Hossa has not yet played a stretch of 10 games where he was factor in every game. Maybe he will, I think he will. But it hasn't happened yet.
Heads up... we've only played 4 games this season. Don't give me the "but he was crap in the preseason" thing cause that doesn't fly.
Hossa is doing a great job being part of a team, part of a line, and accepting that role that helps the team win. If he needed to shoot more, i'm sure that Julien will tell him so. As it stands Hossa is still young and learning the ropes in the NHL... once he's comfortable night-in night-out i'm sure we'll see him snap a wrister, or finish a wrap-around himself rather than passing. Shooting is a confidence game, and confidence comes with experience, especially when you are a natural center whose tendacy is passing...
Heads up... we've only played 4 games this season. Don't give me the "but he was crap in the preseason" thing cause that doesn't fly.
Hossa is doing a great job being part of a team, part of a line, and accepting that role that helps the team win. If he needed to shoot more, i'm sure that Julien will tell him so. As it stands Hossa is still young and learning the ropes in the NHL... once he's comfortable night-in night-out i'm sure we'll see him snap a wrister, or finish a wrap-around himself rather than passing. Shooting is a confidence game, and confidence comes with experience, especially when you are a natural center whose tendacy is passing...
Its not the shooting that is bothering me, its more the fact that he doesnt hold on to the puck long enough. Its like he wants to get rid of it. Watch that tonight if he gets the puck he wont try to make a play for himself. I know for some its negative but i would like him to be a puck hog to see his real potential.
Its not the shooting that is bothering me, its more the fact that he doesnt hold on to the puck long enough. Its like he wants to get rid of it. Watch that tonight if he gets the puck he wont try to make a play for himself. I know for some its negative but i would like him to be a puck hog to see his real potential.
First of all, it's his game to pass quickly. He's always been like that and that obviously comes from being a natural center.
Second, it's also an obvious sign of a lack of confidence. He doesn't hold on to the puck because he probably does not have enough confidence in his ability to make a play and beat oposing players one-on-one. That will correct itself with maturity and experience. 21yo people. He's a kid. Wait 'til he's 23 to start and criticize his play. Right now he's there to learn, grow and adjust. He sure doesn't hurt the team in his present role so I say leave him alone and let him acquire some confidence throughout the season.
First of all, it's his game to pass quickly. He's always been like that and that obviously comes from being a natural center.
Second, it's also an obvious sign of a lack of confidence. He doesn't hold on to the puck because he probably does not have enough confidence in his ability to make a play and beat oposing players one-on-one. That will correct itself with maturity and experience. 21yo people. He's a kid. Wait 'til he's 23 to start and criticize his play. Right now he's there to learn, grow and adjust. He sure doesn't hurt the team in his present role so I say leave him alone and let him acquire some confidence throughout the season.
Actually; Marcel turned 22 last week. He certainly has the size to be a force along the boards, and he shows glimpses of being a dominant corner man, but, just like Ward, he needs time. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets sent back to Hamilton when the injured players come back.
I really like what I've seen from Higgins; he looks to be better defensively than Hossa already, and certainly appears to have more jam.
Here's the forward lines I'd like to see before season's end:
Let's not forget that Hossa didn't exactly light it up in Hamilton last season; both Ward and Ryder player better, and so far this season both have shown more IMO. I'd like to see how Ward would do with 15+ mijutes of ice time per night on an offensive line - I think he may surprise some people. He made a back pass off the boards last game that only a player with offensive smarts can make. He also showed that he has a pretty good set of hands on his PP goal. If I'm not mistaken, Ward has had three shifts on the power play, and he has a goal to show for it. Not a bad average.
I think Hossa needs to go down to Hamilton and have the kind of AHL season Ward had last year. Then, next season, when Audette, Perreault, Dackell et al are gone, Hossa will have a full-time position if he's earned it.
Actually; Marcel turned 22 last week. He certainly has the size to be a force along the boards, and he shows glimpses of being a dominant corner man, but, just like Ward, he needs time. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets sent back to Hamilton when the injured players come back.
I really like what I've seen from Higgins; he looks to be better defensively than Hossa already, and certainly appears to have more jam.
