passing: Lats>Patches
shot: Lats>Patches
strength: Lats>Patches
puck skills: close but edge goes to lats imo.
But forget all this.
They are different players, and for my money aren't even competing. The player that needs to worry is Higgins in my opinion...
Instead of saying Patches is a faster Lats, how about Patches is a bigger and stronger Higgins?
They're both projected to be power forwards ... they're exactly the same type of players. Higgins on the other hand is a two-way player who argueably would fit best on a checking line. Latendresse and Paciorety should develop into top six forwards or 4th line grinders, Higgins is too small for that ... his game is all speed which is suited best for a 3rd line where he can shut down opposing forwards and counterpunch with speed. Higgins is not the one that needs to worry.
Something i'm wondering is, i'll throw this outthere:
Who would you choose, Higgins or Pacioretty to play with Saku? Because if you keep Max Pac, you have to play him a lot. You cannot put him on the fourth line in my opinion. And the solution would be trading Higgins for a D.
Latendresse has a rocket actually. Not on the AK level, but he has a great shot that is deadly accurate. We haven't seen it much as he hasn't been put in good positions for most of his career playing in the bottom 6 with mostly bums...
Lats has skills.
Pacioretty has a wicked wristshot and a quick release so I wouldnt really give the edge to Lats. I dont know about Pacioretty's slapshot but Lats rarely uses a slapshot he only snaps or wrists the puck.
Higgins doesn't have to worry about his spot at all...
I think the guy that should be worried would be a guy like Sergei Kostitsyn. Obviously there is probably little chance of Sergei getting sent down but he seems to be taking his spot very lightly, his effort has been very low in the pre-season and he has been taking many bad penalties. Not saying I want Sergei sent down but seeing Max playing excellent out there you'd think that it might want to wake Sergei up...
I'll actually disagree with you here, not because I don't agree with your assessment of Sergei's recent play though.
Sergei's style probably fits us a bit better, plus big brother plays here and they share a special chemistry. However, the real kicker is: Higgins has a higher trade value (contrary to HF Habs fans beliefs). I'd be willing to bet if any forward is booted off the team before the deadline for Patch, it'll be Higgins (traded, for, #4 D perhaps?)
edit: And its not because I dislike Higgins, I absolutely love what he brings for the team. I'm just looking at it as a GM.
Higgins doesn't have to worry about his spot at all...
I think the guy that should be worried would be a guy like Sergei Kostitsyn. Obviously there is probably little chance of Sergei getting sent down but he seems to be taking his spot very lightly, his effort has been very low in the pre-season and he has been taking many bad penalties. Not saying I want Sergei sent down but seeing Max playing excellent out there you'd think that it might want to wake Sergei up...
I don't think higgins has to worry this season, as I think Pacioretty is a year away form being a top 9 forward, but I could see Pacioretty replacing Higgins next year.
Koivu and Kovalev are re-signed for sure at the end of the year. And if Tanguay fits in he will be for sure as well, as we gave up a 1st rounder for him. Higgins will be restricted and I don't know if we will have the money, and with Pacioretty in the wings he becomes expendable IMO...
I'll actually disagree with you here, not because I don't agree with your assessment of Sergei's recent play though.
Sergei's style probably fits us a bit better, plus big brother plays here and they share a special chemistry. However, the real kicker is: Higgins has a higher trade value (contrary to HF Habs fans beliefs). I'd be willing to bet if any forward is booted off the team before the deadline for Patch, it'll be Higgins (traded, for, #4 D perhaps?)
edit: And its not because I dislike Higgins, I absolutely love what he brings for the team. I'm just looking at it as a GM.
Good points, all I gotta say is i'm happy i'm not Carbo or Gainey having to make these decisions.
S.Kost was brutal tonight, lost the puck on many occasions, wasn't working very hard too, had trouble all night finding his teammates, it's not our problem if she can't bring in logical arguments about him
Last edited by Habs10Habs: 09-30-2008 at 10:25 PM.
Reason: Try and play nice.
I'm sorry but if you are chosing Lats over Higgins you are helping the team this season....or ever.
Higgins is 4 years older, and I prefer Latendresses upside. Higgins is the better player now, no question, but with Pacioretty coming up I see him becoming expendable.
While SKost is not as visible as he used to be, he's still make sick passes to his teamates and at the very least gives his team half a dozen scoring chances per game 'cause of his passing skills. Lats played fine today, seems to me it's coming together.
I love MaxPac, I really do, for a long time now from the time he was in Michigan. But I would not start him this year. We have a strong team, our hands are pretty much tied and don't talk to me about Dandenault, the guy if he stays is our 14th forward.
Based on today, every youngster is going down. I would love to see a D'Ago-BenMax-MaxPac line in Hamilton, you need that kind of depth for a team that is suppose to go far this year. So why should we get rid of some depth before the start of the season? Is there a rule I don't know about that you can't bring a kid back from the AHL?
Higgins is 4 years older, and I prefer Latendresses upside. Higgins is the better player now, no question, but with Pacioretty coming up I see him becoming expendable.
Carbo was classic tonight: "If you didn't have so much depth, would Pacioretti be a lock?" "It would be tough to say no."
But we do have that much depth. Send Max Pac down and let him adjust to the pro life and end the season in Montreal. There's no need for him to start in the NHL.
I'm a huge fan of his and I think he's a future first liner but hes been playing with an undeserved sense of entitlement. You can't coast like that in preseason until you've been in the league for a half dozen years.
