call looks genius but when we're losing, every borderline decision looks terrible. Carbo's idea is that we might lose a couple more games now but it'll pay off in the long run once the other teams have tired themselves out. To judge for sure, we'll have to wait for the later months of the season to see if this plan truly worked.

If we're losing over and over again though we need to improvise our plans a bit and make some changes. I think Carbo's been doing that,

[Habitforming]

Getting the minutes are you kidding me?

For forwards for time on ice per game he ranks 247th -- just so you know a few players who play more Jamal Mayers, Jon Sim, Kyle Calder if you want more ask

And as for power play time which is important for offensive players he ranks 192nd want to know a few who get more Scott Walker Devin Setoguchi and Mike Peca.

So Kostitsyn has not been getting a real shot to produce Carbonneau plays 4 lines way to much and does not provide the ice time necessary for many of his offensive players to get engaged in each and every single game.

Do you realize how much typing you just saved me JMMR?

I'm glad someone else said it, I always feel like I'm the only one noticing these things

(hence the reason I don't post much anymore. I get labelled a "Carbo hater" lol)

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I agree. Hamrlik has been a damn good acquisition by Bob! He's stabilized our defense and I'm sure that if Hamrlik could play a season or two with O'Byrne, he will make the kid a better d-man faster!

Yes, this is important. The Habs used to have two fundamental weaknesses in terms of on-ice talent: the lack of a genuine offensive catalyst to replace or offset Koivu; and the lack of a second top-2 defenceman to spell off Markov. Gainey has addressed the second, impressively to my mind, by getting Hamrlik. Were we by some miracle to address the first problem, the Habs would suddenly vault into top-10 status IMHO.

[Habitforming]

Yes, this is important. The Habs used to have two fundamental weaknesses in terms of on-ice talent: the lack of a genuine offensive catalyst to replace or offset Koivu; and the lack of a second top-2 defenceman to spell off Markov. Gainey has addressed the second, impressively to my mind, by getting Hamrlik. Were we by some miracle to address the first problem, the Habs would suddenly vault into top-10 status IMHO.

My opinion as well

[Habsfan]

Yes, this is important. The Habs used to have two fundamental weaknesses in terms of on-ice talent: the lack of a genuine offensive catalyst to replace or offset Koivu; and the lack of a second top-2 defenceman to spell off Markov. Gainey has addressed the second, impressively to my mind, by getting Hamrlik. Were we by some miracle to address the first problem, the Habs would suddenly vault into top-10 status IMHO.

I don't think i could have said it better myself!