Honestly it's hard to let it go at this time. Washington is a much better team so it isn't just Hammer. But it hurts not having Hammer. We signed Campoli anyways which is half a Hammer.... I have tried to defend the move in the past but I can't anymore.
Lets just say word of mouth is that Hammer was devastated when he found out Gauthier wouldn't sign him for the fair deal he was offering. He wanted to remain a hab. Apparently he did what he did for his family but is upset because he's settled in Montreal and actually loves the city. Apparently many in the locker room miss him as well because he was a well liked player here.
I only found this out recently and it made me quite upset knowing Hammer wanted to be here big time and Gauthier wouldn't just give him the extra year. I support PG but to me it's kind of classless. He gave everything to this city, and no more than ever we see how badly our team needs his presence. He was overworked here and may have looked bad at times but he's a solid D. Biggest mistake.
If only we could convince Washington to trade him back now. I know we have some D developing who needed the room but I just feel bad for Hammer knowing he really did want to stay, and not like he's a bad player either.
Nice post..............
Hockey is a business I know. But I'll never understand how a team can turn away a top four d-man when the player actually had experience with the system, was a warrior through all of the injuries, and the team itself had a million question marks on D going into the season. And on top of that you have a player who had been loyal through thick and thin (mostly thin) and truly wanted to stay even in a city where much of the fanbase and a fair portion of the media disliked him for whatever reason.
Many would like to see JM go but I have a tough time firing a coach when the GM failed to have a plan for the big what if that is Andrei Markov. Sure Gauthier signed Woywitka and Campoli but neither is a top four and could do all of things Hamr did. JM during his tenure in Montreal has had a chance to work with the team's best player in how many games while PG has had ample to influence or make the decision concerning the team's D.
Hockey is a business I know. But I'll never understand how a team can turn away a top four d-man when the player actually had experience with the system, was a warrior through all of the injuries, and the team itself had a million question marks on D going into the season. And on top of that you have a player who had been loyal through thick and thin (mostly thin) and truly wanted to stay even in a city where much of the fanbase and a fair portion of the media disliked him for whatever reason.
Many would like to see JM go but I have a tough time firing a coach when the GM failed to have a plan for the big what if that is Andrei Markov. Sure Gauthier signed Woywitka and Campoli but neither is a top four and could do all of things Hamr did. JM during his tenure in Montreal has had a chance to work with the team's best player in how many games while PG has had ample to influence or make the decision concerning the team's D.
In short...
Gauthier blew it (polite word) in not keeping the durable Roman Hamrlik.
there was a thread specifically dedicated to bashing the **** out of hammrlik after our playoffs were over last year.
then, there was the collective circle jerk thread when he wasn't resigned, with only a handful of posters saying that we would regret it. of course, those posters were then bashed for being management loving ignoramus.
I miss Streit a lot more than I miss hamrlik, funny how people complain about gill being slow but hamrlik was just as slow and just as soft. Neither belongs on the team.
I miss Streit a lot more than I miss hamrlik, funny how people complain about gill being slow but hamrlik was just as slow and just as soft. Neither belongs on the team.
there was a thread specifically dedicated to bashing the **** out of hammrlik after our playoffs were over last year.
then, there was the collective circle jerk thread when he wasn't resigned, with only a handful of posters saying that we would regret it. of course, those posters were then bashed for being management loving ignoramus.
habs board at its best
I still regret Hamrlik leaving However I will stress that as much as D'ago is doing well in St. Loo... I didnt, and still dont regret that one.
We knew Pulashaj would take time to develop... We more or less bought a few more years of prospect there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiskeySeven
Hamrlik was softer and slower than butter. What makes you say otherwise?
How about over used, and wore down... But then again, we weren't expecting him to be playing so many crucial minutes last year.
BTW, Hamr got 2nd most minutes at worst while he was around... hovering close to 22 a game. And he was solid defensively, only showing cracks in the later stages of the season, when we should have had a top line d-man around.
Not even to mention the fact that he's also good with youngsters.
It's weird how the thoughts on the previous #44 has such a varying degree of belief in his game.
It literally goes from complete ass... > great serviceable #2/3 d-man.
Say what anybody will, we'd be a better team with the Hamr than without... problem was we had WAY too many options on the point last summer.
I still stand by my call, Hamr over Gill... anyday
Last edited by Mike8: 10-24-2011 at 02:37 AM.
Reason: merge
there was a thread specifically dedicated to bashing the **** out of hammrlik after our playoffs were over last year.
then, there was the collective circle jerk thread when he wasn't resigned, with only a handful of posters saying that we would regret it. of course, those posters were then bashed for being management loving ignoramus.
habs board at its best
Yeah, I remember gems like:
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewHabsEra
One word: finished
He is a bottom pairing defenseman at this point..
