The Habs aren't nearly as soft as the media buzz would have you believe, but the Habs also have never had good PR with the English-speaking press, and right now the French press actively hates them.
you cannot be more wrong, we are far from soft, we were clearly outalented tonight
Oh boy...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MathMan
The Habs aren't nearly as soft as the media buzz would have you believe, but the Habs also have never had good PR with the English-speaking press, and right now the French press actively hates them.
I didn't see/read what the media had to say. I'm basing my opinion on what I've seen.
Then look better, preferably with a less biased eye.
With the stuff you've come up with, let's just say I don't trust your instincts.
Too bad, you might learn a thing or two...
In all seriousness, we are lacking size and grit out there. We try hard, but it's not in their nature with the exception of a couple of guys. Heck, even our Lapierre line is ineffective against the Bruins' grit and toughness.
In all seriousness, we are lacking size and grit out there. We try hard, but it's not in their nature with the exception of a couple of guys. Heck, even our Lapierre line is ineffective against the Bruins' grit and toughness.
You're out of touch man.. the bruins so called grit and toughness didn't do crap to win for them tonight
Trade everyone except Markov, Kovalev, and Halak for Ovechkin. Throw in 3 first round draft pics too.
They probably still wouldn't accept it for ovechkin, he has enormous value to his team, and he will probably never be traded unless for a huge reason, the GM can only do so much, have to work through the problems in the team.
Can Hamrlik bounce back after a terrible year like that? I don't know.. I doubt.
All I know is that we need to solidify our defense.
Beauchemin would be a great addition as well, though I don't think Anaheim will let him go, but my first priority would be JayBo. We also need to ink a good C, although I'm not that concerned with the offense. We had a horrible season but manage to score more than enough. This team's real issue is on he blue line (and between the posts).
I'd give the Kosties one more year before dropping the towel. Plekanec is to trade unless the offers are too shy.
I want Kovy back, and Koivu if he takes a salary cut.
But the Bruins are not the biggest or toughest team around either. Imagine if you were playing a pack of wolverines like the Hawks or Canucks. Big, fast, young, tough. The Bruins have a couple of physical players, but they also need to evaluate their overall toughness for next year.
What I want is the Habs to keep only players who are able to take their game to a new level during playoffs. Talent makes you win during the regular season, but only heart and effort (along with some kind of talent, of course) can make you win in the playoffs. There are players in this league that are just unable, or who doesn't care enough to elevate their games (Jokinen, J. Thornton, Gaborik, Huselius, etc.) Those guys may be full of talent, but you'll never win with players like that.
Sadly, there is really too much of this kind of players in Montreal. When it's playoffs time, they just don't compete hard enough and are outworked by the opponent. The coach feels he has to make them play because of their talent or their regular season stats, but the result is that they become true liabilities on ice in a playoff game.
I think everybody knows who are those players in Montreal :
A. Kostitsyn
T. Plekanec
Maybe S. Kostitsyn, but I feel he may have the character to reach a new level when he becomes more mature
I really believe that no matter what we get in return, we NEED to get rid of AKost and Plekanec if we want to be a winning team. No doubt that these players would shine with another team in the regular season, but they will never be playoffs performers.
On the other hand, we need to keep those players able to raise their game in the playoffs :
C. Higgins (but as a 3rd line player)
A. Kovalev
S. Koivu (as a 2nd line center)
Kostopoulous (but in a 4th line role, NOT MORE!!)
Tanguay (I think when healthy, he can be very good)
And all the hard workers (Lapierre, Latendresse, maybe even Metropolit)
Komisarek (I really believe it was just one bad season for him)
And we need to add much more leadership and Stanley Cup experience in this team...
A good study would be "why can't people let this go?
Why are they so trapped by this, what is the thing that makes them never let it go, to never stop analyzing, fretting, worrying about the future of a hockey team?
Next year.....5 year plans........coaches, managers, players....you need to let it go.....this is not sane.
What would that do if he did not want to sign here? I also think he is highly overrated.
This is just another reactionary thread, one of a dozen that have popped up in the last few days. Giving up on the Kostitsyn brothers is not the way to go. You have to give your youth the time to mature and bring in the right vets to surround them.
Rebuild? No, more like the right tweaks is what is needed.
This morning, I'm seriously worried about next year -- in a way I haven't been before.
After the Montreal crowd so categorically demonstrated its status as the worst in the league (or just about), I started to wonder whether the UFAs really would re-sign here. Montreal has, after all, the worst fans, the worst media, the worst taxes, and possibly the worst weather -- after this season, why would anyone want to subject themselves to this torture if there are any other options?
Signing new UFAs? Unlikely at best, and the people harping on the GM for failing to do so should probably look in the mirror for a reason. Trading for Lecavalier? Please, it's time to stop re-hashing pointless fantasies and impossible pipe dreams.
The saving grace for Montreal might be the failing salary cap -- the fact that while no one in their right mind would play there if they had any other options, the lack of cap room on many teams may force players to come here simply because they don't have any other options. Expect low-end NHLers, and don't expect them to be very inspired, even if they'll put on a brave face for the media.
There's no plausible scenario in which a new star player joins Montreal this off-season. Teams that have stars will keep them, the stars themselves will look to be traded anywhere-but-Montreal, and UFA stars aren't crazy enough to dive into the planet's worst hockey scene where other options exist.
Don't expect miracles next year. In fact, expect a lousy off-season and a worse season. Maybe we'll get that lottery pick we've been thinking about for a while after all.
(Ironically, that might not bode well for the league either. The Habs are contributing to revenue-sharing a fair amount and if they start sucking, the fans that love to hate them so much might stop coming to boo them, which may hurt the NHL's finances as a whole.)
Only in Montreal would fans talk about rebuilding after finishing 1st in the Conference the previous season and then still making the playoffs with a ****ton of injuries.
Only in Montreal would fans talk about rebuilding after finishing 1st in the Conference the previous season and then still making the playoffs with a ****ton of injuries.
I agree with you, unfortunately, the Habs may not be given a choice.
If their awful situation (fans, media, taxes, weather, etc...) drive the players and UFA away, they may be left holding the bag and forced to play Latendresse-Higgins-Kostitsyn as their first line.
I was fairly confident that wouldn't happen and the Habs can re-sign their key guys, make an addition or two thanks to their cap space, and build from there, but after this season's display by the "home" crowd and the local "media", I'm not so sure anymore.
The Habs are not in a position where they should rebuild, but they may end up being forced into it.
If I would be the owner, I would tell BG to clean house.
Make sure you get one or 2 young impact player. It's a must. Make sure you get top notch coaching cause it's f*&^%ing time that someone builds this team playing strategy and adapt game into any situation cause they have a solution or a game plan.
Stop 50%of media access, and especially after a practice. Give the guys more time away from the media. Hire a PR guy just to talk to the media after the game, before or any other time.
