vaness_habs Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 If the season ended now, :hlogo: would make the playoffs! We reach the 8th when we earned 1 point against Buffalo!! We must continue to play hard cuz it will be very hot But we can count on leafs to lose a lot of game haha It will help us !! If Huet continues to play as he has this season , there is no doubt that we will make the playoffs and maybe more Do Mtl will make the playoffs?? If they do, what team will they have to play against on the first round ?? Wait for you comments Go Habs Go !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 If we make it, we make it as the 8th seed, which sees us probably playing Ottawa. I think we can steal a game from them, unless our goalies get red-hot and/or they follow their classic 'playoff chokers' pattern - in which case it's upset city - but really, we'll be toast. That's why it would be stupid for Bob to make deals to improve the team now. This team is living on borrowed time even if we DO make it. Which sucks, BTW. I'm sick of the Habs being in this position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umpalumpa55 Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) To tell you the truth, ottawa is indeed a powerhouse and is in fact the cup favorite. And even if montreal finishes higher than 8th, they would most likely have to play them if they advanced, just like any other team that would advance. So by saying it would be stupid for bob to improve the team is COMPLETE STUPIDITY!!! I guess all the other GMs in the league must be feeling the same way, so i guess they would say something like this to their teams: "ok lets just F#@$ the plans of making our team better to attempt to further contend with the better teams and make a playoff run, lets just accept the fact that we WILL lose if we play ottawa, and we can just accept mediocrity. And guess what boys, we can do the same thing for next year, actually better make it the next few years cuz ottawa is gonna be the same team for a while, so we mineaswell dump all our good players and get draft picks and plan for a day that there are no powerhouse teams so we can win the cup with ease.......WHADDA YA SAY BOYS....CAN YA GIMME A WHOO HAAA!!!!!!!" The teams that ignore that little mindset of "living on borrowed time" or "we will eventually lose so we minaswell give up now" are the teams that flourish. Prime examples of that are the Nashville predators, Calgary Flames (who beat all 3 division leaders, detroit, vancouver, San Jose, on their route to the cup final), Carolina, Anahiem, Minnesota, and Los Angeles seems to be doing it this year. Plus, it just so happens that montreal seems to be a team that awakens in the playoffs and feeds on being the underdog ( Boston knockouts last season and 3 seasons ago) There is no room for pessimistic cuccumbers like u, so start thinking optimistic!!! Edited February 13, 2006 by umpalumpa55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olematelot Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 It's a little early to say that we're not going to finish any higher than 8th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 To tell you the truth, ottawa is indeed a powerhouse and is in fact the cup favorite. And even if montreal finishes higher than 8th, they would most likely have to play them if they advanced, just like any other team that would advance. So by saying it would be stupid for bob to improve the team is COMPLETE STUPIDITY!!! I guess all the other GMs in the league must be feeling the same way, so i guess they would say something like this to their teams: "ok lets just F#@$ the plans of making our team better to attempt to further contend with the better teams and make a playoff run, lets just accept the fact that we WILL lose if we play ottawa, and we can just accept mediocrity. And guess what boys, we can do the same thing for next year, actually better make it the next few years cuz ottawa is gonna be the same team for a while, so we mineaswell dump all our good players and get draft picks and plan for a day that there are no powerhouse teams so we can win the cup with ease.......WHADDA YA SAY BOYS....CAN YA GIMME A WHOO HAAA!!!!!!!" The teams that ignore that little mindset of "living on borrowed time" or "we will eventually lose so we minaswell give up now" are the teams that flourish. Prime examples of that are the Nashville predators, Calgary Flames (who beat all 3 division leaders, detroit, vancouver, San Jose, on their route to the cup final), Carolina, Anahiem, Minnesota, and Los Angeles seems to be doing it this year. Plus, it just so happens that montreal seems to be a team that awakens in the playoffs and feeds on being the underdog ( Boston knockouts last season and 3 seasons ago) There is no room for pessimistic cuccumbers like u, so start thinking optimistic!!! Right, the Habs are going to destroy Ottawa, Carolina, Philadelphia, NJ...then go on to beat Calgary, Detroit, etc...give me a break. There are other strong teams in the NHL and they have a perfectly valid shot at beating the Sens. We're not one of them. Let me put it another way. Bob should not compromise our young players in order to improve the team now, because the team *now* has zero chance of winning. Zip, nada, nil. And most of the teams you list are teams that built patiently from within with young talent, which just proves the point that Bob would be an idiot to deal youth to improve the team in the short-term. Pointing out that even if we DO improve we will likely be smoked by whoever we meet in the first round merely reinforces that argument. But sure, if someone wants to trade us a good player for a useless veteran or for nothing, then obviously Bob should take them up on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEEP26 Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 on less ottawa makes a trade i dont think they well make it pass the second