Spider-Man NL Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=682 Edit: The article is now on HabsWorld. Matt Godbout is an HW collaborator and will be in the Prospects writer team this year. [Edited on 2004-8-29 by sakiqc] [Edited on 2005/3/23 by sakiqc] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycing Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 Fantastic article, thank you for bringing it to our attention . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinamo Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 GO :hlogo: GO it's our time baby!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider-Man NL Posted August 28, 2004 Author Share Posted August 28, 2004 Originally posted by MacaskillFantastic article, thank you for bringing it to our attention . Your welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitforming Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 Thanks for the Kudos guys. Looking back like that, its really is easy to be optomistic when you see the adversities they have already conquered. [Edited on 2004/8/28 by Habitforming] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakiqc Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 I very liked the article. Savard deserves a lot of credit for what this team is turning to. I agree with the 5 years plan analysis. However, I think we're not a year ahead of the schedule. I wouldn't call the Habs a contender team this year, even if we have Kovalev. All the pieces are not in places. We really don't know what to expect from Ribeiro and Ryder this year. Could we expect them to repeat last year performances? It's sure we need a Kovalev type of player. But is it enough to make us a contender? We'll battle for 8th again this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 The article was fantastic :/) I see only one real question mark for the upcoming seaseon (if there is one!). That is our second line. I'm going to assume that we are going to sign Kovalev. I'm not sure what the hold up is but I don't see a lot of talk about him going anywhere else. We have all read that he is spending lots of time in Montreal. That is a great sign. My concern about the second line is simple. Dagenais is not a second line player. Since he was signed, it is likely that the Habs will bring him back to fill that spot again. Ribs is great with the puck and can obviously score. This will be a make or break season for him. Can he improve or was that the best he had? I am a little concerned about his size and toughness though. He was so easily bumped around and off the puck last year in the playoffs. Ryder has much to prove as well. I think he is the real deal and will continue to shine this year. He is a future first liner IMO. The one thing that I'm most happy about is how the Habs developed as a team. For so many years, they looked like a bunch of guys who just happened to be on the same team. I saw much more than that last season. Especially in the playoffs. Success will grow out of great leadership. Gainey's leadership. :ghg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitforming Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 Well put. Myself, I can't see Dagenais holding his spot on the second line. I think Hossa will break out this year, and strip Dags of his spot. Permanently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony_ Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 Great article I hope Dags worked out all summer and tried to improve his game. I think he knows his ass is on the line for this season and for the ones to come... (Kostitsyn, Higgins, Plekanec...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 I agree to what sakiq had to say, but I must also point that we also could be much better than this five year plan. Somethings that no manager ever could figure out has turned out well. Last season a certain Michael Ryder came from nowhere and ended up as the runner-up for the Calder award. We're deep in prospect. Ribeiro showed us all "he-wont-make-it-sayers" that we where wrong. Komisarek, Hainsey, Hossa and Perezhogin. Of just one of theese guys will develop into what we think then we're lucky. Saku Koivu fought back his cancer. Savard could do little about that. Brisebois showed another side of himself. Many, many small thing that has gone right. It's the details that makes it. Just imagine what would have happened if Koivu had to retire? We're in phase with the plan. But things can turn fast. But hopefully we're better off than we knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hab faninTO Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 I like the article but I question that the Habs will be contenders soon. The youth have a lot to prove yet. There is a lot of promising youth but they are not there yet and some will not make it to the NHL. I love to see the team improve year over year over year and hope that we can be considered contenders in the near future. For this to happen some youth have to step up and be stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombTHEice Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 It depends on many points if the HABS will be a contender or not next season. Just to name a few: - we need a healthy Sheldon Souray with the "pre-All Star form" he had last season. If he can do that, we'll have one of the better defenceman in the league. - we need solid years from our young guys like Ribeiro and especially Komisarek and Ryder. Komisaurus showed that he can be a big physical presence on the ice, something the HABS lacked for years. - we need José Théodore in his MVP form ... but I think that's the smallest problem because I guess he has fully forgotten the dismal season from 2 years ago. - we need a player like Alexej Kovalev, no doubt about this. Though if we can't sign him or any other player of his calibre, we've Kostitsyn ... he has tons of skills and he'll be a future star in this league. I guess he'll be ready for the NHL in the next 1-2 years. - Radek Bonk has to make an impact on the team ... lots of guys have already forgotten that Gainey brought in a very skilled center this summer. Not lots of teams in the league can say that they have 3 potential 1st line centers. Hopefully he won't be the same fluke has Czerkawski ... but I think that Bonk is a much different guy than the "Polish Prince" and that we got a very good player for the 3rd line who can play alongside Bulis. There are much more points but I just wanted to name a few. :king: BTW: Very nice article Habitforming! :/) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doktor Kosmos Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 (I'd like to appologize in advance for the long post.) Aside from Souray I think we will also need one more top defenceman. But what we need most of all is consistency, no matter who plays they need to be consistent. In my opinion the team has been way too "streaky" the last couple years. And all too often the losing streaks have been longer than the winning streaks. In 2002 we beat the Bruins (then the #1 seed in the East!), but then we lost to Carolina (who later went on all the way to the Cup Finals), and in a 4 game sweep if memory serves me right. I think the problem that time was that we simply ran out of fuel. The team's "real playoff run" had been made during the end of the regular season while fighting to make the playoffs in the first place. Had we qualified for the playoffs earlier (and I think the key to do so is consistency), then a similar hot streak in the playoffs could have taken us to the finals instead of Carolina. I am not sure we should blame all of the failure of the 2002/03 season on Audette and Czerkawski. Don't get