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Markov back on his skates!


Habsfan

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As for the Olympics, well I will just say that I believe pro atheletes should still not be allowed to compete in them. It was one thing when USSR was putting their "non-professional" pros in the tourny, but those days are gone. Make it a match for the amatuer players as it is suppose to be, no NHL/KHL/Swede Elite, etc players allowed. Save our best vs there best for a different tourny that isn't in the middle of the season. Just my humble opinion. It all started because the Olympics wanted to be a bigger TV draw. USA's dream team in BBall was the start of something bad.

+1 Money makes the world go round. :rolleyes:

I also think players shouldn't play in extra-curricular tournaments until they're 100%. Not 75, 85, or even 95%. After all, who pays them? Money makes the world go round.

Unless someone gives me tickets and forces me to go, I doubt very highly I'll watch a single game.

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I agree 100% that getting back into shape for the Olympics will have a positive effect on Markov since he's been off skates for a while now.

And judging by what Tretiak had to say last night on Prime Time Sports, the Russian team is eagerly awaiting his return to solid health.

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+1 Money makes the world go round. :rolleyes:

I also think players shouldn't play in extra-curricular tournaments until they're 100%. Not 75, 85, or even 95%. After all, who pays them? Money makes the world go round.

Unless someone gives me tickets and forces me to go, I doubt very highly I'll watch a single game.

Yeah, who would want to watch the highest quality of hockey on the planet, anyways? You'd have to be crazy to watch that.

There is no NHL while the tournament is going on, so what's the problem? I don't see people complaining about players going to the World Championships after the season is over.

So why wouldn't Markov be at 100%? By his estimate, he'll have been playing for about 6 weeks in the NHL by the time the Olympics. He should be completely recovered and up to speed for several weeks. The Habs knew that Markov would play at the Olympics when he signed the 4 year contract, just as Hamrlik will and just as Spacek, Plekanec, possibly Gomez and Gionta, and even Halak and possibly Price will. And it's not like a severed tendon is a recurring injury that we have to worry about, either. It's a one off, freak occurence. He should be fine.

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Yeah, who would want to watch the highest quality of hockey on the planet, anyways? You'd have to be crazy to watch that.

There is no NHL while the tournament is going on, so what's the problem? I don't see people complaining about players going to the World Championships after the season is over.

I'll address your second point first. People do complain. Injuries from these tournaments hurt teams. And sure, there's no NHL while the tourney is on, but will everyone be so hunky dory about the tourney if Markov, Gionta, etc, etc, get hurt?

As far as your first point, I'll have to disagree with you. I don't think it's the highest quality of hockey on the planet. Quite often it's discombobulated and incoherent hockey, because these are guys who have played together for about three weeks, all told. The best NHL clubs offer at least their calibre of play, IMO, and other than Canada, Russia, and perhaps the States, any NHL team could beat any other of the national teams on any given day. Those three Nat teams do have slightly larger talent pools, though.

But thank you for the crazy tag. ;)

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Yeah, but the earlier he gets back, the quicker we get out of that letdown and then start winning like we should. If we lose 5 games because of this phenomenon, it's better to do that with 40 games left on the schedule than with 20.

Definitely agree with you on that!

If markov can come back between Christmas and New Years Day, it would be great!

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As far as your first point, I'll have to disagree with you. I don't think it's the highest quality of hockey on the planet. Quite often it's discombobulated and incoherent hockey, because these are guys who have played together for about three weeks, all told. The best NHL clubs offer at least their calibre of play, IMO, and other than Canada, Russia, and perhaps the States, any NHL team could beat any other of the national teams on any given day. Those three Nat teams do have slightly larger talent pools, though.

Colin, I have to respectfully disagree. (Notice how polite, how Anglo, I'm being!) :wacko:

Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, USA, and the Czech Republic would beat any NHL team on any given day. Half of the players on most NHL teams would not even be able to keep up with the speed of the Olympic game. I've been fortunate enough to see a couple of these games at ice level, and the speed and flow is incredible. Perhaps it doesn't look that way on TV because of the *equality* of talent on the ice, cancelling each other out (especially when Sweden used to play that bloody trap game of theirs).

