Koivu is terrible

larry · Member

Koivu is terrible

AB Habman · Guru

larry wrote:

I have read numerous post on this site about Koivu being terrible, over-rated,definitely not worth the money .... and some even more derogatory than these. It is really strange how, in life, ignorance has a habit of coming back and biting one in the butt.

You're totally generalizing. No one is getting bit in the butt for critisizing Sak's inconsistent play this season. Also no one called him terrible. He played a few terrible games but he's not a terrible player.

No one here will change their minds on the comments made throughout the season because who ever posted them, felt justification for them.

Not sure if you're using this thread to make some noise or because Saks actually went to the net and scored a nice goal tonight. Whatever the case, Saks is finally contributing the way he should be and Higgins helping out in a big way.

Lets hope Saks stronger effort doesn't burn him out for the playoffs. We need him to be at his very best.

Jonny G · Senior Member

AB Habman wrote:

Saks is finally contributing the way he should be and Higgins helping out in a big way.

Way to turn it into a positive! Saks played a great game -- in fact, that whole line was en feu! All of the lines played well last night.

-- Edited by Jonny G at 08:48, 2006-04-05

barry33 · Guru

Jonny G wrote:

AB Habman wrote: Saks is finally contributing the way he should be and Higgins helping out in a big way. Way to turn it into a positive! Saks played a great game -- in fact, that whole line was en feu! All of the lines played well last night. -- Edited by Jonny G at 08:48, 2006-04-05

I dont believe anyone here said he was terrible...but we all knew (and Koivu himself knows) he can do better. And like the veteran and pro he is, he has elevated his game. We can anylize his game to death.. and we have.. Points per game avergae versus last year, etc etc etc...but in reality he had a very up and down season this year. As a habs fan, I am happy that he is up now that we need him the most. Keep it up Saks!

beakermania · Senior Member

AB Habman wrote:

Lets hope Saks stronger effort doesn't burn him out for the playoffs. We need him to be at his very best.

I do not remember a single bad playoff series that Saku has had since joining the Habs. He always comes to play in the big games. Further evidence of this is his play in the olympics (all 3 of them), and World Cup. He'll be huge for us, I'm sure of that. Saku would skate through a brick wall if he had to, to win the cup for Montreal.

Power · Veteran Member

I still say that he is over paid, but at least now he is showing that he is right man for that "C" he is doing everything that you can expect from man who wears "C" on his jersey. Now can our possible future "C" man watch and learn what to do and not to do when you are "C" man at Habs jersey

JohnM · Guru

Sak is the man. True Habs fans know that. The weak part of the team is at 2nd line center...

Key Lime · Guru

JohnM wrote:

Sak is the man. True Habs fans know that. The weak part of the team is at 2nd line center...

We have several weaknesses besides a 2nd line center but they are finding a way to win.

Take a close look at this team....now think how many points they'll end up with in the standings...95 maybe? Hmmm...not too bad. Actually a successful season in general. They are fighting with New Jersey (always in the thick of things) and Tampa (Stanley Cup Champs). The fight is surely not over, we face some really tough teams until the end of the season. Imagine if we had a real goaltender from the start of the season? So, my point is someone is doing something right...the coaches (who get crapped on all the time), the captain (who got crapped on for so long), and the team, as a whole (who got crapped on all season). I think it's all of the above. They all found a way to turn this season into a successful one.

The criticizing shouldn't stop, as long as, it's CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM. We are the true Hab fan. We take time to share our thoughts everyday on this sight. A lot of it can be criticism but in the end, we all want what is best for this team. Some people are blunt, some are neutral, some are wishy washy, and some are sarcastic. I've learned to accept all but I won't accept down right crapping on a Hab player or coach. If you critisize, you must do it constructively. If not, this board will be filled with posts that besome bitching seasons. Things have gotten better lately, maybe it's due to the 7 game win streak or maybe we all just realized that it's a LONG SEASON and anything can happen.

AB Habman · Guru

beakermania wrote:

AB Habman wrote: Lets hope Saks stronger effort doesn't burn him out for the playoffs. We need him to be at his very best. I do not remember a single bad playoff series that Saku has had since joining the Habs. He always comes to play in the big games. Further evidence of this is his play in the olympics (all 3 of them), and World Cup. He'll be huge for us, I'm sure of that. Saku would skate through a brick wall if he had to, to win the cup for Montreal.

I was thinking about this and you're probably right except the Tampa series when the whole team played poorly led by our core. Saks and Kovy were not effective at all and were not good defensively either. Tampa were scoring at will because Theo was also not up to par.

