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We'll be fine..


TheDriveFor25

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Habs will be fine when the get healthy. Having Tangs and Lats back in the lineup is going to do wonders for this team. We will get into the playoffs and then it is anybodys game!

Too much negativity coming from this board. We have a good team. Once the playoffs get here everything is going to be great.

I wonder if we have seen the last of S.KOst this year. I hope not. I think he could be a major contributor if he was paired up right.

Kovalev - Koivu - Tangs

Kosty - Pleks - Kosty

Higgins - Laps - Lats

Pacs - Kostops - Dags

That is a great lineup folks... just be thankful we aren't the Thrash or the Leafs or somebody else who is gonna be hurting for a few years.

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Habs will be fine when the get healthy. Having Tangs and Lats back in the lineup is going to do wonders for this team. We will get into the playoffs and then it is anybodys game!

Too much negativity coming from this board. We have a good team. Once the playoffs get here everything is going to be great.

I wonder if we have seen the last of S.KOst this year. I hope not. I think he could be a major contributor if he was paired up right.

Kovalev - Koivu - Tangs

Kosty - Pleks - Kosty

Higgins - Laps - Lats

Pacs - Kostops - Dags

That is a great lineup folks... just be thankful we aren't the Thrash or the Leafs or somebody else who is gonna be hurting for a few years.

Kostopoulos at C? Play D'Ago in a defensive Role? Did Carbo join Habsworld under an Alias?

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It's not as easy as you put it.

First Sergei at NHL-AHL level didn't do anything to be back here.

Second the line juggling is over, as Tanguay and Latendresse will be back.

And Kostopolos is in no way a fourth line centre.

Laraque out Dandenault is in as a 4th line forward.

Tanguay is back on let's say second line with Saku and Higgins.

D'Agostini replace Stewart to play on the last tryout of Metrololit as a regular 4th centre.

I didn't like Metropolit coming here at first and watching him play just make me hating him more.

We have nothing any better than Chipchura at the C position except for Desharnais who could be a wild

card there and give his heart and blood to play at the NHL level. He has more talent than anyone else for

this job.

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I agree with the general idea of the first post. As I said in another thread, most of our team's problems are things that went wrong mid-season. Get healthy and get your heads on straight and restart; and we easily have the personnel be one of the best team's in the league. But if they go on with the mindset that they're a fringe playoff team, they're going to be this year's Senators.

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The loss of Lang is very serious. I don't believe that we can go really deep in the playoffs with Koivu and Pleks at C. I'd love to proven wrong, but Pleks has severely disappointed this season. I don't trust him to deliver at this point.

Beyond that, there is no reason why the premise of this thread is wrong. On paper, with the addition of Tanguay and Schneider, we're better than last year even without Lang. On paper, the young guns should be older, wiser, and better, too.

Too bad this game isn't played on paper.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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Beyond that, there is no reason why the premise of this thread is wrong. On paper, with the addition of Tanguay and Schneider, we're better than last year even without Lang. On paper, the young guns should be older, wiser, and better, too.

This was my point. On paper, we have everything we need and are, in fact, better than we were last season. But first we need to regulate everything that's gone wrong midseason. Kovalev and Plekanec are (sort of) back, the powerplay seems to be back, and now our injured players are returning. Now we need Price to re-find his game - I think he's played alright in his past few starts, but not as well as he could - and for the fragile attitude in the dressing room to change. I'm a bit disappointed Bob couldn't even convert Dandenault into another grizzled veteran like Metropolit, I think a new face in the room could have been nice for the team.

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This was my point. On paper, we have everything we need and are, in fact, better than we were last season. But first we need to regulate everything that's gone wrong midseason. Kovalev and Plekanec are (sort of) back, the powerplay seems to be back, and now our injured players are returning. Now we need Price to re-find his game - I think he's played alright in his past few starts, but not as well as he could - and for the fragile attitude in the dressing room to change. I'm a bit disappointed Bob couldn't even convert Dandenault into another grizzled veteran like Metropolit, I think a new face in the room could have been nice for the team.

