HabsWorld Podcast #2

[habscout]

Hey everyone !

Mike, Jonathan and I put together HabsWorld Podcast #2 last night, and the article with the link to it is on the front page now.

http://www.habsworld...cle.php?id=2638

Please pass along any feedback [good or bad, hopefully good], either via email or here in the forum.

Norm Szcyrek

[JMMR]

Check it out

All real Hab fans would

(peer pressure)

[Colin]

Norm, not an issue bumping Desharnais (Gomez's return). If he can be bumped back to the AHL, I think Montreal would be better off.

[Colin]

If I may recommend: you guys should be wearing earphones so there's isn't echo back into the miss. ;-) Other than that, This is pretty good stuff.

Next time, ask why Cole is still getting less minutes than guys like Desharnais and Moen.

[Colin]

The too many men call was iffy as well. They guy Blunden was replacing was within two feet of the bench. Generally guys are considered 'off' if they're within 10 feet and not involved in the play.

[dlbalr]

Norm, not an issue bumping Desharnais (Gomez's return). If he can be bumped back to the AHL, I think Montreal would be better off.

Desharnais can't go down without waivers...nor can Gomez as we all know. The only forwards with waiver exemptions are Eller and Palushaj.

[Colin]

Desharnais can't go down without waivers...nor can Gomez as we all know. The only forwards with waiver exemptions are Eller and Palushaj.

Shame.

Oh, and Gio has been hurt. Just came out guys. ;-) His game is coming back.

Cammi is post-bit, not snake-bit!

[Colin]

Just finished. Nice job lads.

Next time ask why Montreal has been incapable, since Damphousse, of getting a high quality #1 centre. (And this is not to slag Koivu, who was injury riddled and yet still was solidly in the second tier of #1 centres in the game, or Plex, who again is in the second tier of #1 guys.) Is the franchise too conservative on the trade front? Are we not drafting effectively enough to give us assets to move?

[BTH]

Your voices echo sometimes and it's noticeable that all of you guys have different mics. The sound quality keeps changing.

It would be cool if you could use skype for this so that we could see you guys. It would make the pauses feel less awkward. (You know how pauses that are totally acceptable in person are awkward over the phone because we can't see the other's body language?) The main speaker, the guy who seems to be hosting, speaks in a way that translates much better to an audiovisual format than just audio. If you're doing audio, the conversation can't really be so laid back or else people tune out. You need to Pierre MacGuire that shit.

I like Norm's voice! You sound like a pro.

[JMMR]

All great feedback.

Thanks a lot.

I will ensure to use ear buds for next time to help with that feedback, my apologies to all.

[BTH]

All great feedback.

Thanks a lot.

I will ensure to use ear buds for next time to help with that feedback, my apologies to all.

Also, you have the same voice as PK Subban.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Just finished. Nice job lads.

Next time ask why Montreal has been incapable, since Damphousse, of getting a high quality #1 centre. (And this is not to slag Koivu, who was injury riddled and yet still was solidly in the second tier of #1 centres in the game, or Plex, who again is in the second tier of #1 guys.) Is the franchise too conservative on the trade front? Are we not drafting effectively enough to give us assets to move?

Say, that's an interesting question. At face value, it has to do with middle-range draft picks. Hard to bag a Malkin when you're always drafting 15th overall.

Gainey apparently had a deal to get Lecavalier for Price and Subban. Only TB's brain-dead ownership saved us. That this trade now looks like a catacysm vastly worse than the Gomez deal may illustrate the challenges involved in acquiring such a C via trade.

We also have repeatedly shown some questionable judgement on this matter. For instance, we threw away Ribeiro, who, while clearly not an elite first-line C, would have made a pretty good 1-2 duo with Pleks. Grabovski likewise. We apparently made NO attempt to acquire Brad Richards when Tampa was shopping him around, believing, it seems, that Gomez was a better bet. We seemed to show no interest when Patrick Marleau was struggling in San Jose, which would have been the time to move in with an offer. I think there's some truth in the supposition that the Habs have not been prepared to move heaven and earth to get 'that guy.'

Then again, our team model is not really one predicated on a Big Stud up front. It's more of a 'three strong lines' concept. In that sense, the real issue may be less the absence of a Kopitar than the dubious situation behind Pleks. Gomez, DD, Eller are all questionable options. A true #1A guy might be what we really need.

