I have been really impressed with this kid since the Patrick Roy comments. He is doing better then I thought he would after seeing his start this year. Does anybody else think the Roy comments motivated him?
I have been really impressed with this kid since the Patrick Roy comments. He is doing better then I thought he would after seeing his start this year. Does anybody else think the Roy comments motivated him?
He sure improved a big deal since the start of the season and I strongly think Koivu is the main reason.. Koivu is a great leader who wants the kids to improve and make the team better, you can see him communicating with the kids on the ice, he is the perfect vet to play with, what cant be said about #27.
I have been really impressed with this kid since the Patrick Roy comments. He is doing better then I thought he would after seeing his start this year. Does anybody else think the Roy comments motivated him?
I'll be the first to admit...his first 10-12 games (on 4th line) didn't impress me at all (mostly had issues about his skating).
Now!!. I'm very impressed!!
Why?
#1) quality ice-time (with Koivu)
#2) IMO, without Koivu...Gui will still do well, as long as #3 doesn't happen! (look below)
#3) no more Lats-Begin-Murray...never again!
#4) if he has to be on 4th line, put Pleks there (Pleks has skill/speed). (Lats-Pleks-Begin).
What I don't get...is why his skating is good now (not great, but good).
IMO, he's the power forward we've always needed...sky's the limit!!
I like how the management and coach have handled Latendresse. Instead of sending him down to the minors right away, they promised him a spot if he played well enough to earn one in training camp and pre-season.
And after 10 or so games, they stuck him on the top 2 lines so that he has every oppurtunity to succeed. Look at so many of the other teams become hesitant to play their youngsters, and then eventually ruin the kid. Playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line for a game, sending them down to the AHL, calling them back up 2 games later, playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line, and the cycle goes on.
0 points in his first 11 games
11 points in his last 18 games
Last edited by JonathanTwinkleToews: 12-08-2006 at 04:19 AM.
I like how the management and coach have handled Latendresse. Instead of sending him down to the minors right away, they promised him a spot if he played well enough to earn one in training camp and pre-season.
And after 10 or so games, they stuck him on the top 2 lines so that he has every oppurtunity to succeed. Look at so many of the other teams become hesitant to play their youngsters, and then eventually ruin the kid. Playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line for a game, sending them down to the AHL, calling them back up 2 games later, playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line, and the cycle goes on.
0 points in his first 11 games
11 points in his last 18 games
Actually its 11pts in his last 15games on the first line with -1, and over 55 hits. I am very pleased... project this over the rest of the season and you have a 25G, 40pts rookie season (equivalent to Higgins last year).
Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's nice to see someone has the balls to start a thread giving Lats the credit he deserves. He's a great asset to the team, strong along the boards and in front of the net. Also, he's pretty responsible defensively. I just hope he gets the chance to stay on the top two lines once Higgins gets back.
I'll be the first to admit...his first 10-12 games (on 4th line) didn't impress me at all (mostly had issues about his skating).
Now!!. I'm very impressed!!
Why?
#1) quality ice-time (with Koivu)
#2) IMO, without Koivu...Gui will still do well, as long as #3 doesn't happen! (look below)
#3) no more Lats-Begin-Murray...never again!
#4) if he has to be on 4th line, put Pleks there (Pleks has skill/speed). (Lats-Pleks-Begin).
What I don't get...is why his skating is good now (not great, but good).
IMO, he's the power forward we've always needed...sky's the limit!!
I don't know if you have noticed, but Latendresse is now the high man. When he is already in the offence zone his skating is fine.
But when he is deep in the defence zone, the break-out speed is still a bit slow, so now he stays high in the defence zone, it gives him that extra 10 feet and it has been working.
It has and often always has to do with confidence. Sure he's playing with better players but things he's doing by himself shows great maturity and tons of confidence.
We'll see how confident he is if they do keep a line of Pleks-Sammy and him. At one point, it's a lot to ask for a rookie to help the other two gaining some confidence as well, so we'll see how he handles that.
Good job Gui.
P.S. Not sure if it's Roy comments, but it may also be Radulov's...... I guess Gui don't want Radu to take too much of a lead on him (Alex scored his 8th yesterday....... )
I was the first to want to send him back to peewee. But I must say he is impressing me lately.
- He has sweet hands aroung the net, many times he has set-up Ryder with nice passes under pressure.
- Starting to better use his weight to control and protect the puck around the net
- Starting to understand to never stop moving his feet, if he keeps moving he will not loose a step to many guys. When he stops, he is in trouble.
- Not affraid to cut to slot with the puck and shoot (like Perez is doing)
Even yesterday with Ryder and PLeks, that trio was good.
I like how the management and coach have handled Latendresse. Instead of sending him down to the minors right away, they promised him a spot if he played well enough to earn one in training camp and pre-season.
And after 10 or so games, they stuck him on the top 2 lines so that he has every oppurtunity to succeed. Look at so many of the other teams become hesitant to play their youngsters, and then eventually ruin the kid. Playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line for a game, sending them down to the AHL, calling them back up 2 games later, playing them 5 minutes on the 4th line, and the cycle goes on.
