Why so Negative?

[PMAC]

I'm thinking of giving the board a miss for a while.

We are close to the top of the league with a better record than even the most freverent or optimistic of us would have hoped for. We are off to one of the best starts in franchise history. Everything is going as well as anyone has a right to expect and what do we see here?

Lately it has been moaning and whining: get rid of Dags he's crap; what's wrong with Theo? Let's trade him; our defense is too soft; whats wrong with the second line?; Julien's not coaching well because we are getting too many penalties for too many men on the ice; etecetera, etcetera, ad infinitum ad nauseum

Wake up and enjoy the renaissance; savour each imperfect victory. The TEAM is playing well and winning because different players are picking up the slack every game. That's the best we can hope for. No team or player can be at their best for all 80 games(and we want them to have something in the tank for the playoffs) so lets just enjoy it a little more and be a little more positive

:ghg:

[Mont Royale]

If you leave, who will represent the UAE? Don't go, PMAC!!

[Prime Minister Koivu]

These boards are a place of discussion. People have different ideas, opinions and beliefs.

If we were all like minded "pions" how lame would life be?

You are obviously happy with our current Habs while others are not.

Now let's talk about why or why not like adults. Adults do not walk away because they don't like another's point of view.

[Komisarek the Cruncher]

I'm super happy about our record so far and the quality of the play in general, but it doesn't mean that there's no room for improvement.

Take it as positive criticism. Anybody in life as areas to improve no matter how well they're doing. Why satisfy your self with what you have when it can be better?

I write a lot more positive things here then negative things but how boring this site would be if we all agreed and gave each other a slap on the ass for a job well done?

The Habs have areas to improve to become a real dominant team and we are simply trying to identify these things.

In case you haven't notice, the criticism as only started this week since the Habs started to play sloppy.

1) Not so great games vs. Buffalo,

2) Poor game vs. Tampa, thank you Theo for that one.

3) Poor game vs. Pittsburgh, thank you Pittsburgh for being so lousy that even by giving our worst effort we still manged to get 1 point.

4) Luck finally ran out vs. TO and our weaknesses were clearly in evidence in that game (miserable PP, stupid penalties, weak goaltending, lack of scorig touch)

I just don't like what I've seen lately and I feel that we will start to slip down the standings if things don't change sooner then later.

Don't leave the forum, any Habs fan is always welcomed here, just don't take the criticism too personaly.

I want my Habs to be #1 and dominat, is there something wrong with that?

Besides, if people would start to be open about other people ideas and stopped insulting the ones that have different ideas then them and be open to discuss things like adults, there wouldn't be so much hatred in the posts.

Its difficult to stand by and do nothing when you have a couple of guys posting swears and insults as soon as they disagree with someone else. Its impossible for all of us to agree, lets just be adults here and remain polite with each other.

Thank you.

[Edited on 2005/11/14 by Komisarek the Cruncher]

[Leafs Suck]

The way some people talk, you'd think the Habs are playing like Washington. Even if this team had a perfect record, or was doing what Ottawa is doing, people would still find something to complain about.

[mrgodo]

Originally posted by Leafs Suck

The way some people talk, you'd think the Habs are playing like Washington. Even if this team had a perfect record, or was doing what Ottawa is doing, people would still find something to complain about.

True dat.

And with Kovy going under the knife, you'd think the season was over. Look at what happened when Saku came back. And this team is much better. We have depth. Some people are calling Kovalev's absence "horrible". It's not horrible. He's only gone two months max. We have depth. Have some faith people!

However, bad press has always been more engaging than good press.

[olematelot]

Originally posted by mrgodo

Originally posted by Leafs Suck

The way some people talk, you'd think the Habs are playing like Washington. Even if this team had a perfect record, or was doing what Ottawa is doing, people would still find something to complain about.

True dat.

And with Kovy going under the knife, you'd think the season was over. Look at what happened when Saku came back. And this team is much better. We have depth. Some people are calling Kovalev's absence "horrible". It's not horrible. He's only gone two months max. We have depth. Have some faith people!

However, bad press has always been more engaging than good press.

Hear, hear:ghg:

[Ribeiro]

Now let's talk about why or why not like adults. Adults do not walk away because they don't like another's point of view.

Yes they do.

It's called ignoring someone and refusing to further moronic discussions. You could call it avoiding a useless confrontation.

Adults do it all the time.

[PMAC]

Thank you MT Royale; I'm not really going anywhere... I'm too much of a Habs addict to give up on the best hockey site on the Internet and besides even if I stay it will take me about a decade to get to the HoF.

Seriously though, if someone said before the season that the Habs would start 12-3-3 you would be ecstatic. It was not my intention to question anyone's right to express their opinion I just got a little tired of the negativity. I appreciate and support any habs as soon as they don the sweater and for as long as they wear the sweater unless their play is truely indifferent. Only a few players have ever driven me to wish them gone( Murray Baron, Kovalenko, Chezecauski, and Traverse spring to mind)

Speaking of negativity what's the word on Kovalev?:ghg:

[BTH]

Out 3-4 weeks.

And yeah, I agree with the opening post but the Habs are starting to drop. If they want to pass Ottawa (I'm dreaming) then they have to win games and put away their chances. Zednik, Bulis and Bonk() have to learn to do that. Theo has to play more consistently, the D is a little weak, etc, etc but these are all true things. We want our team to be #1 overall. We're 5th (or something) and that's good, but we want better. Give us a finger and we want a whole hand. And hopefully we'll get it.