They're both projected to be power forwards ... they're exactly the same type of players. Higgins on the other hand is a two-way player who argueably would fit best on a checking line. Latendresse and Paciorety should develop into top six forwards or 4th line grinders, Higgins is too small for that ... his game is all speed which is suited best for a 3rd line where he can shut down opposing forwards and counterpunch with speed. Higgins is not the one that needs to worry.
My assesment of the 3 players is different.
I agree Higgins looks more like an excellent 3rd liner, mostly due to his difficulty finishing. He plays a tenacious two-way speed game with Strength. Patches plays the same game but bigger and looks to be more of a finisher. Latendresse to me looks like a player who will develop into an offensive minded guy who has the size, strength, and puck skills to bang in front and in the corners, with the ability to finish and create for others. Higgins and Pacioretty aren't the typ of players that can create for others...
Pacioretty is much closer to being a bigger and stronger Higgins than a faster Lats in my opinion
I just really hope that Max Pac can light a fire under Latendresse. I remember when I first saw Latendresse he had soo much potential and since then he seems to have lost the fire he had to make the team.
With him and Max Pac at peak performance, I shudder to think what could be. If not, I think Latendresse gets packaged in a deal with in ummm 3 years assuming Max Pac excels.
It would be a shame for Latender to turn in to Turner Stevenson.
Higgins is 4 years older, and I prefer Latendresses upside. Higgins is the better player now, no question, but with Pacioretty coming up I see him becoming expendable.
I dont think Latendresse will ever reach Higgins potential. I really dont see it.
Higgins has speed, scores goals, is great on the PK and is a dynamic player that creates much offense he lead the team in shots on goal 241 2nd was Kovy with 230 and then it dropped to 186 with Plekanec.
Habs have one identity - Speed. If you dont have speed you better be really good at something else.
And I want to win now...and next year and the year after....and we can do that.
Higgins is 4 years older, and I prefer Latendresses upside. Higgins is the better player now, no question, but with Pacioretty coming up I see him becoming expendable.
The reason I'd trade Higgins, is simply because he gives us a guaranteed return on the market. I seriously doubt we get much for Latendresse at this point, he's too unproven. Higgins is a lock to get us a #3-4 defensemen, and not just a rental type. We are oozing Top 6 wingers, we can afford to lose one.
After having watched O'Byrne tonight, I know, I know, he played on his wrong side and he's young.. I'll still say what I said during the off season, I'd have liked to see Bob get us a legit Top 4 D to fill our gap. This is our only glaring weakness this season to me.
I dont think Latendresse will ever reach Higgins potential. I really dont see it.
Higgins has speed, scores goals, is great on the PK and is a dynamic player that creates much offense he lead the team in shots on goal 241 2nd was Kovy with 230 and then it dropped to 186 with Plekanec.
Habs have one identity - Speed. If you dont have speed you better be really good at something else.
And I want to win now...and next year and the year after....and we can do that.
100% agree with this post.
Latendresse will NEVER reach the potential of Higgins. He simply doesnt have the speed to do it.
The reason I'd trade Higgins, is simply because he gives us a guaranteed return on the market. I seriously doubt we get much for Latendresse at this point, he's too unproven. Higgins is a lock to get us a #3-4 defensemen, and not just a rental type. We are oozing Top 6 wingers, we can afford to lose one.
After having watched O'Byrne tonight, I know, I know, he played on his wrong side and he's young.. I'll still say what I said during the off season, I'd have liked to see Bob get us a legit Top 4 D to fill our gap. This is our only glaring weakness this season to me.
I agree completely. Latendresse has potential, but no real value on the market right now. Trading him would make zero sense. Higgins has a real value, and in Pacioretty we have a guy who can do what he does but better IMO (not yet but soon). And at some point we'll have to make a move or let someone walk, simply because we'll have to many bodies...
Also agree about O'Byrne. before we added Lang, i thought a package og Higgins and O'Byrne for a centerman was the trade were going to make.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaydee96
100% agree with this post.
Latendresse will NEVER reach the potential of Higgins. He simply doesnt have the speed to do it.
And Higgins can't finish. Higgins ceiling is not that high just for that simple fact. If you don't create for others, and can't finish most of the time, you aren't that great of an offensive player despite your other skills...
I agree Higgins looks more like an excellent 3rd liner, mostly due to his difficulty finishing. He plays a tenacious two-way speed game with Strength. Patches plays the same game but bigger and looks to be more of a finisher. Latendresse to me looks like a player who will develop into an offensive minded guy who has the size, strength, and puck skills to bang in front and in the corners, with the ability to finish and create for others. Higgins and Pacioretty aren't the typ of players that can create for others...
Pacioretty is much closer to being a bigger and stronger Higgins than a faster Lats in my opinion
Latendresse bangs in front? Nope.
Latendresse finishes? Nope.
Latendresse creates for others? Dream on.
As of now, Max Pac is already close what Latendresse was supposed to become, a bruising power foward who can put the biscuit in the basket.
Not only that Max Pac brings a lot more speed and versatility that Latendresse does not.
If it were for waiver rules, Latendresse's sorry ass would be down in Hamilton.
I dont understand all this talk of getting rid of Higgins.
Yes MaxPac can and will be the same type of player as Higgins but why rid of one of them? Why not have 2 guys that will skate, crash the boards if needed, work hard down low, create chances and score?
I dont understand all this talk of getting rid of Higgins.
Yes MaxPac can and will be the same type of player as Higgins but why rid of one of them? Why not have 2 guys that will skate, crash the boards if needed, work hard down low, create chances and score?
2 is better then 1 no?
If it gives me a legitimate defender to play alongside Hammer? I pull the trigger faster then you can blink.
