On Topic post here... Now what happens ?
OttawaGuy
swep ?
Who is, if anybody, untouchable ?
--
Save The Tiger... Because extinction is forever !!!
Ian Merrithew
news:P3mha.40471$KlE....@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
> With Les Boys not making the playoffs this year .. How far does the broom
> sweep ?
Savard probably has another year. Not his fault that Theodore stunk for the
first 1/3 of the season and that Therrien kept playing him to try and
untrack him. Not his fault that virtually everyone outside of Koivu,
Zednik, and Bulis went into extended offensive droughts (actually, Koivu &
Zed did too, didn't they?). With Zednik & Bulis still being his prime
pickups, and the callups of Komisarek and Ward looking good, the good and
the bad may cancel out except for ...
Julien. Now, here I think a case can be made for not bringing him back.
Label him an interim coach to take the sting out of releasing him, but I
think he's been thoroughly unimpressive in his stint behind the bench, since
the initial post-change spurt wore off. Still piss-poor defense, still
punchless offense, still uninspired, even lethargic, overall play. I think
Savard would be a fool not to take a hard look at whatever coaching
candidates are available over the offseason to see if he can upgrade the
coaching staff. Missing Bob Hartley by mere days and winding up with Julien
is a black-mark on Savard, as the coaching staff is one area that is 100%
the GM's responsibility, no buck-passing allowed.
I've got to go over the rosters yet to formulate opinions on forwards &
defence. Obviously Theodore/Garon are back in nets next season.
--
Ian Merrithew - ADM Systems Engineering
ian.merrithew "at" ieee.org
Agaguk
Theodore Garon
Hainsey, Komisarek,Quintal, Bouillon, Markov
Zednik, Riberio, Ward, Koivu(maybe), Hossa, Dwyer,
Bulis(maybe)
I am tempted in keeping Kilger because I feel that his role as not been well
defined by the coaches. I would tell, you're job is to go in the corners and
hit and get the puck or stand in front of the net and be a pain in the ass.
He has the size. I would also tell, you try to be fancy , you'll wasthc the
games from the stands period.
We need to get bigger and stronger fast.
DaveHX
that he'll definately be back
"Ian Merrithew" <optim...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:ZOsha.10601$Jf.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
DaveHX
"Agaguk" <aga...@igloo.net> wrote in message
news:v8d1bnc...@corp.supernews.com...
Bruce Johnstone
>"OttawaGuy" <luvstig...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
>news:P3mha.40471$KlE....@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
>> With Les Boys not making the playoffs this year .. How far does the broom
>> sweep ?
>Savard probably has another year. Not his fault that Theodore stunk for the
>first 1/3 of the season and that Therrien kept playing him to try and
>untrack him. Not his fault that virtually everyone outside of Koivu,
>Zednik, and Bulis went into extended offensive droughts (actually, Koivu &
>Zed did too, didn't they?). With Zednik & Bulis still being his prime
>pickups, and the callups of Komisarek and Ward looking good, the good and
>the bad may cancel out except for ...
And here I was thinking Markov had a pretty good season. ;)
>
>Julien. Now, here I think a case can be made for not bringing him back.
>Label him an interim coach to take the sting out of releasing him, but I
>think he's been thoroughly unimpressive in his stint behind the bench, since
>the initial post-change spurt wore off. Still piss-poor defense, still
>punchless offense, still uninspired, even lethargic, overall play. I think
>Savard would be a fool not to take a hard look at whatever coaching
>candidates are available over the offseason to see if he can upgrade the
>coaching staff. Missing Bob Hartley by mere days and winding up with Julien
>is a black-mark on Savard, as the coaching staff is one area that is 100%
>the GM's responsibility, no buck-passing allowed.
Know what, I thought Therrien was going to be replaced. I thought
that would happen after the season was over. I also thought that
Savard should hire a coach that would play the young players, and
it would be a good idea to hire a coach who had actually seen
our young players play.
