He's a better player so then both of them so I don't consider it stealing. Once Higgins-Koivu-Tanguay is back in action that line will "steal" minutes from all of the current lines.
Thing you have to remember the team is playing well.
The wingers especially and who is to say Koivu and Tanguay would not be better suited to be playing with a player with more potential.
If Pacioretty (late 1988) is on the Habs roster for 40 games, then this season will count as a year of NHL experience. UFA is achieved at age 27 or after 7 NHL seasons. Because of Max's late birthday (after June 30th), we can delay his reaching free agency by a year if he's on the Habs roster for less than 40 games. Yannick Weber (late 1988) is also in the same situation, but he definitely won't be on the Habs roster for 40 games. By the way, it's 40 regular season games I believe. Playoff games wouldn't count. Also, assuming D'Agostini (late 1986) doesn't spend tons of years in the AHL, we can have him until July 1, 2014. As opposed to Chipchura (early 1986) who could be a UFA on July 1, 2013.
I believe Pacioretty has been on the Habs roster for 9 games.
So it's not how many games he actually plays, but how many he's on the roster for. If so, he would have to be sent down for a few weeks as I am sure Gainey won't to risk losing him a year early.
Thing you have to remember the team is playing well.
The wingers especially and who is to say Koivu and Tanguay would not be better suited to be playing with a player with more potential.
I wouldn't say that either Lats or S.Kost have a higher potential than higgins this year. Not only is Higgins a more accomplished scoring forward, he is miles ahead defensively. He is also an established veteran where Lats and S.Kost are still early in their development.
The only way I could see Higgins falling behind either of these two on the depth chart is if he is unable to recover fully from his injury. If that is the case, considering how well the team is playing right now, I doubt we would see him in the lineup for long.
D'Ago and MaxPac haven't been scratched like Chip has and Stewart was an emergency call up for a sick Kovy.
The way MaxPac has been playing with Pleks and Kovy I can't see Gainey sending him down. And D'Ago has great chemistry with Koivu and I think he stays for a while, at least before Tangauy comes back.
With all the depth and so many players up right now (we almost have 6 lines in practice right now) I believe Gainey maybe shipping some guys elsewhere to get that Dman we lack...or dare I say a Vinnie?
Sergei was a young Phenom. He was an exception to the rule. Pacioretty is good, but finishing the year in the AHL wouldn't hurt at all.
Chipchura, Pacioretty and Stewart already have their tickets for Hamilton... It's just a matter of when...
Matt D'Agostini has better chance to stay IMO.
In term of scoring skills: D'Agostini >> Higgins
D'agostini is a better scorer than Chris Higgins.... wow... thats just a really dumb assesment.... Maybe he will be down the road... but a guy with 1 goal in like the last month is a better goal scorer than a guy who had 27 last year.
D'agostini may have more potential to be a better goal scorer... but as of right now... Chris Higgins is the better goalscorer.
Do you really believe this, or are you just looking for a reaction??
Last edited by Beakermania*: 01-20-2009 at 12:10 AM.
I seriously think that D'Agostini is better than Pacioretty now. Please don't forget that Pax has played with Plekanec and Kovalev, while D'Agostini plays with Begin and Chipchura.
Regarding Chipchura, I'm quite disappointed; compared to last year, he seems regressing.
I'm assuming playoff games count towards the 40 game cutoff that will cost us a year of owning Pax's rights. If so then either he has to be sent down for a longer stretch or we just accept the kid made the team and use up the year of eligibility now. I guess if a deep run in the playoffs pushed him over 40 it'd be well worth it, but I could see him just sticking with the team. Heck we did it with Guillaume, Price too I think.
Based just on his play and what he brings to the team, Pax is clearly more valuable right now than Chipchura, Stewart or D'Agostini. He's an ideal compliment to Kovalev and damn it's nice to have a big fast hard hitting body up front.
I'm assuming playoff games count towards the 40 game cutoff that will cost us a year of owning Pax's rights.
Amazingly, they don't.
ACCRUED SEASON - a season of service used for the purposes of determining eligibility for unrestricted free agency. A player earns an accrued season if he is on his club's Active Roster for at least 40 regular-season games [30 if a goalie]; if a player suffers a hockey-related injury while on the Active Roster, the games missed due to such injury also count as games on the Active Roster to a maximum of the season in which the injury occurred and one (1) additional season.
ACCRUED SEASON - a season of service used for the purposes of determining eligibility for unrestricted free agency. A player earns an accrued season if he is on his club's Active Roster for at least 40 regular-season games [30 if a goalie]....
