To and From

Nil d · Guru

To and From

Habhead · Veteran Member

I see a team that lacks confidence, big time. For the past half dozen games now they've come out uninspired and flat. They don't seem to want to skate and make the effort needed to win/compete consistently in this league. It appears to me they're taking on the personality of their coach . . . THEY HAVE NO FIRE!!!

Theo is and always has been overrated, what you see is what we're gunna get from him, I'm afraid to say. It really is hard to judge the team by tonights play, it'll be very interesting against Buffalo . . .

Plus, the lack of finish around the opposition's net is alarming. This team has hands of stone, but again, some of that is definitely confidence.

The ride through December sure is gunna be interesting to say the least . . . when is Kovy's expected arrival again, late December was it???

AB Habman · Guru

Nil d wrote:

How on Earth did the Habs go: from a team able to roll four solid lines to one with one good line - currently stone cold - and three sets of "fillers"? from a team with an embarrassment of goaltending talent to one with one underachieving has-been and a bunch of unproven question marks? from a team leading the NHL in prospects to one with no rookies playing well and no great talent down on the farm? from a team that acquired a great two-way talent - Radek Bonk - who is playing more like the reverse of his last name? from a team with a good set of defensemen to one which can't even put three solid NHL blueliners on the ice for a game? from a team that pulled out seeming losses to one that now pulls defeat from the jaws of victory (except tonight, when they were never in the game)? from a team that had shaken its recent years' curse of injuries to one that has a medical ward bursting at the seams? It seems to have turned so fast! What he Hell happened???????????!!!!!!!!!!

A really great post Nil D! There are serious concerns that I hope Gainey takes responsibility for and fixes before CJ gets the axe!!

NorthwindNS · Veteran Member

I would rather see BG get the boot before CJ. CJ is a solid coach.

barry33 · Guru

NorthwindNS wrote:

I would rather see BG get the boot before CJ. CJ is a solid coach.

Well you know that, in this workld of cover thy own ass, who will get the boot first :o)

plouf · Guru

why would either get the boot?

Let's see....injury to Kovalev, Ribeiro turns out to be a bum, Souray is hurt and hasn't regained his confidence, Theodore struggling with consistency....Bonk with 0 goals.

A lot of this Gainey couldn't have predicted, or done anything about...like the Ribeiro case; noone would have let him get away with trading Ribeiro until Ribeiro failed; but now that he's clearly a bust, what is he really worth?

Picking up a good defenseman or second line centre is not easy. But Gainey has not pulled the trigger probably because he wants the youngsters to get a shot, and because he knows this year is not the year to win the cup.

As for Julien, it's one thing to criticize this or that specific mistake. Fine. But to say he should be worrying about his job. Well that's just crazy, in my opinion. Look at what he's done with what he has to work with. A lot of young players, for starters. Already lots of injuries (we were doing great until those hit). Suspensions. Bonk and Souray way below expectations. Etc....

Sure the team has come out slowly for a lot of games, and this is something Julien has to be held responsible for, at some level. But how can you talk about this and not talk at the same time about this team's incredible fight? Their comebacks? Their excellent play in most 3rd periods (often the hardest thing to establish)?

ray · Senior Member

Nil d wrote:

How on Earth did the Habs go: from a team able to roll four solid lines to one with one good line - currently stone cold - and three sets of "fillers"? from a team with an embarrassment of goaltending talent to one with one underachieving has-been and a bunch of unproven question marks? from a team leading the NHL in prospects to one with no rookies playing well and no great talent down on the farm? from a team that acquired a great two-way talent - Radek Bonk - who is playing more like the reverse of his last name? from a team with a good set of defensemen to one which can't even put three solid NHL blueliners on the ice for a game? from a team that pulled out seeming losses to one that now pulls defeat from the jaws of victory (except tonight, when they were never in the game)? from a team that had shaken its recent years' curse of injuries to one that has a medical ward bursting at the seams? It seems to have turned so fast! What he Hell happened???????????!!!!!!!!!!

