Coaching
-
What do the following three have in common?
- Alain Vigneault
- Michel Therrien
- Claude Julien
If you’ve followed the Canadiens, it’s obvious that they are all former coaches.
What else do they have in common? How about a combined 129-67-24 record this year for a total of 282 points. 94 each on average, with games to play.
Each team in the hunt for their division title, and not a far cry from challenging for their Conference.
Each of these coaches have been tossed aside by Montreal in recent years.
Were they let go too soon?You can argue it’s easier to coach in another city, or those teams are so much superior to the Canadiens. Are they?
The fact remains Montreal chews up and spits out coaches on a regular basis and it hasn’t provided results that are anything but mediocre in the past 14 years.
Nearing the All Star break Guy Carbonneau was getting ‘talked about’ for coach of the year. Fast forward to now, and there are people calling for his head.
So will Carbo get the time it takes to develop as a coach in the NHL? Or will he be another booted to the curb to go on and coach another NHL team into the playoffs?
Right now there’s a fairly good chance one of those Coaches could hoist the Cup in June. They must be doing something right.
Leave a Comment
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:02 am
Obviously,they were let go too soon. Carbo needs to be given a chance over the next few years to prove himself. This team needs stability and the players need to know that they do not run the ship and will not be allowed to force the coach out. If a player does not want to play for Carbo then they need to get rid of the player thus sending a message to the rest of the team.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 am
If no make the playoffs ===> fired, otherwise maybe get one more year.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:09 am
The only Coach that should have been fired was Trembley. Then we would still have had Roy back then.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
The only Coach that should have been fired was Trembley. Then we would still have had Roy back then.
What the hell, give Carbo 2-3 more years to develope the Youngsters. If he can’t do it then can his ***.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:11 am
Alain Vigneault and Claude Julien, yes….we let them go too soon. Michel Therrien was a lousy coach with the Habs. He has either learned from his mistakes and improved as an NHL coach or the Pens have so much talent, the stick boy could lead them to first place.
18
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Maybe you can add Jacques Lemaire to that list. Anyway, great post. I”ve been thinking about those coaches too lately.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:38 am
and lets not forget one of my favorites—-Pat Burns
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:39 am
Jacques Lemaire was not let go though. He was interm in 84 after they fired Boom Boom (talk about awful) him and Tremblay both…just awful. They tried to resign in 85, but chose to leave
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:41 am
Yes it is true all 3 of these former Canadiens coaches are doing very well. But then again they have:
1. Alain Vigneault: He has Luongo possibly the best goalie in the free world right now and quite possibly the NHL MVP.
2. Claude Julien: He has Brodeur argueably also the best goalie in the world. Possible MVP and Vezina winner.
3. Michel Therrien: Has Fleury, Staal, Malkin and of course Crosby again an MVP candidate and no doubt winner of that honor.
I think there is a very good chance 2 former Habs coaches could meet in the finals. NJ vs Van. A very good chance in my mind.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:50 am
its tough to say if Jersey get out alive….that conference is really hard to predict a winner…granted I find myself leaning toward Jersey.
Coaching in Montreal has always been tough, the fans are relentless critics of what happens with that team….therefore players are extremelt hesitant to want to play in that city….so what do you get, average players trying to win a cup….unfortnatley, this is what has become of the once might Habs, mediocracy. When this happens…….fire the coach….next!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Remember guys, it’s not coaches who win stanley cups,IT’S THE PLAYERS!
It’s doesn’t matter who coaches, if you have the talent in front of you. During our glory dynasty days of 1975-99,it wouldn’t have mattered who coached us, because we were unstoppable with awesome talent. Youippi could have coached that team, and we STILL would have won all those cups.
The reason we have so many coaching changes here, is due to the constant pressure put on them. In any other city,they would be ok, and given more time to get a winner. But here, if you don’t produce by Xmas, you’re out!
And remember TALENT WINS, not the coaches! They don’t play. All they do is change lines.
In Pittsburgh, Therrien didn’t make them a good team. CROSBY, MALKEN, STAHL, RECCHI, ROBERTS DID! In Vancouver, LUONGO is the reason they are in the playoffs.Didn’t they miss the playoffs last year because of lousy goaltending?
