GDT Capitals vs Habs, Jan. 18, 7:30 PM EST

[hab29RETIRED]

I would say if you took away price, we are in last or second last place right now. I think we probably have 5 to 7 wins where he didn't win the game for us, or play a major role.

The team scored how many goals last night???? How many PP's did they have??? And your complaining about Price???? Seriously????

We get a big lift with the Bourque fight and Price let's in 2 goals in the first 4 shots and game over.I know it's heresy on these sites,but what has Price done in his 5 year career to deserve being called "great","a franchise player","future hall of famer.or any of the other similar accolades. Granted he had a very good REGULAR season last year,but he has one playoff series win (7 games #1 vs #8) in his time. The team stinks this year,but has he even stolen a couple of games? And we have to bring in sub-par backups just so there's no pressure in him having to battle for #1 .I really hope we don't give him that enormous contract that's been rumoured. That will set this franchise back as bad as Gomez and Markov's contracts

[Machine of Loving Grace]

This.

And some people will still say, "But that goal was one he HAS to stop!"

[hab29RETIRED]

So bourque ad a nice fight, so what? Big shit! We lost 3-0. Really picked up the team right. Would have been more helpful if he scored on the breakaway.

I'd rather have Ak46 signed long term at $4m then Bourque for 4 years at his $3.3m.

How much pp time does AK get??? Before Darche and Moen got more ice time then AK46, now Blunden does.

This team was what 0 for 7 on the PP last night??? How much time did AK46 get?? Yet you expect more production out of him???

I can't beleive peopel are talking about Price. His TEAM plain and simple, STINK. As the above poster pointed out, 1 goals or less in 65% of his games. Absolutely pathetic.

I am not saying he is the best goalie, or he is lights out every night, Goaltending is the least of their problems.

Funny how people again go after the goalies, some of the same people want AK46 (on pace for a whopping 30 points) to be resingened for 3-4 mill? Crazy.

Bourque had a nicce fight, actually won and wound up on top. i can'tremember the last time that happened, probably Moen.

This team needs a complete new identity, GM, adminitstration, coaching team and let trade the pendign UFA's.

The need acoach and new system, more aggressive, moree physical and soem assistants know for teaching young players. They need a dictator head coach, Keenan style.

When Moen drilled from behind, absolutely know one stepped in, this team is a joke. Moen sticks up for everyone, NO ONE stinks up for him.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I know it's pretty popular to want Montreal to get bigger and more aggressive, but people do need to understand that bigger and more aggressive doesn't score goals. Montreal used to make Boston look silly because Boston was bigger and stronger and won their fights and finished their checks but Montreal could get the puck in the net.

I'm completely fine with Montreal getting tougher if we're rebuilding because it means we can protect the guys we do have a little better or at least give them more open ice to skate on. Otherwise, they need to be built to win, not built to be tough. There's a big difference between the two.

[hab29RETIRED]

Boston plays Lucic and Seguin 18 min a night. We play blunden, Moen and darche.

Julian plays chara 20 plus minutes, while Martin at times was playing the 6'7" no- hit wonder Gill for close to 20 min.

I know it's pretty popular to want Montreal to get bigger and more aggressive, but people do need to understand that bigger and more aggressive doesn't score goals. Montreal used to make Boston look silly because Boston was bigger and stronger and won their fights and finished their checks but Montreal could get the puck in the net.

I'm completely fine with Montreal getting tougher if we're rebuilding because it means we can protect the guys we do have a little better or at least give them more open ice to skate on. Otherwise, they need to be built to win, not built to be tough. There's a big difference between the two.

[Willey101]

Boston plays Lucic and Seguin 18 min a night. We play blunden, Moen and darche.

Julian plays chara 20 plus minutes, while Martin at times was playing the 6'7" no- hit wonder Gill for close to 20 min.

We have to be honest here for a second. Since the lockout we led the league in PP on 2 occassions, finished 2nd I beleive on 2 occasions and pretty much have always been in the top 5. This year we cannot score for the life of us on the advantage and right now that is the only difference with this team.

Pleks is on pace for what he did last season, same for Subban, AK46, Price, etc.... Had we scored at the same pace on the PP that we have been then we would be adding 1 and sometimes 2 goals a game which would have translated in what maybe 7 or 8 more wins instead of losses at which point we would be in a playoffs position.

This season is almost 100% on a completely ineffective PP because our 5 on 5 I beleive is actually better than it has been.

[Chris]

I would rather have bourque then AK46. he brings more tot he table, and yes i do expect more from Ak46, i saw him out there on the PP last night.

The top 2 teams in the east lead the league in fights, they play a tough physical style. i don't think that's a coincidence.

Saying the habs are on the same offensive pace doesn't mean anything, they have been bottom 5 in the league in scoring for the past 3-4 years. That isn't anything to brag about.