I'm willing to give Julien a couple of years. Near as I can
figure we'll be one of the youngerst teams in the league after
next season.
Theo and Garon in nets.
Markov,Rivet,Hainsey and Komisarek on D.
Koivu,Ribeiro,Higgins,Kilger at C.
Wings include Zednik,Bulis,Hossa,Ward,Perezhogin,Sundstrom,Ryder.
Maybe Plekanec who can play wing.
Do the math we'll be young, talented and and the payroll will
mean we can add a elite player.
>
>I've got to go over the rosters yet to formulate opinions on forwards &
>defence. Obviously Theodore/Garon are back in nets next season.
I'm thinking what type of team we might ice in 3 or so years. I'm
thinking it might be pretty good. :)
>--
>Ian Merrithew - ADM Systems Engineering
>ian.merrithew "at" ieee.org
>
>
>.
>.
Mike McLaren
defensive technique to our young defensemen. Julien should have a grand
scheme where the defense is an integral part, but I think they need a
dedicated coach just for the defensemen.
In other words, bye bye Rick Green. Thanks for your work on Markov, but
that seems to be all you've been able to accomplish. I don't quite
understand why Green's excellent stay-at-home-defensiveness as a player
hasn't translated well to the coaching field, but it hasn't. If only there
were some way to wrestle away someone like Jacques Laperriere...
Even if Julien stays he MUST get better assistant coaches than what we've
got now. There's no way we should suck so much at the special teams either.
Guy Carbonneau had less to work with last year and the PK was a million
times better than it was this season. Ugh!
I think you keep Rollie Melanson and turf the rest of the assistants at this
point.
"Bruce Johnstone" <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in message > Know what,
Ian Merrithew
> And here I was thinking Markov had a pretty good season. ;)
Savard recalled him this year. He was drafted pre-Savard, too, so I don't
see anything there to give Savard credit for.
> I'm willing to give Julien a couple of years.
I'm not. Tremblay, Vigneault, Therrien, and now perhaps Julien -- I'm sick
and tired of underqualifed coaches with unimpressive credentials and an
inability to impose any kind of functioning system on this team. Let's take
the best example in the league of an unheralded roster with a kickass coach
and see what the results can be:
Brad Bombardir, Andrew Brunette, Wes Walz, Jim Dowd, Richard Park, Andrei
Zyuzin, Matt Johnson, Brad Brown, Sergei Zholtok (!), Dwayne Roloson. 10
regulars of the Minnesota Wild. Not exactly an impressive bunch of names --
yet they're 13 games over .500, over 90 points, and headed to the
postseason, with arguably the best coach in the league behind their bench in
Jacques Lemaire. If Montreal is unwilling to seek out the best, the
*absolute best* coach they can possibly put behind their bench, then I fear
we'll continue to spin our wheels in 8th/9th/10th place in the conference
and (continue to) watch teams like Minnesota, Anaheim, and Tampa Bay pass us
by. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see Florida pass us in another couple
years as their young core matures.
Claude Julien has given me no reason to compare him to Lemaire as opposed to
his predecessors in his time behind Montreal's bench this season. I won't
go so far as to advocate his firing, but I'm by no means opposed to his
being replaced over the offseason. If a better candidate is or becomes
available, Savard should jump on him.
> Koivu,Ribeiro,Higgins,Kilger at C.
> Wings include Zednik,Bulis,Hossa,Ward,Perezhogin,Sundstrom,Ryder.
> Maybe Plekanec who can play wing.
As much as that lineup would auger well for the long-term health of the
franchise, I'm not convinced that TPTB are willing to endure the pain of
another missed playoff. And I do believe that with so much youth, you'd
miss the playoffs with that roster, barring above-mentioned kickass coach.
