Habs are a team that relies on smarts, from the first line to the 4th, therefore they cannot afford to have a dumb goon who can barely skate/play taking a spot on one of those lines, that would take away the rythm this team establishes on a nightly basis rolling 4 balanced lines (see Laraque's fiasco).
Furthermore, and regardless of what people who prefer seeing grown men pound the bejebus out of each other as a measure of their toughness level think, this team IS tough. When you pay the price to take a check, when you go into heavy traffic no matter how much it's going to hurt, when you get back up, always, when you don't let any team intimidate you, you're tough, and this is the kind of toughness this team has. They don't need to rough it up, they just need to get back up. Winning' still the ultimate goal in this sport right?
No, but seriously, which the above statement has some value I think it's more of a team thing. We need to start drafting top 6 forward who can take care of themselves. It's all fine and dandy to have an enforcer but an enforcer who plays 5 minutes a game can't protect anyone.
exactly conboy's not a heavyweight nor is schultz. bonneau is but can't play in the NHL...which leaves henry as a legitimate heavyweight
Schultz could become a pretty good middleweight fighting 3rd liner with scoring touch though. I have a bit of hope in him. He dominated in junior in fights and didn't do too bad in his AHL fight if I recall correctly. Hopefully he progresses on his weaknesses much like Ryan White did.
Schultz could become a pretty good middleweight fighting 3rd liner with scoring touch though. I have a bit of hope in him. He dominated in junior in fights and didn't do too bad in his AHL fight if I recall correctly. Hopefully he progresses on his weaknesses much like Ryan White did.
white's going to be needed monday and i suspect he'll be recalled. henry too
white's going to be needed monday and i suspect he'll be recalled. henry too
I actually wouldn't mind Henry being recalled. I recall him being a leader during the preseason. He's 6'6'', can drop the gloves and play on the PK.
As of now, I think White is being recalled (considering Halpy may be inured). I wouldn't mind a guy like Schultz or Conboy (who's more of an agitator, rather than a fighter) on the 4th/3rd line, but I wouldn't be ready to scratch anyone there. Another guy I like is Jimmy Bonneau. He's a true heavyweight, but I'm not even sure he's on a contract
Teams are gonna come after the habs, that's just a fact. The key is that the habs dont get away from their gameplan, and they have done a pretty decent job of that.
The habs have shown good composure and focus so far. They havent de-railed no matter how hard the opponent has tried to get them off their game.
Toughness is not a huge issue to me. The big teams havent deterred the habs from playing the way they like to play.
Ever watched a full game of those days lately??..Hockey has become a lot more entertaining nowadays due to the fact the game opened up a lot more for skilled players.
I don't want anybody added to this team for the sole purpose of being more aggressive every time we play the Flyers.
Wait, are you saying McPhee and Corson weren't talented? Nilan was a goon, but a lot of our skilled players could go any way the other team wanted to. Skrudland, Muller... we had teams very similar to what Philly ices today, and I do miss it.
I guess thats why I have a soft spot for Moen, I like the role player as much as the sniper.
Toughness is not a huge issue to me. The big teams havent deterred the habs from playing the way they like to play.
Did you watch last years playoffs series against the Flyers..cause that's exactly what happened and it will happen again if we face them. In the playoffs there are less power plays and the play is much more physical and tight, and will Flyers would crush us again because Habs just can't respond physically. It was embarassing tonight that no one did anything when Flyers were going after PK, you gotta protect young talent like that.
Please, Richards Hartnell Carcillo Odonell Pronger Shelley are all tough sob's that would drop them against anybody.
Richards' toughness is overrated.
Sean O'donnell isn't what he once was.
Pronger lost to Willie Mitchell last year.
So, that leaves Hartnell, Carcillo and Shelley. 1 is a top 6 forward, 1 is a bottom 6 5 minutes a game and one shifts between playing 10-13 minutes and being a healthy scratch.
As for the whole, we'll keep scoring goals. Kinda hard, whenever your team gets taken out. Though, ****** enforcer who can't play isn't the answer.
So, that leaves Hartnell, Carcillo and Shelley. 1 is a top 6 forward, 1 is a bottom 6 5 minutes a game and one shifts between playing 10-13 minutes and being a healthy scratch.
As for the whole, we'll keep scoring goals. Kinda hard, whenever your team gets taken out. Though, ****** enforcer who can't play isn't the answer.
Whatever dude..you can break it down the way you want, bottom line is they all play and they all intimidate the habs, just watch any playoff game the last 2 series we played them. We can't respond and it shows..they made us look like a peewee team in the playoffs.
White and Conboy cannot fight their way up Crescent Street on a windy day. The best fighter the Habs have is Bonneau, by far. The Habs need to bring in someone legit. This is getting ugly. Good for Lappy for answering the bell but he got pounded and is definitely no deterrent
White and Conboy cannot fight their way up Crescent Street on a windy day. The best fighter the Habs have is Bonneau, by far. The Habs need to bring in someone legit. This is getting ugly. Good for Lappy for answering the bell but he got pounded and is definitely no deterrent
Forget about it, Bonneau isn't even signed by the Habs, only Hamilton, and Martin does not want pure goons that can't skate enough to follow the system we have in place. That's why White is perfect for us.
So, that leaves Hartnell, Carcillo and Shelley. 1 is a top 6 forward, 1 is a bottom 6 5 minutes a game and one shifts between playing 10-13 minutes and being a healthy scratch.
As for the whole, we'll keep scoring goals. Kinda hard, whenever your team gets taken out. Though, ****** enforcer who can't play isn't the answer.
WTF!
I've seen biased and making excuses for what we lack before, but might as well suit up 5 cotton balls next monday with the way you're talking...
Forget about it, Bonneau isn't even signed by the Habs, only Hamilton, and Martin does not want pure goons that can't skate enough to follow the system we have in place. That's why White is perfect for us.
Ya I know Bonneau is on an AHL contract but they have to do something soon. I just can't see it with Martin at the helm. The thing with White is, he isn't a very good fighter. He would do fine against a guy like Powe but what if it was Chris Neil doing that? White would get beat as bad as Lappy did last night.
Forget about it, Bonneau isn't even signed by the Habs, only Hamilton, and Martin does not want pure goons that can't skate enough to follow the system we have in place. That's why White is perfect for us.
Whitey is a gutsy guy who will hit anything and drop them with anybody but I'm not sure he would be that much better at this level than Lappy was. This weekend against Grand Rapids White went with their captain Tardiff whose not the toughest guy and got whacked around pretty good. Henry went at it with Amadio a rugged dman and the fight was over in about three/four punches most of them Henry's.
We need to call up Henry as #7. Play him opposite Subban against teams like the Flyers when the score is out of hand. Insurance policy. We can't lose Subban and Markov.
Other than Colin Campbell, I don't see anybody else. Phillie has a couple players that are dangerous, short of having somebody crack a stick over their heads on the first shift, it won't stop them.
, we are doomed monday 