Fair enough, but how many new faces do we need? Metropolit and Schneider are both veterans, the latter a major addition and grizzled in the extreme. Why would one more make the difference? Why is three the magic number, exactly?

You're right about Price, but he seems some distance from finding his form. Personally I think Gainey should have someone like Luongo or Roy call him up, give him a little heart to heart. Luongo in particular has experienced dry spells and inevitably works his way out of them. He could be a fount of wisdom on how to do it.

I guess that I think this team has deep 'issues' that have nothing to do with its formidable talent level. This is why I'm pessimistic that Tanguay and Latendresse can save us. Hopefully I'm overreacting, like most Habs fans usually do.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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Not a magical number, it's just the fact that the team - coming off a four-game winning streak, but still struggling - went into last night's game knowing that they were not getting any more help whatsoever and that it was all down to them. A move of any kind would have at least added something new to the locker room, and no move other than landing Jokinen would make more sense than trading Dandy (who wanted out anyway) for an experienced grinder. Unfortunately, no one wanted Dandy...

The team does have issues that have nothing to do with its talent level but what could they possibly be? The coach keeps changing, the goalies keep changing, the majority of the players are changing, the lines are changing, the system keeps changing...

There are, I think, two possibilities:

The first is that the heart of the team is dysfuntional and this sadly leads back to Koivu. Not just Koivu, but it starts with him because he wears the C and because he's been around for the longest. Next season, I think he either needs to be gone or we need to bring in a new player with higher status than Koivu, that renders him less significant.

The second is that the dressing room is haunted by evil spirits that are intent on ruining our season. *shrugs* Some people believe in that stuff.

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The loss of Lang is very serious. I don't believe that we can go really deep in the playoffs with Koivu and Pleks at C. I'd love to proven wrong, but Pleks has severely disappointed this season. I don't trust him to deliver at this point.

Beyond that, there is no reason why the premise of this thread is wrong. On paper, with the addition of Tanguay and Schneider, we're better than last year even without Lang. On paper, the young guns should be older, wiser, and better, too.

Too bad this game isn't played on paper.

Lang was doing well no doubt. But any team, I don't care who it is, if Lang is your top scorer or go to guy you have a problem. My point is he was supposed to help not save. Now he's gone and Pleks and Koivu have to show up. Koivu will in the play-offs and if Pleks follows ....awesome. We still need someone to surprise and if that happens we could make a drive out of this 100th birthday.

It will be a defensive drive but guys like AK, Latendresse, Komi, and Laps are going to have to take things into there own hands. I hope they do because they are all talented enough.

And then it will be as simple as goaltending. I know I've been up and down with Halak and Price. Whatever your favourite is I don't care, but one of them has to stand on their head and shut that ######in door. Frustrate the nuts of the other team so we can win 3-2,2-1, 1-0.

That my friends is the only way we are going to win the cup with this team. Now with Carbo, Muller and Jarvis behind the bench if the players listen THEY WILL. They're just not listening right now. They don't get it. But it's hard to teach effort and pride.

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The first is that the heart of the team is dysfuntional and this sadly leads back to Koivu. Not just Koivu, but it starts with him because he wears the C and because he's been around for the longest. Next season, I think he either needs to be gone or we need to bring in a new player with higher status than Koivu, that renders him less significant.

I'm convinced some of you think he's a deity and you're losing your faith in him. Repeat after me: Koivu is a captain, not a coach. Koivu is a captain, not a coach. :P

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All we need is to play the same lines (what ever those are) and the same system (one that suits our team) over and over, game in and game out, win or loss.

How is Koivu to blame when one day we are pumpkins, then watermelons, then turnips, then potatoes, then oranges all mashed up in different combinations trying to make the perfect dish?

