Who knows, you may get another Staal before it's aal said and done.Originally Posted by Klonk
Who knows, you may get another Staal before it's aal said and done.
Hired on to work for Mr. Bill Cox, a-fixin' lawn mowers and what-not, since 1964.
"Arguing with an idiot is like playing chess with a pigeon. It'll just knock over all the pieces, shit on the board, and strut about like it's won anyway." Anonymous
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” George Carlin
Who knows, you may get another Staal before it's aal said and done.no thanks. Hey, Jack, you guys are playing better hockey now right? Main concern is between the pipes?
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
The fans have been patient. Meanwhile the Habs have kept the same core of players and get the same results every year. It's always the same glaring weakness that comes to the forefront: No goals. With Price in net and when the defense performs, you can maybe get away with it. But this year I think they've been exposed because Price isn't there to make the key saves, but primarily because of the play in their own end has been atrocious. Markov is done. Emelin has never been a good puck handler. Subban is too risky. Petry has been hot and cold. Same for Beaulieu. Only Barberio has played consistently well in the last few weeks.
Montreal was one of the toughest tickets to get but they're barely selling out right now. The crowds have been subdued to almost hostile towards the team. In a market like here, it's time to make some changes. It's time to not believe so ardently in players who aren't living up to the hype.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
I think I said it earlier in this thread that the Habs really need an elite scorer - the guy who will get you 30+ goals and 80+ points year in and year out. Guys like that aren't plentiful, nor are they cheap. Also, they usually have a lot of defensive deficiencies. But you can't succeed year after year, hoping to get your scoring by committee. When you have 5 or 6 20+ scorers, it usually means you don't have that 40 or 50 goal guy. That's my take on what the Habs still need to get into the playoffs and to potentially go deep. And getting a scorer should improve their power play. Currently, it's 19'th overall at 17.6%. The Caps lead with 27.1.
Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
-- Russell Banks (paraphrased)
Pacioretty was to be that man, but thrusting the "C" on his shirt is probably putting too much pressure on him.
Does anybody else ever wonder why certain teams can have a glut of skill players in certain positions while others never seem to find any? Some teams can't find goal scorers, while others never seem to find a goalie, etc...
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Look at what's been going on in LA and Chicago over the past several years. They have their Kopitars, Gaboriks, Doughtys, Quicks/Kanes, Toews, Keiths, Crawfords and are still able to rotate the supporting cast to stay under the cap each year. That model seems to be working for them. Dallas and Washington may be one or two players short of reaching that level. Look, a lights-out goalie will only take you so far. Once in a while, you can steal a cup with one (see Dryden and Roy). But in this era, you need elite players at all three positions. In Washington, they have Ovechkin and Backstrom up from and Holtby in nets (still not a proven winner in the playoffs BTW), but no elite defenseman. Jon Karlsson is a good one, but he's not elite. Same thing in Dallas - lots of scoring, but no elite defense or goaltending.
Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
-- Russell Banks (paraphrased)
Just saw a headline that Jonathan Drouin is refusing to play in the minors. He's been suspended without pay. This could get ugly.
Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
-- Russell Banks (paraphrased)
Yeah, you have to wonder why that is, Yves. Probably poor drafting. A lot of times it doesn't work though with the glut of skilled players. Edmonton is a good example. (or was for a while. Not sure how well they're doing right now. Brian can chime in) Lots of skill players can't perform up to their expectations without that perfect complimentary player. Take Rick Nash. Works hard most of the time, plays great defense, is double teamed constantly, tries to do too much on his own with the puck and just can't find the net. But give him the right linemate to feed him down low and he can be deadly.