round(maybe the first)..they pissed off the hockey gods and now there f***..for montreal to get higher in the standing they got to come out on firer after the break, which i think they well. its all about who wants it more and montreal starting to look like they do, but i think we still need a #2 C badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonus Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 montreal has beaten ottawa a few times this year, so anything is possible. Definitely should not trade away any off the younguns, but that does not mean there is no way to improve the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarge Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I could live with a matchup against Ottawa or even Philly. Scary teams to me right now? Carolina and Buffalo (Healthy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) Montreal needs to play Carolina to exact some revenge for this season and the Therrien playoffs. Edited February 13, 2006 by JMMR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HABBER-oooooKNOWS Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Montreal needs to play Carolina to exact some revenge for this season and the Therrien playoffs. I don't know.....I think we can take Ottawa....some one else needs to take care of Carolina, than the cup is ours!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarge Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Ottawa is easily disrupted by injuries to the top line, most teams are, but they were not impressive without their top scoring unit intact. If they played Montreal without Allfredson, over seven games, they are very vulnerable to an upset. Also, with a forty year old golie and Ray Emery as his replacement, one twisted ankle and they could become an average hockey club instantly. Still, the stars would have to line up pretty straight for a doomsday scenario like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natural Mystic Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Right, the Habs are going to destroy Ottawa, Carolina, Philadelphia, NJ...then go on to beat Calgary, Detroit, etc...give me a break. There are other strong teams in the NHL and they have a perfectly valid shot at beating the Sens. We're not one of them. Let me put it another way. Bob should not compromise our young players in order to improve the team now, because the team *now* has zero chance of winning. Zip, nada, nil. And you call yourself a Habs fan? Oh, and can you predict the future? Looks like you can so tell me, who is going to win the cup? Zero chance... that is one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever herd. Nothing is ever set in stone. Remember two years ago? Montreal was loosing 3-1 to boston in the playoffs?? Go Habs Go!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 If the Habs magically end up against Philly then we can upset them but Philly is dropping so we don't have much chance of taking them. If we win our 2 games in han than NJ is only 2 points ahead of us. There are 25 games lefts so 2 points (and even the 4 points separating us and Tampa Bay) is easy ground to cover. Can you please not say that we have no chance of beating anyone. Pittsburgh has what - 15 wins? That's maybe 10 teams (or a third of the league) they've beaten already. Any team can skate with anyone on any given night and a motivated team can skate with anyone on any given 7 nights. You can't rule someone out before the season started. Before the season, we would have said the Rangers, Carolina and Buffalo sucked. Even now I'm amazed how Buffalo is winning games. They're simply an awful team on paper but their confident and that's why they're winning. It's time to sell your crystal ball because anything can happen. Leave the odds to Janet Jones. Go Habs Go! :hlogo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Habs have a chance against anyone we may face. HU-ET HU-ET HU-ET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 (edited) And you call yourself a Habs fan? Oh, and can you predict the future? Looks like you can so tell me, who is going to win the cup? Zero chance... that is one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever herd. Nothing is ever set in stone. Remember two years ago? Montreal was loosing 3-1 to boston in the playoffs?? Go Habs Go!!!!! Yes, and Montreal came back to beat the Bruins...and then LOST the next series, ka-boom. If the Cup is your goal, that LOSS matters vastly more than the win. No one with any recollection of when Montreal was a TRULY GOOD TEAM would use one playoff upset to try and prove we're Cup contenders. Puh-lease. For the Habs to win the Cup they would need to pull off massive upsets on that scale, four series in a row. That has happened in the past (e.g., 1971, perhaps 1993) but those were damned strong teams chock full of Hall of Famers. Not a single current habs is a future Hall of Famer. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the Habs couldn't pull off a miracle against any given team, in a seven-game series. It's the four repeated miracles that stretches credulity (and for the record, I would never say the Habs 'can't beat anyone'). I suppose it IS best to leave the odds to Mrs. Gretzky. Still, let me say this: this team has a chance of winning the Cup - provided that the flesh-eating disease breaks out in about 10 of the vastly superior NHL teams out there, all at the same time. So, I guess we can upgrade ZERO chance to about a one in 100000000000 chance. Feel better now? Edited February 14, 2006 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarge Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I think the difference right now is expectation vs. desire. I don't expect the Habs to win the cup but, I sure would love them to. I think the organization has set itself some goals, not ones they will admit to in public mind you. Goal number 1 - Make the playoffs. It demonstrates a