Commandant Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 The TSN NHL preview show is tonight.... but James Duthie has already let it slip that one of the TSN panelists is picking the Habs as 2012 Eastern Conference Champions. Who? Well listening to him on the radio, reading his tweets, and seeing him preview the show on Sportscentre tonight... .its become obvious who it will probably be. The World's #1 Hockey Expert.... Bob McKenzie himself. The rest of the panel isn't so high as their aggregate rankings have us in 8th. ESPN gave some love last night with Barry Melrose picking the Habs to win the division. When was the last time an expert picked us as a preseason contender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 A pleasant surprise to see that at least some 'experts' actually pay attention to evidence instead of just noticing that Cammy and Gio are small and therefore we are either mediocre or bottom-feeders. This team made the semi-finals, then made the playoffs handily under arduous, injury-ravaged circumstances, then took Boston to Game 7 OT - all without getting ANY career years from any position player - and this team has added a healthy Gorges, MaxPac, and Cole. While I think there is some ground for concern about the blueline, only a fool or a congenital pessimist would classify this as a non-playoff or even a 'bubble' team any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 We are going too take the league by storm. A big bloody French Revolution We have size. AK, Cole, MaxPac. Players who want too redeem themselves, Gomez. A bunch of players coming of season ending injuries, Max, Markov, Georges... Young players who want too prove that they are elites, Eller, Max again, DD... New players from overseas eager too fight against against the "adjustment time"... Yemelin and Diaz... Reliable leaders, Gionta and Cammalleri An awesome goalie in Price... A coach who seems too do stuff right judging by playoff results... but people still insist on questioning him... Oh... and PK in general Its practically a Hollywood movie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natural Mystic Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 "Indeed" to the above two posts. What I noticed about the Habs the past 2 years which is different from the last group of players, ('95-'07) is their never say die attitude, always coming back even when it looks grim. When Boston scored with what? two minutes left in game 7, I thought it was over, yet I knew they wouldn't give up, and then Subban hammered it home. They don't give up, they're vocal on the ice and they seem to bond really well in the locker room (i'm speculating from what I've seen on video screens and on the ice). Anyways, I thought I was excited at last years team, yet this year they're looking even better! Less than 24 hours away!!!! I can't wait, well I can and I will... yet omg hockey is finally here... in 24 hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 They don't give up, they're vocal on the ice and they seem to bond really well in the locker room (i'm speculating from what I've seen on video screens and on the ice). Less than 24 hours away!!!! I can't wait, well I can and I will... yet omg hockey is finally here... in 24 hours! They don't give up which is why we are going too be a handful this season, deep and competitive with hard core fans. I'm giddy for the start of the season!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskhab Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Winning the East would be an exceptional year. I'm predicting it too, but in the playoffs, not the regular season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizmoDDO Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 All I want to know is, is it Emelin or Yemelin, and how does it magically change from one to the other overnight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizmoDDO Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 as far as comparing now to past years, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9308_NHL_season#Regular_season WE LED THE LEAGUE IN SCORING!!! HELLO>???!???! They almost put the cage au sports out of business from all the 8 ailes gratuit that season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 All I want to know is, is it Emelin or Yemelin, and how does it magically change from one to the other overnight The new and presumably final (though I have my reservations) spelling is Emelin, with the pronunciation of Yemelin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) All I want to know is, is it Emelin or Yemelin, and how does it magically change from one to the other overnight Thats because his real name is Алексей Емелин The Cryllic (Russian) alphabet has different characters than ours. When you translate his last name into English it translates as Emelin. When you translate his last name into French it translates as Yemelin. He's decided to go with the English spelling, which I'm sure will bring great accolades for him from some of the French media in Montreal. We had the same issue with Kostitsyn/Kastitsyn when Andrei was first drafted. Edited October 8, 2011 by Commandant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 as far as comparing now to past years, http://en.wikipedia....#Regular_season WE LED THE LEAGUE IN SCORING!!! HELLO>???!???! They almost put the cage au sports out of business from all the 8 ailes gratuit that season 4 20 goal men 9 with 10 or more and 15 with 5 or more That's a lot of spread out scoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Yer breaking my heart, reminding me of 2008: a year when we were an offensive powerhouse, when all our young players seemed to be blossoming simultaneously and Alexei Kovalev showed from pole-to-pole what a franchise-player talent he possessed. Our playoff chances compromised in part by Gainey's dubious decision to move Huet, we added quality veterans and all thought we were set for a legitimate Cup-run the following season. Instead? Massive injuries, Kovy gone fishing, a revolt against Carbo, marked decline in Koivu's footspeed, regression by young players and the consequences of a pathological 'country club' loser team culture clear for all to see. One year later the rebuild was in ashes and Gainey blew up the whole team in one the boldest GMing moves in the history of the NHL. Seldom have I been so saddened by a hockey team, as when I watched all those players in whom I'd invested so much hope - Higgins, Komisarek, Latendresse, Sergei Kostitsyn, etc. - turn out to be a complete bust, collectively. Indeed, many of those players didn't even seem to care very much when the whole year 100 thing when belly-up. The team we have now is, I argued at the time, in fact meant as a place-holder until the next wave of young players can blossom. I no longer know how true that is; due to the constant jettisoning of draft picks from 2009 onward, it seems that the 'next wave' is here (Subban. Weber, Desharnais, MaxPac, etc.) but there are few players ready to step in over the next 1-3 years, when I imagine that the Gallaghers of the world might be in the mix for a regular shift. New blood will probably have to come from free agency more than internal development over that span. But at least the Great Gainey Blow-up redefined the team culture by bringing in proven winners, gutsy, committed professionals, and a coach who knows what he's doing. The team of the past two seasons has been the exact inverse of the 2009 disaster, in being greater than the sum of its parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 For all the jetisonning of draft picks... people forget that this team has also acquired 1st rounder: Lars Eller 2nd rounder: Aaron Palushaj 3rd rounders: Michael Bournival, Ian Shultz From other organizations in the same time period. that seems to me to make up for the few second rounders we`ve moved. Now I recognize we can`t countinue to move 2nd round picks.... but lets not only look at prospects and picks traded away and forget about those acquired. I think the prospect pool is in fine shape. Especially when you consider that Price, Subban, Eller, Pacioretty, Weber, Diaz, Emelin, Desharnais, White are 9 players 25 and under who are already contributing to the team and will continue to get better. Just because those guys are in the NHL now, instead of still developping, doesn`t mean they are any less a part of the future. In fact, it means I`m more excited about the future. Specifically the first four guys I mentionned, they will be our core for a long, long time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizmoDDO Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Another kid i can't stop wondering about is Brock Trotter. He is going to break out in the AHL this year. He was over a point a game with the bulldogs two years ago before he went to the KHL. I feel comfortable with our D for the next five years. The fact we could hire a killer third line of $2.5M players just from gomez' salary alone, says our team depth up front is three years away from winning a cup. My guess is at some point Glen Sather helped Bob Gainey move a dead body, and in return Gainey took Gomez off the Ranger payroll so Sather could get Gaborik. If only gainey had just cut out the middle man and landed Gaborik in Montreal... if only... I was half-expecting Chris Drury to sign with the Canadiens this season after he got bought out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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