me wrong, I don't like them any more than the next Habs fan (they were a gamble that didn't pay off) but there is more to it than that. How else can you explain that Koivu came back from cancer to play arguably his best full season ever? Had he ever played all 82 games before that? And he scored 70+ points. After coming back from cancer! Now if that is not enough to make you impressed, I don't know what is. But there must have been more problems besides Audette and Czerkawski underachieving. Theodore, for example, was not his usual self. Either way, the 2003/04 season brought with it a welcome change. I do think it's interesting what the players have to say about Gainey sticking up for his players. Brisebois may not exactly be the greatest defenceman in Habs history, but hey, imagine playing in front of a home crowd that are booing every time you get the puck. Nobody needs that. That's the one thing I don't get about the Montreal fans. In my world you should always try to support and encourage your team to do better. Not discourage them (yes, Brisebois has been known to give the puck away too often, I know). Anyway, last season was really a good one. Koivu came back after missing the first 13 games and had a strong season while overcoming other problems along the way, Ribeiro emerged as a dependable 2nd line center and Ryder ended the season as runner up for the Calder trophy. Theodore was back where he needs to be, Souray had a marvelous comeback (although it was cut short by an unfortunate injury). LIke the article said, the Canadiens looked like a team more than they have done in a long time. Add Kovy and Dowd at the trade deadline and things looked really good. Once again in the playoffs the Bruins were taken care of. What impresses me the most is they totally kept Joe Thornton from scoring (I don't care his back was hurting, players have suffered worse and still managed to achieve). I think that was the key to the Canadiens winning the series. Thornton is the heart and soul of his team, and who can do well if their heart and soul hardly even shows up? That and ironically Kovalev's wheelings and dealings. That's what won us the series. I think however it may have been too costly winning the Bruins series, while at the same time from what I've seen on TV the Lightning series was closer than a 4 game sweep would make it seem. Just like in 2002 I supsect we ran out of fuel. Too much energy had to be used winning the 7 game series over the Bruins. -------------- When thinking about this five year plan, the interesting thing is next season though (whenever it may start). I think it is essential Kovalev returns because Koivu is much more useful when he has a really good winger to play with. Theodore of course is vital, but what else is new? I think he will come through. There have however been quite a lot of changes in the roster lately. If all the new faces will adjust and merge together we're in business, but it might also take a while. In the end though I cannot let go of the idea that reinforcements on defence is needed. No matter how good the likes of Roy and Brodeur is/was, they didn't do it all by themselves. When Roy won the Cup with the Avs in 2001, he played behind the likes of Bourque, Blake and Foote. Brodeur can rely on Stevens, Niedermayer and Rafalski. I think we need a defender like that as well. Souray may get there one day, but he is not yet at that level. And let me again stress the consistency of the whole team. In order to be a contender, qulifying for the 7th or 8th playoff spot is not enough IMO. We need to be able to clinch a playoff spot earlier in the season so that the team can focus on the playoffs down the stretch instead of trying to make the playoffs. Colorado, Detroit and such teams never have to worry about making the playoffs. Enough said. ----------------- Another interesting question is also what makes a contender? How would you define the very word? One good season is not enough I think, you have to do well for a longer period of time than just one season in order to be considered a contender. Either way the key word for me is patience. Lets give Gainey time to work his magic. If what he's shown already isn't enough... well, I feel more optimistic than I've done since the mid 1990's. But I don't expect the Canadiens to win the Cup next season. There, those are my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombTHEice Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Aside from Souray I think we will also need one more top defenceman. For me Markov is one of the most underrated defenceman in the league. Komisaurus is also just at the beginning of his career and he surely will develop in one of the better blueliners. I also want to see Ron Hainsey a full season, he also has the tools to become a very good player. So I think the defence is quite set for the next couple of years. What impresses me the most is they totally kept Joe Thornton from scoring (I don't care his back was hurting, players have suffered worse and still managed to achieve). Absolutely true ... for example: just look at Stevie Yzerman, he's a true leader. He won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal with one healthy leg. Thornton isn't a true leader, though he had some problems with his rips ... anyway I shouldn't care too much about some Beaners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hab faninTO Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I love the Habs but I don't care how you define "contender" they are not contender. Way too much unproven youth. For Montreal to have a good year (100 points) there will be a need for a lot of players to step up - The moon, the planets and the stars will need to be align. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitforming Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I disagree completely. The 100 point standard is not a stretch at all and in no way would need the "Planets and stars to align". Montreal had 93 points last year with a load of unproven and under performing players. The underperforming players are gone/retired, and the unproven players have now set a standard to play by. All this was accomplished without Kovalev or Bonk. With those two players as well as the cuts and additions [ rookies/UFA's] to the team we should be disappointed in a rise of only 7 points or less. A contender is a team that could win the Stanley Cup, not become the next dynasty team. If Calgary can win the cup [to me they won the cup with the "Missed Goal" in game 6] as well as Anaheim, Carolina, Buffalo etc all make the finals why can't we? We are already better then all the teams listed, and with the uncertainties in the east this season we compare to any team and beating them is not a dream at all. No one in the east will want to play the Habs this year. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hab faninTO Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Like other teams Montreal has a chance to win the cup but they are not contenders. Dynasty is defined as a team that wins a string of cups (was Detroit a Dynasty in the past 10 years?). A lot of teams make it to the cup final (win or lose) that were not contenders. Calgary, Anaheim, Carolina and Buffalo are/were not contenders. Montreal will be good this year (if the play) and will continue to get better as the young player mature. However, I would not define them as contender. Go Habs Go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonavistaman11 Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 When the habs make the playoffs, they're always a contender.... :ghg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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