What worries me the most...

Ando · Guru

What worries me the most...

Johab · Guru

I think its more obvious now how much Saku really means to this team! You see how heartless we are without him? And some of you were demanding to trade him. This guy IS our team like it or not, and we should be thanking god it was just a minor groin injury and not a serious one!! Bring Saku and Kovalev back!!!!

barry33 · Guru

An d-O you are very right. I am afraid that if things do not turn around here that CJ is gone. Whether that is the right decision or not is not relevant. But I still stand by my contention that it would be a band aid solution and not long term. It is appearing to me more and more that we do not a) have the talent to compete and b) have the heart to compete. These guys need to stand in front of a mirror and remember what it means to wear the C H.

Jedah · Guru

Johab wrote:

I think its more obvious now how much Saku really means to this team! You see how heartless we are without him? And some of you were demanding to trade him. This guy IS our team like it or not, and we should be thanking god it was just a minor groin injury and not a serious one!! Bring Saku and Kovalev back!!!!

I would definitely have to say that once he gets back, which should hopefully be tomorrow, he'll fire up the guys. Obviously Julien isn't able to motivate them, but as Barry has said many times before, it isn't his job. I think Koivu will be the spark these guys need, and Kovalev shouldn't be too far from coming back now.

And-o, if those two come back and the team still looks like they did against Anaheim, then it is time to trade.

-- Edited by Jedah at 18:15, 2005-12-12

Muller93 · Guru

I've gotta agree. How can a team miss two players( albeit great players) and Turn into a complete AHL team at best!!!??? I thought Gainey was the "depth" GM!

This team if full of career AHL'ers. Worst part is CJ is turning Higgins/Perez/Plek into typical hab prospects...useless. I can't remember the last "Montreal Canadians home crafted great player" Saku is the only one I can think of. And maybe Theo but even he has me thinking.

Bottom line is your team should still be competitive even without yout two top guys. You know we have a depth problem when your calling up Kostinstain(or whatever), That guy is a plug even in the AHL for god sakes. All I can say is thank god for Koivu but he just cannot carry this team all season the way he had been,

Come on BOB! I was a big supporter but if this continues all your so called prospects will turn into even more career AHL'ers, and Koivu Will indeed have a season ending injury. It's like putting 10tonnes of weight into a half tonne truck. Eventually it's gonna cave. Get'er done Bob!

JohnM · Guru

Funny you guys are talking like that... I was on my way home from work today and they were discussing this on the Team 990. Basically they were saying, how could BG have signed Theo to a long term, big $ deal without thinking about Koivu. It's very possible Sak might say it's time to move on since the team hasn't been able to build anything here. He might say that the Wild where his brother is playing might be a place to go. You think Lemaire and the boys would think twice about getting Saks, I don't think so.

So instead of thinking about pretty boy Theo, it's time to think about the team, the character, heart and tradition. Bring in guys who are proud to wear the CH and don't look to point fingers when things aren't going great.

As Team 990 said, every time a goal goes in, Theo is looking at one of the players to blame. Look in the mirror Theo, you are in nets, you are the highest paid Habs, you are the MVP and Vezina winner. Put the $ where your fingers point and realize if you don't pick it up, why should the rest of the team???

barry33 · Guru

John- I cannot disagree with you at all. I am hopeful that once number 11 gets back that he will spark these guys into doing something. I stand by my contention that it is the leaders in the dressing room and not the coach that is in charge of motivation. From everything I have herad about Saks he is a leader and is well respected by the players so he needs to take the bull by the horns and get 'er done.

As for Theo, I am not going to pick apart every goal he lets in. The other night he made some great saves. However he has been too inconsistent. Then again so have teh defencemen in front of him. The bottom line with Theo is he needs to go back and talk to his agent Don Meehan who negotiated his contract. Meehan said that (and I quote)
"Theo is an elite goalie in this league and deserves to be paid like one. He was MVP in this league. In my opinion Jose is in the top 3 in the league and Montreal needs to think of this during negotiations" (July 2005). Like it or not, Theo's contract is now the benchmark for his performance. Hockey is not unlike any job. If I go in and threaten to go elsewhere unless my boss gives me a $25,000 a year raise I best be prepared to back it up if he decides to give it to me (ya, like THAT would ever happen..it would be more like "Barry don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out" lol). If I convince my employer that I am worth that money, I have now elevated the expectations substantially. I have talked the talk now I need to walk the walk.

Does Theo deserve all the criticism? Certainly not. Like Johab, I am a goalie and I like Theo. And maybe I see alot of good things in Theo that many of you do not. But, like it or not, the bar has been raised by Theo and his agent. And to date, he is a long way from reaching it.

habs93 · Veteran Member

Maybe what is needed to get Les Boys going is a dust up in practice a la Riberio/Koivu of a couple of years ago (not necessarily those two again) which would hopefully unit rather than divide the team and clear up whatever problems is going on in the dressing room etc - So they can go forward with a new/fresh attitude....

davidb · Guru

I have noticed that to, its like they are late in the season and they know they are not going to the playoffs and they could give a s***. They really need a boost at this point. I have a funny feeling that Kovy is not going to be the cure all. Maybe for a few games they will be re ignited, but that will fade.

brooklynhabfan · Guru

davidb wrote:

I have noticed that to, its like they are late in the season and they know they are not going to the playoffs and they could give a s***. They really need a boost at this point. I have a funny feeling that Kovy is not going to be the cure all. Maybe for a few games they will be re ignited, but that will fade.

I hope your wrong on this one, but I have a sneaking suspicion you could be right. But I don't think it's beyond their capabilities to reverse this slippery trend

Jonny G · Senior Member

Although I haven't seen a Habs practice this year, I have this (totally unsubstantiated) feeling that they get on the ice for 45 minutes, skate at 3/4 intensity, and barely hit. That's how they seem to play their games. It's rare to see a Hab jersey first on the puck.

Nil d · Guru

habs93 wrote:

Maybe what is needed to get Les Boys going is a dust up in practice a la Riberio/Koivu of a couple of years ago (not necessarily those two again) which would hopefully unit rather than divide the team and clear up whatever problems is going on in the dressing room etc - So they can go forward with a new/fresh attitude....

I agree, habs93, a good dust-up would be a good thing. I sense this team is fairly tight, but maybe they need to get an "edge" - think of the Oakland Athletics of the early 70's; fighting all the time, but three World Series years in a row.

brooklynhabfan · Guru

Nil d wrote:

habs93 wrote:
I agree, habs93, a good dust-up would be a good thing. I sense this team is fairly tight, but maybe they need to get an "edge" - think of the Oakland Athletics of the early 70's; fighting all the time, but three World Series years in a row.

Awesome unis, too!

Nil d · Guru

brooklynhabfan wrote:

Nil d wrote: habs93 wrote: I agree, habs93, a good dust-up would be a good thing. I sense this team is fairly tight, but maybe they need to get an "edge" - think of the Oakland Athletics of the early 70's; fighting all the time, but three World Series years in a row. Awesome unis, too!

Not to mention facial hair!

Johab · Guru

i am not one bit scared about Saku leaving Montreal. He absolutely LOVES this city, he has called it his second home and the city loves him to death. Hes one of the few non-french Canadians the media has took under their wing. The guy means much more than just a Captain on the Canadiens for the Canadiens org. He is public idol, he is great with helping cancer stricken kids he wears that crest on his chest with more pride than i honestly can say about some Canadian born hockey players on the team. Saku will NOT leave montreal!! And i REALLY dont think money is a big issue, Koivu already knows money isnt everything in life...he learned that the hard way!