comitment to the fans and provides valuable revenue for the next season. Mr Gillette is far more likely to spend closer to the cap if his team earns some money by playing some post season home games. Goal number 2 - The three year plan. This team will continue to develop from within. A look at the potential the young players in this organization has is impressive and must be nurtured. Keep in mind these young players come far cheaper than a Doug Weight or Sandish Ozolinsh or Teemu Sellane. If this group stays together, they will be formidable in three years. With some of the veterans who will still be young enough to compete they will have an opportunity to contend. Goal number 3 - Make money. And so they should, this is a business after all. When the time is right they will have the cash necessary to make the odd playoff pickup like Carolina did last week. I really want to see another cup. I won't expect one for a little while yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mont Royale Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I just checked the standings... we're STILL holding the last playoff spot, ahead of the Leafs. I'm going to look at it every day. I bet we can hold that spot for at least 2 more weeks, maybe more. B) :hlogo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mont Royale Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I became still more optimistic after looking at the rest of our schedule and doing some quick stats. We play 14 at home, 12 on the road. Toronto: 12 home, 13 on the road. Advantage: Montreal. Season-to-date records of the opponents (total): Montreal opponents: 717-770 (.482) Toronto opponents: 726-696 (.511) Our opponents are weaker. Advantage: Montreal. Yes, this assumes only Toronto and Montreal are fighting for the last playoff spot - I don't have all day to do this for the other teams! Anyway, if the Habs come to play, we should be fine. :hlogo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonus Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 i believe boston's schedule gets harder from now on as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarge Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 THN magazine, the one with Zetterberg on the cover, showed an interesting statistical breakdown of average points per game that teams will face after the Olympic break. The Habs are in really nice shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I still say, we have a shot at catching both Jersey and Tampa Bay, providing that we keep playing the way we have been over the past few games. A sixth place finish is what I predicted at the beginning of the season and as of right now, it's still very possible. GO HABS GO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Lets dream here a bit what if Theo regains his Vezina form... or we manage to get Luongo (Dont ask me how) How many more IF's do we need to become Possible cup contenders Lets say Our D with a few "internal" moves... i.e Komi and Souray bring the game up... Markov and Dande also up a notch Cote becomes the Dream 7th Dman etc... In essence Goalie and Defence are tops and healthy How and what new components would be Minimal for us to be considered cup contenders... Incorporate two or three top 3 Forwards? or what? I dont think its worth it but just for the sake of pondering the likelyhood... in a reasonable space of time... Because if the 2 prior conditions (goalie and D) become "prime cuts" theoreticaly could we gather up a contending team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortcat1 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 This may sound traitorous but sometimes I believe that finishing 8th is a waste of effort. Your team busts its butt to make the playoffs, usually on the last night of the regular season. What does it get for that? It gets to play the top team of the conference. That top team is there for a reason. So, now you have to beat them four times out of the next seven games. Then, you have to do the same with another team that likely finished way ahead of you (for the same reason as above). It's just like butting your unhelmeted head against a rough stucco wall. Yes, there's always the possibility of upsetting a number of teams (ie, the 1970 Canadiens who beat the top-seeded Bruins & heavily favoured Blackhawks). Stuff like that doesn't happen on a regular basis. Yes, it does give the fans more thrills and it gives the ownership more money but at what cost? In some respects, I would rather that my team finished 10th or 11th or something. At least there's a shot at a better set of draft picks (though I know that this isn't a guarantee of getting a good player.) So, I'm really ambivalent about the idea of finishing 8th overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I think you are wrong Shortcat. Although it is never fun for a team to have to play top ranked team after top ranked team it does wonders for the rookies and other young players in the line-up. For Higgins, Plex, Zhog, K Rex, Markov and Ryder to get more playoff games under their belt the better they will perform in the future of the post season hopefully. Experience is an intrinsic part of development. Also although it is next to impossible to win the cup as a bottom ranked team I believe it is the best of both worlds. The team gets a shot at the cup and they get a respectable draft choice higher than any other playoff team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olematelot Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 All teams enter the season with a goal in mind and I believe BG said at the start of this season the teams goal was to make the play offs. If they do make it then they have achieved their goal, everything else is gravy. Playoff experience however short is invaluable, so it's never a bad thing when a team gets there no matter what seed they achieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.