In NJ, they were already a cup contender before Jullien came there.
If we had great talent here, any one of those coaches could be here, and we would win! IT’S THE TALENT, NOT THE COACHES!
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:35 pm
R habs 4 real
Well put man, very well said, you hit the nail right on the head. This situation is so so much more magnified in Habs town
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Jacques Lemaire quit. He did not take over for Boom Boom either. He replaced Bob Berry, who had been there from’81-’84. Jacques Lemaire was not a fan of the pressure in Montreal, and was replaced with Jean Perron.
Paul
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Jacques Lemaire quit. He did not take over for Boom Boom either. He replaced Bob Berry, who had been there from’81-’84. Jacques Lemaire was not a fan of the pressure in Montreal, and was replaced with Jean Perron.
I also believe Carbo deserves 2 or 3 years, and it would help the players to not be sent in different directions every year.
Paul
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Your right Paul, got it *** backwards. He caoched to 79-80 season, Claude Ruel replaced shortly after…appologies. Ya, Bob Berry always had them competitive, but again no cup. Some of the Canadiens that had seen the dynasty come to a close were either gone or just getting long in the tooth in the early part of the 80’s. Definitely a transition period that was hard to take after 4 straight cups….like withdrawl of rehab
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:59 pm
They weren’t let go too soon. None of them got the job done. Therrien is reaping the benefits of a pile of solid young players, and after some of his retarded comments last year, I’m surprised he never got fired @ season’s end. Oh yeah, we’re supposed to call him Mike now. Whatever.
All these coaches got their first head coaching jobs from us. Brought up from Hamilton. I would argue that most 1st time coaches make a lot of errors: Carbonneau is another good example in this. The aforementioned 3 no doubt learned a lot from their time with the habs, and have parlayed that into success elsewhere.
Two of the three are blessed with amazing starting goaltending, in Brodeur and Luongo, arguably the two best in the league. Therrien has the best player in the league, alongside a truly remarkable group of high draft picks, accumulated through years of incompetent teams. So do they have better teams to work with?
The answer is a resounding YES.
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Ya know what I think. ****, I forgot. Wait a minute. I still forget.
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Again with the excuses,the pressure of playing in Montreal ,the harsh press,the tax’s, well I’ve figured out the reasons some Hab fans are constantly making these excuses all the time;they are Samsonov fans who are effeminate !!!Carbo’s a good coach for the young guy’s and Roy would be a great addition to the staff,oh yeah!!! Habs ,go kick the Bruins teeth rite in tonite ,GOOOOO HABS!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I think Carb will be around for awhile. Keep in mind this is his first stint at it. Next year should be better. Maybe if we get Price up and going, we could have a great goaltender too, right?
The Canadiens may be 2 years away for cup competition…08-09. if Gainey plays the FA market a bit better this summer
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Man. I still forget.
Is the mind the first thing to go?
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Rumors of Price playing with the big club next year abound. Don’t know if he’s ready or not, as I don’t follow the jr teams too much. We got Halak, Danis, and maybe Price to try and fit into next year, alongside Huet. Sounds like the most competition for backup we’ve had in a while, though I believe Danis is the odd man out. Too bad we never got to see what he can do.
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I would almost think tha Abby is gone in the summer. Huet will be the starter,with Halak and Price fighting out the backup position. The big question is, is Price better than Halak come that time.
Halak is not really exciting me much. However, I am real excited to se Price try out.
Strong temding would make Carbo’s job a lot easier
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Carbo was likely Gainey’s man since Bob took over as GM. Took some time, but he finally got the coach he wanted. I have a feeling Carbonneau is here for the long run. If Carbo goes, he’ll be leaving with Gainey. I don’t know a whole lot of people who would honestly want to ditch Gainey, so hopefully things work out with his coach.
The Habs are a young team in a lot of ways. The Habs’ rookies and rookie coach will simply need to grow together. Gotta hate the growing pains, but they pass.
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:39 pm
its not gonna be a ckae walk getting in!
