AB Habman wrote:

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 Haven't been home long and there's alot of posts to shuffle through!  Many of them bashing me!  That's fine because at least I stick my neck out and make predictions! Let me add one goes back to the beggining of the last season! Which I was right back then on ribs being our best center. Without him we don't make it to the playoffs! He set the table for Saks,Theo and Kovy's solid three or four playoff games!  Also I was one of the first to say I was upset with Ribs play this season and one of the first to say, he has been playing better of late! Let's just say he at least now is earning his pay and he isn't hurting the Cap space!  For a few that stated I said Gainey wouldn't sign Saks...I don't remember saying that but I do recall saying that it's a wait and see situation on what Gainey's agenda will be!  I have been critical of Gainey this season and this is another signing I don't agree with! Way too much for a future second line center! Also with Saks injury record, it's alot to pay for a part time player and may hamper Gainey's future plans to bring in an elete center with less Cap room to work with!  For the new posters here I must note that going way back, my position was that I agreed with And-o that Saks should be #2 center and I still stand by that dispite the signing! My hopes was to replace him with a proven first line center with better numbers!  We're a better team with Saks getting less ice as proven over the last few games with Ribs line getting more slack!  This is another case of the agent getting the better of Gainey! Throw in a no trade to boot!  As far as my views on Saks as Captain, you only need to read Barry's posts! Barry's post have been a breath of fresh air this season especially in aiding to remove many of our posters blinders this season! Good job Barry!  John mentioned earlier that Saks..."a Hab for life". I actually agree as I can see Saks play progressively declining to no more than that!  Players wages in this business are about "what have you done for me lately" and I can tell you based on this season, no way does Saks deserve this dough and especially in three years from now! Actually, based on his play this season, the message I got is the "I'll play better if you sign me bit" This is just another spoiled player pouting and looking out for himself only! Especially as Barry mentioned with his careless attitude after the CJ firing!  What will happen in the next couple seasons with our potential future? Markov, Ryder, Komi , Higgins, plecs and Bulis to name some? They will be in demand for way more dollars! How do we keep them after todays signing? I would have more respect for Saks if he would of played his cards like Brodeur did! It's about the team winning and keeping other important players on roster! Now that's leadership! It's a huge shame that Saks selfishly wants this kind of dough at this point of his career! How can he justify it under the Cap system and based on his play? Alot of money for a 55 point man!!!  This is a signing that a GM makes if he is looking to win a championship today under these Cap restrictions! He may not be able to keep our future stars in place or add special players in the next few years! As you can see we're far from winning anything special and this is certainly not a rebuilding strategy!  We are stuck with him now and as a Hab fan, that means me to! It's going to take a totally different and renewed Saks to earn this dough! Gainey's statement tells me that he demands special things from Saks now from here on in! If he brings it and plays well, great! If he doesn't bring it every game or has an off shift or game you bet you'll hear from me!!  Like the over paid Theo now, no way does he escape criticism!  -- Edited by AB Habman at 18:50, 2006-02-11

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Spoken like an angry school child bitter over his idol getting beaten up on the playground. Face it AB, Koivu has proven himself the true player and captain over your fantasy Ribeiro. Like it was ever in question anyhow.

Here is the good news: Now all us Koivu fans can rest easy knowing that we were right all along. And we can simply focus on hoping Ribeiro lives up to his billing. It would be great if he started playing really well, even better if he proved himself a first line center. Then the habs would not have to go searching.

But in the end, all Koivu fans have been proven their ramblings have been right on the mark. It would be better for you AB to just join the force..."resistance is futile"( probably a better jab for And-O actually)

-- Edited by Muller93 at 19:51, 2006-02-11

Barry, Her is taking a chance with him. I hope he works out better than the other one he took a chance on. You know who

For those who think Saku is overpaid (IMO he is) but go around the league every team might have 1-2-3 over paid players except Buffalo (lol) Islanders-Yashin, St Louis-Tzcachuk,Toronto-Belfour/Sundin, Columbus-Federov etc etc but these salaries would not be paid if they did not fit into the salary cap and it will be interesting in the future how teams react to having so much salary tied up in a few players and what they do to adapt so what Montreal has in salaries is not unique.....Also calling Saku a second line centre is fine and might help him out with less ice time but who on The Habs do you play ahead of him at center (short of getting a free agent center).....The coaching staff has confedence in him to take a regular shift & special teams (PK & PP) and that's where it stands right now.......

barry33 wrote:

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habs93 wrote: For those who think Saku is overpaid (IMO he is) but go around the league every team might have 1-2-3 over paid players except Buffalo (lol) Islanders-Yashin, St Louis-Tzcachuk,Toronto-Belfour/Sundin, Columbus-Federov etc etc but these salaries would not be paid if they did not fit into the salary cap and it will be interesting in the future how teams react to having so much salary tied up in a few players and what they do to adapt so what Montreal has in salaries is not unique.....Also calling Saku a second line centre is fine and might help him out with less ice time but who on The Habs do you play ahead of him at center (short of getting a free agent center).....The coaching staff has confedence in him to take a regular shift & special teams (PK & PP) and that's where it stands right now....... We definately need someone...scoring is what is lacking right now. Our leading goal scorer is Ryder with 23..and he is hot and cold. I realize we cannot all be Jagr's (40 goals)  but we are in desperate need of goalscoring. If not for stand on your head type goaltending we would not be near a playoff position. We cannot continue playing 2-1 and 1-0 hockey games and as I said, aside from the 2 5 goal games against Philly., we have had little in the scoring dep't. When was the last time w ehad anyone in the top 20 in goalscoring..or points for that matter? Top 40? 50? Anyone? Right now we have many needs but the most glaring is someone who can be a legitimate sniper and put the puck in th enet on a regular basis. I think that Gainey hoped Kovalev would do that but he was also probably assuming Kovalev would break a sweat more than once a month. As for Koivu's ice time, he looks tired. The fact that he has gone from a plus 5 to a zero in +/- (he was on the ice again last night for the Atlanta Goal) and has taken some lazy penalties indicate that. Very Un-Saks like and I do not expect the grind in Italy to help him.

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I agree Barry...For the Habs, Italy will not help Koivu. However, I've played tired many times. The idea is to temporarily alter his training and be honest with the coaching staff. In the end, it's the results during the game that count and not whether you gave it your all in practice. He has to be smart and lose the pride.

Muller93 wrote:

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JohnM wrote:  Well I think Muller is saying that BG has been in the dressing room, on the ice, in the GM box and signed Koivu to a long term deal. This shows that he knows what he's getting and that is a solid leader. Good thing you aren't worried about being right or wrong.   Thanks JohnM. What I am saying is simple: Gainey was in the room etc and must have figured Koivu was a great leader, otherwise... no contract. I mean who better than Gainey to assess someone's leadership abilities huh? Gainey/Carbo??? Come on now. what, do you think Gainey wants to fail?? So we WERE right about Koivu and leadership...unless you think Gainey and Carbo are twits() As for people saying they hope Koivu "steps it up a notch". I can't figure out what that the heck that means. Koivu will never be a 80-100 point a season guy. When will people learn that it is not all about point production. Some great players in the history of the game were paid elite level salaries because of the many OTHER things they bring to the ice besides point production. look at Muller, he barely ever reached that kind of point production...and that was before the "trap" style of game. Muller was a grinder who also got points. Koivu is very similair really except smaller. Gainey locked up koivu because he can play in ALL game situations( PP, PK, Tough game, soft game, speed game, grinding game...you name it),  and is a great leader. It's hard to find that kind of versitility in any player these days.

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 The problem is he's exceeding in the SOFT GAME department too often!

AB Habman wrote:

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.  The problem is he's exceeding in the SOFT GAME department too often!

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Soft as in skilled game AB( soft hands; ya know the saying, or do you?)...But good attempt at sarcasm. It's all you have left I suppose.

plouf wrote:

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AB Habman wrote: Muller93 wrote: JohnM wrote:  Well I think Muller is saying that BG has been in the dressing room, on the ice, in the GM box and signed Koivu to a long term deal. This shows that he knows what he's getting and that is a solid leader. Good thing you aren't worried about being right or wrong.   Thanks JohnM. What I am saying is simple: Gainey was in the room etc and must have figured Koivu was a great leader, otherwise... no contract. I mean who better than Gainey to assess someone's leadership abilities huh? Gainey/Carbo??? Come on now. what, do you think Gainey wants to fail?? So we WERE right about Koivu and leadership...unless you think Gainey and Carbo are twits() As for people saying they hope Koivu "steps it up a notch". I can't figure out what that the heck that means. Koivu will never be a 80-100 point a season guy. When will people learn that it is not all about point production. Some great players in the history of the game were paid elite level salaries because of the many OTHER things they bring to the ice besides point production. look at Muller, he barely ever reached that kind of point production...and that was before the "trap" style of game. Muller was a grinder who also got points. Koivu is very similair really except smaller. Gainey locked up koivu because he can play in ALL game situations( PP, PK, Tough game, soft game, speed game, grinding game...you name it),  and is a great leader. It's hard to find that kind of versitility in any player these days.  The problem is he's exceeding in the SOFT GAME department too often! That's a laugh, coming from a guy who loves Ribeiro. (At his absolute best, Ribeiro is still a lesser player than Saku, because at his best Ribeiro produces about as much offense. But he provides none of the other stuff, and at his worst (such as most of this season so far, frankly), he is a total liability at both ends.)

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What I meant by step it up a notch is that in the past few weeks his play has been faltering. He is tired. If I had my way, he would be chained to his house in Montreal and not on a plane to Italy. But in th elast 2 weeks I have seen our best +/- man go from a plus 5 to a 0. This along with several uncharacteristic lazy penalties for the Smurf. As a coach, I see fatigue. I do not expect 100 points out of Saks. I would love to see 20 goals a season (which I think if he is rested he can and should do) and a solid plus player. That along with his leadership. I can tell you that iof you were to ask him, He would tell you he has not been happy with his play as late either.

 That's the problem boys, Saks is becoming soft like Ribs! Actually in the last several games Ribs looks stronger on the puck than Saks! So you best stay away from the comparisons until Saks can step it up a little!