What if we don't make the playoffs?

mperra (Admin) · Guru

What if we don't make the playoffs?

Key Lime · Guru

I don't remember 93 points not being enough to get, at the least, the last spot in the playoffs. I guess there were too many bad teams this year. 93 points, with this lineup, everyone would of said "We'll take it". It's horrible that it has to depend on the last game of the year

Nil d · Guru

mperra (Admin) wrote:

I hope this doesn't happen, but what if? I hate to think all the second guessing that would go on. Plus it's even worse when you consider the Canadiens control their own destiny.

Look at that goal post that Kovalev hit in the third. I believe it was still 2-1 Habs at the time, although I could be wrong on that; regardless, imagine if they lose out on a playoff spot by the width of a post?!

macneil · Guru

if we dont get in i blame bob , he screwed huet around when he was hot as a pistol and when he unloaded theo he didnt spend the money he saved to help the team , they are just 2 of the things he did wrong this year , he did more right than wrong but those 2 there were the worst mistakes he made .

AB Habman · Guru

macneil wrote:

if we dont get in i blame bob , he screwed huet around when he was hot as a pistol and when he unloaded theo he didnt spend the money he saved to help the team , they are just 2 of the things he did wrong this year , he did more right than wrong but those 2 there were the worst mistakes he made .

I agree macneil. The GM and coach always derserve blame when a team misses the playoffs. Look around the league this season at all the terminations that will happen because of this.

Mr. patient was just not pro-active enough. Simpson and Downey is like a slap in the face in comparison to what this team really needed.

Johab · Guru

You guys are speaking as if you think montreal had a legitimate chance at the cup this year! Had we went and blown our roofs like Vancouver did at the deadline, we could be in the same boat as them Spending money does NOT change a 8th place team into a stanely cup winner in the short time there is to mold the new players. Gainey did the right thing. Yes his goaltending choices are TERRIBLE, BUT the fact that he is not trigger happy on the bank account is why he is such a good GM. He will get us what we need this offseason and we will come back a stronger team next year. There was NOTHING worth picking up this year at the deadline for our team. This offseason however there is! And that is when we will need that money to out bid the other teams! PAtients guys!!!

AB Habman · Guru

Johab wrote:

You guys are speaking as if you think montreal had a legitimate chance at the cup this year! Had we went and blown our roofs like Vancouver did at the deadline, we could be in the same boat as them Spending money does NOT change a 8th place team into a stanely cup winner in the short time there is to mold the new players. Gainey did the right thing. Yes his goaltending choices are TERRIBLE, BUT the fact that he is not trigger happy on the bank account is why he is such a good GM. He will get us what we need this offseason and we will come back a stronger team next year. There was NOTHING worth picking up this year at the deadline for our team. This offseason however there is! And that is when we will need that money to out bid the other teams! PAtients guys!!!

No Johab...just hoping to make the playoffs like last season. If we don't, we are regressing.

macneil · Guru

boob picked up kovy at the deadline because he felt the team deserved a shot in the arm because of the way they faught that year to make the playoffs , something similar could have been done this year .

brooklynhabfan · Guru

Johab wrote:

There was NOTHING worth picking up this year at the deadline for our team. This offseason however there is! And that is when we will need that money to out bid the other teams! PAtients guys!!!

Great post, and sadly the facts that most get lost in the playoff haze...

barry33 · Guru

mperra (Admin) wrote:

I hope this doesn't happen, but what if? I hate to think all the second guessing that would go on. Plus it's even worse when you consider the Canadiens control their own destiny.

I cannot help but wonder what would be happening right now if my good friend CJ was still the coach in Montreal. Would the fans and media be calling for his head? Would he be fired Wednesday anyway if they did not make the playoffs?

Key Lime · Guru

With all due respect, the team was going nowhere fast with CJ at the time of his termination. You think he would of been able to turn it around like Carbo and Gainey did? There wouldn't be any talk of playoffs if CJ was there...and it's not because he's not a very good coach because he is. Bob & Carbo inherited a bunch of confused and heartless players. Gainey and Carbo used the intimidation factor to get the results. That tactic usually works on children and it did on these players.

