Saku11 wrote:

---

i think our team since the 2003 season has had major improvements...... See it for yourself.. THEN: NOW:Koivu.......... KoivuRyder......... RyderRibeiro......... RibeiroZednik......... KovalevBulis.......... SamsonovDagenais......... JohnsonPerreault.......... BonkAudette.......... HigginsJuneau......... PerezhoginDackell......... PlekanecWard......... BeginSundstrom......... MurrayKilger........... DowneySouray........ SourayMarkov......... MarkovRivet.......... RivetBouillon........ BouillonBrisebois....... KomisarekQuintal.......... DandenaultDykhuis........ StreitTraverse........... CoteTheodore........... HuetGaron.............. AbeischerThe team now is much improved. Bob knows what he is doing. The Habs are a playoff team, and as the Oilers demonstrated in the playoffs, it doesn't matter where you are seeded because anything can happen. Higgins - Koivu - RyderSamsonov - Ribiero - KovalevJohnson - Plekanec - Perezhogin Murray/Chipchura - Bonk - BeginEx: Mark Streit, Aaron Downey-- Edited by Saku11 at 19:34, 2006-07-13

---

Can you also point out what kind of team Edmonton is next year? A non-playoff team if you ask me. Edmonton rode a wave of momentum throughout the playoffs. Dont get me wrong, I would have LOVED to see Edmonton win the cup. BUT They wont repeat. I would MUCH rather have a GOOD Montreal team than a lucky montreal team. Build an Ottawa or a Detroit and i will be happy. Continue to have montreal hover between 8th and 6th and i wont be too excited come playoff time. ( then again an upset is much more rewarding to watch than watching your team beat teams they are expected to )

Thats only because Edmonton FAILED to keep their core players. Most of the core players and the players that made the difference, LEFT, so if we can keep this team together, which has been for the most part, i think we can definately do damage!

Yeah, when I read that post over on hockeytraderumours.com, I thought the same... almost all excellent upgrades. If Bonk can play like he did in the last 3rd, he will be better than Perrault, but Quintal and Dykhuis were better than Streit and Dandy. That is the only area we haven't significantly upgraded, which is a bit surprising, but we will definitely see a change at some point with Souray leaving... I am hoping we can package him to bring in a top-two guy.

Habtastic

i Would hope eric Brewer or Vishnovski for Souray

sarge wrote:

---

I like the post Nil.  When Perreault lined up for a faceoff, you knew he would win it.  Starting with the puck is a really nice place to be.

---

Sure he wins 65% of his draws, only problem is he cannot take draws in the defensive zone.  If it happens to be one of the 35% he loses the guy is useless.

Habtastic wrote:

---

Yeah, when I read that post over on hockeytraderumours.com, I thought the same... almost all excellent upgrades. If Bonk can play like he did in the last 3rd, he will be better than Perrault, but Quintal and Dykhuis were better than Streit and Dandy. That is the only area we haven't significantly upgraded, which is a bit surprising, but we will definitely see a change at some point with Souray leaving... I am hoping we can package him to bring in a top-two guy. Habtastic

---

We are still 3 main keys away from contending for a cup. This may come from development within the system but will have to wait a couple years.

1. Center- no size and scoring or depth. Koivu's health is still questionable leaving the habs with Ribiero, Plekanecs, and Begin.  Physically we are dominated at that position everytime we play a team that has a big strong guy up the middle. And every team in the league knows it.


2. Power Forward- the closest we had was Zednick who was not the same in that role since Mclaren rang his bell. Chip or Latendresse could be the answer in that position eventually. Johnson, Zeds replacement, is not a power forward nor is Samsonov.


3. Puck Moving Dman- I think Gainey is praying that Streit develops into one, or that he gets one on a trade for Souray. Souray may go to a team that has too many puck movers and not enough big/physical dmen in a straight up trade.