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Former Habs


l.moustakas

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With a thread recently lauched to discuss the performance of former Canadiens, an Around The Board column dedicated to former Canadien Mike Ribeiro and Brian bringing up Pierre Dagenais in his weekly recap, it felt like a good time to bring up the following quesiton: Which former habs (currently playing professional hockey) do you miss the most?

For me, I would have to say Francois Beauchemin. Even in his pre-Anaheim days, I found his combination of size, grit and good shot to be quite alluring.

How about the rest of you?

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My obvious reply is Koivu. I understand why Gainey chose to let him leave, but he gave us a lot of great years with some *ahem* sub-par teams. As a personal hero of mine, I was sad to see him go, and still wish he could retire as a Canadien.

The other Canadien I miss is Mark Streit. I always felt he was underutilized as a defenseman in Montreal, and I still think he's got some of the best hockey smarts out there. Factor in his PP prowess and shot, and it's a shame he was allowed to walk.

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My obvious reply is Koivu. I understand why Gainey chose to let him leave, but he gave us a lot of great years with some *ahem* sub-par teams. As a personal hero of mine, I was sad to see him go, and still wish he could retire as a Canadien.

For me Koivu as well.

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Kostopolous...and Saku. I feel the habs have not had a great checking line since Laps, Kost and Lats were the third line. I loved the way Kost stuck up for his team, even though he lost...every fight. Also, Souray. Sure he was a pylon, but I still remember that shootout goal he had where he faked the slap shot and deked around I believe the Boston goalie...Thomas?

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The ex-Habs I miss is Stephane Robidas. He would be our top dman by a mile. In Dallas he has really blossomed as an all-around star, in the league-leaders for hits, a powerplay specialist, a defense wiz. He was supposedly small, and playing for the Habs only as a favour because he was french-canadien. But he is the same size as Wisnewski, and definitely belongs in the league's elite.

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This thread hurts. It hurts to have to come up with my personal former favourite Habs, who's now one player that I particularly hate . The player I miss the most is Mike Komisarek...

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This thread hurts. It hurts to have to come up with my personal former favourite Habs, who's now one player that I particularly hate . The player I miss the most is Mike Komisarek...

He still plays for the Habs periodically, remember that pass to Cammalleri?

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Kostopolous...and Saku. I feel the habs have not had a great checking line since Laps, Kost and Lats were the third line. I loved the way Kost stuck up for his team, even though he lost...every fight. Also, Souray. Sure he was a pylon, but I still remember that shootout goal he had where he faked the slap shot and deked around I believe the Boston goalie...Thomas?

I think it was Raycroft when he played for the Leafs.

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My obvious reply is Koivu. I understand why Gainey chose to let him leave, but he gave us a lot of great years with some *ahem* sub-par teams. As a personal hero of mine, I was sad to see him go, and still wish he could retire as a Canadien.

The other Canadien I miss is Mark Streit. I always felt he was underutilized as a defenseman in Montreal, and I still think he's got some of the best hockey smarts out there. Factor in his PP prowess and shot, and it's a shame he was allowed to walk.

Koivu - never understood how gainey let a heart and soul guy that had the same type of work ethic and competitive fire as himself. $2.5m for Koivu vs. $7.3m for Gomez. as the only thing I can understand (other then il lans, el le but, bel ae rait)' that the RDS announcer says - aiye yaiye, yaiye, yaiye, aiye!!!

The 2nd guy is Sreit who reportedly approached Gainey to sign for $2.5m in October/November of his UFA year - much less than what Schneider was making and would have negated the need for Spacek.

Lastly SK74, who I think JM's approach right from the outset of training camp was a major fxck up.

The habs really messed up with how they brought up Lats, riberiro, sk74 and maxpax, with practically no time in the minors and created that self of entitlement on guys who never learned to be a professional and just used the wrong approach afterwards. Looks like maxpax has been salvaged, but from the other 3 the only one I miss is SK74.

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Kostopolous...and Saku. I feel the habs have not had a great checking line since Laps, Kost and Lats were the third line. I loved the way Kost stuck up for his team, even though he lost...every fight. Also, Souray. Sure he was a pylon, but I still remember that shootout goal he had where he faked the slap shot and deked around I believe the Boston goalie...Thomas?

and indeed Raycroft it is

Oh and i mis Koivu as well. He made me a Habs fan for life.

Edited by Dutch_Habs_Fan
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Koivu - never understood how gainey let a heart and soul guy that had the same type of work ethic and competitive fire as himself. $2.5m for Koivu vs. $7.3m for Gomez. as the only thing I can understand (other then il lans, el le but, bel ae rait)' that the RDS announcer says - aiye yaiye, yaiye, yaiye, aiye!!!

