It's very frustrating to see my team go down game after game, year after year, because of the same crap perpetrated by the same players. Sometimes you just reach the end of your rope. These guys are riding on their reputations with the Habs and are contributing NOTHING this year. Just like Dykhuis and Traverse contributed nothing last year. They are dead weight, and I hate seeing dead weight on the Habs. Sometimes only a good explitive can relay how you feel about someone. No big deal.
I think we are stuck with the players we have for now but the team looks much better than last year. Take heart... we will make the playoffs and the team will be reaching peak performance just in time to pull a few upsets
I think we are stuck with the players we have for now but the team looks much better than last year. Take heart... we will make the playoffs and the team will be reaching peak performance just in time to pull a few upsets
i hope your right barney. but these games and mistakes can come back to haunt us latet, thats what im scared of.
I think we are stuck with the players we have for now but the team looks much better than last year. Take heart... we will make the playoffs and the team will be reaching peak performance just in time to pull a few upsets
"Much" better? I'd say "marginally" better. We even have fewer points than we had at the same time last year, I believe. Souray and Theo are better. Ryder is a nice surprise. The rest of our D is just as bad as last year, and that is unacceptable.
rivets cost us enuff points hes a negative on this team never a posotive
Got that right. -10... The guy plays his worst hockey ever. He was good 2 years ago, bad last year and awful this year. His mistakes and Bouillon's are the most costly, time after time. They (especially Rivet) panic with the puck and if they do a mistake, they actually create a bigger one trying to solve it. That's lack of talent IMO. When you're struggling and you don't have much skills, you tend to do too much. Markov can rely on his strong instincts to catch up with a guy when he coughs it up. Rivet, Bouillon and Quintal don't have such refined instincts and elite skills. I don't remember Hainsey making such costly errors as Rivet and Bouillon are making over and over again (always the same). He sure did some mistakes and coughed it up at times, but never was it as desastrous as the errors from those guys. Jesus Christ Quintal looked like a pylon on that Halpern goal. And it's Halpern we're talking about here people, not Jagr or Bondra.
And for the people thinking it's just life, it happens and hockey is a game of mistakes, etc., well you should have seen CJ's face during his post game commentaries. And he wasn't resigned, he was pissed off. It felt like he was holding himself from naming names, but I'm sure the players got it when they got back in the locker room. He was talking about "preventable mistakes", not bad luck. The guy looked like he was going to explode. So yes, there's mistakes that just "happen", but there's others that are inexcusable at the NHL level, especially when you keep doing 'em over and over again.
Got that right. -10... The guy plays his worst hockey ever. He was good 2 years ago, bad last year and awful this year. His mistakes and Bouillon's are the most costly, time after time. They (especially Rivet) panic with the puck and if they do a mistake, they actually create a bigger one trying to solve it. That's lack of talent IMO.
Rivet was our second best defenseman last season, and the guy who helped Markov emerge as our #1 defenseman. Its not a lack of talent or skill IMO, its the fear of getting booed when you return home. You make a mistake, your booed everytime you touch the puck the next game. rivet plays his heart out, played 82 games last season with a wrist injury and he gets repaid by getting booed at the bell center.
There was an interview on Sportsnet a few weeks back, where Brisebois said the fear of being booed and the criticism made him ask for a trade because he couldnt play here anymore. And that once BG stood up for him, all the weight was lifted off his shoulders and up to now hes been solid for us. Playing Rivet with Bouillon may not be the best solution, considering both are having trouble this season.
Rivet was our second best defenseman last season, and the guy who helped Markov emerge as our #1 defenseman. Its not a lack of talent or skill IMO, its the fear of getting booed when you return home. You make a mistake, your booed everytime you touch the puck the next game. rivet plays his heart out, played 82 games last season with a wrist injury and he gets repaid by getting booed at the bell center.
There was an interview on Sportsnet a few weeks back, where Brisebois said the fear of being booed and the criticism made him ask for a trade because he couldnt play here anymore. And that once BG stood up for him, all the weight was lifted off his shoulders and up to now hes been solid for us. Playing Rivet with Bouillon may not be the best solution, considering both are having trouble this season.
Might be true in Rivet's case and I could easily relate to that and sympatise, but I don't think Bouillon has that fear, and he makes the same kind of mistakes. Those two guys aren't skilled. they rely on hard work. Right now they work hard, but they're struggling and are choking when the pressure mounts. Lack or confidence? Probably. Fear of being booed? Bouillon's very popular, I don't beleive it (at least for him).