How can our group of stellar defensemen be so crappy - must be a leadership problem :wacko:

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I'm convinced some of you think he's a deity and you're losing your faith in him. Repeat after me: Koivu is a captain, not a coach. Koivu is a captain, not a coach. :P

Ok, just what does the term captain mean then?

According to wikipedia,The captain is expected to be a locker room leader!

Repeat after me, captain should be a leader, captain should be a leader, :rolleyes:

Every coach we have fired under his great leadership has gone on to be considered a very good coach with a different locker room leader. Doesn't that even make you wonder or are you so blinded by your love for this guy that you can't see clearly. Give your head a shake.

I know that stupid answer is coming.

"How do you know he isn't a leader in the locker room, you aren't there?" Right?

Same crap runs out of this site when ever people challange certain players.

That statement is growing as old as his captaincy.

I will state this."If he is a leader, he is leading us down the wrong path, game in game out, season after sason."

Winning is for winners, losing is for losers. Winners follow great leaders, losers follow whoever is in charge.

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Ok, just what does the term captain mean then?

According to wikipedia,The captain is expected to be a locker room leader!

Repeat after me, captain should be a leader, captain should be a leader, :rolleyes:

Every coach we have fired under his great leadership has gone on to be considered a very good coach with a different locker room leader. Doesn't that even make you wonder or are you so blinded by your love for this guy that you can't see clearly. Give your head a shake.

I know that stupid answer is coming.

"How do you know he isn't a leader in the locker room, you aren't there?" Right?

Same crap runs out of this site when ever people challange certain players.

That statement is growing as old as his captaincy.

I will state this."If he is a leader, he is leading us down the wrong path, game in game out, season after sason."

Winning is for winners, losing is for losers. Winners follow great leaders, losers follow whoever is in charge.

Like I've said a million times before.

Gainey, Muller, and Carbo........ all captains of the Montreal Canadiens. You would think they know how to identify a leader. Big #4 in the stands has never questioned it, hell, even Guy Lafleur hasn't painted this as one of the problems in his rants. Even if he did, it would fly over everyones heads because his word doesn't mean much unless your cooking fries or talking about old times.

It's funny how when we are winning Saku is the man and when we're losing he needs to be stripped of the C. OH BROTHER!!!!!!!

All coming from a guy who needs to simply go down the street and make a collect call and everything would be fine. Maybe you should hold yourself accountable.

........... quit whining about nothing....... and just MAKE THE CALL. ;)

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According to wikipedia...

Well, then it must be true ;)

I feel that we need to address the fact that we have no recognizable system before we hang our troubles on leadership problems.

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I'm convinced some of you think he's a deity and you're losing your faith in him. Repeat after me: Koivu is a captain, not a coach. Koivu is a captain, not a coach. :P

Were he a deity, I wouldn't have had faith in him to begin with. :P

All we need is to play the same lines (what ever those are) and the same system (one that suits our team) over and over, game in and game out, win or loss.

How is Koivu to blame when one day we are pumpkins, then watermelons, then turnips, then potatoes, then oranges all mashed up in different combinations trying to make the perfect dish?

How can our group of stellar defensemen be so crappy - must be a leadership problem :wacko:

One thing that's certain is that our team's problems go deeper than the level of talent on the team. That makes the most logical targets Koivu and Carbonneau. But since we've had these same problems (apart from a slumping goalie) for years now, I don't think we can just lay all the blame on Carbo.

It won't be the end of the world if we keep Koivu, but we need to find someone to take his place as our top leader. Kovalev's probably the team's real leader right now but he's not head-and-shoulders above Koivu so we sort of wind up having two captains instead of one, it just confuses things. In the offseason, we need to be left with only one of Koivu/Kovalev OR bring in someone, like Lecavalier or Pronger, that is clearly "above" K & K in status. This would make our KoKo situation pointless since neither will be the leader of anything anymore.

What else can you do? Keep the same team, find a new rookie coach and then whine about him some more? Koivu is the most logical target.