Mar. 22 at Boston
Mar. 24 Washington
Mar. 27 N.Y. Rangers
Mar. 30 at Ottawa
Mar. 31 Buffalo
Apr. 3 Boston
Apr. 5 at N.Y. Rangers
Apr. 7 at Toronto
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
That’s the problem, everyone speaks under their breath that Gainey has to go, look at the signing of Samsonov, keeping Kovalev, bringing on Johnson, Murray and the answer to last year’s trade deadline, Downie. If you ask me it does not look like Gainey is rebuilding. More like setting up the:
Gainey’s Hospital for Retired NHL veterans who can’t skate or shoot good!
Or pick any zany name: Gainey’s Circus for Prima Donna Slav Hockey Players who can’t play worth a damn!
It doesn’t matter what Carbo does or what he has tried, if Gainey won’t let him keep the rookies and develop along with them…it’s not gonna do anyone favours. How can we honestly say then Gainey is rebuilding?
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Let’s wait til next season and we will see the improvements.
Big time improvements. Mr. Gainey will surprise us next season. Trust me.
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Thats just it. The farm system that used to be the best in the league, is now just so - so.
My real big issue with the Canadiens, and has been for years, is the scouting staff….we’ve got to have one of the worst in the NHL, then you couple that with years of extremely poor draft picks…look what you get- ****
The pair of these things over the past 25 years, have not helped this franchise at all. Granted, we’ve had some OK picks, but nothing we haven’t thrown in the garbage after a season or two.
Montreal is killing itself with the defensive style game. Look at when John LeClair first played in Montreal….he was a 45 point man, at best. He moves on to Philly, now all of a sudden he’s got 85 points, the very next season!
The dynasty in the 70’s was pure offence. When we lost all our scoring stars, the team dummied up and went defencive, why, no big scoring talent anymore. Fast foward to 2007, not much has changed
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Don’t forget there was no salary cap, the brewery wanted winners, as did HNIC and between the two a lot of money was pumped to get Montreal decent rookies and players. Now we don’t have HNIC and the brewery gave up when HNIC left.
Then there is the salary cap. But that is the big excuse people make for Gainey, the cap. But look at what he does with what little salary there is, wasting it on the likes of Johnson, Downie, Ninnima, Samsonov….and not rewarding the hard workig Pleks and Bonk…yet paying Dandy and Bouilly more than they are really worth or could ever get anywhere else!
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I always took Gainey to be smarter than that. It just seems that everything is all over the map right now.
The real big Qiestion is, can the Habs salvage the rest of the season with some big wins, and carry that into the playoffs and whip the **** out of Buffalo…thats the question.
We finished 8th last year, and had the Canes down 2-0. The Canes team siad Montreal was their toughest series
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Montreal will make the Playoffs and upset Buffalo. 4-3. They will go on to the Stanley Cup finals led by our Rookies.
Laugh if you will.
I have faith in our Habs of Montreal. The sun will shine on our Habs again.
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:36 pm
The reason why we have gotten rid of these coaches over the years is because we have not had the talent, I agree with some posts here. If we had the talent like Pittsburgh or even the Devils, those coaches would have been fine here. We need to get the talent to be able to compete with the big boys, we do not have it right now.
Ziman
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:39 pm
I agree with Die_Hard, early in the season I saw a miracle, it was a habs team largely of rookies, and they were good. It is too bad that Gainey had to split it up, if I were GM I would have kept them as long as they were winning or wait out the slump.
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Our farm system and drafting has been excellent the last few years. Especially our picks outside the first round. looks like timmins has found several possible late round steals the last couple of drafts. I was amazed when someone said our drafting has been extremely poor. and our farm system was so so. wow that’s completely devoid of realitly. most of the players we’ve drafted the last 2 years have had breakout years the year after they were drafted, that to me suggests excellent scouting. we didn’t even have enough prospects or decent youngsters to fill out our farm team before BG and his staff took over. we use to share hamilton with edmonton, now we have full control and with all our kids playing together down there they have excelled. the scouting staff deserve’s alot of credit for this as well.
I really hope we let the kids take bigger roles on the Habs next year, i hope we don’t get another b level free agent. we should only sign a free agent if it’s a guy we really want/need. the last thing i want to see is another guy like Samsanov taking minutes away from one of our promising youngsters.
