In Montreal, we love hockey and we care about the Habs performances even though there is more important issues to take care of besides hockey in this world. I like the core of the team, we finally have a core that's pretty solid and plays well together. In the playoffs, we have seen great great things. I think this team lacks offensive punch on the bottom lines and this is the reason why we went after Boyd and Eller (young guys with some pop).
In the playoffs though, our bottom 6 players stepped it up and I like this. We certainly can't say that our bottom 6 players left us out to dry. Lapierre, Moen, Laraque (who is gone) are for me not more then 4th line players. Pyatt is a guy that is solid but also needs to improve his offensive game. I know the third line is supposed to focus on shutting down other teams top lines but still, when you compare the contribution of our bottom 6 players to other teams, you see where is the flaw. We also have 2 guys that are on the microscope in our top 6 (Pouliot and Kostitsyn), these two could have helped the team more in the playoffs but Pouly was injured, I will let it pass this time. I don't really care that much about season stats because in playoffs, it's another world but I'm sure you get my point.
As for the defence, I think it's not that bad but we do lack another solid two way d. I think with Subban, we got some offensive punch down the road but I don't think there is enough pop from our defence as well. Gill, Gorges, Spacek ( who I think can do better), Hamrlik are big pieces of our d but their offensive contribution is very weak ( don't forget O'Byrne as well). We also lost MAB ( I think?) who was a key piece offensively too. If we don't plan on signing another d, I think Subban will need to step it up. I hope Markov stays healthy because I'm sure with him, we coulda competed with the Flyers a bit more. I think there is definitely a need to do something with our d as far as offence is concerned but again, in the playoffs it's another story.
All and all, we often complain about Gomez's contract but I wouldnt complain about Gio, Cam and Gomez that much because they proved us they care about hockey and delivered good in the playoffs. Plekanec I think played better then what people gives him credit for, he was very busy in our own zone making up for AK's brainfarts, the guy can do it all I like him. I think this team will only get better, I'm sure this upcoming season there will be injuries again that will kill us but as long as we make the playoffs, I don't really care about our season. I hope everyone will be healthy and since players knows each others better, I expect great things to come.
Hockey
Last edited by andreconstantin: 07-16-2010 at 03:59 PM.
I agree that the team is moving on and this year is one of evaluation. If you see the contracts allowed this summer (excluding plex) they were all 1 year contracts and I could see next year as another year to grab big pieces on the free agent market.
i agree! i think we have a great team now, and i believe PG is thinking 2-3 seasons down the line. The youngsters in the next 2 years are gonna carry this team. I am really optomistic this season and i cant wait for it to start. GO HABS GO!
What I personnaly like the most is our prospects that could crack the lineup soon....that's what we have been lacking for a while and it now looks like we solved this problem
Couldn't agree more. I was saying that in the Guerin thread. We have a logjam at the forward position and essentially the same players as last year up front. What has me concerned is that MAB really helped us regarless of the obvious defensive blunders. He did score that game winning goal in one of the games vs Was too. (huge props to Gomer on that play).
I also think with Price's first year as THE man and with PK in his real rookie year it might be wise to get another defenseman with offensive upside. If not, at least a guy like maybe Andy Sutton. Not a huge fan but I like the size and physicality and the experience.
What I personnaly like the most is our prospects that could crack the lineup soon....that's what we have been lacking for a while and it now looks like we solved this problem
And this is what I like as well, before we were giving chances to prospects that really stood out (first round picks or good performers in the AHL) but right now, we have a lot of prospects that will try to make the team. This is what I wanted, we have guys like Trotter, Desharnais, Maxwell and way more... that will be hoping to make the team.
Young, two way play I like it. We're only 2 defencemen and a little luck away from being a serious contender.
Price is really the key right now.
The team can make another deep run if Price can come up with his best season to date. He has to resemble something close to what halak did in the last season and a half.
OTOH, if he continues where he left off, expect to be golfing soon.
The Habs need a genuine sniper, some size, another defensive defenceman, and someone to play goal. ( The Price is not right, Bob Barker!) They won't be going too far this year, perhaps 9th place.
The Habs need a genuine sniper, some size, another defensive defenceman, and someone to play goal. ( The Price is not right, Bob Barker!) They won't be going too far this year, perhaps 9th place.
How many teams have a 40-goal scorer (As Cammalleri?).
Size: Can be improved.
Defensive defenceman? If anything we need more Offensive ones.
Goal: Price's stats were very legit last year, not great, but legit. He's shown flashes of brillance. We're not speaking of Nittymaki's or Leighton's of this world... but a young goaltender who's been learning, has good potential, physical assets and has shown last year that he's heading on the right track. You think the team would speak highly of him if he was a bad or unappropriate guy? SK's case shows that this team cares for attitude and drive. He has both (since his teammates like him)
The Habs need a genuine sniper, some size, another defensive defenceman, and someone to play goal. ( The Price is not right, Bob Barker!) They won't be going too far this year, perhaps 9th place.
I disagree. Habs are well of in the sniper department. Cammalleri and Gionta are nearly certain to give us at least 30 goals each, one (likely Cammalleri) might get 40 and both can likely score 35. Pouliot, Kostitsyn and Plekanec can realistically give us 20 to 30 goals each and then there are a couple of wild cards that can get anywere from 15 to 25 goals (Boyd, Eller, Gomez even if he works on his shot this summer). Size is an issue as always, but not that dramatic. Our defense is alright even if an upgrade on Hamrlik would be logical.