Great Post Nil'd I agree with everything you said especially the one about the rookies playing not so well where has Higgins been, and what happen to our team speed, did most of us make a mistake about the team speed and were not actually that quick of a team.

Habtastic · Guru

I would agree with most of what you said Nil D, but I would take our farm over most other teams. We have a plethora of talented wingers and goalies, but who are just too young to make an impact yet. We lack a top center and a top D, but we have solid depth in both dept's. As for our has-been goalie, well, I have never been a big fan, but he is taking a step and a half forward for every step back... let's hope if he doesn't make the team for Turin (which is a big possibility) that it lights a fire under him for the second half of the season. What our team lacks right now is confidence and it shows in the too-tight stick grips, indecision and passivity by the D, and our goalie bruising up his knees way more than he should. Getting some players back and a good trade should help. We were winning 1 goal games when we had confidence, now we are losing them by the same without it.

We will turn it around soon.

Habtastic

Nil d · Guru

Habtastic wrote:

I would agree with most of what you said Nil D, but I would take our farm over most other teams. We have a plethora of talented wingers and goalies, but who are just too young to make an impact yet.

A plethora? Is that a lot? It sure sounds better than a dearth!

Habtastic · Guru

Well, English was one of my Uni subjects, not Math, but I think Plethora equals at least 1 or 2 more than dearth... :)

Habtastic

davidb · Guru

In portuguese it means Loads just kidding

Nil d · Guru

davidb wrote:

In portuguese it means Loads just kidding

Good one, dave!

davidb · Guru

Do you think we have seen the last of Souray for a long while???????

Nil d · Guru

davidb wrote:

Do you think we have seen the last of Souray for a long while???????

Who the hell knows?! It's all a big mystery with that guy! My guess is that most of his problem is between the ears. I think barry33 had a medical term for it.

davidb · Guru

Well its an expensive illness the Habs are paying him what 3 mil or more ???

ray · Senior Member

I have one question where is all this young talent on the farm. I just don't see it, and I've been to a few of the bulldog games. ???????????????????????

mdmrules · Member

plouf wrote:

why would either get the boot? Let's see....injury to Kovalev, Ribeiro turns out to be a bum, Souray is hurt and hasn't regained his confidence, Theodore struggling with consistency....Bonk with 0 goals. A lot of this Gainey couldn't have predicted, or done anything about...like the Ribeiro case; noone would have let him get away with trading Ribeiro until Ribeiro failed; but now that he's clearly a bust, what is he really worth? Picking up a good defenseman or second line centre is not easy. But Gainey has not pulled the trigger probably because he wants the youngsters to get a shot, and because he knows this year is not the year to win the cup. As for Julien, it's one thing to criticize this or that specific mistake. Fine. But to say he should be worrying about his job. Well that's just crazy, in my opinion. Look at what he's done with what he has to work with. A lot of young players, for starters. Already lots of injuries (we were doing great until those hit). Suspensions. Bonk and Souray way below expectations. Etc.... Sure the team has come out slowly for a lot of games, and this is something Julien has to be held responsible for, at some level. But how can you talk about this and not talk at the same time about this team's incredible fight? Their comebacks? Their excellent play in most 3rd periods (often the hardest thing to establish)?

Nice post Plouf, I couldn't have put that better myself. I think its crazy when people start calling for the heads of the coaching staff and managment based on poor player performances and not being able to predict injuries. The Habs would be the laughing stock of the league if CJ or BG were tossed out. If the likes of Eddie-O can keep his job in Pittsburg right now I have no clue how they could justify replacing CJ less than 25 games into a winning season. I think t would be a lot more obvious if CJ was really losing controll of this team. Its funny to read posts from those that think otherwise though. SO I say keep em comming!

davidb · Guru

Well, you know more than I do because I have never seen them play. Of course I am 10 hours south of habland