"Much" better? I'd say "marginally" better. We even have fewer points than we had at the same time last year, I believe. Souray and Theo are better. Ryder is a nice surprise. The rest of our D is just as bad as last year, and that is unacceptable.
Brisebois is better , Bouillon is better ,,,,than Traverse, Begin is better than Lindsay ,Dagenais than Audette,and Ribeiro is also better than last year...
Might be true in Rivet's case and I could easily relate to that and sympatise, but I don't think Bouillon has that fear, and he makes the same kind of mistakes. Those two guys aren't skilled. they rely on hard work. Right now they work hard, but they're struggling and are choking when the pressure mounts. Lack or confidence? Probably. Fear of being booed? Bouillon's very popular, I don't beleive it (at least for him).
I was mostly talking about Rivet. I'm not a Bouillon fan because I think Hainsey is NHL ready and should be playing on our blueline, where Bouillon works hard, but we have a better player in the organization who's ready for prime-time. Rivet on the other hand, has proven he can play at least a 4th dman role, but his confidence is shattered at the moment. We dont have much depth on our right side, considering Quintal is on his last legs, and we need Rivet for next season.
Brisebois is better , Bouillon is better ,,,,than Traverse, Begin is better than Lindsay ,Dagenais than Audette,and Ribeiro is also better than last year...
be more objective
Hey, I'll take the 04 habs over the 03 Habs any day, but we're still about a .500 team, so I'm not too excited just yet. I like the direction the team is headed in, and I'm thankful Gainey's on board, but we still haven't reached the point where people are saying, "The Habs are a good team." Objectivity is looking at your team the way a non-fan would. That's what I try to do when I appraise our talent.
And why was that, do you recall? I remember it clear as day.
Pylon #52
Actually, the goal was the result of Rivet not being a pylon if you remembered it clear as day. it was a horse **** call that never should have happened.
Rivet was our second best defenseman last season, and the guy who helped Markov emerge as our #1 defenseman. Its not a lack of talent or skill IMO, its the fear of getting booed when you return home. You make a mistake, your booed everytime you touch the puck the next game. rivet plays his heart out, played 82 games last season with a wrist injury and he gets repaid by getting booed at the bell center.
There was an interview on Sportsnet a few weeks back, where Brisebois said the fear of being booed and the criticism made him ask for a trade because he couldnt play here anymore. And that once BG stood up for him, all the weight was lifted off his shoulders and up to now hes been solid for us. Playing Rivet with Bouillon may not be the best solution, considering both are having trouble this season.
Rivet was our second best defenceman last season. Really? The guy's been a total bust. He's reached his ceiling a looooooong time ago. I'd even go as far as to say that he's the most overrated defenceman we have. By a freaking mile.
Rivet has got no major attribute from which this team can profit, short, medium and long term. He's can't skate, he's completely useless with the puck, he can't hit properly, he can't make an outlet pass, he can't shoot elsewhere than on other players' shin guards... He's just plain bad. The only reason why he's still here is because he's making too much money.
I'll predict that he won't be with this team in 2 years from now. When his overblown contract comes to an end.
"Much" better? I'd say "marginally" better. We even have fewer points than we had at the same time last year, I believe. Souray and Theo are better. Ryder is a nice surprise. The rest of our D is just as bad as last year, and that is unacceptable.
The team is playing much more cohesively, the shots against/for are far different from last year, by a mile.
But the true test of this team's character is coming up next week. Last season, that's where the team choked into oblivion. Will this team fold the same way? We'll see.
Don't know if this has been mentioned, but did anyone catch the blown faceoff, on the final goal?
Linesman didn't wait for Les Boys to get settled in the faceoff circle. Nitpicking, I know, but it was a bad puck drop leading to Washington posession.
Could have lost the draw regardless, but ... it would have been nice to have been in the faceoff.
Well, it's certainly not the way you want to enter the holiday break - on a loss. However, at least it's not a loss where the team was outplayed by a weaker bunch, it was more a case of a goalie who was really hot with the addition of a group of shooters who were anything but. The Habs played well enough to give themselves plenty of opportunity to win, they just didn't finish, and when you combine that with a few putrid defensive plays, you lose.
Classless play by Washington a few times tonight. I was pleased, however, to see that Souray bided his time before he absolutely thundered Doig for his knee-on-knee hit to Bulis. I was also pretty pleased to see Sax get up and fwap that (deleted expletive) for the cowardly attempt to injure. The knee thing could be disguised as a missed hit, but the slew-foot thing? I dunno, I can completely understand someone going McSorley after a play like that - it was a career-threatening act.
