Garth Murray came on last year towards the end and I thought he’d really have something to show this year as a 3rd-4th line pest a-la-Begin, knocking **** around and scoring those beautiful garbage goals (like the one Aaron Downey scored two weeks ago) but, yeah, ZERO goals is ZERO goals and he’s invisible most games. He’ll have fun in Hamilton, I think Downey is the more effective of the two so I’m glad it Murray not Downey sent away.

Murray even managed to make his way onto the third line with his play last spring which was a real reward for his play. BUt he has stunk on several nights this year and his confidence has looked very low. This was a move Carbo had to make and if it gets worse for us more notable characters will follow.

IF Carbo really wanted to make a statement he would put RIvet on waivers. WHy?

1. Because he really deserves to be demoted at this point. no arguments
2. NO one would take him anyways
3. HIs salary demands are outrageous and would bring his agent back to earth
4. IT would be a real wake up call for all of his frinds and teammates
5. It would prove you cant get a spot on this club just for being a leader
6. HE has been so awful that I am starting to laugh each time he touches the puck. ALthough its more of a hysterical laugh.

I think Carbo is clutching at straws, he knows his time is up, wouldn’t be suprised if the shareholders are waiting until the summer to can Gainey and Carbo, unless they pull a magic trick outa the hat and force these great players we have to play well, great. Honestly we have snipers in Souray and Ryder, great movers like Koivu and Kovalev, and young upstarts like Lapierre and Gui…..

Boy if we have to include Souray (who’s a D-man) as one of our snipers we’re in trouble.
As for Ryder love the guy but a soccer net won’t help him.

We do not have one pure goalscorer like:
Kovalchuk, Nash, Heatley, G.Murray, Cheechoo, Havlet etc.

Those are goalscorers not Souray and Ryder, Pleaseeeeeee!

Hey maybe with a little luck Downie might get 5 goals this year, what a sniper.

let’s stop talking about how the team is doing bad or has to improve or just wait and relax- they will improve.

Soooooo….. Any new rumour?

Well this won’t really make a difference. I doubt any of the Russians or Rivet are going to go ‘Oh man, they put a fourth line guy who makes the league minimum on waivers. Better step up my game!’

Did you see Sammy when he was benched. He looked like he didn’t give a **** that he got benched. He was just sitting there waiting for his next paycheck. I heard that he might be a healthy scratch tonight and I hope that’s true. Let him sit around in the press box instead of the ice.

And judging what Pierre McGuire said on the Team 990 today I hope Gainey makes a strong push for Scott Gomez since he wants to come to a hockey market with and up and coming team, which the Habs are no matter what anyone says. Although he might chose Edmonton or Calgary, maybe even Van city(Vancouver), because it’s close to home(he’s from Alaska).

I didn’t know that Markov had moved his entire family out to Montreal. And now that he’s taken out a canadian citizenship it’s only a matter of time before he inks a long contract extension with the Habs.

It is true that Rivet, after getting the news of his scratch tonight, stormed out of the Bell center.That’s great news, because you know Gainey won’t let him act in such a manner, and it usually means-”you’re gone from Montreal”. I hope they get rid of him. Also, I commented last night, that Maybe Carbo is losing this team, and that they are starting to tune him out. That was also reported on the local tv channel here. as well reported, that Carbo might be acting too aggressively toward this losing streak. But I think he is acting appropriately. If you give players an inch, they will take a mile!
Samsonov also agrees that the media is on him, and has been from the beginning of the season. if he scored goals, then of course nobody would bother him. Man, is he stupid, or what? So now we have a bunch of underachievers who aren’t willing to go to the wall for their coach. stay tuned. If the habs lose tonight, I shudder to think of the consequences. Carbo is certainly not afraid to speak his mind, and take action.

Its sad when Ninny is the answer. By the way don’t you think Carbo and Gainey knew what they were doing when they drafted deadwood like Murray and Downie? Fall guys for the lack of skill Carbo and Gainey know they have as far as actually coaching a winning team.

Again the Habs are being outshot. Johnson can’t make a play worth damn. So much for trading for Johnson, he was supposed to be a playmaker, all he is good at is making lousy passes that get stolen.

It’s official the statisticians now note that the leagues’s worst defensemen and the leagues least likely to score ever, are now scoring on the habs. Players who are on their first and second goals of the season….at least the Habs are good for one thing, helping the pathetic grinders of the other teams….

