what do we need for next year ?

[tokyohabs]

why would you get rid of Bouillon ??

the guy is physical, makes a good 1st pass, he calms younger players, can log much ice when needed. and doesnt cost you much.

if you want to groom kid properly, you need good vets, just ask gorges what he thinks of bouillon.

I was p**sed. I take it back. You're right, I just didn't like seeing him shoved around down low v Boston, and struggling at times with Flyers bigger forwards.

He'll be very useful later, and I get the impression he is like Begin for the d corps, in terms of attitude and willingness.

[Easy Ryder]

Invest the money in the team.

A big part of the shame is that we had a young core to go

further in the playoffs. But the depth we had was depth only.

Everybody knows that there was some cap space left.

Just one player in the mix could have made a difference.

But the players were left to themselves. They missed support, new

blood to add to the mix.

It was a gamble a way to see where this team was exactly the way it is.

Habs lost this gamble and the chance to go all the way.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Interesting take from Hickey (who I normally don't think much of):

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...e6-3c7588a86d2e

Basically, first, we were wise to deal Huet BUT Halak should have been given more work down the stretch in order to avoid burning out Carey Price. That's a nice, different take on this whole matter. Price, in the last series, did indeed remind me of Roberto Luongo here in Vancouver - a goalie who is capable of so much more but seems simply exhausted. And he's admitted as much. It would be wise to go with a 50-30 split next season instead of the Marty Brodeur model.

Hickey's other point is that we need a 'sniper with size.' He mentions Hossa. While you'd have to overpay, and he's no franchise player, I'm surprised there hasn't been more chatter about signing him as a UFA after the Pens' run.

[Habsfan]

I do think that Emelin would be a great fit for us on Hamrlik's pairing and this is our last chance to sign him.

I would also like to see Emelin play in Montreal. Maybe Valentenko! Both of these russian d-men are supposed to be very good. One or maybe both of them will replace Streit and/or Brisebois.

I'm also frustrated that our D back up as opposing forwards skate over our blueline

Agreed! Our d-men give up the blue line way too easily. Instead of challeging the other teams forwards, we simply let them into our zone. That will need to change next year!

Edited May 5, 2008 by Habsfan

[Wamsley01]

Interesting take from Hickey (who I normally don't think much of):

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...e6-3c7588a86d2e

Basically, first, we were wise to deal Huet BUT Halak should have been given more work down the stretch in order to avoid burning out Carey Price. That's a nice, different take on this whole matter. Price, in the last series, did indeed remind me of Roberto Luongo here in Vancouver - a goalie who is capable of so much more but seems simply exhausted. And he's admitted as much. It would be wise to go with a 50-30 split next season instead of the Marty Brodeur model.

Hickey's other point is that we need a 'sniper with size.' He mentions Hossa. While you'd have to overpay, and he's no franchise player, I'm surprised there hasn't been more chatter about signing him as a UFA after the Pens' run.

I would still do the trade over as well, but I was never about win this year at all costs.

If they wanted to take a serious run this year it was unwise to move Huet for exactly what happened. But I was more interested

in seeing how Price would handle the number 1 and him getting experience for future more serious assaults at the Cup.

Price showed he was human in the last 10 days. Nothing more, nothing less. The Roy/Dryden expectations were unrealistic.

He is ahead of the curve right now and I cannot wait to see this kid at 25 after he knows the league intimately and has experienced

all the strains of being a number 1 for a sustained period of time. He is ahead of where Luongo/Brodeur were at 20, and that is very promising.

[Habsfan]

He is ahead of where Luongo/Brodeur were at 20, and that is very promising.

True.

I normally don't like to quote Jean Perron, but Perron said (about 2 weeks ago) that Price was ahead of Patrick Roy at the same age. Seeing as Perron was Roy's coach back then, i'd say it was a nice compliment.

The kid will be a monster in 2 or 3 years!

[Athlétique.Canadien]

AC’s answer is:

That would be a nice start

[Wamsley01]

True.

I normally don't like to quote Jean Perron, but Perron said (about 2 weeks ago) that Price was ahead of Patrick Roy at the same age. Seeing as Perron was Roy's coach back then, i'd say it was a nice compliment.

The kid will be a monster in 2 or 3 years!

Well Roy caught lightning in a bottle in 1986. He was not very good in 87 and 88. He did not begin to emerge as a true superstar

until 1989 when he went 30+ games at home without a loss.

The argument could easily be made that Price is ahead of Roy, but because Roy was so good in 1986 you will not see me make that one.

[brobin]

I would love a guy just like Morrow. Scores, hits, sets the tempo. never quits....

Watching the Dallas games showed me what we really missed. They have skill guys (like Ribs) who are playing big because they have a monster Captain that sets the tone.

I would prefer if we get a vet goalie to tandem with Price, but I suspect it will be Halak. If it is, they need to give Halak more starts and play him.

We definitely need an upgrade down the middle too.

[brobin]

Oh, and that is not a shot at Koivu as a captain. We just need a guy like Morrow on his wing.

[bar]

I like the way Jokinen plays in Florida, too bad we couldn't pry him away from the Panthers.

[Habsfan]

If it is, they need to give Halak more starts and play him.

I'd like to see Price start about 52-55 games next year. The remaining 27-30 games would go to Halak!