Thanks for the clarification Marc. I knew playoff games had just pushed Latendresse past the limit for avoiding waivers, so I just assumed they counted across the board. Nice to see they don't.
So it appears there is a good argument for sending Pax down for a couple of weeks or so. But to me he's clearly the Bulldog with the most value to the Canadiens at this moment in time. Nothing against the others.
D'ago and Max have no more to learn back in the AHL. Young players need to be stretched slightly and both are almost there. Max is fast gritty big opportunistic etc. As for the extra year, in the long run we will all be dead.
As great we all think MaxPac and D'Ago are....they will be going back in Hamilton. Do you seriously think that Gainey will just ship people so he could make room to those guys? What do you guys do with the depth needed for the playoffs? If D'Ago and MaxPac makes it 'cause other were traded.....who can help us from the farm if needed?
Wouldn't you prefer going with the regulars we have and then if there are injuries or if we're unsatisfied with the players we have, wouldn't it be great to know that those 2 are just waiting for a call doing great in the AHL?
Doesn't mean that there aren't regular players with the team I wouldn't part with...on the contrary......but I don't think we should play with depth at this moment, unless if it is for that big d-man we need.
As great we all think MaxPac and D'Ago are....they will be going back in Hamilton. Do you seriously think that Gainey will just ship people so he could make room to those guys? What do you guys do with the depth needed for the playoffs? If D'Ago and MaxPac makes it 'cause other were traded.....who can help us from the farm if needed?
Wouldn't you prefer going with the regulars we have and then if there are injuries or if we're unsatisfied with the players we have, wouldn't it be great to know that those 2 are just waiting for a call doing great in the AHL?
Doesn't mean that there aren't regular players with the team I wouldn't part with...on the contrary......but I don't think we should play with depth at this moment, unless if it is for that big d-man we need.
you are forgetting one thing... when everyone is healthy and we are back to our lineup from the start of the year we have 22 guys... (we had 23 originally.. but remember O'Byrne is in Hamilton now.. and dandenault was made our 7th Dman) that means that we will have 22 guys and one forward spot is available. One of the two can realistically stay with the big club even when everyone is healthy without having to make a move.
Pac - Pleks - Kovy
Tanguay - Koivu - Higgins
Sk - Lang - AK46
Lats - Lappy - Kosto
PB: Begin, Larque
Markov - Komi
hammer - gorge
Cube - Breezy
PB: Dandenault
Price
Halak
Thats a potential 23 man roster with everyone healthy, and noone put on waivers.
Last edited by Beakermania*: 01-21-2009 at 09:29 AM.
Who am I missing? Because otherwise, Laraque returns, Chipchura goes to the AHL (Sorry, Chip). Tanguay returns, D'Agostini goes to the AHL (Sorry, D'Ags). D'Agostini plays a role in Koivu's line, which was a role he took due to an injured Tanguay. MaxiPad, on the other hand, wasn't filling in that role.
By the time Dandenault is ready to return, I believe we'll either have made a trade on our blueline, or the roster capacity is changed due to it being near post-season.
Higgins' career stats have shown that he can outscore and outhustle Latendresse anyday (so far)
Yeah but right now Latendresse is playing well and those "career stats" you talk about are when he was 19 and 20 years old. Higgins will have to earn his minutes and will have to outplay Latendresse right now to get them IMO
Yeah but right now Latendresse is playing well and those "career stats" you talk about are when he was 19 and 20 years old. Higgins will have to earn his minutes and will have to outplay Latendresse right now to get them IMO
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. He can't hit the net, his defense is suspect and he still can't skate at an NHL level.
If Higgins can't do better than Lats right now, I'll eat my hat.
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. He can't hit the net, his defense is suspect and he still can't skate at an NHL level.
If Higgins can't do better than Lats right now, I'll eat my hat.
If you can't see how well the Lats-Lappy-Kosto line has played over the last 20 games then I'm not gonna waste my time explaining how wrong you are... clearly you are just a lats hater
If you can't see how well the Lats-Lappy-Kosto line has played over the last 20 games then I'm not gonna waste my time explaining how wrong you are... clearly you are just a lats hater
No problem with the play of Lappy and Kosto.
Lats does have talent as is capable of playing well but I don't like his skating or decision making with the puck and his defense has been suspect. I'm not quite to the point where I'll call for him being benched but to be worried that his minutes might suffer when Higgins comes back is laughable.Lats has a future in the NHL but he's still developing. People need to start watching what he's actually doing right now instead of seeing what they think he will be.
