Bonavistaman11 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 What should the Canadiens do to improve after three very poor games. Zednik isn't performing, the D is looking weak, Perreault has stopped scoring, and Audette is just playing like Audette. Some big improvements need to be made to the team and very soon. But what can be done? I say: 1.)Play Hainsey!! 2.)Get rid of Audette, Sundstrom, Perreault, and either rivet or Quintal. by getting rid of those guys gainey may be able to pick up a big top line player and Komisarek will be able to get in the lineup. With a few adjustments, the playoffs are realistic. But right now it looks damn near impossible. :ghg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Hold it. After 10 game we have still won 5. And that's more than I'd expect. We need to stick to the plan. And something has to be done. But trading half our squad won't help. The problem could be viewed from two angles. 1. Our defence is so poor that our forwards doesn't get the chance to score. 2. Our offensive play are to poor that the defence looks worse than they really are. I'd say that the truth is somewhere between. 1. The first line haven't scored that much. Where's Zednik? 2. A trade has to be done soon. I think that we need a goal scorer. Offer Sundström, a defenceman in order to make room for Komisarek and another forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosehead Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Claude Julien didn't pull his goalie last night because he felt the way his men were playing, the game was lost. Claude Julien should be dumped by Gainey for that statement alone. He obviously doesn't inspire his players any more than Therrien did. Spud is a good career minor league coach. Being the headcoach of the Habs during this difficult rebuilding period is definitely a job which is above his capacities. I suggest Bob Gainey goes behind the bench himself until he can safely give the job to Doug Jarvis or somebody else. He will be able to take all his GM decisions seeing the problems from up close, and, in the meantime, he has Pierre Gauthier to do his paper work. The situation with the Habs is as serious as the situation in New York with the Blue Shirts, and, if Glen Sather saw the necessity of directing his team from behind the bench for a while, I honestly think Bob Gainey should do likewise, and he shouldn't wait until the Habs are 10 games under .500 to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAussiePosse Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Get a physical forward. We're getting killed against teams like Philadelphia and Boston who have big guys. For us, Kilger, Langdon, Begin, and Ward aren't enough. One more talented player would help a lot. I wish we could have got Battaglia from Colorado - not a scoring machine, but more physical than most of our team, reliable defensively, and a natural LW. Our defense aren't playing together anymore, so the time might be to move Brisebois. And/or Rivet. I think Toronto could afford him. If they weren't in our division. If STL was still interested, I would gun for it. Oh, and trade Theodore now. Just because. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs77 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Well if you're losing by 2 with a minute left... the game IS lost. I think this was part of the mind games a coach plays with his players. You guys were giving such a bad effort, it wasn't worth pulling the goalie. Message: You want me to pull the goalie?.. show me you're actually trying to get back in the game. I sure wouldn't fire him for the decision. This sounds more like you had already decided you didn't like him a long time ago, and you're looking for reasons to criticize him. That's the impression you give anyway. How else can one explain asking for coach's head when his team is 5-5? I think the answer to "what now?" is simple. Now Gainey needs to make some noise... there was no point making any moves when the team was playing well, but now is the perfect time. I think the players know it too, there have been persistent rumors the Habs have been in trade discussions since the beginning of the year. The Gauthier rumor tells me Hainsey is on the block. Hossa was offered up at the draft when we tried to move up to the #1 pick. I think these two, along with some vets like Perreault, Sundstrom, Rivet... are the most likely to go. I wouldn't consider Zednik or even Koivu untouchable either if Gainey really wants to shake things up. Although I wonder how tradeable Koivu can be when he's injured yet again, and that's not even mentionning the cancer angle. My personal untouchable list: Theodore, Markov, Souray, Ribeiro, Ryder, Ward, Bulis, and Komisarek & Higgins in Hamilton. I can't wait to see what Gainey will be able dig up. The only way the team can improve significantly IMO is by picking up salary from teams looking to dump. That is the only way to improve significantly without having to give up many assets. Before you say we can't afford it... we have MANY expensive contracts expiring at year end, so if we bite the bullet now our payroll would come back down next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zowpeb Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Wow I've read a lot of things I disagree with in this thread...and I'd like to give my responses to some of them. From Bonavistaman --------------------------------------------------------------------- "2.)Get rid of Audette, Sundstrom, Perreault, and either rivet or Quintal. by getting rid of those guys gainey may be able to pick up a big top line player and Komisarek will be able to get in the lineup. " ---------------------------------------------------------------------- It's tough to trade for a big top line player when you are offering 3 guys with virtually no value. One of our better prospects would likely have to be included in any deal for a top line player. Some teams are looking to dump salary for next season which may make it possible...but some teams aren't worried as much about it and may want the talent they're receiving locked up beyond this year. Sunny and Perreault have expiring contracts... From ch_nl ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "1. Our defence is so poor that our forwards doesn't get the chance to score. 2. Our offensive play are to poor that the defence looks worse than they really are. I'd say that the truth is somewhere between." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Well, I agree that it's somewhere in between...both our offence is poor and as is our defence. This team has had the same problem for a couple years now...there is only a couple guys with any decent talent...Koivu, Markov, Theodore and to a lesser extent Zednik. This team has a pretty high payroll considering it has no real high end talent... From Moosehead ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Claude Julien didn't pull his goalie last night because he felt the way his men were playing, the game was lost. Claude Julien should be dumped by Gainey for that statement alone. He obviously doesn't inspire his players any more than Therrien did. Spud is a good career minor league coach. Being the headcoach of the Habs during this difficult rebuilding period is definitely a job which is above his capacities. I suggest Bob Gainey goes behind the bench himself until he can safely give the job to Doug Jarvis or somebody else. " ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Julien is doing fine. He's good with young players and has proven he can win at the lower levels. The players seem to respect him right now as well. Wouldn't you actually want a guy who is good with young talent during the rebuilding period of a team??? I think the answer is obviously...yes. There are a lot of coaches who don't pull goalies in the final minute when they're down by 2 goals or more. To suggest firing him for this is pretty ridiculous... Gainey needs to stick to GMing duties. GM/coaches rarely work well...look to Pat Quinn as an example of this failing. Gainey needs to clean up the contractual messes that Savard put in place, let the young guys get experience and pick up some high end talent with the money left after dumping overpaid guys. There is about 18 million in 6 guys who should be moved...we have young guys capable enough of replacing 3 of those roster spots. The 16 million left over could be used on 2-3 players of higher end talent. From Aussie ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Our defense aren't playing together anymore, so the time might be to move Brisebois. And/or Rivet. I think Toronto could afford him. If they weren't in our division. If STL was still interested, I would gun for it. Oh, and trade Theodore now. Just because." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'd trade with Toronto...why not. If we think we're rebuilding I couldn't care less about trading in the division. Let's get healthy for the future...a future that will include a better CBA. Trading Theodore now is just stupid. Trading Garon right now is stupid. If you really want to discuss this it deserves it's own thread. From Habs77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I think the answer to "what now?" is simple. Now Gainey needs to make some noise... there was no point making any moves when the team was playing well, but now is the perfect time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I agree with this completely. I think a trade is imminent. The team started out well...then slumped. The fall back to earth was probably expected but if this team loses it's next two games, and Koivu is slated to come back just after that, it's the perfect time to make a change. The line-up will need shuffled anyway with Koivu and Kilger's return(was assigned to AHL for "conditioning" btw). I think the move with Kilger and the wait around Koivu's return combined with the teams recent play is a recipe for a trade. If we get Gauthier I expect one of our RD to be moved(Rivet, Quintal or Breezy) to STL. Hainsey will go back to Hamilton and Komi will come up. I also expect Sundstrom and Perreault to be moved pretty quickly. To be honest if we're dealing with STL I'd love to see us use a d-man with Sunny and Perreault to get a guy like Cajanek... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westcoasthabsfan Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Garon is one of the only tradeable commodities on the Habs at the moment, and face it folks Theo isnt going anywhere for the next ten years or so. Why not trade Garon and get something the Habs can use now. Then they can get a vet to backup Jose, Mathieu needs to play alot more regularly and he wont get the chance here in Montreal GO HABS GO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habitual_hab Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Montreal's in the same position with Rivet, Audette and Perreault as Detroit is with Cujo. Audette gets $3-million for being a defensive liability, for not being able to skate against top-line players, for a supposedly cancerous attitude in the room, and for having lost his goal-scoring prowess. Good luck in moving this potential 4th line winger. Buy him out. Perreault gets $2.8-million for winning face-offs and potting 20 goals a season. With his hands he could probably pot 30 to 40 a year if he were willing to paqy the price in front of the net and in the corners - places he avoids like the plague. Rivet gets $2.5-million for what one analyst calls: occasional brain cramps in the defensive zone. Isn't skilled enough to be much of a factor on offense. Has the career potential of a No. 5 or 6 defenseman. Those three players aren't going to get Gainey much in a trade - unless Gainey can pull a Pollock and pick some GM's pocket. One more thing. I think Juneau needs to go and Hossa moved to third line centre - playing with Kilger and Sundstrom (Bulis played quite well together with Koivu last year and should get the chance there again, IMO). Hossa is not a happy camper playing the wing - just like his big bro said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsaku Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Theodore, Markov, Souray, Ribeiro, Ryder, Ward, Bulis, and Komisarek & Higgins in Hamilton I wouldnt count on Ribeiro and Theodore being untradable. In fact, I wouldnt mind at all seeing them leave if it could get us top end talent(Theodore would easily fetch us that). I'm pretty much indifferent when it comes to Ribeiro, I like some of his moves but I don't care about him at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs77 Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 a few comments: - audette might be untradeable because he's damaged goods offensively and still awful defensively.. and has 2 years left at 3M... if I were another you couldn't pay me to have him in my lineup - Perreault is tradeable because A) he can still score B) he one of the best faceoff guys in the league C) he'll be a UFA at year end so teams won't be scared away by any long term commitment. It could simply be a rent-a-player situation... but in the case of a UFA you're more likely to move him but don't expect much in return. - Rivet is the most attractive and has the best value. A) he has a good rep around the league, don't ask me why B) is not a UFA at year end Package Rivet with someone and you could get a half decent player. - Trading Garon I would wait on for now, hopefully until one of our prospects (Damphousse, Michaud, etc) would be ready to back up Theo. I don't see too many teams looking for goalies right now, Hasek, Belfour, Hackett, Burke are probably in their last year... maybe next year demand will be higher. - I'm not for trading Ribeiro because I don't think we'd get equal value for him. Plus if he leaves I might die of boredom looking at habs games, he's the only one gives me a flicker of enjoyment to watch play so far this year. - Trading Theo now makes no sense to me at all. He's still the key to this team, the last time we traded our best player in nets we still haven't recovered from... and you want to do it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonavistaman11 Posted October 31, 2003 Author Share Posted October 31, 2003 i wouldnt think of trading theo. He's still only young and he's having a pretty good season so far. If the habs ever get some good players in front of him Theo could take them to a championship. :ghg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 If someone is untouchable Theodore is. Theodore is the one this team should be built around. He's young and our only big star. Come on! He's a former Hart winner! And he is on our team. I'm starting a club. WEYDDTT. - What ever you do, don't trade Theo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 Just read at spectors hockey that Atlanta is looking for a goal scoring forward. Heatly and Savard is out. The rumor says that they are shoping Hurme, Stefan or picks. Montreal, the team that doesn't score at all shouldn't have something to offer but... Atlanta is doing well. Kovalchuck is so hot that he sun seems cold. Heatly may be back soon and their future should looks bright. Donald Audette is a goal scorer. But he's not acting like one i Montreal. And maybe he would be back on track if he was traded to Atlanta. I mean, he had a great season last time he was in Atlanta. So if Montreal paid a major part of Audettes 3 million dollars maybe we could land one of Atlantas goaltenders. Pasi Nurminen or Jani Hurme. Why? I believe that Garon is good enough to be a no.1. Not this year but maybe next. And next season i foretell that the goaltender situation will be a bit different. Garon should have a high trading value. Hurme or Nurminen could be our backup and Garon could land us a goal scoring forward. Just a tought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 sorry about the bad spelling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westcoasthabsfan Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Goaltending is the least of Montreals worries.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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