The 2nd guy is Sreit who reportedly approached Gainey to sign for $2.5m in October/November of his UFA year - much less than what Schneider was making and would have negated the need for Spacek.

Lastly SK74, who I think JM's approach right from the outset of training camp was a major fxck up.

The habs really messed up with how they brought up Lats, riberiro, sk74 and maxpax, with practically no time in the minors and created that self of entitlement on guys who never learned to be a professional and just used the wrong approach afterwards. Looks like maxpax has been salvaged, but from the other 3 the only one I miss is SK74.

I think you're jumping the gun on Sergei. He's hot now, but let's wait and see how he does over the longer haul, shall we? The same could be said of Latendresse, who apparently contributed to his own injuries this season by showing up to camp - wait for it - out of shape. As for Streit, you are obviously bang on; that was a huge mistake. Of course, many of us failed to see the mistake at the time, dwelling instead on Streit's dodgy play in his own end.

Funnily enough, I don't really miss Koivu. We had him for his entire prime and he was clearly on the downside when Bob cut him loose. The present team has sufficient leadership and character and him sticking around may have made it harder for that leadership core to take over. None of this takes away from Saku's tremendous contributions as the lone bright spot in the darkest era in Habs' history. We emphatically should not retire his sweater, but there should definitely be a Saku Koivu Night or some other means of honouring him properly, sooner or later.

I'm surprised to realize this, but the two that I 'miss' - by which I mean, that I'm kinda nostaligc for - are Kovalev and, somehow, Komisarek. In hockey terms, I take Gionta over Kovy is a micro-second, but for sheer entertainment, Kovy never disappointed. (Even his bad seasons took on the character of a tragi-comic psycho-drama). The career arc of Komisarek, meanwhile, is a major disappointment to me. I really thought he was going to become a fearsome, punishing, elite shut-down defenceman and the backbone of our D for years to come. Clearly I could not have been more wrong, but Komisarek seems to epitomize for me all the hopes I felt for Gainey Rebuild 1.0, and all the disappointment that it ultimately brought. In the end, it's not Komi I miss so much as the hope he represented. In my mind he is the symbol of a uniquely bittersweet phase in my experience as a Habs' fan.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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I think you're jumping the gun on Sergei. He's hot now, but let's wait and see how he does over the longer haul, shall we? The same could be said of Latendresse, who apparently contributed to his own injuries this season by showing up to camp - wait for it - out of shape. As for Streit, you are obviously bang on; that was a huge mistake. Of course, many of us failed to see the mistake at the time, dwelling instead on Streit's dodgy play in his own end.

Funnily enough, I don't really miss Koivu. We had him for his entire prime and he was clearly on the downside when Bob cut him loose. The present team has sufficient leadership and character and him sticking around may have made it harder for that leadership core to take over. None of this takes away from Saku's tremendous contributions as the lone bright spot in the darkest era in Habs' history. We emphatically should not retire his sweater, but there should definitely be a Saku Koivu Night or some other means of honouring him properly, sooner or later.

I'm surprised to realize this, but the two that I 'miss' - by which I mean, that I'm kinda nostaligc for - are Kovalev and, somehow, Komisarek. In hockey terms, I take Gionta over Kovy is a micro-second, but for sheer entertainment, Kovy never disappointed. (Even his bad seasons took on the character of a tragi-comic psycho-drama). The career arc of Komisarek, meanwhile, is a major disappointment to me. I really thought he was going to become a fearsome, punishing, elite shut-down defenceman and the backbone of our D for years to come. Clearly I could not have been more wrong, but Komisarek seems to epitomize for me all the hopes I felt for Gainey Rebuild 1.0, and all the disappointment that it ultimately brought. In the end, it's not Komi I miss so much as the hope he represented. In my mind he is the symbol of a uniquely bittersweet phase in my experience as a Habs' fan.

This is exactly the thing that lead to my anger when Gainey purged the roster.

It was the realization that the Habs had marketed these players as the future. Coming out of a shocking decade (the worst stretch in 50 years and having to deal with a bad team for the first time in my life) I was willing to eat up any BS about how the Higgins, Komisarek generation would lead us back to glory. After watching the 2008 aberration that fooled me into thinking it worked, the callous manner in which they sliced and diced the roster of players that had been marketed to me as potential superstars opened my eyes to the BS of sports.

I had bought the marketing plan they sold and when they ditched it and moved onto the next one the whole fanbase reacted in anger and mourning even though the majority of those decisions were the proper ones. I still am a diehard, I still get emotional at times following this team, but I no longer attach myself to players based on emotional need.

It is why I had no problem with Halak leaving as long as the trade was logical. It is why I would have no problem with Price leaving if the deal was beneficial and I understood the logic of the move.

