Was Kovalev that important

[RobRock]

After Kovalev chose to have surgery(?), people wondered how it would affect the team. I don't think many people would have thought that it would have this much of an effect.

Sure, the offense has suffered, but there's one thing that shouldn't have been affected at all, because it seemed like everyone was doing it, from the first line to the fourth. Based on the last four or five games, going back to the Capitals fiasco, the team just doesn't forecheck like it used to.

Early in the season, the key to the team's success, and their main source of offense, was their ability to cause turnovers and their transition game. At both ends of the ice, they seemed to be able to break up passes and get scoring chances as a result. Even in odd-man rushes against them, they'd manage to break up the play and turn it up the ice. Now it seems like they can't generate those opportunities anymore, even to the point where the forecheck isn't nearly as aggressive as it was a month ago. When they do manage to get the puck, the passes are missing guys, the shots aren't even generating rebounds, and basically the play is just sloppy and half-assed.

The wins attained in October were very close games, but they were also attained through hard work, effort, talent and, yes, luck. Luck comes and goes, as we can see now, but the other three should always be present. The talent is still there, for the most part. There are still guys out there giving the effort, but in all honesty, I haven't seen a lot of hard work being done for an entire game.

[JMMR]

Kovalev is very important for not only the entire team but also especially Saku. Having Kovalev on the ice draws attention away from Koivu, which just makes them both so much better. It also effects how team line match the Habs because there is no big time goal scorer in the Habs line-up teams have more free range of who they put on the ice thus giving them the control of the pace of the game.

All I can say is reputation carries a lot of weight.

[PB]

I remember the Kovalev era as of no particulary great team's aspects,...except that they where able to win much more than otherwise.

I think it was easyer to pin-point relative individual or collective weaknesses than its opposites.

Those I feel have remain basically what they where,.... and now that the Koivu-Kovalev pairing as been fractured and that their one goal winning routine as been taking away from them,...they seems to be without the '' hidden card '' required to make up for such lost as Kovalev.

[GOHABSGO22]

Any news on Kovalev?

[CoRvInA]

KOVY EQUALS Among other things QUALITY SHOTS!!!!

The puny little shots were shooting at the opp. today SUCK BALLS! Big time!

[smon]

Well, I think its clear that Zed and Koivu don't really have much chemistry. With Kovalev they seemed to function better.

[bebehabs]

kovy in the line up means more puck control for the habs~

and what about kovy on the PP??? oh my god... we just miss him~~~~~~

[~moeman]

Kovy is pure skill and he's a horse. His influence on the kids as well as Saku/Zed has been huge. He is sorely missed.

[Mark Napier]

Do they miss Kovalev? I think their record since he's been out speaks volumes on that subject........