> I'm thinking what type of team we might ice in 3 or so years. I'm
> thinking it might be pretty good. :)
Dear God, how many times have we been saying this mantra to ourselves over
the last 5 years? I don't think I can say it any more, until management
really shows it's committed to it. No more washed-up veteran signings, no
more playing hopeless vets over burgeoning prospects, no more questionable
coaches, no more aimless, lethargic play on the ice, and then I'll let some
optimism in. IOW -- I'm gonna be a cranky SOB over the summer months here
;).
Bruce Johnstone
So you want a kick ass coach, seems to me that that is a waste
if you don't have the horses to kick?
Julien has played Garon,Ward and Komisarek, I bet that wouldn't
have been the case with the other coach's you mentioned. I've
thought all of those young players have done well.
I don't see a problem, we're getting younger and better and
it seems some people think we need to make major changes.
Why ????
>
>
>.
>.
GoHabsGo
news:P3mha.40471$KlE....@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com:
> Whith Les Boys not making the playoffs this year .. How far does the
> broom swep ?
>
> Who is, if anybody, untouchable ?
Koivu, Zednik, Bulis, Markov, Komisarek, Hainsey, Kilger (I still think
he's got it in him), Hossa, Ward, Ribeiro, Theodore, Garon. That's my list
of keepers.
Must Go:
Breezer, Traverse, Dykhuis, Czerkawski, Sundstrom, Juneau, Quintal, Rivet,
Dackell, Perreault.
Must get a shot:
Higgins, Balej, Milroy, Perezhogin(sp?)
GoHabsGo
> Do the math we'll be young, talented and and the payroll will
> mean we can add a elite player.
Please - no more 'saviours'. I think we've seen this strategy backfire
severely - Audette, Gilmour (was OK last season), McKay, Czerkawski, Juneau,
Perrault, not to mention, Brisebois.
Keep these so called elite players away, give the youngsters a chance to
bloom.
Charles Barber
the roster around play-off time, to cover injuries to 3rd and 4th line
players or a 6th+ defensemen. But once the season is over most teams then
ditch them, unlike Montreal that has decided to build a whole team out of
them.
"GoHabsGo" <gohabsg...@hotPOP.com> wrote in message
news:Xns934F7C5257A94go...@130.133.1.4...
Bruce Johnstone
Agreed, but I was thinking of a elite players. Naslund,Bertuzzi,
Federov come to mind. Players that can put you at another level. :)
>.
>.
Bruce Johnstone
>The team is made up of "filler" players, the type you bring in to fill out
>the roster around play-off time, to cover injuries to 3rd and 4th line
>players or a 6th+ defensemen. But once the season is over most teams then
>ditch them, unlike Montreal that has decided to build a whole team out of
>them.
And here I thought that all those fillers were to buy time for
us to draft and develope players. ;)
>
>"GoHabsGo" <gohabsg...@hotPOP.com> wrote in message
>news:Xns934F7C5257A94go...@130.133.1.4...
>> Bruce Johnstone <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in
>> news:30MAR03.10...@VM1.MCGILL.CA:
>>
>> > Do the math we'll be young, talented and and the payroll will
>> > mean we can add a elite player.
>>
>> Please - no more 'saviours'. I think we've seen this strategy backfire
>> severely - Audette, Gilmour (was OK last season), McKay, Czerkawski,
>Juneau,
>> Perrault, not to mention, Brisebois.
>>
>> Keep these so called elite players away, give the youngsters a chance to
>> bloom.
>
>
>.
>.
Marty
Gimme some of that Kool-Aid your drinkin' dude, because it obviously makes
you dream in Technicolor! :)
There won't be an elite free agent come within a million miles of Montreal
after this boondoggle of a season. Any Habs free agents will be like the
ones they signed the last two years. I'm speaking of the old player at the
end of the line who might have more left in the tank than others think.
They tried Gilmour, which worked, and McKay, which didn't. Juneau lies in
between..worked for a year, was one of many ineffective players this
season, and will be a major drain next season if he doesn't retire. The
reason these players signed in Montreal is because they didn't have many
places to go. They also tried to get Brett Hull in a similar situation
until Detroit swooped and scooped him up.