[Colin]

Say, that's an interesting question. At face value, it has to do with middle-range draft picks. Hard to bag a Malkin when you're always drafting 15th overall.

Gainey apparently had a deal to get Lecavalier for Price and Subban. Only TB's brain-dead ownership saved us. That this trade now looks like a catacysm vastly worse than the Gomez deal may illustrate the challenges involved in acquiring such a C via trade.

We also have repeatedly shown some questionable judgement on this matter. For instance, we threw away Ribeiro, who, while clearly not an elite first-line C, would have made a pretty good 1-2 duo with Pleks. Grabovski likewise. We apparently made NO attempt to acquire Brad Richards when Tampa was shopping him around, believing, it seems, that Gomez was a better bet. We seemed to show no interest when Patrick Marleau was struggling in San Jose, which would have been the time to move in with an offer. I think there's some truth in the supposition that the Habs have not been prepared to move heaven and earth to get 'that guy.'

Then again, our team model is not really one predicated on a Big Stud up front. It's more of a 'three strong lines' concept. In that sense, the real issue may be less the absence of a Kopitar than the dubious situation behind Pleks. Gomez, DD, Eller are all questionable options. A true #1A guy might be what we really need.

I think the same question *could* be asked of us defensively, except that I get the feeling from the organization the belief is that Markov is an elite defender. I would agree with this, and I think if he could stay healthy he'd be a potential Norris contender. With respect to the defence, however, why not put together a package for another top defender. Last night we saw Weber and Suter eating almost half the game at a very high level for Nashville. That means they can afford to have somewhat lower quality 3rd pairing guys. Remember when Montreal was the Big-3? We haven't had a real minutes eater in a very long time. I think Markov could be that (to the tune of 25-28) if he could be healthy. Would it not be a strong move to get another guy like him and pair the two with promising kids?

I never used to be a proponent of the "elite" player, and while many teams do compete well with a bunch of solid guys, there's no doubt that having two or three standouts takes a lot of pressure off kids breaking into the lineup. Later in the year, when Ovechkin and Crosby are eating 25+ minutes on their own, it means those teams don't have to fork out a million and a half for a 4th liner, but rather can park a rookie at base salary.

I guess this all goes to a question of team building.

I have to agree that, hindsight being 20/20, Ribs or Grabs would look good as a Plex partner. That said, I don't think Ribs was ever going to break out here. Grabs was a different situation, and I was always disappointed he was shipped. I'm a huge fan of Koivu's, but based on some of the things seen and heard, I have to wonder if a personality conflict may have been part of the decision to move Grabs.

Bottom line, the Habs are weak down the middle and have been since the mid-to-late 90's. Isn't it time? Eller may blossom - he certainly shows potential - but I don't think he's going to be an elite #1 guy. Another 1b at the most, I suspect. More likely a very good #2.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Koivu apparently had personal conflicts with both Grabovski and Ribs. On the one hand, you could speculate that this was a case of a blood-and-guts, win-at-all-costs leader understandably clashing with bad-attitude, loser punks. But part of me always wondered whether Koivu, consciously or not, disliked highly talented centremen who could conceivably pose a threat to his Alpha status. Certainly if push came to shove the organization was going to side with Koivu, and appropriately so. But it's still a shame we couldn't have worked with those immature guys to turn them into quality pros, and I've never been quite sure that Koivu's motives were lily-white.

Anyway, I don't want to revive the old 'Grabs/Ribs' debates. If Eller can fully realize his potential, I agree that he could be a bona-fide #1A guy in a way that Gomez no longer seems to be and DD probably will never be. That'd be enough for me.

As for a stud defenceman, I think we have one in PK Subban. It's easy to lose sight of this given his sophomore struggles, but he'll be a horse back there for years to come. And don't forget, unlike Pittsburgh or Washington, one of our 'studs' is in the nets. This has always been part of the Montreal Canadiens recipe, and that's why we've won a number of Cups against teams that arguably were better than us in areas other than the net.

As you say, there's no one right model to build a team. The Habs' model of strong team play, consistent talent level spread across three lines, and an ace goalie is a model that certainly can win - c.f. the New Jersey Devils or, arguably, the Boston Bruins (notwithstanding their thuggishness versus our finesse). My concern is not with our model per se - I believe it can win - but rather with holes in the roster, such as the absence of a proven #1A centreman, question marks around the 4th line, and the absence of a PP quarterback when Markov gets hurt. The model's fine, the execution still seems to be coming up a bit short.