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:00 pm
We all keep waiting for Gainey to pull the bunny outta the magic hat. Last year his bunny was Downie, then over the summer Samsonov and Ninnima. None of his magic tricks are impressive. That is what he leaves Carbo to play with.
And Carbo needs to settle down, enough of the line juggling and basically moving rookies with old vets, its not gonna work!
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Maybe the United Nations should give the Habs a tax receipt, cause you know why? Cause Bob Gainey is running the UNICEF of Hockey! Yes, he is paying these international players more than they are worth!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Buffalo just loves Gainey’s bunnies, cause they are so pretty and soft, trouble is we need hockey players not pushovers like Ninnima and Johnson! Even Downie has gone soft!
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
That’s the new names for the Habs! Gainey’s easter bunnies! Oh ya, I can just hear Bob Cole give the play by play on that one!
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Bunny, I’d take a playboy bunny. Perky $%#s and a nice round #$@@.
But seriously, in a profession league, should an ex-player get a coaching job when he doesn’t have the COACHING experience? NO
As for Gainey getting rid of Julien, cause it wasn’t his decision to hire him was pretty stupid. Think about it, the players Julien had, weren’t his choice, especially at the end.
And for all you know it alls: Gainey isn’t the saviour that you think he is. If he was, Markov would have been signed before Christmas…
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Joshtm: what the hell are you taleking about? Revise what you say before you actually post it. You make yourslef look like a moron.
Post 32
JOSHTM: “I agree with Die_Hard, early in the season I saw a miracle, it was a habs team largely of rookies, and they were good. It is too bad that Gainey had to split it up, if I were GM I would have kept them as long as they were winning or wait out the slump.”
DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING???
We had Latendresse as a full time rookie in this organization, and all others just came to play a game or twon when a player would be injured.
Now, let’s check how many full time rookies we have in the team:
-LATENDRESSE
-LAPIERRE
-KOSTYSTIN
-HALAK
Buddy what what you write. Im trying not to be offensive. You’re a great blogger, but you sometimes say things that are off the wall
Anyways, good luck habs for tonight!
!!!!!!!!GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:23 pm
REVISE WHAT YOU WRITE*
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Markov is a lock to come back. And if you didn’t know Gainey has a policy where he doesn’t nogociate contract extentions during the season. He’s said so publically.
That’s Markov hasn’t signed the 3-4 year deal worth 4 mil per they have waiting for him to sign at the end of the season.
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
For men, the mind is the second thing to go!!
Carbo is making some fundamental mistakes that no coach [rookie or not] should be making, simple as that. And the Habs players are observing this and wondering, what the hell is going on??
Didn’t Gainey teach him anything last year?? Or didn’t Carbo learn anything last year, that was the objective of Gainey being the coach after letting Julien go.
Just as video is used to review the play of an upcoming opponent, video should be used by the Habs coaching staff to review the Habs players actions as well as what the coaching staff is doing in specific situations and noting the results. If the results are negative, find another process or course of action, don’t continually repeat it expecting a different outcome.
Geez!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:43 pm
“Montreal will make the Playoffs and upset Buffalo. 4-3. They will go on to the Stanley Cup finals led by our Rookies.”
My response to the above is to simply say: “Say NO to drugs!!”
Your statement: I have faith in our Habs of Montreal. The sun will shine on our Habs again. When?? or, are you going to leave it open ended and if it happens in 2057, you will say you were right all along??
I am not as optimistic as you are, here is my statement: Montreal Canadiens: Our past is brighter than our future.
La Fierté pour toujours.
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Of the coaches mentioned, if i had to pick one it would have to be Julien simply because the Devils can be deadly any year come playoff time (in the last 10 at least). Having said that, i don’t think any of these will do it this year.
On the subject of a possible firing of Carbo.. who knows. I’ll say this though, I think Gainey’s going to give him a real crack at this job simply because Gainey “don’t give a ****” what these blogs or the press thinks of his decisions or lack thereof.