0 points in his first 11 games
11 points in his last 18 games
You mean like the habs with Kosty? If I agree on the good treatment of Lats, Kost should have received the same treatment last year after is january call-up.
I'll be the first to admit...his first 10-12 games (on 4th line) didn't impress me at all (mostly had issues about his skating).
Now!!. I'm very impressed!!
Why?
#1) quality ice-time (with Koivu)
#2) IMO, without Koivu...Gui will still do well, as long as #3 doesn't happen! (look below)
#3) no more Lats-Begin-Murray...never again!
#4) if he has to be on 4th line, put Pleks there (Pleks has skill/speed). (Lats-Pleks-Begin).
What I don't get...is why his skating is good now (not great, but good).
IMO, he's the power forward we've always needed...sky's the limit!!
Two things...
I think playing with better players helps him 'look' faster, and I also think that since he's made the team, his conditionning levels have improved.
I said it at the beginning of the year that it was unfair to judge Latendresse when he was playing 5 minutes a game with Bégin and Murray/Downey. until he was given a chance on a scoring line, he wouldn't be able to truly show all his talents.
I'm happy Carbonneau started him out on the 4th line though, it helped him process the game, get used to the speed, hitting, travelling, etc...without having too much pressure to produce.
I'd like to him better use his size though, he still seems a bit shy when it comes to battles along the board or in front of the net. But that's part of the process when you have a developing power forward, and he's ahead of the curve if you ask me.
You mean like the habs with Kosty? If I agree on the good treatment of Lats, Kost should have received the same treatment last year after is january call-up.
Kost had his chance last time he have been called up, but they said in the paper that his attitude was not good and Carbo told him that he needs to have a better attitude so they sent him down. Aperently he told to Carbo on day that he didn't feel to play that night... (he doesn't even have a spot, you cannot say that in my books )
For Lats he impressed me a lot in the last 15 games he seems confident , hes skating improved a lot, he was flying tonight, so gratz to Carbo and Gainey for not burning that kid
Kost had his chance last time he have been called up, but they said in the paper that his attitude was not good and Carbo told him that he needs to have a better attitude so they sent him down. Aperently he told to Carbo on day that he didn't feel to play that night... (he doesn't even have a spot, you cannot say that in my books )
LINK?! I've NEVER heard that before so I'll call you out on that one. I think it's pretty much made up.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's nice to see someone has the balls to start a thread giving Lats the credit he deserves. He's a great asset to the team, strong along the boards and in front of the net. Also, he's pretty responsible defensively. I just hope he gets the chance to stay on the top two lines once Higgins gets back.
Yes cause nobody has started a thread praising Lats before.
Kost had his chance last time he have been called up, but they said in the paper that his attitude was not good and Carbo told him that he needs to have a better attitude so they sent him down. Aperently he told to Carbo on day that he didn't feel to play that night... (he doesn't even have a spot, you cannot say that in my books )
For Lats he impressed me a lot in the last 15 games he seems confident , hes skating improved a lot, he was flying tonight, so gratz to Carbo and Gainey for not burning that kid
What paper?
I didn't read anything about this?
Please give me/us more info on this...source(s), paper, link, etc...
Thanks
He never said to carbo he didnt feel like playing, but in his 4th game carbo felt his intensity went down and felt he didnt show up to the game. Carbo said it was unnacceptable for a rookie to have an off night, that if a rookie had a chance he should play like theres no tomorrow
I don't know if you have noticed, but Latendresse is now the high man. When he is already in the offence zone his skating is fine.
But when he is deep in the defence zone, the break-out speed is still a bit slow, so now he stays high in the defence zone, it gives him that extra 10 feet and it has been working.
Surprisingly, he's very calm with the puck in his own zone. I find he doesn't rush hi splay, but uses his size to protect the puck and get it out.
He doesn't skate like Higgins, but if he gets in full flight thru the neutral zone, he moves pretty well and playing with Koivu, he gets the puck at the right time. He makes mistakes, tries some Jr. moves, but I don't think we could have asked for more from him, esp. during Higgins injury. During a few games, I had the impression maybe he'd sort of hit the wall, but he seems to always find a way to contribute.
Don't know if anyone read Koivu's quote, but hesaid he was impressed with Lats consistency.
If Ryder had buried half the chances Guillaume created for him, you would be even more impressed by his production. He still has some problems with his play without the puck, but he improves it everyday which is great. I will be happy as long as he keeps improving.
LINK?! I've NEVER heard that before so I'll call you out on that one. I think it's pretty much made up.
Unfortunately I cannot find the link, but I even saw a TV interview with Carbo about this. I like Kostytin an I want him back. Why would I try to make this up ?
. I'm very impressed!! 
I guess Gui don't want Radu to take too much of a lead on him (Alex scored his 8th yesterday.......
)