[sakiqc]

Also, you have the same voice as PK Subban.

Haha, I thought exactly the same. JMMR does sounds like Subban.

[Colin]

Koivu apparently had personal conflicts with both Grabovski and Ribs. On the one hand, you could speculate that this was a case of a blood-and-guts, win-at-all-costs leader understandably clashing with bad-attitude, loser punks. But part of me always wondered whether Koivu, consciously or not, disliked highly talented centremen who could conceivably pose a threat to his Alpha status. Certainly if push came to shove the organization was going to side with Koivu, and appropriately so. But it's still a shame we couldn't have worked with those immature guys to turn them into quality pros, and I've never been quite sure that Koivu's motives were lily-white.

Anyway, I don't want to revive the old 'Grabs/Ribs' debates. If Eller can fully realize his potential, I agree that he could be a bona-fide #1A guy in a way that Gomez no longer seems to be and DD probably will never be. That'd be enough for me.

As for a stud defenceman, I think we have one in PK Subban. It's easy to lose sight of this given his sophomore struggles, but he'll be a horse back there for years to come. And don't forget, unlike Pittsburgh or Washington, one of our 'studs' is in the nets. This has always been part of the Montreal Canadiens recipe, and that's why we've won a number of Cups against teams that arguably were better than us in areas other than the net.

As you say, there's no one right model to build a team. The Habs' model of strong team play, consistent talent level spread across three lines, and an ace goalie is a model that certainly can win - c.f. the New Jersey Devils or, arguably, the Boston Bruins (notwithstanding their thuggishness versus our finesse). My concern is not with our model per se - I believe it can win - but rather with holes in the roster, such as the absence of a proven #1A centreman, question marks around the 4th line, and the absence of a PP quarterback when Markov gets hurt. The model's fine, the execution still seems to be coming up a bit short.

I completely agree that Subban probably will be that guy. In fact, in the last two games he's brought his +\- to even, and while I'm not a fan of this stat in the least, having seen both those games, he's earned those particular numbers. While he's playing more conservatively of late, he's also starting to feel the confidence again which lets him show some of that flair. Case in point, the OT goal last night could only have been created by a small handful of defenders in the game. If that.

I think you and I fully agree, though, that the 1A spot really needs filling. Allow Plex to take the 1B slot and Eller to take the 2, and suddenly this team looks quite good. Question remains, can management pull a deal to acquire that talent. (And manage to offload the Ball and Go-chain at the same time.)

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I completely agree that Subban probably will be that guy. In fact, in the last two games he's brought his +\- to even, and while I'm not a fan of this stat in the least, having seen both those games, he's earned those particular numbers. While he's playing more conservatively of late, he's also starting to feel the confidence again which lets him show some of that flair. Case in point, the OT goal last night could only have been created by a small handful of defenders in the game. If that.

I think you and I fully agree, though, that the 1A spot really needs filling. Allow Plex to take the 1B slot and Eller to take the 2, and suddenly this team looks quite good. Question remains, can management pull a deal to acquire that talent. (And manage to offload the Ball and Go-chain at the same time.)

Sorry, I mean to say it's really the 1B spot that I see needs filling. Otherwise put, if we had two Plekanecs, I'd regard that as perfectly satisfactory as a 1-2 punch down the middle. The trouble is that between DD, Gomez, and Eller, none are clear-cut for that role right now. That being said, it's still a good question whether we can acquire someone of that calibre.

[Davehab]

i really think we missed the boat when the Flyers cleaned house this summer, Richards or Carter would be a perfect compliment to pleks.

[Trizzak]

i really think we missed the boat when the Flyers cleaned house this summer, Richards or Carter would be a perfect compliment to pleks.

They were both traded out west and it wasn't by accident.

[hab29RETIRED]

i really think we missed the boat when the Flyers cleaned house this summer, Richards or Carter would be a perfect compliment to pleks.

would have loved to have gotten Carter, but I'm really not much of a Richards fan.

[dlbalr]

Just wanted to point out that the podcasts can now be found on iTunes.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/habsworld/id480763950

[habscout]

Thanks everyone for the feedback !! For what it's worth, we are using Skype, but I've noticed some feedback and echoing occasionally with it. That's the drawback with using VoIP, when the three of us are geographically spread out. Unfortunately, I don't believe we're able to do much with that; I'm not familiar with alternatives. Also I believe all of us are using headsets.

BTW, great Habs discussion thread here !