Kovalev given time off...

davetherave wrote:There's apparently more to this whole story.

It seems the issues in Montreal may have something to do with the 'off ice activities' of several of Montreal's younger stars.

Corus Sports/CKAC's Jean Perron recently called out Carey Price, Chris Higgins and Sergei Kostitsyn as being the culprits. It was reported these young men were enjoying the pleasures of Montreal's night life to the detriment of their performance as hockey players.

I must say I thought, watching the Habs play at times, that more than a few were nursing a hangover.

Jacques Demers goes into detail in his CKAC podcast. Demers says the young men in question have already been given a reprimand by Habs management.

The article and broadcast of Demers' interview are in French.

Text here:
http://www.corussports.com/canadiens/_party_est_fini-20090217-1420593.html
Listen here:
http://www.corussports.com/radio/audioplayer.php?file=1420593.mp3&mode=cn&id=1420593&date=20090217

The gist of all this is that a rift supposedly exists between several factions of the team for various reasons having to do with committment.

Perron and Demers, both ex-Montreal coaches, are no strangers to players' shenanigans. Pat Burns, another ex-Habs coach, was quite explicit in his radio interview today on CKAC that he went to fetch his guys more than once from bars on Crescent Street.

Whether Kovalev, apparently a fitness fanatic, figures in all of this, is not clear. Or maybe he's just another dysfunctional component of the Habs' inconsistent '08-09 campaign. Gainey had to have a very serious talk with Alex at the end of the 2006-07 season because Kovalev had just put in a terrible year with Les Canadiens. After reviving his game last year, AK27 seems to be firing blanks now.

What the above demonstrate--as we have seen in several cases this year--that a coach needs to be a psychologist as well as a hockey man.

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:Gainey's got to have something up his sleeve. It sounds like Kovalev is no longer welcome around the team, much like Avery earlier this year. But Lang's out for the year (most likely) and Latendresse is out as well, and Sergei Kostitsyn was sento the AHL. They need offence and they need it bad.

I believe it was Eastwood (on Team 1200) who said that Pittsburgh could be the most logical destination, but who can they offer in return? Is it a three-way deal involving LeCavalier? (yeah, that never goes away) The Habs also need a PP QB. How about Redden for Kovalev?

maybe just maybe kovalev could help the rangers but nobody in their right mind would want to touch that gastly 6 year 6.5 million $ redden contract...

wprager wrote:The Habs also need a PP QB. How about Redden for Kovalev?

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:The Habs also need a PP QB. How about Redden for Kovalev?

I suspect they're hoping Schneider will fill the PP QB slot.

wprager wrote:

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:The Habs also need a PP QB. How about Redden for Kovalev?

I suspect they're hoping Schneider will fill the PP QB slot.

True ... until he breaks a hip.

davetherave wrote:There's apparently more to this whole story.

It seems the issues in Montreal may have something to do with the 'off ice activities' of several of Montreal's younger stars.

Corus Sports/CKAC's Jean Perron recently called out Carey Price, Chris Higgins and Sergei Kostitsyn as being the culprits. It was reported these young men were enjoying the pleasures of Montreal's night life to the detriment of their performance as hockey players.

I must say I thought, watching the Habs play at times, that more than a few were nursing a hangover.

Jacques Demers goes into detail in his CKAC podcast. Demers says the young men in question have already been given a reprimand by Habs management.

The article and broadcast of Demers' interview are in French.

Text here:
http://www.corussports.com/canadiens/_party_est_fini-20090217-1420593.html
Listen here:
http://www.corussports.com/radio/audioplayer.php?file=1420593.mp3&mode=cn&id=1420593&date=20090217

The gist of all this is that a rift supposedly exists between several factions of the team for various reasons having to do with committment.

Perron and Demers, both ex-Montreal coaches, are no strangers to players' shenanigans. Pat Burns, another ex-Habs coach, was quite explicit in his radio interview today on CKAC that he went to fetch his guys more than once from bars on Crescent Street.

Whether Kovalev, apparently a fitness fanatic, figures in all of this, is not clear. Or maybe he's just another dysfunctional component of the Habs' inconsistent '08-09 campaign. Gainey had to have a very serious talk with Alex at the end of the 2006-07 season because Kovalev had just put in a terrible year with Les Canadiens. After reviving his game last year, AK27 seems to be firing blanks now.

What the above demonstrate--as we have seen in several cases this year--that a coach needs to be a psychologist as well as a hockey man.

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:The Habs also need a PP QB. How about Redden for Kovalev?

I suspect they're hoping Schneider will fill the PP QB slot.

True ... until he breaks a hip.

HA! We need to start a poll...

6 games?

Cronenbergfan wrote:

davetherave wrote:There's apparently more to this whole story.

It seems the issues in Montreal may have something to do with the 'off ice activities' of several of Montreal's younger stars.

Corus Sports/CKAC's Jean Perron recently called out Carey Price, Chris Higgins and Sergei Kostitsyn as being the culprits. It was reported these young men were enjoying the pleasures of Montreal's night life to the detriment of their performance as hockey players.

I must say I thought, watching the Habs play at times, that more than a few were nursing a hangover.

Jacques Demers goes into detail in his CKAC podcast. Demers says the young men in question have already been given a reprimand by Habs management.

The article and broadcast of Demers' interview are in French.

Text here:
http://www.corussports.com/canadiens/_party_est_fini-20090217-1420593.html
Listen here:
http://www.corussports.com/radio/audioplayer.php?file=1420593.mp3&mode=cn&id=1420593&date=20090217

The gist of all this is that a rift supposedly exists between several factions of the team for various reasons having to do with committment.

Perron and Demers, both ex-Montreal coaches, are no strangers to players' shenanigans. Pat Burns, another ex-Habs coach, was quite explicit in his radio interview today on CKAC that he went to fetch his guys more than once from bars on Crescent Street.

Whether Kovalev, apparently a fitness fanatic, figures in all of this, is not clear. Or maybe he's just another dysfunctional component of the Habs' inconsistent '08-09 campaign. Gainey had to have a very serious talk with Alex at the end of the 2006-07 season because Kovalev had just put in a terrible year with Les Canadiens. After reviving his game last year, AK27 seems to be firing blanks now.

What the above demonstrate--as we have seen in several cases this year--that a coach needs to be a psychologist as well as a hockey man.

now, where have we heard this business of a rift within the locker room before!? Oh, I know this... LOL

But seriously, from the sounds of it and having read the transcript(s) and such, there seems to be some legs and quite a bit of truth and damning evidence to this, and if so, then these 'boys' have no one to blame but themselves.
For Gainey and Carbo and staff, maybe they'll be able to turn it around in time, although their window to fix it is narrowing considerably with every L they accumulate. Should be a VERY interesting off season in La Belle Province...

Cronenbergfan wrote:I think you're right... Could it be the Habs themselves couldn't handle all the pressure of their Centennial year?!
Did the Media raise the bar TOO high!?

DashRiprock wrote:Wonder if a deal to Pittsburgh could be reached? We know that the 'Burgh will give up a lot for a UFA winger to play with Malkin/Crosby, perhaps Kovy would flourish playing with Malkin? Don't know who they could get in return though.