Edited by Wamsley01
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Kovalev, Theodore and Souray although I don't want any of them back. I also have some vague (but great) early memories of Gino Odjick.

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Kostopolous...and Saku. I feel the habs have not had a great checking line since Laps, Kost and Lats were the third line. I loved the way Kost stuck up for his team, even though he lost...every fight. Also, Souray. Sure he was a pylon, but I still remember that shootout goal he had where he faked the slap shot and deked around I believe the Boston goalie...Thomas?

I miss Kostopoulos as well. Not an obvious choice but he had his heart on his sleeve day in day out. Brought various intangibles that are desperately needed on any contending team. Was a team first kinda guy; ready to throw himself in front of a slap shot or a hard right hook. Humble and greatful just to be able to play the game.

Never gonna forget his play against the flyers in 2008 either...

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This thread hurts. It hurts to have to come up with my personal former favourite Habs, who's now one player that I particularly hate . The player I miss the most is Mike Komisarek...

The career arc of Komisarek, meanwhile, is a major disappointment to me. I really thought he was going to become a fearsome, punishing, elite shut-down defenceman and the backbone of our D for years to come. Clearly I could not have been more wrong, but Komisarek seems to epitomize for me all the hopes I felt for Gainey Rebuild 1.0, and all the disappointment that it ultimately brought. In the end, it's not Komi I miss so much as the hope he represented. In my mind he is the symbol of a uniquely bittersweet phase in my experience as a Habs' fan.

I definitely agree with the both of you. I had followed Komi's career from the moment he was drafted by the Habs. I loved everything about him. I also believed he'd be with us for a long time. He broke my heart when he decided to leave, and pissed me off when he decided to sign with the ######ing leafs. I'm happy to see him struggle on a lousy team, but my guess is that he probably wouldn't suck as much if he would have stayed with the Habs. Playing with Markov certainly made him look better. He was a decent stay at home d-man with the Habs, there's no reason why it couldn't have continued that way for many years to come...but unfortunately, Komi "the traitor" decided to go elsewhere...I hope he rots in his misery!

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I miss Kostopoulos as well. Not an obvious choice but he had his heart on his sleeve day in day out. Brought various intangibles that are desperately needed on any contending team. Was a team first kinda guy; ready to throw himself in front of a slap shot or a hard right hook. Humble and greatful just to be able to play the game.

Never gonna forget his play against the flyers in 2008 either...

what a great game that was... and Kovy's goals were something special... you dont need to be a fast skater for those goals. you just need talent and determination, plus a squirt from Lady luck's groins

I noticed AK 46, was holding a shattered stick at the time of the goal, would the fact that it got shattered from a slash and hence a PP coming to the Habs annul the fact that the refs could of called a penalty on AK 46 and also annul the goal?

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For me in would have to be Theodore. He is still my favourite goalie to this day. It was also really hard to watch Koivu go.

Edited by Habsfan84
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There is Komi, but there is also Sheldon Souray who I miss. However, I don't miss last couple years Souray, but the good ol' Sheldon of 2004.

I still remember watching this game with both my parents. One that I'll remember for a long time. http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20032004/GS020627.HTM

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There is Komi, but there is also Sheldon Souray who I miss. However, I don't miss last couple years Souray, but the good ol' Sheldon of 2004.

I still remember watching this game with both my parents. One that I'll remember for a long time. http://www.nhl.com/s...04/GS020627.HTM

Yeah, I remember that one. Another game with Souray I remember is his hat-trick, which included an OT-winner, versus Nashville.

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Yeah, I remember that one. Another game with Souray I remember is his hat-trick, which included an OT-winner, versus Nashville.

I think one has to realize, that if someone moves that his career might not play out like if he stayed. There is no doubt that the lingering bad move which one could argue still effects the dynamics of this team, is the Chelios trade years ago. Chelios retired a year ago or so, and this deal still stinks to high heaven.

Edited by BlueKross
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I think one has to realize, that if someone moves that his career might not play out like if he stayed. There is no doubt that the lingering bad move which one could argue still effects the dynamics of this team, is the Chelios trade years ago. Chelios retired a year ago or so, and this deal still stinks to high heaven.

Souray was a fun player to have, but geez, even with us he was injury-prone and one-dimensional. Sort of a MAB on steroids. He's like Kovalev in that sense: more about entertainment value than winning. Although I foolishly wanted us to re-sign him, I haven't missed him since, and consider his replacement Hammer a far better overall acquisition.

Theo: I loved the guy, his style and panache and balls-to-the-wall performances. His utter collapse remains one of the greatest mysteries I've witnessed as a Habs fan - never seen anything quite like it.

Interesting choices, I'll give ya that.

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