Could work, same thing with Sergei kst at LW it's not like he ever played on the left side either, but the problem was that you take a player from his offwing to put him where's more effective and you take a guy to put him on his offwing. That said Tanguay said he could play on both side. Still he's effewctive on the right side now why change it. We've always lacked of right winger, now we have too miuch... So yeah i surely want AKost on the right side, but whose the best option on the left side.
Just like Andrei is better on the Right side... tanguay appears to have scored most of his goals on the Left side this year.
Kovy having a career year(close to it!) last year says your wrong. And not only him, but every player on that line had their best year yet!
The problem is the Kostitsyn - plek - Kovalev line was one of the best in the league last year. I can't see how changing things can make it even better for us.
They havnt played up to their potential this year, so I see no reason whatsoever to keep this line together, we have way too much depth and the Lang line is struggling as well.
Andrei Kostitsyn is ready for prime time and is stuck in the shadow of Kovalev who tries to do way too much and causes turnovers that expose Kostitsyn's weak defensive game...
Last year, AK46 and Pleks were 4th liners with potential that enjoyed a breakout year. This year, they need to take it to the next level, and so far, they havnt.
They havnt played up to their potential this year, so I see no reason whatsoever to keep this line together, we have way too much depth and the Lang line is struggling as well.
Andrei Kostitsyn is ready for prime time and is stuck in the shadow of Kovalev who tries to do way too much and causes turnovers that expose Kostitsyn's weak defensive game...
Last year, AK46 and Pleks were 4th liners with potential that enjoyed a breakout year. This year, they need to take it to the next level, and so far, they havnt.
I'd still give them another 10 games....
They were among the best lines in the league last year... sure they haven't found a rhythm yet... but we've dealt with 2 long layoffs and an A kost injury already....
They didn't really get going till late november last year.
I'd love to see if they can get their groove together over the next stretch, where they will have time to find a rhythm.
I'm not sure that moving Andrei to the RW makes him instantly better. Look around the team, a lot of guys are playing on their "off-wing". Maybe there's a reason for it. If you think Andrei is a natural RW and Sergei is a natural LW, watch them when they do play on the same line, Andrei is still on the left and Sergei is on the right.
Carbonneau is a lot smarter than I am, there has to be a reason he's put Tanguay on RW, Lats on LW (apparently he played RW in junior) and has the Kosty's where they are.
Carbonneau is a lot smarter than I am, there has to be a reason he's put Tanguay on RW, Lats on LW (apparently he played RW in junior) and has the Kosty's where they are.
There almost certainly is, but us fans have yet to hear it. From the little exposure to the team we get, we just see Andrei make sick play after sick play on the right wing and want to see him put in a position that could make the most of that. It's not unreasonable IMO. We can debate what such a reason could be for their current positions here, certainly, but regardless of any reason, Andrei has displayed some world class skill on the right wing since last year (and a more dynamic style of play on the right in Hamilton) so surely it is understandable that fans want to see that skill more of the time.
I agree with everyone who says that Andrei Kostitsyn is a natural right winger, it's where he should be. That much should be as clear as day to anyone who watches hockey. However I don't know if I think blowing up the lines is the best thing for the team right now.
But one thing that boggles my mind, I think it was in the Minnesota game, where we actually saw the Higgins-Plekanec-Kostitsyn line from two years ago take a shift. Only this time it was changed to Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Higgins. TWO guys playing on their wrong side!?! Is Carbo actually deliberately playing guys on their off wing, or does he just not understand these things, being a centerman and all? Either way it's gotta stop.
The problem with this line is Kovy. He keeps the puck a bit too long. We have seen once or twice each game where he carries the puck from one circle ( offensive zone ) to the other passing behind the opposite goalie net to make a shot or a pass. Maybe he is doing this because pleks has been having problems and he wants to help him, but by doing so he is eliminating the other 2 as they like to have the puck. He did not do this last year which made the line very successful. Unless he gives them the puck more and tries to position himself ( give and go ) I say move Andrei. However, we should give them 5 more games.
