I am going to play "Coach's Corner" now and tell you what I have seen this year with the Habs. Granted I am not travelling and practicing with them and can only go by what I have seen on TV. As I see it, the biggest problem we have on this "team" is the fact that they do not play as a team. From the outside, it appears that what we have is quite a collection of egos. And when you have that, you have no accountability, multiple passings of the buck, and, eventually, a totally poisoned dressing room. I know..3 years ago I coached a team just like that.

Granted we were not in the NHL. But I had a collection of players who seemed more intent on their own stats and making sure that they did not look bad, rather than doing what was needed to win.  I have no problem telling a kid when he is not trying. As a coach, two things I preach. Outwork the other team on a consistent basis and never give up, regardless of the score. We have a team of players who give up. And yes, even Koivu gives up this year. Now, some have said "I do not blame him for giving up", same as Kovalev. "Why bother trying when no one else does?". And herein, lies the problem folks. Every team needs a core group of players who are willing to go to war every night. And make no mistake about it, competitive hockey is war. You need a group of leaders who night in and night out., put their bodies on the line, REGARDLESS of how the rest of their teamates are performing. You need heart. Watching the Calgary game last night on NHL network. They had Iginla miked. That guy never quits. He even got into a scrap to try and get things going. He yells at players on the ice and bench and makes them accountable. For whatever reason, we do not have anyone who can do that.

They disregard completely the system the coaches put in place. And, faced with even a tiny bit of adversity, they give up and go home. If by some miracle, they squeak into the playoffs, how do you think that attitude will serve them against Ottawa or Carolina? Can you say gone in 4? I am not knocking Koivu or Kovalev in particular. This whole team is ill. Averaging 17 shots a game can only be attributed to one thing..lack of a will to compete. Nothing else and nothing less. I do believe that Saks was a good leader at one time. But I feel he tends to be a better leader on a team that is not faced with adversity. And perhaps he has just given up and needs a change.

But for people on this board, or anyone else, to say "No wonder Kovalev does not try..he has no one to pass to", or "Koivu has just given up" is indicative of what  is worng on habville this year folks. When  a Higgins or Komisarek sees Souray or Koivu just sucking and not trying because things are not going well, it totally deflates them. These kids need team role models who make them BELIEVE that they can come back and win. This team is ill and I am afrai dthat alot of the major organs need to be removed and transplanted before it will heal.

I know. The year I had a team like that I sent half my team down to house league and called up 8 playyers who were playing Recreational Hockey to play AAA. We finished 3rd in the province. Heart, attitude over talent. Just ask Team Canada Junior Teams.

 2 weeks ago Ottawa laughed at us. Hasek joked that he did not deserve the shutout and others were making bets as to if they could hold an NHL team to 1o shots. How did we respond? A 22 shot "barrage" and a squeaker win over Toronto, a more pathetic team than the habs followed by several more total embarassments. If this does not tell you what the CHARACTER is on this team then you do not know hockey. Character? We have ZERO.