~~
Notes:
Garon: No chance on any of the goals, though you could argue that he might have done a poke check against Halpern, but that's a spur of the moment thing, and I don't think he made a poor choice. His rebound control is much better again than last time we saw him, and I'm also pleased when I see him controlling his movements far more. He looks like a starter who sits on the bench more often than not now. His style reminds me more of Brodeur than Theo - a hybrid goalie who can stand up rather than needing to drop all the time, and I like that. A-
Bouillon: Well, he made up for a lame first with a great third. Still, I found him out-muscled down low quite often, and as a result the puck was kept deep in our zone for far too long. C+
Rivet: He was a-chasin' on that winning goal. He had a man, then took off after Souray's for some reason. In fact, had he stayed with his man, Bondra would have been hard-pressed to even be in the position he was. Again tonight I watched Rivet closely, and he really doesn't have much of a leg drive at all. Everything he does is upper body and I have to wonder why that is. C
Komisarek: Again, a few errors, but I thought he did fairly well out there, and certainly that physical game is coming along rather nicely. Twice tonight he devastated Caps. He does tend to run around a little, perhaps trying to do too much, and is occasionally still caught out by the speed, but he's so much farther ahead of Hainsey it's not funny. C
Markov: Little by little it's coming, though when you're only given thirteen minutes of playing time... I'm a little concerned that Julien has taken him out a little too much and as a result, he's once again going to start struggling with that confidence. B-
Quintal: Houde and Pedneault keep saying he's playing well, but I just don't see it. Halpern walked past him for a goal and quite often he's running around in his end and making bad passes when he gets the puck. I'm really not impressed with him lately. C+
Souray: It gets better and better. Now, what I want to see is one of those killer checks each game. You know what's really impressive is that he's doing it all while on Quintal's side. A
Langdon: I like the way the helmet looks on his head. N/A
Gratton: A little less ice time tonight, and honestly, I'm pleased with that. He's an energy guy for sure, but I don't see him sticking with the club much longer as he's just not NHL quality over a long stretch. B-
Kilger: That was the best six plus minutes I've seen from him in months. Consistent all night and I felt he was really working well. Shame it might be a case of a little to late as after the break I think we have injury replacements coming back and he might be one of the guys on the outside. B+
Dackell: Not his best game. Tonight he gave the puck away more than usual, was a little weaker on the boards, and was generally not as effective as he should be. C+
Juneau: On the other hand, I felt Juneau was better tonight than he has been in the last few games. He seemed to have more jump, wasn't subbed by Gratton or Sax on his line, and even worked himself into a few scoring positions. He did fairly well against Jagr when he had the chance. B
Sundstrom: Perhaps the good glow that Sunny and Dax had from playing with Begin is starting to fade, because Sunny as well was less than he'd been last game, which was less than the game before. He's not back to Invisible Man status yet, but if he keeps this up, he'll get there in no time. Now, he was pretty good defensively, and that's good to see. B-
Dagenais: Not really all there upstairs tonight. He had a shot, and that was it. He was absent-minded all over the rink and played like someone who was out for a happy game of shinny rather than someone who is playing in a system with a plan. C
Zednik: See? Get him mad and he plays well. That cross-check on the PP earlier in the game woke him up and he started really making things happen after that. I'm telling you, someone should line him up in the warmup to get him into the game. B
Ribeiro: He loves the soft pass, but tehre's a time and a place and when Bondra is staring you down, that's just not the place. Ribs came out of the block hard tonight (glad you're reading kid *wink*) and had one of his best periods in the first. After than it was less consistent, but better than in recent memory. Funny thing is, there will be those out there who will say he was bad because he didn't get points, which goes to show that points aren't everything, since he was a much more effective player tonight than the night he assisted on four. And hey, he hit Jagr! A-
Ryder: I just get warm fuzzy feelings when I see the continual improvement. Goal on a puck batted out of the air. Sweet. And twenty points before the holiday break. Cheers to an even better second half! B+
Bulis: Thank whatever deity you love because he didn't get badly injured on that play. Again, a strong game for him and you can tell he loves playing his former team (they have him marked, can you tell?). He was strong all night in both ends, though tonight had even more scoring chances than usual, which is really good to see. Great goal too. A-
Koivu: He's all over the ice. He's looking better than he did at any point last year and he's looking a lot like the guy who was leading the league in scoring so many moons ago. I love the fact that he is starting to make defenders look foolish on a regular basis, and at the end of the first, it was almost two defenders and the goalie when he just barely missed the net. Honestly, if he had two legitimate first liners on his wings, he'd be top ten in scoring. I mean, if you take those first five games out where they could be considered his pre-season, he's over a point a game. And there aren't so many in the NHL like that. A+
~~
The break is upon us, and at this point I'd like to take a look at one other player who didn't play tonight: Audette. Apaprently, there's talk that Gainey, his agent and Audette himself have begun talks about the amount of money it would take for the Habs to completely buy him out of his contract. On one level, this is good news for Hab fans who have been eager to see him disappear for the recent past, but looking deeper than that, it's such a shame for the person and the player who, I guess you could say, really did receive a career ending injury when he had his wrist cut. He came back to play twelve solida games in the playoffs, but I thin khe was playing on more adrenaline than anything else. Since then it's been the slow slide downhill to the point now where his one-time shot rarely hits the net. I honestly feel for the guy as he was really dealt a tough blow.