Pretty much bang on. Hamrlik looks just about done right now, lol. This guy, on the other hand, was as concerned as I was when neither Hammer nor Wiz were brought back:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Habs
...our defence frightens me for next season. It could be quite awful.
there was a thread specifically dedicated to bashing the **** out of hammrlik after our playoffs were over last year.
then, there was the collective circle jerk thread when he wasn't resigned, with only a handful of posters saying that we would regret it. of course, those posters were then bashed for being management loving ignoramus.
habs board at its best
Hopefully not directed at me because I thought Hamrlik should have been re-signed for multiple reasons.
He's nestled into the Caps' lineup and is 2nd in overall TOI and 1st in ES TOI. He's an ES minute eater and can fill in on PK and PP. He's top 5 in blocked shots in the league. He was targeted to pair with Mike Green and the two of them had the responsibility of Detroit's top line.
Montreal needed a third top 4 d-man the whole time Hamr was here. Hamr took the brunt of Markov's injuries in more ways than one. And the organization still can't understand that it's not a bad thing to have three top 4 d-men in the lineup which they easily could have had.
Although Emelin and Diaz are "inexperienced" they are at the same time more experienced in pro play than Subban and Weber. It's hard to know what their potential even is. I hope they continue to develop but they really haven't had the challenge yet of the league's best players. I hope they don't get frustrated though and take a step backwards. And Hamrlik may have helped to prevent that too.
Hopefully not directed at me because I thought Hamrlik should have been re-signed for multiple reasons.
He's nestled into the Caps' lineup and is 2nd in overall TOI and 1st in ES TOI. He's an ES minute eater and can fill in on PK and PP. He's top 5 in blocked shots in the league. He was targeted to pair with Mike Green and the two of them had the responsibility of Detroit's top line.
Montreal needed a third top 4 d-man the whole time Hamr was here. Hamr took the brunt of Markov's injuries in more ways than one. And the organization still can't understand that it's not a bad thing to have three top 4 d-men in the lineup which they easily could have had.
Although Emelin and Diaz are "inexperienced" they are at the same time more experienced in pro play than Subban and Weber. It's hard to know what their potential even is. I hope they continue to develop but they really haven't had the challenge yet of the league's best players. I hope they don't get frustrated though and take a step backwards. And Hamrlik may have helped to prevent that too.
not targeted at anybody in particular
but this board tends to suffer from some serious one-up-ism
poster a: this guy isn't very good
poster b: this guy sucks
poster c: he's the worst
poster d: waste of dna!
amongst all of this, some people forgot that he was a rock for us the last two years. i understand why gauthier didn't want to resign him for two years, and we can debate the merit of that decision, but the lack of respect and objective criticism he was given on this board irked me to say the least.
there was a thread specifically dedicated to bashing the **** out of hammrlik after our playoffs were over last year.
then, there was the collective circle jerk thread when he wasn't resigned, with only a handful of posters saying that we would regret it. of course, those posters were then bashed for being management loving ignoramus.
habs board at its best
I haven't looked it up, and won't, but usually it's the same posters who preach the "management knows best" who get all up in arms about critiques on roster moves... And then either spend literally years making up excuses trying to justify the move (my fab is "it's easy to look smart in hindsight"), or just flip all together.
Choosing gill over hamrlik was a mistake, and if the were determined to keep gill, then he needed to bite the bullet and find a taker for spacek... Even at a loss.
PG's offseason moves, and the roster as it is, is looking pretty bad, and his grace period is all but done
i can't speak for anybody else but hammer got an unbelievable amount of hate around here after the last playoffs. personally, i didn't particularly want to get rid of him although i can imagine the myriad of reasons why goat didn't want to give hammer 2 years at that salary. either way, im ambivalent about the gill vs. hammer debate since i think they bring two different things to the table and i couldn't care less which of the two they resigned.
look at it this way, spacho and campoli aren't injured and we aren't even having this conversation.
"it's easy to look smart in hindsight", i'd say its easier to just bash everything and never offer concrete alternatives or solutions, you can never be wrong that way
I didn't want Hamrlik resigned, he looked old, tired and worn down by the end of the season/playoffs. Gill was such a huge part of the PK, plus he was a big part in helping develop that other PK. As far as I can tell, everyone in the dressing room loves him too.