As Kensai put it, what we need is speed and offense from the blueline seeing how Spacek and Hamrlik aren't offensive dynamos anymore and we can't rely solely on Markov and Subban to carry the puck and play on the PP.
Price is another wildcard but I think we can expect a save pct from 0.910 to 0.920 from him, which is alright. He's done better than that in the past, Price CAN be a star goalie, he has it in him. If he plays like he can, then we have a team that can win the division.
Couldn't agree more. I was saying that in the Guerin thread. We have a logjam at the forward position and essentially the same players as last year up front. What has me concerned is that MAB really helped us regarless of the obvious defensive blunders. He did score that game winning goal in one of the games vs Was too. (huge props to Gomer on that play).
I also think with Price's first year as THE man and with PK in his real rookie year it might be wise to get another defenseman with offensive upside. If not, at least a guy like maybe Andy Sutton. Not a huge fan but I like the size and physicality and the experience.
MAB was an imperfect fill-in. The Habs missed Markov for 35 consecutive games at the beginning of the season as well as in the second and third rounds of the playoffs. Subban played comparatively few games overall. Spacek also missed games. Barring new injuries, the Habs should be deeper at D than they have been in years even if Spacek and Hamrlik have seen their best days already. Assuming that Pouliot and Kostitsyn play up to their capabilities and Eller matures, the Habs will have a reasonable amount of of scoring depth. The players on the first two lines should be familiar with each other now that they have had a season of adjustment.
Still, it may be difficult for the Habs to improve upon last season. It's not because they won't be better but because certain other teams have improved even more.
The Habs need a genuine sniper, some size, another defensive defenceman, and someone to play goal. ( The Price is not right, Bob Barker!) They won't be going too far this year, perhaps 9th place.
lol yeah...cuz its not like cammy's 13 goals in 19 playoff games were anything special, rivaling newsy lalonde and guy lafleur in that department...
even gio potted 8...
one of the most ridiculous posts ive seen on hf in a long time, and thats sayin somethin cuz theres alot out there.
The team can make another deep run if Price can come up with his best season to date. He has to resemble something close to what halak did in the last season and a half.
OTOH, if he continues where he left off, expect to be golfing soon.
The way I see it, Chicago, Detroit, Philly showed that defence and depth wins playoff games. We have depth. We have a good goalie which IMO is a huge plus. If we had a Philly D, or hell, even if we had a D half as good as Philly, we would be cup contenders. IMO Carey is a huge plus, but not key to the formula.
The way I see it, Chicago, Detroit, Philly showed that defence and depth wins playoff games. We have depth. We have a good goalie which IMO is a huge plus. If we had a Philly D, or hell, even if we had a D half as good as Philly, we would be cup contenders. IMO Carey is a huge plus, but not key to the formula.
Price will single-handedly determine whether the Habs are going to be a legit threat and secure a playoffs birth 5-10 games before the end of the season, or fall apart and miss them. This is how big the pressure is on his shoulders right now. If he plays the way he did in the last 1 year and a half, we're going to struggle and battle for a playoffs spot until game 82.
The team might get more lucky in the injuries department AND/OR in on-ice cohesion, but Halak's play was just phenomenal last year. And even if Price might not have to be as good as Halak was for us to be competitive, he needs to be consistant, and among the 15 better goalies of the league if we want to succeed.
Price will single-handedly determine whether the Habs are going to be a legit threat and secure a playoffs birth 5-10 games before the end of the season, or fall apart and miss them. This is how big the pressure is on his shoulders right now. If he plays the way he did in the last 1 year and a half, we're going to struggle and battle for a playoffs spot until game 82.
The team might get more lucky in the injuries department AND/OR in on-ice cohesion, but Halak's play was just phenomenal last year. And even if Price might not have to be as good as Halak was for us to be competitive, he needs to be consistant, and among the 15 better goalies of the league if we want to succeed.
What I meant, is that Price doesn't have to be the great goalie he's supposed to be for us to win a Cup. If he's as good as Niemi (not half his potential), add a few d men and we're a contender.
Obviously if he plays like dirt, the season is over.
I would love a big bodied power forward for the top 6, but with our cap restraints it likely isn't possible.
It will be next year. We'll have half the cap spent our top 4 on offense, and top 3 on defense (I'm assuming Markov will stay at close to the same price). We'll have 30 mil to keep mostly RFAs, Price, and sign two Ds,
Spacek and AK will be easily movable pieces by then, much more than Hamrlik.
There's gonna be room to make changes, important ones.
Price will single-handedly determine whether the Habs are going to be a legit threat and secure a playoffs birth 5-10 games before the end of the season, or fall apart and miss them. This is how big the pressure is on his shoulders right now. If he plays the way he did in the last 1 year and a half, we're going to struggle and battle for a playoffs spot until game 82.
The team might get more lucky in the injuries department AND/OR in on-ice cohesion, but Halak's play was just phenomenal last year. And even if Price might not have to be as good as Halak was for us to be competitive, he needs to be consistant, and among the 15 better goalies of the league if we want to succeed.
All the uncertainty falls on Price? None on Halak?
1) Price has played very well in the past, so we know he's capable of achieving it.
2) You're extrapolating Halak's performance as though it'll always be there.
Good analysis. I agree with you on the entire article. Let's get ready for 2010-11! 
