Everyone seems to forget
G
head or gaineys head, when the real problem with this team is the
players (which in turn i guess is gaineys fault). Does anyone remember
what the media was saying about this team before the season started ?
likely to finish bottom 3 in the east was the general consensous...
well they certainly look like a team that will accomplish that now.
This team does not have a single top line forward, koivu has the heart
of a lion but is much better served being a number 2 pivot, kovalev is
either red hot or ice cold and does not belong on a top line. Higgins
is a good play with upside but i dont see him taking the next step
towards elite status, whenever he gets the puck and trips to dipsy
doodle around players i cringe as i know he's goin to lose the puck.
Until the habs either draft some real top line talent or make a
blockbuster trade for some superstar (probly never gonna happen) they
will be bottom feeders as its pretty obvious that no one wants to sign
with montreal and they have to grossly overpay to get anyone decent to
agree. I really fear this team is headed towards another rebuild as
the last one has obviously failed.
sma...@ers.ca
The lack of star players is an issue but the way youngster are being
groomed, we won't have any home brewed stars anytime soon, regardless
of the actual talent available.
There is a reason why Buffalo and Detroit managed to buildup to
powerhouses from within. Remember that a lot of their key players were
not all that hyped up when first drafted. The recipe is fairly easy:
-Admit that your chances of having a good season with a shot at long
playoff run are slim.
-Get rid of the dead wood, even the one that is still capable of
giving you good hockey.
-Have the young players play the key roles.
I'll take the example Latendresse, but you could do the same pretty
much anyone. Have him play regularly on the first 2 lines. He'll be
out of place on more then one occasion but keep him there regarless.
What kind of player do you think he'll be in 2 years from now ?
With the current recipe, he'll get a shot to replace a struggling
winger every now and them with the pressure of having to perform every
night else he is sent back to a checking role. Of course he won't
perform like a veteran and end up back in a checking role. What kind
of player will he be 2 or 3 years from now with that regiment ?
Just prior to the lockout, I saw Buffalo at the Bell center. They were
awfull. I'm not sure they would have perform well in the AHL. The same
players that couldn't organize a proper zone exit or a credible
offensive press were giving everyone a hard time after the lockout.
Stefan Mazur
Mike
> The lack of star players is an issue but the way youngster are being
> groomed, we won't have any home brewed stars anytime soon, regardless
> of the actual talent available.
are not being used correctly then who else can you blame?
>
> There is a reason why Buffalo and Detroit managed to buildup to
> powerhouses from within. Remember that a lot of their key players were
> not all that hyped up when first drafted. The recipe is fairly easy:
>
> -Admit that your chances of having a good season with a shot at long
> playoff run are slim.
> -Get rid of the dead wood, even the one that is still capable of
> giving you good hockey.
> -Have the young players play the key roles.
Again, points back to poor leadership. Sounds like a plan, but I don't
see that happening not again this soon.
>
> I'll take the example Latendresse, but you could do the same pretty
> much anyone. Have him play regularly on the first 2 lines. He'll be
> out of place on more then one occasion but keep him there regarless.
> What kind of player do you think he'll be in 2 years from now ?
Same old lead footed stiff who can't shoot, pass or do anything else
that will help his team every night.
>
> With the current recipe, he'll get a shot to replace a struggling
> winger every now and them with the pressure of having to perform every
> night else he is sent back to a checking role. Of course he won't
> perform like a veteran and end up back in a checking role. What kind
> of player will he be 2 or 3 years from now with that regiment ?
Same old lead footed stiff who can't shoot, pass or do anything else
that will help his team every night.
Gerry
> The lack of star players is an issue but the way youngster are being
> groomed, we won't have any home brewed stars anytime soon, regardless
> of the actual talent available.
I don't really see how you can say that. The Habs have really pushed
forward their youngsters over the past few seasons. There'll be no
lack of proper grooming that keeps guys like Higgins, Plekanec,
Komisarek, Latendresse, Kostitsyn, Chipchura, Price, or others from
being stars. That they're in good shape to make it as solid core
players at all is still a tribute to good drafting and development.
Not a lot of teams have even that much luck/success.
And there are plenty more of their ilk on the way, IMHO.
Also basically nobody who can be pointed to as a real candidate for
"stardom", however. Which means that it should not be counted as any
failing of the organization if/when none of them actually do fill that
star void either.
Briere and Drury weren't homegrown by Buffalo. Vanek was drafted in
star territory. (As was Price for us). But as for the rest of the
makeups for either team, I don't feel like we're at all shortchanged
by stacking up our Plekanecs, Higginses, Kostitsyns, and Chipchuras
against their Roys, Pominvilles, Afinogenovs, or Gaustads. Etc.
Our team is a couple years behind in terms of Carbo driving a system
through their skulls, vs. what Ruff was ultimately able to do in
Buffalo. And we perhaps haven't hit the jackpot yet with our hunt to
airlift in some additional star talent. But I'd say the Buffalo and
Detroit models are something that the Habs seem to be on a good path
towards replicating reasonably well, all things considered.
Latendresse is only 20. A lot of those guys for Buffalo and Detroit
were nowhere near the NHL at 20, btw. He's getting force-fed an NHL
diet as it is, no especial need to make that a top-2 line diet, at
least not as a general policy. As a specific instance of
dissatisfaction with Dandenault on Koivu's line instead of him, well,
okay, I'll buy that as a valid complaint. But I don't see that as an
organization policy towards the development of their youth, but rather
as some kind of temporary head-scratcher/dice roll by a frustrated
coach. For Detroit or Buffalo, Latendresse would be in the AHL, not
on the 1st line.
l8r,
Gerry