It is sad when Kovalev is bigger than Carbo. Tells you that Carbo has no control whatsoever over his team…

habs not playing well, down 2-0. can you say “”loss”?
Kovalev keeps turning the puck over, and the hab fans are booing .
next player to go, Kovalev!

quote of the day…”yes, women can fake orgasms…but izzy can fake being a habs fan!”

I see izzy is dizzy…..what’s that izzy you played your entire minor league without a helmet? Made going head into the boards easier cause of your afro?

The ROCKET has just turned in his grave!!!

What is with Habsnumbr zero and his taxes? Sure Johnson will gladly take a hit oh his millions just as long as he doesn’t have to break a sweat….as if all those milllionaires care whether they pay taxes or not….what they can’t believe is that the fans actually demand that they work for it.

Yeah, then why did none of the big name free agents come to Montreal in the summer and why haven’t any come in the last few years. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……………..

Oh yah, TAXES.

Your a naïve little child who refuses to give up on the past. Deal with it.

Why is it every other team has a back up plan,ie. Comrie 2 goals so far tonite for Ottawa, and ours is DOWNIE.

Hey Habs#1 like Gainey didn’t want them doesn’t that speak loud enough for you? Bobby boy there, the chip stand boy didn’t want big name stars cause he’s pissed that the drafted rookies that were not picked by him proved better than his old broken down vets…..cause Bob doesn’t want talent in Montreal, am I speaking loud enough there Habs#1? Get with the program you loser! I bet you clap your hands everytime the other team scores on the habs…you leafs fan, go back to your friggen blog and leave the habs alone!

Craig Hartsberg, calling Craig Hartsberg!!!

Joshtm, do you pay attention to hockey at all? Do you read articles or watch t.v. when hockey writers are talking about what GM’s are doing? Do you know who Pierre LeBrun or Pierre McGuire are?

In the summer Bob Gainey aggresively persued Brendan Shanahan who used Montreal to get more money out of the Rangers, he went after Patrick Elias but he decided to go back to the swamp cause of taxes, he went after Jeff Halpern, but he wanted to stay in the States and avoid those taxes, he went after Jason Arnott but him and his wife didn’t want to deal with the taxes and he went after Zdeno Chara as well.

He went after those guys like a Bat out of hell but didn’t get any of them cause they didn’t want to play in Montreal.

Contrary to your beliefs, Montreal is NOT an attractive destination for most FA’s. Cause they don’t like the taxes and they don’t want to deal with fans like you.

Why don’t you actually read up on what Gainey’s doing instead of making up your own conclusions in your head while trying to get your radio to work.

Your an uneducated fan who thinks he knows everything yet doesn’t bother getting his facts straight. Try actually finding out what’s going on before slamming people.

And if you want to know who’s a Leafs fan, take a look at who everyone else agrees on. YOU. So go but on your Lanny McDonald jersey and pretend it’s 1967 for the next 3 days.

Oh, and Gainey didn’t draft about 4/5 of this team. He didn’t draft Murray or Downey or Rivet or any other player you seem to hate. The only mistake he’s made is Samsonov. Moron.

I now have to retract a statement I made earlier. I said the habs would finish in 7th or 8th place, and squeeze into the playoffs. WRONG! they won’t make the playoffs, not with this team! unless they make drastic changes, I don’t see this bunch of misfits getting in. I say trade Samsonov, Kovalev, Rivet, Aebischer, ASAP, and bring up Danis, and make Huet a backup. otherwise there is no hope for this team. they look pathetic, and doesn’t look like they have any confidence. Thursday, in Atlanta, expect a loss, and Saturday against Buffalo, expect another loss, which would mean 5 losses in a row. Remember we have now been shut out 2 games in a row, and our PP his only 9 for last 54, and we can’t score 5 on 5. Wow! How did we get so messed up? Gainey are you listening? You better be on the phone making trades!

what’s the point. GM’s in league are lining up to try and fleece us as Gainey is not in a position of strength so no good dealings happening anytime soon.

I just listened to Higgins being interviewed. he said this is the worst hockey he has ever seen a professional team play, and that: “the fans deserve better”!
he said: ” we were horrible, and we are playing without any confidence”.
I said before, don’t touch this or that guy, because they are untouchables, but on this team , there are NO UNTOUCHABLES! trade them all, because THEY ALL STINK!! I’m now embarrassed to be a habs fan!

