Lang has brought more to the team than points, he has played the PK and won some key faceoffs for us. Also without Lang our most "offensive" right handed forward would've been Lapierre, imagine seeing him on 5 on 3's?
If Grabovski was 20 or 21 years old when he was traded I would've been upset but he was 24 and given his fair share of chances with the team. He wouldn't even be getting close to as many minutes here as he has been in Toronto so i'm sure if he only had 2 or 3 points at this point of the season people would be saying we need a big 3rd line center.
Grabs needed time to get strength, thing is Canadiens wanted to go for it this year and not next year. Had he an extra year we would have kept him and he would have been really good for us
Especially when your team is based on speed and you replace Grabovski by Lang.....Sure, I'm part of the guys who keep wanting us to draft big centermen, who keep saying that we're not big enough......but with big comes somewhat physical and ability to win battles. Lang is OK but now the typical big centerman we all wish he'd be. So while we're still waiting for that big gun centerman, how about keeping the trend of the team and keep the other teams on their heels with our speed?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Drama
39.7% faceoff percent for Grabovski...
46.5% for the really superior Lang in that department....
Last edited by Beakermania*: 11-05-2008 at 01:42 PM.
Grabovski was rumored to have some type of beef with the Kost Broz.
Out of principles as well, you can't expect to keep a youngster on your team if he decided to skip on the plane ride back. That's just a No-no.
6 people still managed to say Grabs... Should be 0
Grabovski was garbage here and acted as if he was above the team when he was scratched from that Phoenix game. Terrible defensively, weak on the puck.
We need to learn at some point. I'm not comparing both, still I did hear the same comment about Ribeiro. Just watch how he protects the puck and please tell how he's weak. Not the greatest defensively sure. But Lang is?
6 people still managed to say Grabs... Should be 0
And I keep defending him but still manage to vote for Lang.....imagine that....
As far as it should be 0, well you need to visit this board more....I think 4 days ago, he still had no points....you would have gotten your 0 at that time....Had 2 games with 2 goals and boum.....he's an All-Star material!
We need to learn at some point. I'm not comparing both, still I did hear the same comment about Ribeiro. Just watch how he protects the puck and please tell how he's weak. Not the greatest defensively sure. But Lang is?
Lang is pretty good defensively, he positions himself well. He protects the puck and makes better passes than Grabovski. He's big, hard to knock off the puck. He's had 8 consecutive seasons of 50+ points. A few years ago he almost won the Art Ross. He has a history of chemistry with Kovalev. He loves being here. He has not won the Cup, so he's probably hungry.
We need to learn at some point. I'm not comparing both, still I did hear the same comment about Ribeiro. Just watch how he protects the puck and please tell how he's weak. Not the greatest defensively sure. But Lang is?
You can at least put out Lang for a PK shift or to protect a lead in the last minute.
6 people still managed to say Grabs... Should be 0
You have to remember there are different ways of looking at it. From the perspective of a hab fan who only remembers the ineffective play of Grabovski last season, from the perspective of the fan who watches all teams and every game.
Take it from a General Manager's prospective in a 1 for 1 trade.
Lang
Age: 37
10 GP, 3 Goals, 3 Assits= 6 points
-Excellent faceoff man, though not as good as usual so far this season
-Consistent 50 point getter.
-Good source of experience for playoff drive, on the tail end of his career.
Grabovski
Age: 23
13 GP, 5 Goals, 2 Assists= 7 points
-Lightning speed
-Leads rookies in goals
-Showing improvements in every aspect of the game.
When you look at it this way it's a tough call. In a cap world Grabovski is obviously the more valuable player. To an undersized team like Montreal who wants to win now, it makes sense to value a player like Lang more, even though in the long term having Grabovski is a better idea. To Toronto, obviously they wouldn't trade Grabovski for Lang straight up until hell froze over.
Lang is pretty good defensively, he positions himself well. He protects the puck and makes better passes than Grabovski. He's big, hard to knock off the puck. He's had 8 consecutive seasons of 50+ points. A few years ago he almost won the Art Ross. He has a history of chemistry with Kovalev. He loves being here. He has not won the Cup, so he's probably hungry.
Really there is no comparison.
Okay, now that you added ALL those other factors but the 2 you were mentioning, sure there's no comparisons. As far as passes, you have to watch little Grabber lately...you'd be surprised.
But then, it has everything to do with what was the purpose in acquiring Lang, and what was the purpose of letting Grab go. You get Lang and he ends up helping you win a cup....who cares about Grabovski. But in a year where you have so many UFA's and RFA's and you are clearly weak at the center position, Grabovski might have had the benefit of the doubt concerning the stupidity he did. Let's say you lose Koivu 'cause suddenly he misses his bro....who are your top 2 next year? Maxwell fits automatically in there? Are we that much bigger?
Losing Grabovski might not be the end of the world, but I don't believe it's nothing either 'cause it's easier to think that way....
Robert Lang : 10 GP - 3G, 3A and +4 with 17:11 ATOI
Mikhail Grabovski : 13 GP - 5G, 2A and -1 with 16:14 ATOI
The biggest difference between them is their performance against the better defenses in the NHL. Grabvoski got his points against the Canes, Sens and Lightning. Whenever he faces a team with an average top 3 D, he disappears from the scoring sheet. Even if he finishes the season with higher points than Lang, this is not the type of center we need to get far in the playoffs.
Grabovski had his chance in Montreal, didnt take it, out and good luck. That guy had the chance to start the season with A. Kost and Kovy or something like that didnt he?
He was disrespectful againt the organisation and teammates, he had no future here.
The Habs is a better team with Lang than Grabovski. And whats the most important this season? Its not to make the playoff, but to win the Cup. Now, will Lang help us win the cup more or Grabovski? The answer is obvious.
They needed a guy with some stature who can hold his ground in certain sitautions. Lang wasn't their 1st choice, but Grabovski wasn't their choice at all. He wasn't part of the plan they had for the team going forward. Grabs will be what I call a good bad team player. He'll put up some points on a team that'll finish about 9th and the talk will be how good he could be on a better team.
does it look bigger there?? cause its the same difference.
Well it does look bigger there 'cause isn't 50% the difference between a great faceoff guy and a not-so-great?
'Cause in the end, I would preferred comparing a good faceoff guy to a bad one instead of comparing a bad one to a very bad one....
I was more wanting to say that we have to face it, Lang was almost suppose to automatically become our best faceoff guy with numbers around 55%. He has been dissapointing in that department. And again, it's all about expectations....I would be expecting less for Grabs and much more for Lang....