Until Montreal's improves on the ice, their free agent pickups will be hit-
and-miss gambles like these. The high end guys with plenty of options
aren't interested in playing in Montreal's poisonous atmosphere that
invariably surrounds the team when they fail to meet fans expectations. Who
wants to play for a non-playoff team where the fans boo everything?
Marty
Ian Merrithew
> So you want a kick ass coach, seems to me that that is a waste
> if you don't have the horses to kick?
took over (17-13-5-1). I already mentioned the job Lemaire's done.
What "horses" do these guys have? Heatley, Kovalchuk, and Gaborik
between them. The rest are young guys, role players, journeymen, etc
whom their coaches have gotten 100% from. Meanwhile Montreal's limped
along under Julien, with on-ice performances every bit as putrid as
under Therrien.
> Julien has played Garon,Ward and Komisarek, I bet that wouldn't
> have been the case with the other coach's you mentioned. I've
> thought all of those young players have done well.
They have. Too bad so many of the other players have given such weak
efforts, and the team has nothing resembling functional offensive or
defensive strategies.
> I don't see a problem, we're getting younger and better and
> it seems some people think we need to make major changes.
> Why ????
We won't get maximum success without the very best coaching staff we
can possibly get. Julien might've been sufficient for the stop-gap,
but I don't think he's the man to lead this team back to playoff-spot
contention.
I think I've convinced myself in this thread: I don't want the
coaching staff in its current configuration back next season.
Something's got to be done, whether it's the head coach, one or more
assistants, or the whole lot of them. They have utterly failed to get
this team to play up to its potential all season long, and even much
of last season we saw the same type of play. Savard has got to
address this deficiency in the offseason, or I fear we'll see the same
uninspired play again next season. I don't know how many more seasons
of sleepwalking play I can stomach.
Earl
> Julien. Now, here I think a case can be made for not bringing him back.
> Label him an interim coach to take the sting out of releasing him, but I
> think he's been thoroughly unimpressive in his stint behind the bench,
since
> the initial post-change spurt wore off.
I doubt this avenue will be taken. With the expenditure of the draft pick
and the signing of Julien to a two year deal, such a quick admission by
Savard that he made a mistake will only shorten his own career. It's
entirely possible that Julien will be here longer then Savard..
> Missing Bob Hartley by mere days and winding up with Julien
> is a black-mark on Savard, as the coaching staff is one area that is 100%
> the GM's responsibility, no buck-passing allowed.
>
Savard is in the quagmire that may end his managerial career. The situation
he's placed himself in is almost painful to watch - low performing, highly
paid signings that are not practically erasable, a public committment to
transition over rebuilding, a possible bomb on his first coaching selection,
and no excuse book to sing from. Not pretty.
If I had to call it, I'd predict Savards off season script will continue in
a tone that claims we witnessed an off year of a veteran club, and with a
total committment to a plan that he'll describe as being right on schedule.
In any case, it will be interesting to see if Savard can wriggle his way out
of this jam. My greatest fear is that he embarks on a series of hokus pokus
moves that do nothing but rearrange deck chairs. Doing something silly
like a risk defying trade of a youngster to move up marginally in draft
position seems like a thing a desperate man might try.
PS. - I can't seem to find Marty's season point prediction challenge, were
there not prizes involved? :)
Bruce Johnstone
>Bruce Johnstone <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in
>news:01APR03.02...@VM1.MCGILL.CA:
>
>> In article <Xns934F7C5257A94go...@130.133.1.4> GoHabsGo
>> <gohabsg...@hotPOP.com> writes:
>>>Bruce Johnstone <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in
>>>news:30MAR03.10...@VM1.MCGILL.CA:
>>>
>>>> Do the math we'll be young, talented and and the payroll will
>>>> mean we can add a elite player.