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Gumper is right on, yes we all agree Gainey doesn’t give a ****, cause hey Gumper Bob Gainey says he can’t give a **** cause your head’s way up his you know what, he wants you to take your head out of his you know what cause your brown nosing is pretty serious…and yes we also agree that Bob Gainey doesn’t give a **** to begin with, never did when he came, last year when he couldn’t do nothing when he was both coach and GM it kinda showed…he doesn’t care if the habs win or lose, hey he is only happy getting paid highly for doing nothing!
Yes he has made Montreal the UNICEF of Hockey, where old retired Vets go to die, you know, whether they survive the fall of the old Soviet Union, or poisoning by KGB agents in Finland, or hey are just plain washed up American College hockey players, or if they are just plain bad, BoB Gainey has a sign hanging outside the Belle Centre: “Give me your broken down, give me your washed up hockey players”….
Actually by the way fan4066 I guess you were not around early in the season, we had full time Chippy, Grabby, Milroy, and of course your full time rookie Lat, and a couple of more rookies like Lapierre, D’Agostino…but hey if you wanna play the old Bob Gainey Propaganda Mill of Everythings Fine in Baghdad Bell Centre, be my guest, you and **** Cheney must both have ***** kids and bad aim, not to mention an awful sketchy grasp of reality…..
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:39 pm
GAME ON!
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Here let me do my Don Cherry Impression:
DIDN’T AH TELL YA!!! DIDN’T AH TELL YA!!! THEY WOULD FIGURE DANDENAULT AND BOUILLON OUT!!! SEE I TOLD YOU SO!!!!
Well maybe they will stand a chance now with the penalty, but honestly, that was great team work by Dandenault and Bouillon, moving the puck to the front of the net, and screening Halak, honestly, if only they could assists for giving the puck away they would surpass little Koivu!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Anyone else notice Ryder drawing a lot of penalties lately?Good on him eh.
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Do the habs look like a team that wants to make the playoffs? NO! NO! NO!
THEY DIDN’T EVEN SHOW UP! There is absolutely NO DEFENCE! NONE WHATSOEVER!
If they play this way the rest of the game, they WILL LOSE! More so, THEY WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS! They look totally disinterested in this game.
They should be playing like their lives depend on this game, but instead I think they’re thinking more about their golf clubs!
Why did I ever think they had a chance to make the playoff? I must have been off my rocker to have faith in this team!
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Too bad Dandenault and Bouillon couldn’t do what they did in the other end of the ice, you see that mark of a good coach or GM is they would take that play where Dandenault and Bouillon both worked together to score on their own goalie! Classic Anti-Habs…I bet Dandy and Bouilly are on the combined payroll of the eastern conference, to play against their own team!
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Lapiere was to blame on that second goal.Hey what do you know he is one of our young guns.We cant blame him he is french.
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Ninnima is back to his old ways! Honestly. Time to send him to the Dogs!
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Hey Pactum get it right, even the TSN and other news channels all show Ninnima as the one to blame. Good try though. The most we can blame the rookies for is, hey get this, that we even have the hope of a playoff spot! Honestly Pactum, rewind your TIVO and you’ll see!
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:49 pm
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR PIECE OF **** HABS? NO SHOW! NO HEART! NO EFFORT! NO DEFENCE! PATHETIC TEAM!
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:56 pm
How does a team play so rotten? How ? How? I don’t understand them? Why don’t they want to play? Why don’t they skate? Why don’t they try? Why not?
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:09 pm
There doing the best with what they have ,after all if it wasn’t for the young guy’s they wouldn’t even be in the hunt,you can only go to the well so many times,eh.If all was well with the Habs ,the only rookie playing would be Lats.
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 pm
R habs 4 real: I agree with you 100% with your post #50 & 56.
You can’t blame Halak tonight. He has no help from his D-Men. The Habs honestly do not wnat to make the playoffs. They have no desire what so ever to win.
I was wrong with my reply in the other blog. I hate to say it But it is game over for the Habs after tonight.
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:19 pm
WIN OR LOSE,the 3rd is going to be great hockey so surround yourself with the beers cause your not going to want to miss a second of it .
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:21 pm
All the other contending teams are playing their guts out, and the habs could care less! They’re playing like they have been for the past 3 months!