Can't totally lay the blame on your Captain but to answer your post, that's the series that I disagree with you on.

Figaro · Guru

I find it funny that those who make the comments about a player do not come back and say something like "That's what I was looking for! Kudos to Koivu, glad he found his scoring game." When he misses a step, the sharks are out. When he does what is expected, those sharks don't provide analysis of any kind.

sarge · Member

Figaro is right.

Koivu has played well lately.

Up to expectations.

But, a three million dollar raise?

24 Rings · Guru

The raise signifies the commitment of the team to preserve it's captain and best player from the last 10 years. Do you remember the revolving door of captains that wenty around before Koivs arrived? Koivs means more to this club than just point production and the organization rewarded him for it. The contract is a little on the high side, but I have no problem with the club spending money on a guy who is commited to the team and has proved it.

sarge · Member

24 rings

Would either one of us have a hard time being commited to playing for the habs? Is there no one else who is a leader on this team?
He has been stable as captain.
I am very cool with rewarding a player who performs, but, when you double his salary those expectations just shoot to the moon.

What other magic does he bring?

24 Rings · Guru

Saku Koivu
1999 -

Vincent Damphousse
1996 - Mar. 1999

Pierre Turgeon
1995 - Oct. 1996

Mike Keane
1995 (Apr. - Dec.)

Kirk Muller
1994 - 1995

Guy Carbonneau
1990 - 1994

Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios (co-captains)
1989 - 1990

Muller, Turgeon, Damphouse...doesn't conjure up images of the bleu, blanc et rouge does it? Even Keaner was only captain for less than a season.

How many of those guys chose to end their careers in Montreal? Answer = NONE Don't know about Saku yet, but I wouldn't bet against it.

This argument will never go anywhere, you obviously don't agree with the contract and I don't mind it.

sarge · Member

Agreed.

Shake?

24 Rings · Guru

JohnM · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

I was thinking about this and you're probably right except the Tampa series when the whole team played poorly led by our core. Saks and Kovy were not effective at all and were not good defensively either. Tampa were scoring at will because Theo was also not up to par. Can't totally lay the blame on your Captain but to answer your post, that's the series that I disagree with you on.

Cracked ribs ringing any bells. Oh yeah your memory isn't too good....

Jonny G · Senior Member

JohnM wrote:

Cracked ribs ringing any bells.

Also, he dominated Thornton in the series vs. Boston, and Thornton had a similar injury.

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

AB Habman wrote: I was thinking about this and you're probably right except the Tampa series when the whole team played poorly led by our core. Saks and Kovy were not effective at all and were not good defensively either. Tampa were scoring at will because Theo was also not up to par. Can't totally lay the blame on your Captain but to answer your post, that's the series that I disagree with you on. Cracked ribs ringing any bells. Oh yeah your memory isn't too good....

Hey, I was merely answering a post. He played well against Boston with an injury and then not so well against Tampa.

Jonny G · Senior Member

AB Habman wrote:

He played well against Boston with an injury and then not so well against Tampa.

The whole team stank against Tampa. Out hustled from start to finish (I don't mean to get in the middle of this one).

24 Rings · Guru

Hey, at least they got mopped by the eventual Champions!! The Habs were absolute garbage in that series. I feel they may have worn themselves out by the superb 3-1 comeback over Boston. They looked so bad against T-bag. They had no business even getting on the ice with the Lightning, who were all business.

AB Habman · Guru

24 Rings wrote:

Hey, at least they got mopped by the eventual Champions!! The Habs were absolute garbage in that series. I feel they may have worn themselves out by the superb 3-1 comeback over Boston. They looked so bad against T-bag. They had no business even getting on the ice with the Lightning, who were all business.

Exactly, whatever the reason, I was answering a post that Breaker stated he never remembered Saks playing a bad series. The whole team played poorly including our Captain.

JohnM · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

Exactly, whatever the reason, I was answering a post that Breaker stated he never remembered Saks playing a bad series. The whole team played poorly including our Captain.

Did the team play that bad or were TB that good? Were the Habs to tired to compete with a fresh Tampa team? TB limited Montreal to 5 goals the whole series.

After the BOS series the Habs had no wind left in their tanks. Can't say the whole team played bad, they lost to a better team, plain and simple.

I guess another factor was that we had no 2nd line to give us some scoring punch. The first line pretty much carried the team through the first round. Difference is TB has more than one line who can put the puck in the net. What worries me is that the Canadiens have not improved their second line center, he's the same guy who choked 2 years ago and hasn't shown any improvements since then. If this team only has one line in the playoffs again, expect another first or second round exit.