Wow, this was bad night in Hockeytown. Three shutouts to start this year when previously we had not had lost one in over a year. What the hell happened the past few weeks that differed from the first part of a winning season.

I think what’s been conspiring is all the guys made a pack to stay in Montreal! Hear me out… these guys got together over christmas and decided to play like **** to insure that by the trade dead-line absolutely no one would be worth ****! Markov and Souray know their worth was getting out of the dollar range of the Montreal Cap restrictions, so they both have devised a scheme to plummit their value to remain habs. Huet just playing along with the game giving up 10 unanswered goals. Rivet and Sammy they’ve been playing the game a little bit longer, they’re probably the master minds behind this whole ruse. Maybe it is a hazing of Carbo. I do not think anyone told Carbo, he is probably going to have a coronary that’s if Gainey does rip his heart first!

Guys all we need to do is click our heals three times and say there is no place like home, there is no place like home… and we will wake from this miserable, made for TV, nightmere! Oh yeah, Home hasn’t been that kind to us lately.
There no place like Phili?????

No arm chair GM tonight… Everyone looked weak, frustrated, and broken!

I hate Jan Bulis the guys so ****.
He had that smug look on his face after his goal like he’s such a great player.
I just wanted to ***** slap that piece of ****.
Good luck in Vancouver reality will sink in soon enough.
Enjoy the ride and we’ll see you on waivers soon, *****!

Guys don’t feel so bad Buffalo, San Jose, Anaheim and Montreal are all in a slumps.
We will prevail and get back on track.
It’s good that we’re losing now, this will build character for the playoffs.
We’ll get on a major role before the playoffs and carry that momentum to the end.

Eastern Final - Montreal vs. Buffalo
West Final - Nashville vs. Anaheim

Don’t worry we got Bob, Guy, Kirk and Jarvis.
This team will bounce back, trust me.

Go Habs Go, For Life!

Right on Smiler2729. You make some very good points. The constant negativity I believe is bringing the entire team down right now and it has got to stop. The coaches hear it and I’m sure the players hear it as well. Now I know the Habs are playing absolutely BRUTAL, but all the whinning in the world by us fans isn’t going to change it. The team has to go out on the ice and do it’s job, or at least pretend like they are working at it, and WE have to find a way to SUPPORT them,WIN or LOSE. It will be interesting who will be in OR out of the line up on thursday’s game. Just this…FOR GOD’S SAKES…PLEEEEAAAASSSSEEEE SCORE SOME GOALS!!! GO HABS GO!!!

I’m on ur side Habs#1, these guys are a bunch of ignorant retards!

I was having trouble putting my finger on how or why the Habs have turned 180 in less than a month? I have come up with only one thing; everyone wants to be the savior of this team! Guys are trying to put it upon their shoulders to break-out of this dreaded slump with some fancy stick work, unscreened blue line one-timers, and perfect through traffic passes. Koivu and the offense are pinching back to spark the Defensive play and Souray and Defense have jumped into the offensive to spark the offense play. If everyone realized no matter how good of a player they think they are, you’re only as good as the men standing beside you.

I propose getting back to the basics. This means keeping it simple!

One thing that I have noticed is that on the power play they are playing Souray a lot tighter. Teams have figured out he has a cannon from the line and even our own players do not like to get in front of the net to get hit by a stray missile, so they’re off in a corner with no chance of rebounds or deflections. This also spreads the offense making it tougher for us to get shoots on net and leaves the D-men vulnerable to picks which lead to penalties. Counter act this with Souray being a Left-handed player, we should set the play up with him on the left until they have control of the puck in the zone then switch, when the are applying the appropriate pressure down low making the D man an outlet instead of a go to guy. The d-men are not quick, dazzling stick handlers and should not be trying to deke small forwards to open up scoring opportunities, which in most cases have led to turn-overs.

Conversely, the Defense guys should be clearing the view of the net-minder. These guys are big guys, but all too many times they’re running around to the point looking to cause a turn-over with a standing blocked shot, while leaving guys like Koivu to sweep out rebounds. Punishment should be dealt to guys in front of the net from our D. I am sick of Koivu scrapping in front of the net with forwards getting second and third opportunities on the Goalies.