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Were he a deity, I wouldn't have had faith in him to begin with. :P

One thing that's certain is that our team's problems go deeper than the level of talent on the team. That makes the most logical targets Koivu and Carbonneau. But since we've had these same problems (apart from a slumping goalie) for years now, I don't think we can just lay all the blame on Carbo.

It won't be the end of the world if we keep Koivu, but we need to find someone to take his place as our top leader. Kovalev's probably the team's real leader right now but he's not head-and-shoulders above Koivu so we sort of wind up having two captains instead of one, it just confuses things. In the offseason, we need to be left with only one of Koivu/Kovalev OR bring in someone, like Lecavalier or Pronger, that is clearly "above" K & K in status. This would make our KoKo situation pointless since neither will be the leader of anything anymore.

What else can you do? Keep the same team, find a new rookie coach and then whine about him some more? Koivu is the most logical target.

I completely agree that this is not all Carbo's fault. I just very strongly disagree with those that place the whole blame on Koivu. Koivu is not blameless but he is not the downfall of the CH.

I have been of the opinion for a couple of months now that neither Koivu or Kovalev should be back next season.

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I completely agree that this is not all Carbo's fault. I just very strongly disagree with those that place the whole blame on Koivu. Koivu is not blameless but he is not the downfall of the CH.

I have been of the opinion for a couple of months now that neither Koivu or Kovalev should be back next season.

I keep underlining the fact that it has been a team slump. It hasn't just been Kovalev slumping, or Koivu, or Komisarek or Hamrlik. It's all of them.. and then Higgins, and Price, and everyone else. We can not place all of the blame on any one guy, but there definitely does seem to be a problem with the leadership core of the team.

My problem with letting both guys go is that we'd lose so much offense and it just puts more weight on the shoulders of people like Higgins and Plekanec. Losing both is too drastic in a single season unless we want to rebuild and I can't see that happening.

I would actually keep Kovalev, and push as hard as I can to bring in a C via trade to replace Koivu.

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I keep underlining the fact that it has been a team slump. It hasn't just been Kovalev slumping, or Koivu, or Komisarek or Hamrlik. It's all of them.. and then Higgins, and Price, and everyone else. We can not place all of the blame on any one guy, but there definitely does seem to be a problem with the leadership core of the team.

My problem with letting both guys go is that we'd lose so much offense and it just puts more weight on the shoulders of people like Higgins and Plekanec. Losing both is too drastic in a single season unless we want to rebuild and I can't see that happening.

I would actually keep Kovalev, and push as hard as I can to bring in a C via trade to replace Koivu.

I agree with you completely on the team slump, this is mistifying and frustrating that it keeps happening. You'd think when there's a pattern to these things they'd be fixable, yet year in year out we have many of the same alarming symptoms. AND how is it that so many of these guys are mediocre here and suddenly learn how to play again once they leave Montreal? Not just under Carbo, this has happened under Julien and Therrien too...........

I do disagree on keeping Kovalev, I think it's time to let both of them go, honestly they're both past their prime, and in my opinion past their usefulness to us. I love Kovy, glad we had him, but way too much drama for what he brings to the table. In short, my vote is addition through substraction, promote through the ranks and augment the youth with a key FA aquisition or two, depending on how many of our own FAs we decide to keep (hopefully Komi and who else?)

I would love for next year's team to be more in the 2k9 Bruins' mold (I can't believe I'm saying that!). Other than Chara and arguably Savard, they don't have what you'd call top-tier talent, but they all bring it every night, play hard for their coach, protect each other and believe in the system. A team you hate to play. That's an orchestra, as opposed to a bunch of solo artists. This is how a guy like Ryder goes to B-town and produces - he still has the same faults he's had here, but now plays within the system and within himself, and is a valuable contributor. I just don't see Kovalev ever accepting that role, and we don't need him in a different one.

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Ahhh, i had a dream last night i was talking with gainey. said he's going to resign kovalev next year. lol

dreams eh?...

oh yeah, and montreal played philly in the playoffs and won the first game. Lang was playing. but was in pain.

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