Habs acquire Schneider

davetherave wrote:Gainey may also be getting ready to make another trade.

? The only reason they were able to get Schneider was because Lang will be on long term IR and not count against their cap. They have nothing left to do but watch IMO. They're no longer players on deadline day.

If Gainey can swap Kovalev for something, he'd be a genius, but that's highly doubtful. Hamrlik? No way. Markov is actually good, Komisarek they'll want to keep. No one cares about Plekanic. Same goes for Koivu.

I don't see how he can do anything else. This was his move. It's not a bad one, but I wouldn't bank on the Habs magically turning it around because of Schneider.

There's one more move Gainey can make though - acquire Pat Quinn.

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, but you cant make 23 players care all of the sudden.

Too European, too soft, and the fact that Kovalev was their captain for an extended period of time says it all.

Obviously I'm not a Habs fan but I have respect for the organization and would never take them lightly as an opponent.

There's nothing European or soft about Lapierre, Bouillon, Komisarek, Begin, Kostopoulos or Laraque.

Kovalev and the Kostitisyns are not having good years.

The team is having trouble playing in sync.

A Senators fan should be able to relate to that.

The Canadiens are missing their leading scorers in Lang and Tanguay, and a key forward in Latendresse. Komisarek has not fully healed after his shoulder injury. Carey Price is struggling, as is Jaro Halak.

As a point of comparison, take Spezza, Heatley and Fisher out of the Ottawa lineup and tell me what you have.

davetherave wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, but you cant make 23 players care all of the sudden.

Too European, too soft, and the fact that Kovalev was their captain for an extended period of time says it all.

Obviously I'm not a Habs fan but I have respect for the organization and would never take them lightly as an opponent.

There's nothing European or soft about Lapierre, Bouillon, Komisarek, Begin, Kostopoulos or Laraque.

Kovalev and the Kostitisyns are not having good years.

The team is having trouble playing in sync.

A Senators fan should be able to relate to that.

The Canadiens are missing their leading scorers in Lang and Tanguay, and a key forward in Latendresse. Komisarek has not fully healed after his shoulder injury. Carey Price is struggling, as is Jaro Halak.

As a point of comparison, take Spezza, Heatley and Fisher out of the Ottawa lineup and tell me what you have.

Lang and Tanguay were not there last year either. Their best hockey this year was without Komisarek for the most part.

Fact of the matter is the guys with some grit play a very limited role on that team and are basically none factors in that room.

You dont have to take the Canadians lightly, they will just play you that way.

N4L, I know that being a Sens fan it's tough for you to look at the Habs objectively...
:pirat:

davetherave wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, but you cant make 23 players care all of the sudden.

Too European, too soft, and the fact that Kovalev was their captain for an extended period of time says it all.

Obviously I'm not a Habs fan but I have respect for the organization and would never take them lightly as an opponent.

There's nothing European or soft about Lapierre, Bouillon, Komisarek, Begin, Kostopoulos or Laraque.

Kovalev and the Kostitisyns are not having good years.

The team is having trouble playing in sync.

A Senators fan should be able to relate to that.

The Canadiens are missing their leading scorers in Lang and Tanguay, and a key forward in Latendresse. Komisarek has not fully healed after his shoulder injury. Carey Price is struggling, as is Jaro Halak.

As a point of comparison, take Spezza, Heatley and Fisher out of the Ottawa lineup and tell me what you have.

For the most part, those guys are marginal role players. Laraque is quite often a healthy scratch. Begin is a fourth liner. Bouillon is Jason Smith extra-lite. Those guys just don't really add up to important pieces.

Plus, that comparison at the end doesn't hold any weight. The Montreal Canadiens don't have anyone even close to the caliber of Jason Spezza or Dany Heatley (and whether you think Spezza and Heatley are overrated, not responsible, etc., that doesn't change the fact that the Habs don't have anyone close to their talent level.

I just think the Montreal Canadiens have a decent team that overperformed last year and is back to earth this season.

davetherave wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, but you cant make 23 players care all of the sudden.

Too European, too soft, and the fact that Kovalev was their captain for an extended period of time says it all.

Obviously I'm not a Habs fan but I have respect for the organization and would never take them lightly as an opponent.

There's nothing European or soft about Lapierre, Bouillon, Komisarek, Begin, Kostopoulos or Laraque.