Carolina on the 27th where hopefully the Habs won't be fat and lazy with bird but hungry for playoffs. The 'Canes are another team that, despite their record, are better than they appear. We'll have to continue our smart and inspired play to take that game.
For me, it's a trip to the in-laws, so your email box and your eyes will be saved from my prattling for the next two games. I'll come home and watch them on tape and might still write something up, but I doubt I'll put anything out there unless there's some call for it. Dallas is the next game for me on New Year's eve and I can tell you I'll be cranky after having driven all day to get home to see it. I want a shutout and I want a blowout for the Habs.
Take care one and all and enjoy your holidays. Be merry, be responsible, and above all be thankful for what you've got.
I'm so pissed off right now. We deserved that win more than anyone.
Bondra! Ownage!
__________________
George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
Rivet was our second best defenceman last season. Really? The guy's been a total bust. He's reached his ceiling a looooooong time ago. I'd even go as far as to say that he's the most overrated defenceman we have. By a freaking mile.
Rivet has got no major attribute from which this team can profit, short, medium and long term. He's can't skate, he's completely useless with the puck, he can't hit properly, he can't make an outlet pass, he can't shoot elsewhere than on other players' shin guards... He's just plain bad. The only reason why he's still here is because he's making too much money.
I'll predict that he won't be with this team in 2 years from now. When his overblown contract comes to an end.
But tell me, besides Markov, who was better than Rivet? Traverse was the most hated player, followed closely by Brisebois. Quintal sure wasnt, Dykhuis had no confidence, Hainsey and Komisarek were just rookies. Bouillon was a 7th dman, Beacuehmin played 1 game.
He brings leadership on our blueline. It wasnt Brisebois or Quintal who brought in Markov. About every fan was ready to give up on Markov, but Rivet turned it around for him by being the defensive presence he needed. Get it through your head, hes not an offensive defenseman, hes only being used as one. He can skate, he can make an outlet pass and has a strong point shot (but I agree, it hardly makes it to the net, but what do you expect from a defensive defenseman). I hope Rivet gets traded so he doesnt have to put up with ******** claims being put against him, and the constant booing he receives for his efforts.
Thomas your definetly right. But could I add something?
Since his injury, Rivet has not been the same and I notice most people who critisize him didn't watch those years when we sucked under Houle or have a short memory or have just become habs fan recently.
Rivet always had a huge heart and showed up everygame. He used to stick up for his teammates, check, be rough around the net and fight quite a few times. Since his injury however, he's been going downhill. He really needs some confidence because he does not show up everygame anymore.
Just another thing, Benoit Brunet said recently that Rivet was a guy every one in the locker room liked.
Thomas your definetly right. But could I add something?
Since his injury, Rivet has not been the same and I notice most people who critisize him didn't watch those years when we sucked under Houle or have a short memory or have just become habs fan recently.
Rivet always had a huge heart and showed up everygame. He used to stick up for his teammates, check, be rough around the net and fight quite a few times. Since his injury however, he's been going downhill. He really needs some confidence because he does not show up everygame anymore.
Just another thing, Benoit Brunet said recently that Rivet was a guy every one in the locker room liked.
I agree, his lack of confidence is his main problem now. It may be a good idea for CJ to sit him a game when Brisebois comes back so that BG and Rivet could have a talk and straighten things out. Most players come out and play harder after being benched, and the same should apply to Rivet.
I don't know how many games you've watched this season, but to say Rivet hasn't been brutal is just wrong. He has been our worst defenseman by far, and he has hurt us much more than he's helped us. It's time for him to go.
Pretty much all of them. I have direct tv and get to watch all the games although with the opposing teams commentators. It is enlightening in that you get to hear a different perspective on the games. You would be supprised how man commentators say that they can't understand why Rivet gets booed and they would love to have him on their team.
