Let us put the blame where it belongs

barry33 · Guru

Let us put the blame where it belongs

JohnM · Guru

Barry, I hear your pain because he is your friend. In my opinion he needs to do something like he did last year and bench Ribs. We aren't winning games this way so something drastic needs to be done.

superhab · Guru

Barry you said Heut hasn't gotton it done the last two games? I missed the game against Washington but the score seemed pretty bad for the offense part. Garon would not have won those games. I think Heut is pretty good not as good as Garon. Now if Bonk could step it up maybe that trade will be a win. Nobody could have predicted Bonk would be so useless. As for offense they are getting the chances but they can't burry them. Not the coaches fault and not the GM's fault right now its the players. they can't get it done. Garnet is not that good of a goaler he let in 8 goals against the leafs! Thats pretty bad. Kolzig is not that good of a goalie. its not a coincedence that goalies seem to have their day in the sun against the Habs is lack of drive. THere in front of the net but can't seem to get their stick on the rebound.

Kendich · Veteran Member

You can't really blame Huet. You don't score, you don't win simple as that. The offencehas been bad and needs to score to stay in the game.

barry33 · Guru

superhab wrote:

Barry you said Heut hasn't gotton it done the last two games? I missed the game against Washington but the score seemed pretty bad for the offense part. Garon would not have won those games. I think Heut is pretty good not as good as Garon. Now if Bonk could step it up maybe that trade will be a win. Nobody could have predicted Bonk would be so useless. As for offense they are getting the chances but they can't burry them. Not the coaches fault and not the GM's fault right now its the players. they can't get it done. Garnet is not that good of a goaler he let in 8 goals against the leafs! Thats pretty bad. Kolzig is not that good of a goalie. its not a coincedence that goalies seem to have their day in the sun against the Habs is lack of drive. THere in front of the net but can't seem to get their stick on the rebound.

Like all of us I am looking to place blame someplace. Goaltending is part of the puzzle. I really do not think that it is as simple as saying it "is bad goaltending" or "we need a new coach". I feel there are several things that need "fixed" if they are to turn it around. So they need to prioritize. Center ice first and foremost. I am thinking that Koivu has more than a "tweaked groin". He left practice 2 weeks ago because it was bothering him a bit. It makes no sense whatsoever. If he is going to be out long term, be honest with the fans and get us help at center ice. I still feel that we are not getting the goaltending that we need (and I am a goalie and the first to stand up for these guys). You look at succesful teams this year. Buffalo for instance. Biron wins games on a nightly basis. He makes the big stops when they need it. Hasek, same thing. Why i sit that evrery time we play someone that we run into a hot goalie? Either everyone else is getting better goaltending than we are, or our guys cannot score.

Habtastic · Guru

Well it looks like Gainey gambled and lost in a few areas. I think he truly believed, as did many others, that Ribiero, and possibly Dagenais, would thrive in this new NHL. I think he also believed, although I didn't for any of these three, that Bonk would be a dominant 3rd line center. There were also a few people, myself among them, that thought Streit might be a diamond in the rough and turn into another Markov.

No one knew what the new NHL would bring and a lot of GM's took chances... be happy that Gainey didn't sign any over-priced free-agents that can't be moved like so many others did. I think Gainey went with what we had and added rookies so to really see what we had and how they would function in the new style of game. The only reason I disagreed with keeping/acquiring guys like Ribiero, Dagenais, and Bonk is that they couldn't skate well and the NHL seemed to be based even more around skating. I don't think Bob knew that they we would add suck a lack of heart to their lack of skating. He kept them for their skills, and they do have that, but unfortunately, they have shown to have nothing else and now they can't be moved.

This is a year of assessment. It is a year to see what the new game brings, what are core is like, who the new stars in the NHL will be, How our rookies adapt, and how our coaches adapt. I think we will see a number of changes next summer. We have some hot young players who may be ready to take a spot. I am excited about names like Kostitsyn, Chipchura, Latendresse, Danis, Price, and the development of our current rookies. I also think that we have such a glut that we may have to trade one or two, or trade some of our core that are actually worth something and fix one of our pressing needs. I am excited about the free-agents available and that we may be able to land one since we kept our heads financially.

We are doing fine right now in the standings. yes, there are definite areas of concern, but the injuries are a big part of the blame. Yes, there are those 3 afforementioned players who I would love to move, but who are we kididng that we think someone else will take them for more than a middling draft pick? Yes we need some players to step up, and I think some of them will, but in the meantime, we are keeping our heads above water until we get some players back and then we should be OK for a play-off spot. Remember, the trade deadline is coming soon and Gainey has the cap-space and the know-how to bring in the player that will cover our behinds and don't be surprised if he uses on or two of our whipping boys to get that rent-a-player, as that is about the only time he will be able to get rid of them. Keep the faith, the New Year will be better, maybe not by much, but it will be better.

In Bob I trust,

Habtastic