Here's the forward lines I'd like to see before season's end:
Let's not forget that Hossa didn't exactly light it up in Hamilton last season; both Ward and Ryder player better, and so far this season both have shown more IMO. I'd like to see how Ward would do with 15+ mijutes of ice time per night on an offensive line - I think he may surprise some people. He made a back pass off the boards last game that only a player with offensive smarts can make. He also showed that he has a pretty good set of hands on his PP goal. If I'm not mistaken, Ward has had three shifts on the power play, and he has a goal to show for it. Not a bad average.
I think Hossa needs to go down to Hamilton and have the kind of AHL season Ward had last year. Then, next season, when Audette, Perreault, Dackell et al are gone, Hossa will have a full-time position if he's earned it.
Hossa was unreal in Hamilton last year. He started off slow (perhaps he was thinking he was going to make the Habs after his first callup the year before) He took a while to get going, but when he did, he was scoring goals left and right. I thought that they should have kept him down longer, but he was playing well.
But he didn't play well in Hamilton during last years playoffs. He was a disappointment for the most part, but he did have a few good games here and there.
Actually; Marcel turned 22 last week. He certainly has the size to be a force along the boards, and he shows glimpses of being a dominant corner man, but, just like Ward, he needs time. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets sent back to Hamilton when the injured players come back.
I really like what I've seen from Higgins; he looks to be better defensively than Hossa already, and certainly appears to have more jam.
Here's the forward lines I'd like to see before season's end:
Let's not forget that Hossa didn't exactly light it up in Hamilton last season; both Ward and Ryder player better, and so far this season both have shown more IMO. I'd like to see how Ward would do with 15+ mijutes of ice time per night on an offensive line - I think he may surprise some people. He made a back pass off the boards last game that only a player with offensive smarts can make. He also showed that he has a pretty good set of hands on his PP goal. If I'm not mistaken, Ward has had three shifts on the power play, and he has a goal to show for it. Not a bad average.
I think Hossa needs to go down to Hamilton and have the kind of AHL season Ward had last year. Then, next season, when Audette, Perreault, Dackell et al are gone, Hossa will have a full-time position if he's earned it.
Hossa needs to be challenged at the NHL level. Spending another year in the AHL will only cultivate bad habits.
I, for one, don't see him as lazy or indifferent or anything similar. He has been forechecking with authority, backchecking madly, and finishing his checks along the boards in the neutral zone. He has been cycling very well with Ribeiro and Zednik.
He doesn't need to go down to the AHL. When Julien finds him lacking effort, as he did against Pittsburgh, he can wake him up by replacing him on the PP with some one like Ward -- who scored, as it turned out.
The best place for Hossa is in the NHL, where he can learn the pro-game. He needs to be challenged from time to time, but he needs some real competition in order to respond.
WTF Hossa play with energy and does something no one was doing few years ago : a good job along the boards . Audette never ''played a stretch of 10 games where he was factor in every game'' plus he's soft and he's always the last cheker .... then when he get the puck he dump it .
Energy? If you say so. The board is littered with comments about Hossa looking univilved, but if you see that as energy, then so be it.
BTW, I never said I liked Audette. Don't confuse the issue by trying to put words in people's mouths.
p.s. I never ever like Audette's game, not in Dallas, not in Atlanta, not in Buffalo....and not in MTL.
Heads up... we've only played 4 games this season. Don't give me the "but he was crap in the preseason" thing cause that doesn't fly.
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Head's up? Are you kidding me?
I was not born on the last day of last years season. I saw all his games in MTL and the televised Bulldog games. Ofcourse I do not expect him to dominate the NHL games but he was pretty invisible in some of those Bulldog games.
I was just commenting on the fact that so far, Hossa has not shown that he is the answer to our prayers-the power forward that crushes and scores consistantly. I hope he is that man, I really do. I just think that it is too early to say that he is a bonafide NHL power forward.
I will definitely be surprised if he becomes a PF. I don't see him turning into a Shanahan, Tkachuk, Guerin, Bertuzzi etc.
He is really lacking confidence in the offensive zone but I give him credit for hustling on defensive side. I don't think we want him as a defensive specialist.
Overall IMO he has stopped progressing in his developement. Coaching has to take over now.
It might mean a stint in the AHL.
Overall IMO he has stopped progressing in his developement. Coaching has to take over now.