Offense needs to show some love and confidence in the line mates. I have not seen many if any plays where we have taken advantage of our speed and passing to cause the goalie to get out of position. Holding on to the puck in the corners with your head down is not going open up a perfect one time pass across a congested middle to the man on the other side of the rink. Plant a man in front of the net for rebounds and feed each other by opening up lanes by crashing the net and dumping it to open men. This will free up a winger or a drop pass to a defenseman which in turn allows for opportunities for tip-ins or give-and-go plays.

Goalies you both have butterfly styles, fine, but stay on your feet longer, so on long shots do not have the top-shelf shots available from the point and also challenge them by leaving the crease to cut-off angles. Also being on your feet allows you to move into position on re-direction or rebounds. Otherwise see the puck and continue to keep the games close. Abby and Huet, you may have let in a few soft ones, but seeing 40 shots and losing by one or two should not happen.

Last Carbo… I think the next couple of days before the break should be spent focusing on team building. You’ve shook up the lines (hopefully you seen what works and does Not), benched veterans, and screamed bloody murder for some heart and desire; It is time now to go through some basic drills to work on timing, quick puck release and defining key roles to the guys. You need this because you do not want these guys to take upon themselves to bring this team back to its winning ways. Let the guys talk out their frustrations amongst themselves in a group pow-wow. Working on the little things, tightening up their play, eliminating bad habits or cheating ways and instilling discipline will win back the passionate play they once experienced.

I apologize for the long winded comment… Go HABS GO

I liked what Boullion had to say. Last nights games saw the most aggressive work by some of the defensemen when they were on the ice, were the Quebecois players, the russians and the other hired hands, no show yet again.

Unless Carbo brings up Kosty to buck up Koivu and Kovalev, heck bring up Grabby too to buck up Souray…

Actually, this is the team we were supposed to have from the beginning of the season. Be honest, did any of you expect come January, that we would be in 4th place? NO! I t wasn’t a realistic prediction. But when we were winning all those games ( even tho we didn’t play that great),we got used to it, and started to expect it every game, and got spoiled(just like all those cup winning years). Then a dose of reality set in, and we had to start reexamining this team. Are they that good, or are they that bad? I suspect it’s somewhere in the middle. So what you are seeing now, are the REAL canadiens, What you saw for the last 3 months, was a group of players playing over their heads, and over achieving. guys, let’s face it. our PP isn’t that good, nor is our penalty killing. When we were winning, I kept saying: ” how are we scoring, with only 1 line, and how come our PP is #1, when it really doesn’t look any different from other teams, nor our penalty killing. Well, Souray was scoring from the point, until other teams started paying attention to him, and other teams figured out our configuration killing penalties, and started to exploit it. But I now know the team we had for the last 3 months will not return, because it wasn’t REALISTIC! I’m not saying we won’t win any games, but it will not be the explosition of wins we want.
In September, honestly, where did you guys figure we would finish?
We need to go back to that mentality in our heads, and stay there. We do not have the talent to be in the top 4, and you guys know it. It was nice to rent that spot for awhile, but it was a R E N T A L ! now deal with it, and ACCEPT REALITY!

Once again, coutNY_HabsFan you’re spot on. At least from what little I read. Did you stay up all night writing that?

As for Garth, I’m sad to see him go too but mostly because of the promise he failed to live up to. Who goes when Begin gets back? He’s supposedly day-to-day (since 12-11), so I’d think he’d be back soon. Hopefully Gainey can work some more magic and somehow dump Samsonov, or even Niinimaa.

I have to agree with High4Habs and some other posts here that the Canadiens were playing over their heads earlier and this is the REAL Montreal Canadiens we are seeing now. They are NOT a very good team and will likely miss the playoffs. They need to make some changes right away and get a sniper because they do not have one right now and they desperately need a game-breaker like Heatley in Ottawa, Hossa and Kovalchuk in Atlanta, etc. They need defence as well. Rivet has to go. Are you listening Gainey? Rivet, Ninny, Downie, Samsonov, they all need to go. They need to build around Kovalev, Higgins, Ryder, Koivu, Perezhogin, Bonk, Komisarek, Markov, Bouillon. These are the players they should keep. How long do you guys think it will take for the Canadiens to be a bonafide contender? Can they turn it around this season before it’s too late? Also, what suggestions do some of you people have to try and make the Canadiens better. Maybe we can give Gainey some instructions as to how to improve this team. What about Pierre McGuire saying the Canadiens should definitely try and pursue Scott Gomez. Would he be the answer? Also, can we acquire a free agent via a trade to help us. Any players out there? Anyways, let me know about this because I like every other Habs fan am getting very ******* pissed off at this losing streak. We were spoiled when they were winning all those games earlier in the season and we thought the glory days were returning but I was stupid and should have known better. This team built my hopes up only to crush them. They are starting to remind me of the Boston Red Sox of hockey, ouch! Is it possible that we might be under the “Curse of St. Patrick” much the same way the Red Sox were under the “Curse of the Bambino”? I’m not saying the Colorado Avalanche will ever become like the Yankees and win 26 championships but they were a contender after Roy joined them and Montreal still has not recovered. What do you guys think about this? Are we cursed like the Red Sox were?

