[Lafleurs Guy]

Originally Posted by Kriss E

As someone already brought up, you can't really discuss having the injured players back without looking at the salaries involved.
Savard surely would have helped them on the PP, but does this mean Seguin doesn't play the year on their roster? Or does that mean not getting Kelly and Peverley, that have combined for 19pts and formed a very important trio with Ryder versus us?
Also, let us not forget that although Savard is still talked about as if he's one of the best playmakers in the NHL, his play seemed to have been incredibly affected from his injuries. He had 10pts this year in 25GP, last year in the POs he had 3pts in 7GP and 33pts in 41GP during the season. So, just how big of a threat he would have been I'm not so sure about.

In any event, if you speak of healthy rosters and bring Savard back in, then that means Gorges and Markov are here (as well as DD and MaxPac) instead of Wiz-Sopel.
So, I think not only does our offense get better because of our injured forwards would be present, but Markov also makes our offense better as well as our defense, and Gorges is also a plus on defense.
There isn't much to debate here really, if both teams had healthy rosters, I don't see how Boston beats us.

And if Markov doesn't go down we probably don't get Wiz... It's all how you spin it.

You can speculate till the cows come home but the bottom line is that both clubs were missing key players not just us. That's why us bringing up Markov (who's barely played for us in the past two years) is silly. People use it as a built in excuse now. "Oh we would've won but..."

I get that injuries happen and can be devastating (they crushed Pittsburgh's chances at a cup this year) but when you've got a guy who has barely played for two consecutive seasons, you have to accept that he's one of those guys who's now become a 'best case' type player who you hope MAY come back someday but we shouldn't count on it. Boston was in a similar situation with Savard so it's especially silly for us to be whining about missing Markov while Boston's over there missing their best forward.

Originally Posted by googlymoogly

That is a point with Savard, Boston can't make any trades unless they could of dumped one of their more expensive wingers like Ryder to make cap space. Then add that at any moment one hit to Savard could bring back his concussion symptoms and Boston could of had a worse team going into the playoffs.

If Montreal hadn't lost so many top players to injury who's to say they don't go after some players at trade deadline. PG basically traded just to fill the injuries to the defense.

And if Sidney Crosby weren't hurt then he might've scored 180 points and won the cup... Again, it is what it is. We went into Boston and played a hard series against them. Both clubs had key injuries and we lost. No need to get into excuse making mode.

Originally Posted by Blind Gardien

You'll find Habs fans who will sign up to any side of a debate about our players. But I don't see Wisniewski as remotely comparable to Markov. And since Markov was basically earning well below his market value for us before, just taking him back at the same salary would still be like a hometown discount.

I'd choose Wiz over Markov at this stage in a heartbeat. He's in his mid 20s, healthy and on the upswing. He'll probably never be as good as Markov was in his prime but there's some upside there and he's nowhere near the risk Markov is.

I hope Markov comes back and plays like he always did but I think taking Markov over Wiz for the future is using your heart instead of your head.

Originally Posted by Kimota

In my opinion The Bruins advanced because the East was incredibly weak this year. They didn't even need to use their grit to beat the Habs. They faced a strangely shaky Flyers group all over the place with no solid goalies. And Tampa was a cinderalla team that should not have been there. Boston advanced by staying in Julien's system, avoid the mystakes, play safe. While the Canucks had to kill themselves to get where they were. It was trench wars in all the games i've seen in the west with grit, skills, speed.

In my opinion the Habs should model themselves of the team in the west, aim higher.

I agree, the East sucks worse than it ever has. There's no way a club of Boston's calibre makes it on a 'normal' year. They have spectacular goaltending and good D. That was good enough to take them this far this season but most years they'd have been blown away long ago.

As for Philly... it's such a mystery to me as to why these guys NEVER have a goalie. It's almost like us with our perpetual search for a number one center. You'd think that both clubs could've solved this problem by now.

Originally Posted by MathMan

The Habs were one of the best puck possession clubs in the East this year. You could have put them in the Central and their numbers wouldn't have looked out of place at all.

No doubt due to Gomez who was spectacular with the puck advancing through the neutral zone. Then of course once he came across the blueline it was another story...

But hey, he had the puck for a good long while!

Originally Posted by MathMan

They were clearly one of the better clubs in the East (though not better than Washington) and clearly much superior to Boston.

Thomas is having a mad year one of the best ever for a goalie. Not suprising that he was able to beat so-so teams. He didn't have to face a powerhouse though and I think if they did they get smoked.

He's got the chance to prove us wrong though, Vancouver certainly qualifies as a powerhouse.