[Willey101]

We were a team built to win on goaltending and special teams and when one of those facets doesn;t work then you struggle. That's what we are seeing. If there is going to be yet another change of pilosohpy (the 3rd in 4 years) then this entire management has to go.

If it was up to me Bourque would be the 3rd line replacement for AK46 as well.

I'd deal Kostitsyn, Gill, Darche, Nokelainen, Campoli, Weber and David Desharnais who might fester some interest right now but I would try to resign Moen.

I'd shop the usual suspects (Gomez, Kaberle)

I would then shop the bigger tickets (i.e. Plekanec, Subban, Diaz, Pacioretty) just to see whats out there, what people are offering. No intention of trading them but am certianly entertaining offers.

I would rather have bourque then AK46. he brings more tot he table, and yes i do expect more from Ak46, i saw him out there on the PP last night.

The top 2 teams in the east lead the league in fights, they play a tough physical style. i don't think that's a coincidence.

Saying the habs are on the same offensive pace doesn't mean anything, they have been bottom 5 in the league in scoring for the past 3-4 years. That isn't anything to brag about.

And that's just it, they are at the same pace only because their PP is failing. HAd it been clicking then we'd actually be ahead of previous seasons because our 5 on 5 has been good.

[Chris]

Yes, and if my aunt had nuts she would be my uncle.

The bottom line is they still can;t score, whether it's the PP, 5 on 5 the number the past 3-4 years are the saem.

I agree with purging and a new direction and moving the oplayers you mentioned.

The other good news is Anaheim won again, Buedraux has them playing well.

[Habsy]

So bourque ad a nice fight, so what? Big shit! We lost 3-0. Really picked up the team right. Would have been more helpful if he scored on the breakaway.

I'd rather have Ak46 signed long term at $4m then Bourque for 4 years at his $3.3m.

How much pp time does AK get??? Before Darche and Moen got more ice time then AK46, now Blunden does.

This team was what 0 for 7 on the PP last night??? How much time did AK46 get?? Yet you expect more production out of him???

I'm done with AK. We drafted the wrong player, time to move on. He deserves a cut in pay, not a raise.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I'm done with AK. We drafted the wrong player, time to move on. He deserves a cut in pay, not a raise.

Agreed with AK but I've never liked him. I don't like players that seem to have a complete incapability to learn.

[Commandant]

<p>

I don't have stats in front of me,but last I saw he was in the 20's in the important categories. That makes him below average THIS YEAR if true.I am not saying he's bad,just one of the most overrated and defended habs I've seen in my 40 + years of following the team.

The thing with goalie stats is that they are heavily, heavily influenced by the team in front of you; and the team in front of Price, especially the defence, is just not that good this year.Price is an above average goalie withe below average stats because our D sucks. Put a goalie from the 20s in net as you say, and hed be even worse, and the team would be battling columbus.

[lafrous10]

<p>

The thing with goalie stats is that they are heavily, heavily influenced by the team in front of you; and the team in front of Price, especially the defence, is just not that good this year.Price is an above average goalie withe below average stats because our D sucks. Put a goalie from the 20s in net as you say, and hed be even worse, and the team would be battling columbus.

We are battling for 2nd to last place,5 pts ahead,lol. I said Price is an above average goalie,which to his fanboys is like saying he sucks. he's not great and has never done anything in the NHL to prove any greatness. And his 8-15 playoff record and 1-3 series record can't be ignored

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

We have to be honest here for a second. Since the lockout we led the league in PP on 2 occassions, finished 2nd I beleive on 2 occasions and pretty much have always been in the top 5. This year we cannot score for the life of us on the advantage and right now that is the only difference with this team.

Pleks is on pace for what he did last season, same for Subban, AK46, Price, etc.... Had we scored at the same pace on the PP that we have been then we would be adding 1 and sometimes 2 goals a game which would have translated in what maybe 7 or 8 more wins instead of losses at which point we would be in a playoffs position.

This season is almost 100% on a completely ineffective PP because our 5 on 5 I beleive is actually better than it has been.

This is absolutely 100% correct. It's amazing how many commentators miss this simple truth. In the run-up to Martin's firing, I kept pointing out that statistically we were a near-elite team in many other key aspects of the game: even strengh goals, PK, shots against. THE reason we were losing was the lack of power-play production. None of that stopped people from either calling for JM's head - pointlessly as it turned out - nor from drawing sweeping conclusions about how we just suck, all our players are garbage, etc.

Willey is dead right that this team was built to win on special teams and goaltending. Martin understood this. Gauthier, apparently, did not. In allowing Wiz to walk and losing his gamble on Markov, Gauthier destroyed the key element that made this team above average. I thought Kaberle might help to staunch the bleeding, but he has 3 PP points for us in 17 games, so I guess I was wrong about that. (Interestingly, his 3 PP points came under Martin, which may or may not tell us that JM was on the right track).