Hindsight is I made a mistake. Hamrlik would be extremely useful right about now, and Gill is looking useless even on the PK. I haven't watched any of Washington's game however so I don't know how good he has been. I was in favour of dumping Spacek and keeping Hamrlik instead, but I knew it came down to him and Gill, so far it looks like I picked the wrong one. Still wouldn't want him for two years, but I guess we'll see how he does then and judge.
i can't speak for anybody else but hammer got an unbelievable amount of hate around here after the last playoffs. personally, i didn't particularly want to get rid of him although i can imagine the myriad of reasons why goat didn't want to give hammer 2 years at that salary. either way, im ambivalent about the gill vs. hammer debate since i think they bring two different things to the table and i couldn't care less which of the two they resigned.
You guys have selective memory, almost everyone wanted Hamrlik resigned. Just not at 2 years.
Go back and read the threads, everyone wanted Hamrlik except a certain elite poke check lover. I'm not sure, I want Hamrlik next year.
Hamrlik was softer and slower than butter. What makes you say otherwise?
At least the guy could play defence, and pile up minutes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Protest the Hero
I didn't want Hamrlik resigned, he looked old, tired and worn down by the end of the season/playoffs. Gill was such a huge part of the PK, plus he was a big part in helping develop that other PK. As far as I can tell, everyone in the dressing room loves him too.
Hindsight is I made a mistake. Hamrlik would be extremely useful right about now, and Gill is looking useless even on the PK. I haven't watched any of Washington's game however so I don't know how good he has been. I was in favour of dumping Spacek and keeping Hamrlik instead, but I knew it came down to him and Gill, so far it looks like I picked the wrong one. Still wouldn't want him for two years, but I guess we'll see how he does then and judge.
Normal. he was overplayed with markov's absence. But without Hamrlik, no playoffs at all.
i can't speak for anybody else but hammer got an unbelievable amount of hate around here after the last playoffs. personally, i didn't particularly want to get rid of him although i can imagine the myriad of reasons why goat didn't want to give hammer 2 years at that salary. either way, im ambivalent about the gill vs. hammer debate since i think they bring two different things to the table and i couldn't care less which of the two they resigned.
look at it this way, spacho and campoli aren't injured and we aren't even having this conversation.
"it's easy to look smart in hindsight", i'd say its easier to just bash everything and never offer concrete alternatives or solutions, you can never be wrong that way
Being a GM is about being proactive, and making educated guesses... Can't ever predict injuries, but not expecting Spacek to continue breaking down this year would have to be considered showing very poor foresight. His age, his recent injury issues, and the fact that he was never a great conditioned athlete, should all have been red flags as far as relying on him to stay healthy this year.
Expecting Campoli to be anything more than a bottom pairing addition, also foolish (and frankly i don't think the organization brought him in to be anything but that, and likewise don't think he'd change anything about the fact that our defense is a lot thinner without Harmlik than it would have been with him).
i don't know why you even bother speaking of those who "bash everything", or really of any of the posters who don't have at least some degree of rational behind arguments for/against a player/management/coaching etc.
the board is open to all, from young to old, from educated to uneducated, from experienced to not... of course some people will say things that make little sense, but I hardly think that's indicative of all posters.
several people made strong cases, for or against keeping Hamrlik. Personally I felt we should have prioritized him over Gill/Spacek, and I think "hindsight" is now proving the validity of those who questioned managements decision.
At the time, the "risk" of giving him a 2 year deal, mitigated against his durability and ability to play a variety of roles and ability to play big minutes (even if it seemed to reduce his effectiveness -will be interesting to see if his strong play @ 20+min/game for the Caps can last the season, and how much playing a "supportive" 20+min role as opposed to a "leading" 20min+ role plays into that) was a lot smaller, imo, than the "risk" that Spacek would prove to be inefficient/fragile again this year, or the "risk" that Gill's physical limitations would continue to increase.
PG made a very bad choice, one that is being felt strongly right now, and one that reflects poorly on his ability to strategically assemble the roster...
how do you let Hamrlik walk unless you are SURE Markov will start the season? If there was any doubt, than Hamrlik should have been a given as he was/is clearly better suited than anyone else in our lineup (not named PK) to effectively handle a large workload in Markov's absence.
even if they thought Markov would start the year, given his and Gorges return from injury, it was, and is proving to be, a mistake not to keep the guy who had been reliable in that role and who wanted to stay here.
Bad decision, plain and simple... has nothing to do with "bashing".
I miss Streit a lot more than I miss hamrlik, funny how people complain about gill being slow but hamrlik was just as slow and just as soft. Neither belongs on the team.
That's one guy we failed with big time. He signed for 4 mil as a UFA, we could've got him for less. He's that triggerman for PP we always need, and always end up paying assets to get.
I still regret Hamrlik leaving 