Like I said Rivet will never win the Norris but you can't have six offensive guys on the D. He has to play with Bouillon. I defy anyone to figure out where the cube is going to go and try to cover the rest of the area in front of the net. He plays the same game this year he has for the past few years. The french media needed a scapegoat and picked him. Quite a few people here have picked up on that. How come the Pierre McGuire's and Bob McKenzie's of the world understand his contributions and say there are a lot of teams that want him, but on this board everyone seems to be on the Rivet is a stiff bandwagon. I don't get it.
Rivet was our second best defenceman last season. Really? The guy's been a total bust. He's reached his ceiling a looooooong time ago. I'd even go as far as to say that he's the most overrated defenceman we have. By a freaking mile.
Rivet has got no major attribute from which this team can profit, short, medium and long term. He's can't skate, he's completely useless with the puck, he can't hit properly, he can't make an outlet pass, he can't shoot elsewhere than on other players' shin guards... He's just plain bad. The only reason why he's still here is because he's making too much money.
I'll predict that he won't be with this team in 2 years from now. When his overblown contract comes to an end.
I think that you are caught up in the Rivet-hating game. He's having a bad year, but that doesn't change the fact that he was indeed the Habs second best defenceman for most of last season. Savard rewarded him with a long extension because he had been so reliable and consistent. Of course the salary is now too high; but given the financial climate then, with Klemms and Kasparatis commanding so much interest, Savard was trying to be shrewd. Hindsight is 20/20.
A total bust? That's plain ridiculous. He is good enough to play on any team in the NHL, and he would be a second-pairing guy on many teams. His greatest attribute is his teamsmanship. He'll play injured, he'll play any role asked of him, and his calming influence was an important reason for Markov's emergence last year.
He doesn't have top-end skills in any category, but he is solid and widely respected around the league. His reputation was boosted enormously after his play in last year's World Championships, again playing the role of steady veteran presence alongside Bouwmeester.
A lot of players don't like the idea of playing in Montreal because of the ferocity of the fans' criticisms. As scosar pointed out, Habs fans lack perspective sometimes. Let the guy find his game again. If he continues his melt-down, Gainey and Julien will take care of it. In the meantime, criticize him when he deserves it but don't piss on what he has given to this team.
I think that you are caught up in the Rivet-hating game. He's having a bad year, but that doesn't change the fact that he was indeed the Habs second best defenceman for most of last season. Savard rewarded him with a long extension because he had been so reliable and consistent. Of course the salary is now too high; but given the financial climate then, with Klemms and Kasparatis commanding so much interest, Savard was trying to be shrewd. Hindsight is 20/20.
A total bust? That's plain ridiculous. He is good enough to play on any team in the NHL, and he would be a second-pairing guy on many teams. His greatest attribute is his teamsmanship. He'll play injured, he'll play any role asked of him, and his calming influence was an important reason for Markov's emergence last year.
He doesn't have top-end skills in any category, but he is solid and widely respected around the league. His reputation was boosted enormously after his play in last year's World Championships, again playing the role of steady veteran presence alongside Bouwmeester.
A lot of players don't like the idea of playing in Montreal because of the ferocity of the fans' criticisms. As scosar pointed out, Habs fans lack perspective sometimes. Let the guy find his game again. If he continues his melt-down, Gainey and Julien will take care of it. In the meantime, criticize him when he deserves it but don't piss on what he has given to this team.
When you get right down to it the Habs are pretty thin on defense. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gainey bring in a journeyman free agent for next season, especially since I don't see Quintal playing any more.
When you get right down to it the Habs are pretty thin on defense. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gainey bring in a journeyman free agent for next season, especially since I don't see Quintal playing any more.
Im not sure, we have enough dmen in the system to fill in the loss of Quintal. Without any trades, our D will most likely be something like
With guys like Beauchemin, Archer, Korneev etc in Hamilton.
Komisarek and Hainsey lack solid experience. The other "guys" (except for Beauchemin) are the rawest of rookies and may never play in the NHL. There are probably at least 150 NHL Ds who are better than Beauchemin right now, not to mention others who are still considered prospects.
Komisarek and Hainsey lack solid experience. The other "guys" (except for Beauchemin) are the rawest of rookies and may never play in the NHL. There are probably at least 150 NHL Ds who are better than Beauchemin right now, not to mention others who are still considered prospects.
Were a rebuilding team, Hainsey and Komisarek will have to get ice time next season if we want to move on to the next step. Beauchemin and the rest are injury reserves. Beauchemin played well during his last 1 game stint and could handle the #6 or 7 role for a few games. We cant keep signing UFA's to fill in holes, its time we start using Komisarek and Hainsey before they end up rotting in our system.