>>>
>>>Please - no more 'saviours'. I think we've seen this strategy
>>>backfire severely - Audette, Gilmour (was OK last season), McKay,
>>>Czerkawski, Juneau, Perrault, not to mention, Brisebois.
>>>
>>>Keep these so called elite players away, give the youngsters a chance
>>>to bloom.
>>
>> Agreed, but I was thinking of a elite players. Naslund,Bertuzzi,
>> Federov come to mind. Players that can put you at another level. :)
>>
>>>.
>>>.
>>
>
>Gimme some of that Kool-Aid your drinkin' dude, because it obviously makes
>you dream in Technicolor! :)
I don't drink Kool-Aid, it ruins your teeth !!! :)
>
>There won't be an elite free agent come within a million miles of Montreal
>after this boondoggle of a season. Any Habs free agents will be like the
>ones they signed the last two years. I'm speaking of the old player at the
>end of the line who might have more left in the tank than others think.
>They tried Gilmour, which worked, and McKay, which didn't. Juneau lies in
>between..worked for a year, was one of many ineffective players this
>season, and will be a major drain next season if he doesn't retire. The
>reason these players signed in Montreal is because they didn't have many
>places to go. They also tried to get Brett Hull in a similar situation
>until Detroit swooped and scooped him up.
>
>Until Montreal's improves on the ice, their free agent pickups will be hit-
>and-miss gambles like these. The high end guys with plenty of options
>aren't interested in playing in Montreal's poisonous atmosphere that
>invariably surrounds the team when they fail to meet fans expectations. Who
>wants to play for a non-playoff team where the fans boo everything?
Maybe my timeline was off.
But I suspect we'll have a talented young team when the CBA
will have to be renewed.
I also suspect that several teams that have talent like Naslund
and Bertuzzi won't be able to afford both. I'm thinking that
the union will agree to a salary cap if certain players are
paid at a elite level and UFA comes sooner.
And then anything is possible !!!
Just my 2 cents !!!
Bruce
Bruce Johnstone
I'm tired tonight Ian, I'm going to bed.
I'll answer you more tomorrow, but change for changes sake is
a fools quest, IMO.
There are pieces to building a conteder, the more you upgrade
those pieces and the more your coach plays those pieces the
quicker you become a contender.
I think you must agree with that, we'll debate tomorrow on
how best to do that. :)
>.
>.
Ian Merrithew
> I doubt this avenue will be taken. With the expenditure of the draft pick
> and the signing of Julien to a two year deal, such a quick admission by
> Savard that he made a mistake will only shorten his own career. It's
> entirely possible that Julien will be here longer then Savard..
to hear some real calls for heads then, if my fears bear out that this
team will just continue to play half-hearted and half-assed under this
coaching staff. But by then *another* season will be down the tubes.
> If I had to call it, I'd predict Savards off season script will continue in
> a tone that claims we witnessed an off year of a veteran club, and with a
> total committment to a plan that he'll describe as being right on schedule.
Of course, that'll be the PR talk. If he can somehow spin that to
include jettisoning two of the underperforming vets from this season,
then my opinion will nudge upward. But one questionable UFA signing
-- or even worse, your trade-a-youngster-for-a-pick scenario -- and
all bets are off.
> PS. - I can't seem to find Marty's season point prediction challenge, were
> there not prizes involved? :)
Yeah, but even *you* were 10 points high, and you were the *pessimist*
of the bunch :). And my abstention means I don't have to eat any of
the crow's-meat ;).
Watt
> "Earl" <anon...@anonymous.com> wrote in message news:<mGLia.7303$9I.6...@news20.bellglobal.com>...
>
>>I doubt this avenue will be taken. With the expenditure of the draft pick
>>and the signing of Julien to a two year deal, such a quick admission by
>>Savard that he made a mistake will only shorten his own career. It's
>>entirely possible that Julien will be here longer then Savard..
