Habs fans topic 07-08

[D3nZ 0]

I love Kovalev's mentality right now, he got a text message during the playoffs saying if they lost he would not get picked for Team Russia cause he wasn't fast enough. His reply was, I'll just have to take a couple of weeks off, work on my skating during the summer and come back healthy for next season. I'm really impressed considering he almost went into a depression after not being selected last year.

[habsfan87 0]

Those are quite the assessments, I agree with getting rid of Ryder and maybe Brisebois, more veteran prescence and yes one being a goalie and trying to bring in a star player to build around but that may be it. Carbonneau did great imo, you have to realize this is a building team as well as coaching staff, this was their first playoffs together and I think that trio of Crab, Muller and Jarvis will only get better. I really can't see Price getting worse but yes they need someone to back him up. It'd be nice to go after a Shane Doan but I can't see Gretz letting him go unless the offer was so good that'd itd hurt the Habs.

[Chadd 916]

I think this team overachieved way too much, but most importantly undercoached. They lost to Philly because of coaching, and almost blew it to Boston for the same reason. I'm afraid if there are no major personal or coaching changes this team will become the next Ottawa Senators - great during a season, but choke in the playoffs.

What series did you watch? They weren't outcoached at all, Montreal wasn't able to finish on their chances. You want to blame the players for not being able to pick corners, that's one thing. Blaming the coach for the players not being able to pick corners, that's completely off base. At times Montreal displayed a lack of passion. Again, I'm not sure how anyone can lay that on a coach. These are adult men, for the most part, and if they need someone else to tell them when to pick it up a notch, they need to look in the mirror when they look for someone to blame.

I do agree that they overachieved, but I think it was in large part due to the coaching. I think your wholesale changes are way off base, as I often find your posts, but some changes are needed. There are way too many individuals on that team and they are significantly lacking in leadership. The problem is that most free agents want nothing to do with going to Montreal. The fans and the media can only blame themselves for that particular problem.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I think Guy is turning out to be an excellent NHL Coach.

...I see Caps, Pens, Wings keep their top guns almost for two minutes on PP, they double shift them, if things don’t go well lines are changed during the game not for the next game. Kenan rode Iggi so much they stretched it to 7 games with double and triple shifting guys. Carbo rolls 4 lines 85% of the time and 50/50 PP.

He leaned pretty heavy on his top players.

Kovalev 21:41 TOI/G

Koivu 19:33

Higgins 18:27

Markov 24:54

Komisarek 20:02

Hamrlik 22:54

And, he had Kovy going all through the lines to keep him away from Timonen (24:55).

Let's compare to the other teams, who haven't been "rolling 4 lines" as you say:

Crosby 19:42

Malkin 21:00

Ovechkin 24:03

Iginla 22:42

Briere 18:11

Just a smalll sample...but it would appear that Guy used his best players in roughly the same ratio as any other team used their best players....his best players missed good scoring opportunities, and got pushed around. Don't blame Guy for that.

"Too nice to bench guys"? He had 2 time 30+ scored Ryder in the PB. Sat a playoff vet in Dandenault in favor of the kids who had been producing all year. And, as I said...he moved Kovalev through every line combination (during games) to give him a chance to break out...It just never happened.

If he had played Ryder/Dandy...then the complaint (maybe not from you...but from someone) would be..."too loyal to vets....not giving the young players a chance to grow/develop". the mistakes/loss caused by inexcperience this year...leads to a more experienced crew next year...

My .02

[habsfan87 0]

Well said Radio, and Chadd...I agree. wouldn't call benching Price "soft" either. Rolling 4 lines wins champonships, and I don't think Thomas played that brutal in the first round. Cujo and JR would be a step in the right direction, I don't know if they would be the right guys though, or if Cujo will be available. And I couldn't say it better than how Chadd put it, you can tell your guys what to do, but you can't go on the ice and push them in the corners. Gainey adressed these issues in his PC and I hope as he hopes, Montreal is a little more attractive.