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
Poor drafting is a part of it for sure. Another part may be inability to land coveted free agents (ie: who wants to play in Canada with our deflated dollar). I also believe that the system a team employs does not always allow a player to flourish. Montreal is such a place. I think that a guy like Galchenyuk, for example, could become a more prolific goal scorer somewhere other than here. You can't ask every player on your team to be a complete player. Not all your forwards are going to be excellent in their own end and not every defenseman will support the rush. Trying to design a game plan based on getting that from all your players does not work. Trying to draft or trade for only those types of players does not work either.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Agree with pretty much all of this Yves. Canadiens haven't had a really "great" #1 guy in I don't know how long...
We are the grandchildren of apes, not angels
But only we are gifted with the eyes to see
On days without FEAR, when our heads are clear
That angels, we could be
(Marillion 2016)
You know that is unusual. Who was Montreal's last serious go-to gunslinger? Was it Kovalev?
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
If you look at the stats, Pacioretty's last 2 seasons place him as possibly our best goal scorer since Stephane Richer back in the late 80s! I believe that the "C" should have gone to another player (possibly Plekanec?) and Pacioretty should have just been allowed to concentrate on scoring goals...
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
I think Mats Naslund had one or two big scoring years, but otherwise you have to go back to the 70s for when Montreal was a dominating offensive team.
Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
-- Russell Banks (paraphrased)
This season marks the 30th anniversary of the last Habs player to score 100 points in a season (Mats Naslund, 1985-86). I think Vincent Damphouse and Pierre Turgeon both had 90+ in the mid-90s, and Stephane Richer (87-88 and again in 89-90) was the last to score 50 goals. Kovalev's high with Montreal was 84 points in 82 games.
Well, I guess . . . . . . Ward is out with concussion symptoms, Lack is good but kinda inconsistent. Other than that, there's youth and still no really consistent studs offensively. Things are better, though. Francis has assembled a core of young blueliners that are all playing pretty well. And Peters seems to know how to teach the game, and the effort is way better, game in and game out. But they're still in a position where they almost have to trade Eric Staal to keep building on what they're trying to do.
It hasn't been quite as frustrating to watch them this season that's for sure! Especially over the last few months.
Hired on to work for Mr. Bill Cox, a-fixin' lawn mowers and what-not, since 1964.
"Arguing with an idiot is like playing chess with a pigeon. It'll just knock over all the pieces, shit on the board, and strut about like it's won anyway." Anonymous
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” George Carlin
Go Bolts ! Win streak continues...
What's up with Drouin?
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
I haven't read up too much on Drouin but my gut tells me that he's doing whatever his agent is advising him to do. I have to believe that Stevie Y is a class act and not trying to do anything to hurt Drouin's career. I think he'll try to keep him in TB but if it becomes too obvious Drouin doesn't want to be there, he won't trade him for a song. The worse thing that could happen to him is to end up here in Montreal, where French speaking skill players crumble under the pressure of living up to the likes of Lafleur or Richard...
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Yzerman won't be hasty in making a deal. They will wait until they get what they consider fair compensation. It's a question of whether they are willing to take a pick or a prospect for an NHL'er. He's in a position of strength, because the team is playing well right now and they're not missing Drouin in the lineup. Drouin is in a very weak position.
Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
-- Russell Banks (paraphrased)
Drouin is an unproven player in the NHL so I don't see where his position was ever that strong. It's not like he's coming off back-to-back 40 goal seasons...Has he even seen any ice time in the NHL?
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Edmonton's Matt Hendricks had his cup broken by a puck last night. Yikes!
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
He played a regular shift on the third or fourth line last year and had a decent rookie season, but was a scratch for most of the playoff run last year and could barely crack the lineup at all this year.
He's still a good prospect but teams may shy away from a player who appears to be a major headcase and locker room poison. At this point I can really only see him getting traded for picks, prospects, or similar former high-end picks who never quite developed as expected. Drouin for Yakupov?
Now he has an idea of what it's been like to be an Oilers fan for the past 25 years or so.
Seriously though, this was a damn scary thing to watch live.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
I hope he's OK but I couldn't help but chuckle a little at this one...
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/bl...n-in-practice/
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