>
> Damn, good point. I'd say by Christmas time next season we'll start
> to hear some real calls for heads then, if my fears bear out that this
> team will just continue to play half-hearted and half-assed under this
> coaching staff. But by then *another* season will be down the tubes.
Well, there is the in-between scenario: Savard, Julien in; some or all
of the four assistants out. I'd bet on that happenening before anything
else. As soon as next Sunday, even.
Tony Goudie
>Savard is in the quagmire that may end his managerial career. The situation
>he's placed himself in is almost painful to watch - low performing, highly
>paid signings that are not practically erasable, a public committment to
>transition over rebuilding, a possible bomb on his first coaching selection,
>and no excuse book to sing from. Not pretty.
>If I had to call it, I'd predict Savards off season script will continue in
>a tone that claims we witnessed an off year of a veteran club, and with a
>total committment to a plan that he'll describe as being right on schedule.
I believe this is exactly what transpired. No real breakout career years
(although a case can be made for Markov, Zednick, and Bulis) from anyone.
A very average effort from everyone else including a post-Hart/Vezina
hangover from out number 1 goalie. Average efforts on a team lacking
present talent lend to eighth place conference contenders at best. Look
what an average effort has secured for Carolina.
Savard's script continues to preach bringing prospects along slowly and
filling holes until this happens. Given the mess he inherited from the
Foule era, I'm quite pleased with the progress, if not the results, thus
far. The foundation is being built. Two years down the road the Canadiens
will have one of the youngest and best "from the net out" teams in the
league. A brazen prediction, yes, but I don't think you need rose-colored
glasses while viewing this evolution.
Apart from throwing a little money around acquiring experiments like
Audette and Czerezowski, Savard hasn't derailed from the tenets of
rebuilding a team in the grips of a downward spiral. I'm even
starting to soften my stance on him for the Brisebois contract. That one
is an X-File unto itself.
There will be no experiments this off-season. With a messy CBA yet to be
resolved, free agents and high priced jetisons will receive the same
caution as an Iraqi waving a white flag. Although ...
... an errant rumour on TSN has raised the possibilty of Mario Lemieux
playing elsewhere next season. A Bizzaro world Lafleur correction in order
perhaps?
Tony
--
Anthony Goudie
Biostatistician
Division of Preventive Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham
--- GO BLAZERS ---
slc
(Tony Goudie) wrote:
>I believe this is exactly what transpired. No real breakout career years
>(although a case can be made for Markov, Zednick, and Bulis) from anyone.
>A very average effort from everyone else including a post-Hart/Vezina
>hangover from out number 1 goalie. Average efforts on a team lacking
>present talent lend to eighth place conference contenders at best. Look
>what an average effort has secured for Carolina.
Yea, nobody showed up as a magic man that the team could get a
hero-by-example from, that inspiratoin thing.
>Savard's script continues to preach bringing prospects along slowly and
>filling holes until this happens. Given the mess he inherited from the
>Foule era, I'm quite pleased with the progress, if not the results, thus
>far. The foundation is being built. Two years down the road the Canadiens
>will have one of the youngest and best "from the net out" teams in the
>league. A brazen prediction, yes, but I don't think you need rose-colored
>glasses while viewing this evolution.
Yea, better have a handy 'wait until X year' flag around. It's going
to be very difficult to displace very many teams in the eastern
pecking order. NYR is the team with the best chance to move up in the
standings (this was a pre-recorded message that repeats every year).
>Apart from throwing a little money around acquiring experiments like
>Audette and Czerezowski, Savard hasn't derailed from the tenets of
>rebuilding a team in the grips of a downward spiral. I'm even
>starting to soften my stance on him for the Brisebois contract. That one
>is an X-File unto itself.
Apart from the crowd, to me Czerk has been the biggest on-ice
disappointment. Asham has worked out as upside for the Isles and
Czerk has been a payroll soak. Experiments? More like a risk too far
with the number of guys that had to find their lost a-games to get the
team working.