JohnM · Guru

Like they said on team990 this morning, if the team can't get a point to get in they don't deserve to get in.

hockeyman · Senior Member

If they don't get in, they can spend the summer months thinking of all the games they never showed up to play. This is a good but very frustrating team to watch at times.

doodie · Veteran Member

I don't think it has anything to do with this game against Jersey....it's got everything to do with that HOLE they fell into mid season,when Julien was there (NOT BLAMING HIM) they lost to many games,as opposed to wins,i agree the habs have been playing awesome,but Gainey has takin them out of that hole,so you can;t blame him,if they had of won against buffalo,then people would be cheering,but the old saying "if you corner a RAT he will attack, well the HABS are in a corner for sure.....IT"S TIME TO ATTACK ,"GO HABS GO"

barry33 · Guru

Gainey and Carbo used the intimidation factor to get the results. That tactic usually works on children and it did on these players.-Key Lime

This quote speaks volumes as to the make up of this team and hopefully Gainey sees this and continues to make changes to seperate the men from the boys. I do not disagree that the coaching change had to be made Key Lime. Something had to be done. My point was more hypothetical and conjecture..wondering what the media mood would be like if CJ were still coach and we were on the verge of missing the playoffs.

The same thing is going to happen to Marc Crawford in Vancouver. He is one of the best and most technically sound coaches in the league. However a combination of losing his top 3 dmen and his starting goalie, the fact that his GM did NOTHING to address the goalie situation at the trade deadline, and having to deal with a headcase and locker room tumour like Bertuzzi will once again, cost a VERY good coach his job.

murphy · Veteran Member

doodie wrote:

I don't think it has anything to do with this game against Jersey....it's got everything to do with that HOLE they fell into mid season,when Julien was there (NOT BLAMING HIM) they lost to many games,as opposed to wins,i agree the habs have been playing awesome,but Gainey has takin them out of that hole,so you can;t blame him,if they had of won against buffalo,then people would be cheering,but the old saying "if you corner a RAT he will attack, well the HABS are in a corner for sure.....IT"S TIME TO ATTACK ,"GO HABS GO"

I agree with you doodie and I too do not blame Julien. The Habs lost too many games with Theo in the nets. The games you lose during the season can come back to haunt you when the points are needed. Winning the games that were lost against the Washingtons and Pittsburghs would have easily put them into the playoffs. All games should be treated as a "must win" not just those played when everyone is scrambling for points. Lets cheer our team on and hope they get into the playoffs. If not, lets remember that they are still the Habs, a team second to none. Gainey has made big strides with this team this year. He is not perfect, and neither are any of the posters to this board, and I am sure he would be the first to admit he has made some mistakes but I feel he will take the necessary action in the off season to make this team stronger and we won't have to worry about a playoff spot next year.

Ando · Guru

The way that some of the leaders on this team have played lately...I'm beginning to wonder if this is a real possibility!

...And-o would hate to see the Habs make the playoffs by 'backing in' versus winning their way in!!!

Nil d · Guru

Ando wrote:

The way that some of the leaders on this team have played lately...I'm beginning to wonder if this is a real possibility! ...And-o would hate to see the Habs make the playoffs by 'backing in' versus winning their way in!!!

By "leaders" you obviously mean Saku Koivu. The Habs have won 10 of their last 13 games - they're not backing into anything.

And Saku has been thier top scorer during that span.

So lay off already!

Key Lime · Guru

Would like to see Crawford behind a Habs bench...Come to think of it, now that Burns is recovering, any chance we'll see him come back? Not! I don't think he wants his health to deteriorate.

Jonny G · Senior Member

Lime, what did Crawford do for Vancouver this year? Arguably, that team is stronger both offensively and defensively than the Habs (except goaltending). BG and Carbo have brought the Habs back from the near-bottom of the East and have put them in a position where they control their own destiny.

Even if the Habs flub this one, there's a lot of promise going forward.

barry33 · Guru

Jonny G wrote:

Lime, what did Crawford do for Vancouver this year? Arguably, that team is stronger both offensively and defensively than the Habs (except goaltending). BG and Carbo have brought the Habs back from the near-bottom of the East and have put them in a position where they control their own destiny. Even if the Habs flub this one, there's a lot of promise going forward.

Totally disagree with you Johnny. Take Huet and his stand on his head play out of the equation and where would the habs be? Would there be a turnaround if the Habs were still relying on Theodore? The Canucks lost their starting goalie and their top 3 dmen down the stretch. Take Huet out, along with Markov, Rivet, and Souray...where would the habs be right now? That was exactly the situation that Crawford was faced with in Vancouver the last few months. Put Gainey and Carbo behind the bench there Johnny and see how they finish.

AB Habman · Guru

To add to this before Gainey gets praised for missing the playoffs too much...remember CJ was on the verge of winning games with Huet when Gainey took over and re-tryed playing Theo again and it cost us more points. Those points with the Theo project may be the determining factor.