[PMAC]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...BNStory/Sports/

Here's Eric Duhatschek's (from the Globe & Mail) take on the Habs(sounds like he agrees with my brilliant analysis:)

The Canadiens are an astonishing 12-3-3 so far in the new season for a lot of different reasons — reasonable goaltending from Jose Theodore, strong defensive play from Craig Rivet and others, but mostly because of timely goal-scoring from every corner of the line-up, including the handful of younger players, who made the team out of training camp and have been strong contributors ever since.....

Kovalev skipped a lot of practices this season, for therapy purposes, but the Canadiens kept his problem secret — and the way he played, with no obvious drop-off in his game, it was a pretty easy sell.

If Dr. Burke discovers the problem is worse than anticipated, things could change. But for now, the expectation is that Kovalev should be fine by mid-December — and assuming the Canadiens' scoring-by-committee continues, they should be too.

[Edited on 2005/11/15 by PMAC]

[JMMR]

http://nhl.speedera.net/img/team/mon_comp.gif

[JMMR]

[Lister110]

At least now we can say "wait til Kovy's back" instead of "Theo's a bum" hahaha That will be a positive.

I hope Kovalev comes back with an extra gear. Sometimes I saw him blow done the ice, super fast. Most of the time it was more like the Harlem Globe Trotters, skating at a leisure pace and pissing off the whole other team because they couldn't knock him down or take the puck away.

If you have an old tape try it out, play the harlem globe trotters theme music when Kovalev has the puck.

[kaos]

Well to be totally honest, I haven't read all the many seriously negative reviews of the Habs, other than Dagenais is a plug, which he is.

I would say I've heard more constructive critisizm than anything else. I haven't actually read any posts that Theodore sucks. I have read and wrote myself that he's struggling and definitley not playing as well as he can, and thats a fair and honest assesment and if you can't handle that, then maybe you should give the boards a miss for awhile.

I've also read and wrote that as a team the Canadiens are not burying enough of there chances. THis is also fair. Guys like Bonk, Bulis, Sundstrom, Begin are not pure goalscorers. THey have proven this, they are at best 3rd line players. Higgins, Plekanec and Perezhogin need a year or two of seasoning before we know what they'll be. They are not top flight talents like Sydney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, et all who are pretty guranteed talents, and with the new offensive friendly rules are dominating.

Koivu, Kovalev (now out), Markov and Zednik have been playing really well and deserve much praise.

Ribeiro and Ryder have shown flashes of being great, and need to improve their work ethic and backchecking/defensive game.

Craig Rivet has been solid, as has Mike Komisarek and he'd only be better with a little more offensive production, but what is he 23 years old. The offensive game will come.

Dandenault has been alright, Souray has definitley struggle and Streit seems lost, or needs maybe some time in Hamilton, but because of his contract, can't be sent there.

So yeah, this team needs some work. Most likely there kinda lucky to have the record they have, as they barely squeeked out most of there wins. THey need better goaltending from Theodore. They need better defensive play from Souray, and Streit and more offense from the group as a whole.

And most definitley they need soemone to step up and bury some scoring chances, especially now with Kovalev out.

So if you can't handle some honest assessment of the state of the Montreal Canadiens, then maybe this isn't the forum for you.

[bbr93]

Originally posted by Leafs Suck

The way some people talk, you'd think the Habs are playing like Washington. Even if this team had a perfect record, or was doing what Ottawa is doing, people would still find something to complain about.

actually washington is playing surprisingly well...considering that they are washington!

[PMAC]

I think you misunderstood me. I see a big difference betweeen saying that Theo is not playing as well as he could or even should be and saying he's an overpaid bum lets ship him out for john Graham or even worse trade him for a top forward and start Danis.

The first is as you say fair and honest criticism the second is an overly negative take on a situation which is not at this point having a negative impact on the team in the standings.

My point was that at times people here seem to think that the Habs should dominate every period of every game. A team at 12-3-3 doesnt need "fair and honest criticism" of every little fault. I simply thought we ought to enjoy the hot streak while it lasted.

[mrgodo]

do you believe everything you read? i think there are only a couple of nutbars who would actually trade theo right now. and by nutbar, i mean "someone with an opinion other than mine".

montréal should dominate every period. we should win every game. we should have stellar goaltending, speedy and dazzling forwards, powerful precision hitting defensemen and genius coaching. to be complacent with a win every couple of games or sit back and enjoy a 'hot streak' is the way of the blue shirt team. what teams have we beaten that we shouldn't have beaten? we're not washington after all.

[Howie_Morenz]

In all fairness to those that criticize Theo, he did sign a big time contract and should be stealing games for Montreal. He has provided average goaltending most games and played great in a few games. Certainly not worthy of the huge contract. Normally I dont care about money(It is not mine) but it does effect the Habs ability to get good free agents or be creative in trades.

Now if he was to be replaced, there is nobody going to trade a top goalie for him so this will not happen. Also, Danis does not have enough experience yet and Huet has not really excited me. I think Jose will put it together and help Montreal finish in top position 5th,6th in the east. Just my opinion......