>There will be no experiments this off-season. With a messy CBA yet to be
>resolved, free agents and high priced jetisons will receive the same
>caution as an Iraqi waving a white flag. Although ...
>
>... an errant rumour on TSN has raised the possibilty of Mario Lemieux
>playing elsewhere next season. A Bizzaro world Lafleur correction in order
>perhaps?
Yea, this one has been bubbling around for a few months. It comes out
of Lemieux being better for the League than Pittsburgh. It's a waste
of his last tank of gas to see him quietly fade with the Pens.
Marty
news:mGLia.7303$9I.6...@news20.bellglobal.com:
I think you guessed 82 points. Far too optimistic! :)
Seriouslt though, you have bragging rights this year for being closest, but
I much prefer my prediction from last year which was the closest, but still
a little too low as the Habs beat everyone's expectations. That, I think,
was much more satisifying than to have been to closest there year when the
Hab's failed to meet anyone's expectations. What do you say to friends?
"Hey, no one thought the Habs would suck as much as I did!" Hardly
something that enjoyable to brag about!
Marty
Marty
>
> Maybe my timeline was off.
>
> But I suspect we'll have a talented young team when the CBA
> will have to be renewed.
> I also suspect that several teams that have talent like Naslund
> and Bertuzzi won't be able to afford both. I'm thinking that
> the union will agree to a salary cap if certain players are
> paid at a elite level and UFA comes sooner.
>
> And then anything is possible !!!
After next season, the Habs will be able to cast aside most driftwood. Only
Audette, with one year remaining, and Brisebois, with two years remaining
(but without a no-trade clause) will be left of Savard's more questionable
deals, and Audette may indeed bounce back to remove himself from that
"questionable" list. Personally, I hope Audette works hard on conditioning
in the off-season, I think his stint in the minors seems to have been a
great reality check.
Juneau, Quintal, McKay, Czerkawski, Perreault and maybe Dackell could be
released after next season if they aren't dumped sooner. There is room for
major turnover in two years, but unfortunately, only minor turnover seems
likely for the upcoming season. However, that might not be all terrible.
Most of the best, ready prospects have been called up by this season's end.
Aside from Hainsey, I doubt Montreal has any player really ready to make
the jump next season from the start. It would probably be just as well to
use much of next season to establish if youngsters like Hossa, Ribiero and
Ward are capable of 1st or 2nd line duty. Vets that choose to run out the
clock can be benchwarmers, or fill out the fourth line unless needed for
injury. Then, when the time comes for major turnover in two years, we'll
have some young guys who've had a chance to play already, room for a few
more prospects, and finally, the team could reload with a few free agents
to fill the remaining spots.
Marty
Bruce Johnstone
>
> I'm tired tonight Ian, I'm going to bed.
>
> I'll answer you more tomorrow, but change for changes sake is
>a fools quest, IMO.
> There are pieces to building a conteder, the more you upgrade
>those pieces and the more your coach plays those pieces the
>quicker you become a contender.
>
> I think you must agree with that, we'll debate tomorrow on
>how best to do that. :)
>
>In article <cbee0633.03040...@posting.google.com> ian.me...@ieee.org (Ian Merrithew) writes:
>>Bruce Johnstone <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in message news:<31MAR03.02...@VM1.MCGILL.CA>...
>>> So you want a kick ass coach, seems to me that that is a waste
>>> if you don't have the horses to kick?
>>Hardly. Bob Hartley has the Thrashers playing above .500 since he
>>took over (17-13-5-1). I already mentioned the job Lemaire's done.
>>What "horses" do these guys have? Heatley, Kovalchuk, and Gaborik
>>between them. The rest are young guys, role players, journeymen, etc
>>whom their coaches have gotten 100% from. Meanwhile Montreal's limped
>>along under Julien, with on-ice performances every bit as putrid as
>>under Therrien.