Kovalev and the Kostitisyns are not having good years.

The team is having trouble playing in sync.

A Senators fan should be able to relate to that.

The Canadiens are missing their leading scorers in Lang and Tanguay, and a key forward in Latendresse. Komisarek has not fully healed after his shoulder injury. Carey Price is struggling, as is Jaro Halak.

As a point of comparison, take Spezza, Heatley and Fisher out of the Ottawa lineup and tell me what you have.

Andrei Kostitsyn's no softie either - kid plays with an edge.

On the whole, though, the Canadiens team is not difficult to play against because they are generally too soft.

They also have no confidence right now.

PKC, I didn't make a comparison of Lang-Tanguay-Latendresse to Spezza-Heatley-Fisher, in terms of the type of players...but in terms of their impact on the team.

Missing those players has definitely hurt them.

How the Habs played last year clearly has no bearing on their standing this year. The teams around them have made significant improvements. Montreal had to improve consequently.

BTW IMHO you are really short-changing Francis Bouillon. He is 200% compete and has given Montreal solid work on the blueline through some pretty rough years.

Just so you get where I am coming from...I never gloat over 'rival teams' problems. I like to look at a team and try to understand why they do well, or poorly, from an objective viewpoint.

Of course I enjoy seeing a team I like win, but don't we all?
8)

I can't think of a team that's as silky soft as Montreal. Laraque? Yay! His 25 seconds of icetime will really help.

504Heater wrote:I can't think of a team that's as silky soft as Montreal. Laraque? Yay! His 25 seconds of icetime will really help.

Sounds positively cuddly...so is 'Silky' your new nickname for Georges? LOL

davetherave wrote:

504Heater wrote:I can't think of a team that's as silky soft as Montreal. Laraque? Yay! His 25 seconds of icetime will really help.

Sounds positively cuddly...so is 'Silky' your new nickname for Georges? LOL

As I run away, yeah. 8)

I get the feeling both conferences are going to get even crazier in the next few weeks. So many teams are SO close, games are already having that post-season feel to them, and I imagine it's only going to get more intense, which is great for us fans!

Cronenbergfan wrote:I get the feeling both conferences are going to get even crazier in the next few weeks. So many teams are SO close, games are already having that post-season feel to them, and I imagine it's only going to get more intense, which is great for us fans!

Did you not find that even the pre-season had kind of a post-season feel to it. It's been nuts all year - great hockey (except for us )

Cronenbergfan wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Cronenbergfan wrote:Murray's wringing his hands like Monty Burns
EXXXCELLENT!

Really Murray, you have everyone in Ottawa's approval to trade Kuba. Go ahead. C'mon, don't be shy.

and he will, in 2 more weeks when a GM is desperate, and Murray will reap the return, followed by a huge belly laugh... MOUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

I thought Kuba had a NMC?

[quote="davetherave"]


The Canadiens are missing their leading scorers in Lang and Tanguay, and a key forward in Latendresse. Carey Price is struggling, as is Jaro Halak.

quote]

latendresse isn't worth a bag of pucks. i wouldn't be surpised nif he's playing his final year in a habs jersey. as for price, to early to soon. they are destroying his confidence. he'll be nothing left but a pile of rags when they are done with him. if i where them i'd keep markov and put Price in the trade that is "oh so rumoured" for vinny.

We talk about the price of Kuba being raised by this move, but if the Senators keep winning (and they just might, much to my chagrin - I still want that high pick), then Murray may not move some players. Or worse, some players with NMC/NTCs may choose not to move.

Despite the current point totals, Ottawa's record since Clouston took over is on pace to potentially get them near the playoffs.

If things continue at this pace, then what? (Murray's options, effect on Kuba [and others], etc)

within one week of the deadline when they evaluate our chances as astronomical he'll pull the trigger. hey! i hope we win, but we're not gonna win 10-12 in a row right?

how can MTL send little TIT down to the AHL? is he on a 2 way?

Number Twenty Nine wrote:how can MTL send little TIT down to the AHL? is he on a 2 way?

Yep, he's still on his entry-level deal, which is by definition 2-way, 3 years. Last year was the first year of that deal. Because he played more than 9 games in 2007-08, he burnt the first year of his contract. He won't be an RFA until July of 2011.