Ziman

Tom my earlier blog #58 was not a reference to your #56. It’s in reference to an earlier blog about people’s grammar…

I think Kovalev is just trying his best to spark some offense in the only way he knows how. Unfortunately, his ability is clouding his judgment. He is frustrated, he knows he is a leader on this club, he knows the fans aren’t happy, and making plays with his moves and passing is the only way he know how to do it; but he is trying to take on the too much as an individual, alienating his line mates. He is not the only one… just the most visible.

I guess the habs have played so magnificantly that they deserve a day off. huge mistake! I hate saying this, but I am so envious of the talent on Ottawa, and the garbage we have to settle for! Why can’t we have the kind of talent they have? This habs team, is probably THE LEAST TALENTED TEAM IN 20 YEARS!!!! no skill, no heart, and no anything. They only thing they do well, is TAKING PENALTIES! Can you imagine, there is such little talent, that they are forced to put defensive players on the 1st line! DISGRACEFUL! these players or whatever you want to call them, can’t score, can’t pass the puck, can’t clear the puck from their own zone, and can’t stop the puck from going in their net! a total embarrassment to this city! the fans have every right to boo them when these impersonators tries to portray themselves as a hockey team. they are just a poor excuse for hockey . But they are entertaining, because we are all laughing at them. They are a J O K E !

The reason the Yankees are able to continue to win is because they’re able to go over the Cap mark and pay the penalties with no repercussions. They went over the Cap about as much as some teams were spending total on salary. MLB Cap is a joke, but at least the smaller franchises benefit from their over spending!

Many of you think Gainey is a genius, but he is not! look at some of his blunders: He signed as a UFA Bonk, a complete disaster. Remember Bonk was signed to score goals, NOT to be a defensive player. Then of course there’s Samsonov, what a disaster!. How about the trade getting Kovalev? what are the most goals he scored for us in a season? not very many; he’s much better at giving away the puck allowing the opponent to score. Then Gainey traded for Aebischer, who allows constantly soft goals, and never wins. How about the players available that Gainey didn’t go after? I commented back in September, when I realized as did everyone else, that we needed a 2nd line center. I said , go get PERREAULT ! we could have had him for next to nothing as a UFA. Gainey did NOTHING. guess what? Perreault has scored 16 goals for Phoenix, and selected to the allstar team! He would have been perfect. Then there was Comrie, and Nedved. Gainey has done nothing to improve this team over last year. He is, in my opinion a lame duck GM. He is unbelievably passive. And for all of you who disagree, who’se so great down in Hamilton? Is anyone burning up the AHL? The only reason we landed Price, is because we got a #5 pick. The idea is to find diamonds in the rough. look at all the great players we passed on; the list is extensive. This team is no better than the team we had last year, and in fact, we are WORSE! So come April, when we are out of the playoffs, or barely in, tell me how much better we are from 1 year ago! I’m not trying to denegrate Gainey, because as a person and player, he was great. But great players don’t necessarily translate into great coaches or GM’s. Just because he was GM in Dallas and they won the cup,it doesn’t mean he was a great GM. They just lucked out that year. After all, wasn’t Savard, GM when we won the cup in 1993? We all know how bad a GM Savard was. So please people, stop trying to make Gainey into a saint, or ” In Gainey we trust”! it’s all ****. And when Gainey was coach last year, we BACKED into the playoffs. The best 2 GM’s in the game today are: Holland in Detroit, and Lamouriello in NJ. Take a lesson, Mr. Gainey, and learn!