This team no doubt has other problems, but none of them are unmanageable if we can fix the black hole of the PP. That two coaches have failed to spark it suggests (as I insisted all along) we simply do not have the horses to execute a dangerous PP. The top priority in the offseason should be to make a determination on Markov's likelihood of coming back, and if the answer is 'no,' trying to bring a power-play quarterback in here. Even Bergeron would do.

[Willey101]

he issue was letting go of Muller. I have no idea were Carolina is on the PP but when he took over I beleive they were 27th. Where do they sit now? Instead of fillign this void we added a D-coach (which was badly missing) and a guy in Cunneyworth who was a great PK player.

We need a coach to get this PP back on track.

[Commandant]

We are battling for 2nd to last place,5 pts ahead,lol. I said Price is an above average goalie,which to his fanboys is like saying he sucks. he's not great and has never done anything in the NHL to prove any greatness. And his 8-15 playoff record and 1-3 series record can't be ignored

And I still say that without Price we'd be below Columbus and they are 11 pts back of us.

[Willey101]

And I still say that without Price we'd be below Columbus and they are 11 pts back of us.

Not sure. Depends on who is there. His past 13 games he is .890 and a 3.00ish GAA. Those are easy numbers for easy goalie to duplicate.

[Commandant]

Not sure. Depends on who is there. His past 13 games he is .890 and a 3.00ish GAA. Those are easy numbers for easy goalie to duplicate.

And the 30 games before that?

[lafrous10]

And I still say that without Price we'd be below Columbus and they are 11 pts back of us.

And I can say that with Halak ,the team would be playing better with more confidence and would be comfortably in a playoff position. You don't know and neither do I. It's my opinion that Price is insanely overrated and a fact he hasn't won anything in the NHL and especially hasn't stolen a playoff series for us. I could argue that he blew the series vs. Boston last year with a couple of boneheaded puck handling plays

[Willey101]

And the 30 games before that?

Above average but not great either.

He is hovering around 25th-26th in GAA and Save % in the league overall. Not having a very impressive year at all.

[Chris]

The Bruins simply scored the last goal last year. The team had 3 opportunites to win in OT, guess what no habs player scored.

Price gave up 15 goals, so did Thomas, the playoff MVP.

No one is perfect but to say Price is the reason the team loses in the playoffs is just wrong.

I also believe he is the the top 5 in wins for a goalie his age.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I also believe he is the the top 5 in wins for a goalie his age.

This is usually where someone brings up that he is also top 5 in losses for a goalie his age.

Quite simply, there hasn't been a goalie in the NHL who has played and accomplished as much at such a young as Price since Tom Barrasso in the 1980s.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Machine of Loving Grace

[Willey101]

I am by no means saying Price is not the answer. I think Price is already one of the best and will be for many years to come. He is just having a below average season right now.

[DON]

And the 30 games before that?

I agree, i would guess the Leafs/Philly/Caps/Sens/Oilers etc etc would give up 1/2 their team for Price.

Unless Price can score/check/or work the PP he really cant do much more than he has for the team and i thnik Miller is a scapegoat in Buffalo as well, go ahead Sabres try trading him and see how you do, again many teams would love to see him on market as well.

Just admit it. this Habs version is just not that good and cant compete; while the youth up front is holding their own and looking promising, the high paid forwards are not. And the youth on the backend are holding their own, but still are just that, young and relatively inexperianced, but improving.

Are Yemelin and Diaz top 4 d-men, no, but give them time and add in Markov and only 1 (Yemelin) will need to play 20 minutes/game next year. And allow Diaz and Kaberle to play 3rd pairing with a bunch of super looking prospects moving to AHL next year to push them and i would say the d-core is pretty set, as is between the pipes.

Just need that Gaborick/Hossa high scoring superstar type forward to be added on July 1st, posibly Parise or the like?

[dlbalr]

How much pp time does AK get??? Before Darche and Moen got more ice time then AK46, now Blunden does.

This team was what 0 for 7 on the PP last night??? How much time did AK46 get?? Yet you expect more production out of him???

Kostitsyn played 3:54 last night with the man advantage. Darche and Blunden combined for a whopping 0 minutes and 0 seconds. Seems to me he had the opportunities. Given the bad game he was having, I'd have liked Bourque (who played just 1:11 on the PP) to get more time.

As for the not getting enough time to play in general, that also is false. In the past 11 games, he is averaging over 16 and a half minutes, above his current season and career averages. In those games, he has 0 goals and 3 assists (2 coming in the Eller game meaning that despite the increase in ice time, he has one assist in 10 other games). That's not a case to get more ice time.

As for Blunden getting more ice time than Kostitsyn, that has happened once in that 11 game span. Not sure the comment that Blunden is playing more than Kostitsyn holds much weight here.