[Wamsley01]

I would love a guy just like Morrow. Scores, hits, sets the tempo. never quits....

Watching the Dallas games showed me what we really missed. They have skill guys (like Ribs) who are playing big because they have a monster Captain that sets the tone.

I would prefer if we get a vet goalie to tandem with Price, but I suspect it will be Halak. If it is, they need to give Halak more starts and play him.

We definitely need an upgrade down the middle too.

Morrow has been unbelievable. Talk about a win at all costs mentality.

[BTH]

We definitely need an upgrade down the middle too.

What's there to upgrade at centre? Plekanec makes a decent 1st line centre and Koivu makes an above average second line centre. Chipchura, Lapierre and Grabovski will fight over the final two spots. I think that is atleast perfectly ordinary. To win the Cup we don't have to be the best team at every single position.

[brobin]

What's there to upgrade at centre? Plekanec makes a decent 1st line centre and Koivu makes an above average second line centre. Chipchura, Lapierre and Grabovski will fight over the final two spots. I think that is atleast perfectly ordinary. To win the Cup we don't have to be the best team at every single position.

I don't think Pleks is a number 1 centre, and we are too small down the middle. We are talking about moving forward and getting better, which means have a better number one centre and enough size to ensure we don't get pushed around in the playoffs. Koivu at least plays big.

Malkin, Pleks and Koivu would be depth at centre.

[BTH]

I don't think Pleks is a number 1 centre, and we are too small down the middle. We are talking about moving forward and getting better, which means have a better number one centre and enough size to ensure we don't get pushed around in the playoffs. Koivu at least plays big.

Malkin, Pleks and Koivu would be depth at centre.

Well, yeah I agree, we obviously COULD improve but I don't see that as one of our priorities. Look at our depth chart:

LW: Higgins, Andrei, Latendresse, Begin (Paccioretty?)

C: Koivu, Plekanec, Lapierre, Grabovski, Chipchura

RW: Kovalev, Sergei, Kostopoulos, Dandenault, D'agostini

(Note: A few of these guys, namely Gui and the Brother, can play either wing)

IMO, RW is our weakest position, especially as Kovalev gets older. I don't expect Sergei Kostitsyn to ever become a top first line player and D'agostini just looks like a good third line player to me. I think that's where we could use some insurance. At LW, we have a few young players with reasonably high potential - I see 3 or 4 guys there with the potential to score 40 goals sometime in their careers. At C, we seem perfectly average as well as perfectly fine. I understand the want for a high potential centre prospect that can replace Koivu someday. But at the moment, we still have Koivu and he is still good enough to hang on to his 2nd line (or 1st line, depending on how you look at them) centre role.

So if we are going to get a forward, I would want a winger, preferably a power forward or a sniper. Since a few of our forwards can play either wing, it doesn't really matter if he plays LW or RW. Hossa would be cool, but he'd cost us more than he's worth.

Edited May 5, 2008 by BTH

[Jaysix]

NORTH AMERICANS !!!

[smon]

A big centre who uses his size effectively. I don't really care if it means as a top-two line centre, or as the checking one.

[BTH]

NORTH AMERICANS !!!

If we don't already have it now, next year we'll probably be icing the most European team we've ever had.

[SAKS-AVENUE]

I think someone mentioned we should try and trade Kovy while his value is peaked again, but I think we should re-think that. Last year he improved, and most say it was the talk with Gainey. The other thing that I feel gave him motivation was being skipped over by the russian team. While the TlTS Brothers were invited this year Kovy has been shunned again, now the Russian team has told Kovy he's not fast enough. Kovy's comments were that he is going home to work on his skating. He said it kind of jokingly but he may be motivated one more time and give us an even better season next year. We can re-evaluate then. I'd give him one more year.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Awesome at cycling. Has speed and strength and has the NATURAL instinct to go to the net. The scouting report bodes promise for him and the big show in 2009. I am allowed to hope am I not?

[InsaneHABSfan]

All I ask for is some kind of shakeup. Nothing major, just get a couple of guys that will drive the net. Put Koivu on the third line and find one decent centre, Plek the #2 centre. And please Coach Line Change, Leave the Kovalev line alone.

Not asking for much.

[MMPL]

I'd like a tough guy to come in so Plex and Kosty wouldn't have to be worried and shy away in the playoffs from a Hatcher or Lucic type player. He would not play every game, just the odd playoff game if we looked scared and he would only have one job

[saskhab]

All I ask for is some kind of shakeup. Nothing major, just get a couple of guys that will drive the net. Put Koivu on the third line and find one decent centre, Plek the #2 centre. And please Coach Line Change, Leave the Kovalev line alone.

Not asking for much.

I kind of agree, but there's not much out there. I think it is imperative to establish a true 3rd line for next year. Koivu and Higgins are definite options. I also think it's time to give Latendresse a real shot on a scoring line. Higgins needs to be given a clear role and I think on the 3rd line he'd flourish. We saw hints of these type of things in the year, Koivu checking, Higgins playing a support role. I think it's something to strive for.

Streit is a tough case for this team. Just doesn't seem to be a real definitive role for him. Maybe we won't have the #1 PP next year by letting him go (sound familiar), but I think his is the type of piece that could be found later in the year via trade if necessary.

[The-Habby2919]

Lucic type player

Too bad we dont have him instead of Maxwell.

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