It's because I see posts like this all of the time. People think that just because a guy started on a certain wing, he should belong there his entire career. I still see posts about Tanguay needing to play on the Left Wing, when on the right he has been scoring at a better pace than maybe ever in his career on the Right.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeThreeKings
No, Andrei Kostitsyn was not horrible at LW last season. But if you want to look at Andrei's highlight package, care to tell me how many of his best plays came off his RW? How about his sick assist to Plekanec during the Isles game, what side was he on? His flying the through the air batting the puck in vs. Philly, what side was he on? When he deked the entire Thrashers team and scored, what side was he on? When he deked out the Capitals and owned Kolzig, what side was he on? When he knocked down Richards, got the puck and wristed it by Biron, what side was he on?
Good point, but of course, we could also look at some Guy Lafleur tapes and come to the conclusion that he should have been a Left Winger with all of those goals on the opposite wing
Andrei Kostitsyn is fine. The fact everyone forgets he had a slow start last season, and his slow starts used to be what kept him in the AHL, he'll be fine once the season progresses. Maybe once Kovalev retires, we'll see Andrei go back to the right, which I'd be cool with it, because I think he'll be great on either wing.
I just saw Andrei at the grocery 10 mins ago... I had this thread in mind and wanted to ask him about L/R W but I was way too shy and doesn't wanted to look impolite... it was pretty much the first time I saw a Habs player live... Is it consider like disrespectful to approche them ?! (sorry for the english)
I agree with most of it, but why putting Sergei Kostitsyn on his offwing. We complain that AKost plays offwing, but to fix the problem we put his bro on his offwing. I think if we do those line Sergei should play on the right as well they've good good together in the past and Sergei was playing on the right and hell anyway those 2 in offensives zone play all 3 forward position when paired together.
But yes at some point Akost needs to play on the right wing. The way he played with plek and Higgins is way different then the way he does now. He plays more of a power forward/garbage goaler right now and despite not being why he got drafted he's doing a good job at it, but yeah if we want him to expose his skills he gottacontrol the puck and he wont with Kovy.
Sergei played LW a lot in London, so he's not as lost as Andrei on the LW. Furthermore, Sergei is more of a playmaker, thus making him more confortable than a lefty sniper on the LW. Especially if he plays with his brother, he won't mind. They've done it in the WJC before too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 68
I want A. Kostitsyn on the right and Tanguay on the left.
With Saku in the middle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonin
I just saw Andrei at the grocery 10 mins ago... I had this thread in mind and wanted to ask him about L/R W but I was way too shy and doesn't wanted to look impolite... it was pretty much the first time I saw a Habs player live... Is it consider like disrespectful to approche them ?! (sorry for the english)
If you don't annoy them by asking 23423 questions while they are in a hurry, I don't see why it would be.
Last edited by Habs10Habs: 11-09-2008 at 07:39 PM.
I have been petitioning this board since the off-season for A Kost to be RW. I noticed near the end of last nights game where A kost would get the puck in his own end in the centre and automatically skate up the right side, on a line with Kovalev. If he was a LW, he should be skating up the ice on the left side. To me, it's a indication he wants to be on the RW, just as bad as I want him to be on the RW.
Lats-Pleks-Kovalev
I guess this line works since Lats would simply be on the line to create traffic while Kovy and Pleks do all the work
Tan-Koivu-Higs
seems fine for now
SK-Lang-AK
Worth a try to have the bros together
I just saw Andrei at the grocery 10 mins ago... I had this thread in mind and wanted to ask him about L/R W but I was way too shy and doesn't wanted to look impolite... it was pretty much the first time I saw a Habs player live... Is it consider like disrespectful to approche them ?! (sorry for the english)
I would've asked him how come his line doesn't forecheck anymore.
it's weird nobody remembers how effective the Higgins Pleks Kosty line was
and it balances the rest of the lines perfectly
u end up having lats back with koivu and Tang
and S Kost who looks like a young Straka would bring speed to a line with Lang and Kovy
think about it
Lats - Koivu - Tang
Higgins - Pleks - A Kost
S Kost - Lang - Kovy
almost everybody is playin their natural wing