Good points, something wasn't right with this team this year.
I'm not sure if it was coaching and I'm willing to let Savard
and company handle a few more drafts.
We had more depth and should have shown better than Minnesota
or what Atlanta has done since they hired Hartley.
I suspect we gave to much icetime to players that were
either floating or whose talents had seriously declined.
While our young players and prospects were are exceling
or showing they deserved a chance.
Savard has some work to do to cut the fat and play the youngsters.
Hiring a coach that knows the strengths or weakness's of most of
our ready prospects is a positive, IMO.
>>
>>> Julien has played Garon,Ward and Komisarek, I bet that wouldn't
>>> have been the case with the other coach's you mentioned. I've
>>> thought all of those young players have done well.
>>They have. Too bad so many of the other players have given such weak
>>efforts, and the team has nothing resembling functional offensive or
>>defensive strategies.
>>
>>> I don't see a problem, we're getting younger and better and
>>> it seems some people think we need to make major changes.
>>> Why ????
>>We won't get maximum success without the very best coaching staff we
>>can possibly get. Julien might've been sufficient for the stop-gap,
>>but I don't think he's the man to lead this team back to playoff-spot
>>contention.
>>
>>I think I've convinced myself in this thread: I don't want the
>>coaching staff in its current configuration back next season.
>>Something's got to be done, whether it's the head coach, one or more
>>assistants, or the whole lot of them. They have utterly failed to get
>>this team to play up to its potential all season long, and even much
>>of last season we saw the same type of play. Savard has got to
>>address this deficiency in the offseason, or I fear we'll see the same
>>uninspired play again next season. I don't know how many more seasons
>>of sleepwalking play I can stomach.
Agreed, except lets keep Julien and let him pick his support
staff. Melanson is a keeper to me, the rest are all quite
replaceable. :)
Bruce
Bruce Johnstone
>Bruce Johnstone <CCB...@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA> wrote in
>news:02APR03.25...@VM1.MCGILL.CA:
>
>
>>
>> Maybe my timeline was off.
>>
>> But I suspect we'll have a talented young team when the CBA
>> will have to be renewed.
>> I also suspect that several teams that have talent like Naslund
>> and Bertuzzi won't be able to afford both. I'm thinking that
>> the union will agree to a salary cap if certain players are
>> paid at a elite level and UFA comes sooner.
>>
>> And then anything is possible !!!
>
>After next season, the Habs will be able to cast aside most driftwood. Only
>Audette, with one year remaining, and Brisebois, with two years remaining
>(but without a no-trade clause) will be left of Savard's more questionable
>deals, and Audette may indeed bounce back to remove himself from that
>"questionable" list. Personally, I hope Audette works hard on conditioning
>in the off-season, I think his stint in the minors seems to have been a
>great reality check.
Someone, and I can't remember where I read it said that Audette's
injury should take a year to heal. Considering Audettes season
and his history as a proven point producer I suspect they were right.
Audette has produced better and may surprise next year.
Brisebois I just want to see gone.
>
>Juneau, Quintal, McKay, Czerkawski, Perreault and maybe Dackell could be
>released after next season if they aren't dumped sooner. There is room for
>major turnover in two years, but unfortunately, only minor turnover seems
>likely for the upcoming season. However, that might not be all terrible.
>Most of the best, ready prospects have been called up by this season's end.
>Aside from Hainsey, I doubt Montreal has any player really ready to make
>the jump next season from the start. It would probably be just as well to
>use much of next season to establish if youngsters like Hossa, Ribiero and
>Ward are capable of 1st or 2nd line duty. Vets that choose to run out the
>clock can be benchwarmers, or fill out the fourth line unless needed for
>injury. Then, when the time comes for major turnover in two years, we'll
>have some young guys who've had a chance to play already, room for a few
>more prospects, and finally, the team could reload with a few free agents
>to fill the remaining spots.
That my hope also, and I don't think its a impossibility.
Bruce