It might mean a stint in the AHL.
What???? For gods sake he doesn't even have a full NHL year, how could he have stopped progressing, it makes no sense. Like many people said, its more a lack of confidence then anything else. When Hossa was recalled last year, he was the Bulldogs best player and he was on a hot streak, he had the team lead with less games at 19 G. He eventually carried that hot streak with the Habs but the reason he didn't continue is because the NHL is a hard place to adjust, even the top prospects don't always have great years in their first. I'm giving him a few years before saying he's not great. What I've seen from him is when he wants and he feels good, he can be very dominant, especially physically, in fact there was one game in preseason after management talked to him where he really stood out.
Overall IMO he has stopped progressing in his developement. Coaching has to take over now.
It might mean a stint in the AHL.
Stopped progressing in his development? How can you say that? Do you watch the games with a blindfold? Marcel is 22, it's the first time that he starts a season in the NHL and he has confidence issues. Sending him to the AHL now would crush his confidence and slow or stop his progression by at least one year. He'll play better and better as the season advances and will be a force to be weary about in a few years.. but be PATIENT!
Overall IMO he has stopped progressing in his developement.
That's completely bogus. You need to look back at some old games from last year to see how he's actually playing much better right now. He looked completely lost out there last season but now he's actually showing more commitment and does not look half as bad as last year. He's far from being an impact player yet but that does not mean he's not improving. He goes in the corners with more authority and is a good forechecker/backchecker. Production will come with time. Once he figures out how to put it all together and gains confidence he'll become valuable production wise.
I don't know why but it seems history doesn't stop repeating itself with Habs fans. Those were the exact same comments we could hear about Ryder and Ward at this time of the year last season and look where they are now. It seems that people are not able to project and think that with young guys what you see is automatically what you'll get which couldn't be farther from the truth.
don't know why but it seems history doesn't stop repeating itself with Habs fans. Those were the exact same comments we could hear about Ryder and Ward at this time of the year last season and look where they are now. It seems that people are not able to project and think that with young guys what you see is automatically what you'll get which couldn't be farther from the truth.
exactly, this is a great comment and people should read it and reread it. BE PATIENT, we don't want to be the Islanders or the Laffs. I like Hossa's potential, you can see its just a matter of putting everything in place, and if you've ever did sports or played music you would know the only way to achieve that is to play, play, at first your hesitant but after a lot of tries, for some, a few years, you finally get it. But to achieve that you need people who have confidence in you instead of labelling you a "bust", a lot of teams have destroyed great talent because of impatience.
Stopped progressing in his development? How can you say that? Do you watch the games with a blindfold? Marcel is 22, it's the first time that he starts a season in the NHL and he has confidence issues. Sending him to the AHL now would crush his confidence and slow or stop his progression by at least one year. He'll play better and better as the season advances and will be a force to be weary about in a few years.. but be PATIENT!
Sorry for disagreeing with your views on Hossa.
No I don't watch the games with a blindfold on.
I think we have to produce offense. That is why I said I think that he has not been progressing. And to whoever it was who talked about Ryder and Ward...they spent the entire season basically in Hamilton last season playing in all situations and now they are up and playing well in Montreal....better than Hossa IMO.
My god why is it when someone has a different opinion on this board than someone else......whatever.
Are we that Thinskinned that we cannot accept others opinions???
Crush his confidence?
We have him to put the puck in the net. We have guys on our team who can do exactly what he doing right now.
Crushing his confidence could come if we put him up in the press box also.
Moving him back to Hamilton where he could get playing time in ALL spots...PK, PP and a regular shift could be a real bonus.
Don't get me wrong I think he is gonna be a player for us but the longer he goes without producing offense the more he will lose confidence and IMO (my opinion!) will find himself up in the press box.
Remember its just my opinion.
This is a message board to voice an opinion is it not?
exactly, this is a great comment and people should read it and reread it. BE PATIENT, we don't want to be the Islanders or the Laffs. I like Hossa's potential, you can see its just a matter of putting everything in place, and if you've ever did sports or played music you would know the only way to achieve that is to play, play, at first your hesitant but after a lot of tries, for some, a few years, you finally get it. But to achieve that you need people who have confidence in you instead of labelling you a "bust", a lot of teams have destroyed great talent because of impatience.