Olympic hockey is the best hockey in the world, even better than the Canada Cup used to be (because, due to the timing, the players are in better shape for the Olympics than the September Canada Cup players).

Your viewpoint is very North American though and reminds me of 1972, when we got a rude awakening about the quality of the international game.

(I know it's not gonna happen, but I'd love to see a series involving the Russian league champs playing the NHL champs. I also think that would be an eye-opener for many people.)

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As to the captaincy, I don't think we'll have a captain all season. Maybe if we push into the 6-7 position in the east. That would mean that the team came together and a leader emerged. If we squeak in, just miss, or aren't even close I don't think one will be named. I guess that kind of reveals where I think this team will end up at the end of the season :(

I remember reading a week or so ago that Martin certainly was considering not naming a captain for the full season so I'd say you have a decent chance of being right with that statement.

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100% agree with you. And playing in the Olympics for your country is much more important than playing for a pro hockey club.

As far as the impact Markov will make upon his return... Don't forget, that he's always been a slow starter after an injury. I hope people don't put too much expectation on him.

You know, despite my earlier negative impression, this team could be quite good once *all the injuries* (not just Markov) come back. We do need good goaltending however - that is the most critical. Price needs to continue on his trek back and, if he doesn't, we need to quickly switch over to Halak. (No wasting games to allow Price to "find" himself - look at how the competition from Halak helped him this year. Contrast this with how he *didn't* improve when we kept handing him undeserved starting assignments last year.)

It's really strange that the injuries have actually helped us in one sense. Other players have picked up the slack and improved their game. Remember how in previous years, we had a pitiful record when Markov wasn't playing? This time around, we'll be that much stronger when the injured return.

carefull jackp that was a positive post. :lol:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Apparently expecting medical clearance for contact practice as early as Monday and a return next weekend???? Yowza.

Markov's the freakin' man! 2 1/2 months for a 3-4 month long injury (and most assumed closer to 4). :hlogo:

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Markov's the freakin' man! 2 1/2 months for a 3-4 month long injury (and most assumed closer to 4). :hlogo:

I think the original diagnosis was 4-6 months... Markov is quite amazing.

I just hope he's not rushing back and not 100% healed.

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I'm tempted to state the obvious and declaim that once Markov gets in game shape, our team will suddenly start looking a whole lot better.

But I'm also worried that there will be a cosmic righting of the scales. E.g., a season-ending injury to our other quiet blueline stud, Hamrlik. That's the kind of luck we've had for the last year or so.

I'm also worried that there will be a let-up by guys such as Price, Gorges, and so on, who have been heroically shouldering the load in Markov's absence.

Obviously though: great news :clap:

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I'm tempted to state the obvious and declaim that once Markov gets in game shape, our team will suddenly start looking a whole lot better.

Give it time, he's not going to be able to step in and eat 25 minutes + right away. I wouldn't expect to see him return to Markov-like form for at least 3-4 weeks after his return. Since he's missed pretty much the entire year, the first few weeks back will be essentially a 2nd training camp.

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There still is the matter of who he wil play with. O'Byrne won't cut it, twice against Afinigenov he lost 2 1 on 1 battles for the puck, Afin is 175 pounds and noted as a soft player.

You could Mara with him, not breaking up Spacek and Hamrlik but giving them less ice time.

Then i guess Gorges and Gill. MAB may take Pyatt's spot on the 4th line.

markov will help some, but it's still the other players turning over the pucka t a record pace.

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I'm tempted to state the obvious and declaim that once Markov gets in game shape, our team will suddenly start looking a whole lot better.

But I'm also worried that there will be a cosmic righting of the scales. E.g., a season-ending injury to our other quiet blueline stud, Hamrlik. That's the kind of luck we've had for the last year or so.

I'm also worried that there will be a let-up by guys such as Price, Gorges, and so on, who have been heroically shouldering the load in Markov's absence.

Obviously though: great news :clap:

What a joy to have Markov back. Thank God his tendon injury, like Lang's wasn't the end of the road for their careers.

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O'Byrne > Mara. Not that it takes much. O'Byrne ain't perfect, but he doesn't go chasing guys behind the net and into the corner leaving the fron tof the net open like Mara.

He'll be on the 3rd pair with top PP minutes and some PK minutes to start.

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