And talk about NO DEFENCE? Their defence tonight(or lack of), is THE WORST I HAVE SEEN ALL YEAR! THEY JUST CONTINUALLY COUGH UP THE PUCK! I wish we could trade the entire team! Koivu a leader? What a joke! Do you think a leader would let his team play without effort or desire or heart? They’re a joke!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Dhirka–Dirkha–jihad–jihad!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:44 pm
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laPierre!!!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
They finally listened to my pep talk, right? Thank God!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:58 pm
TAKE THAT TIM THOMAS, YOU SORRY SACK OF ****!!!!!!!~!!!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:59 pm
I SAY…TAKE THOMAS OUT…
iKNOW I WONT BE LEAVIN HERE….
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:03 pm
THESE HABS ARE OUT OF CONTROL’
GOTTA BURN THESE BRUINS, BURN THESE BRUINS…
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Post # 23 is pretty welll right on … Didn’t have time to read the entire thread, but if anybody thinks Gainey is not here for the long term, they do not understand the situation nor the game, and though Carbo is the biggest reason the Habs are in tough shape (but not out yet) at this point, he will be here for a few years … and (my opinion), Kovalev will be back as well … and unfortunately Souray will not …
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I admit it I have egg on my face.
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:08 pm
LANTENDRESSE TAKIN OVER KOVALEV FOR YOU,
LANTENDRESSESE, LANTENDRESSE, LANTENDRESSE…
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Guys, until the end of the 2nd period, we looked like death! the goal near the end of the 2nd gave us a lift, and some momentum. But anyone who watched on TSN, knows the BRUINS are the worst team in the NHL ,in3rd periods, this season. So, they helped our cause. But the bottom line is, we can’t start off games like this. For almost 2 periods there wasn’t any effort. You know how we talk about them not playing for 60 minutes. well, they were very lucky tonight. Against a better team, it would have been light out and a loss for us, so count your blessings!
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Not rewarding the hard-working Bonk? Are you on crack, Joshtm? Out of three years, Bonk worked for one. Typical European…
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:15 pm
It was lookin good for Washington for a while to night but the canes, the lucky ******** won.
Pittsburgh can’t beat NYI’s but they beat everyone else. For F_ck sakes.
Can’t any other team help us out a little?
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:20 pm
the crapitals are done come Saturday. True story…Looks like a couple guys crawled us to a victory…
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Has anyone noticed how lousy Pitt and NJ are playing lately? I think they both have lost 3 in a row. I wish they would help us out. But I think Buffalo will help tomorrow and Saturday vs leafs. If only Carolina, NYR, and NYI would lose.
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:32 pm
at this time of the year a teams best players–have to be their best players !!
so we can see that Kovalev and Samsonov…are both nothing more than a worthless piece of **** !!!
They are both an absolute disgrace to the CH.
I think we are still going to need to have help however to make this happen,
we will see….
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Buffalo 2 wins, leafs 0…excellent!
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Hey Nigelski, Bonk is one of the lowest paid habs yet he delivers game in and game out, I have never crapped on Bonk on this blog, in fact I have wondered why Gainey pays someone like Dandenault an outrageous salary, yet someone like Bonk who has showed up all year long game in and game out….
I think it is time to retire the old vets, retire the vets, Johnson, Kovalev, Samsonov, yes I said Johnson even though he wasn’t totally plastered tonite he only managed to fall down a few times, Gainey musta found his stash of booze…
Looks like the rookies helped out yet one more time. Chara was muscling but where the hell were the vets? Crumbling under Chara, it wasn’t until Lapierre started hitting back that Chara backed off.
Clearly Montreal needs muscle. If Bouillon was supposed to be the muscle even Bouilly buckled…
But isn’t it sad that Gainey still has not called up Grabby or Milroy? What he doesn’t wanna win a cup or what?
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Halak was good tonight. The first goal was iffy but the others he had no chance on. Halak kept the Habs in the game.
Good Job Kid. Keep it up.
Like I said before, most of the goals scored on Halak over the games he played were not his fault.
To tell you the truth all the games they lost with Halak in net, if the D-Men would have helped him out they would have won those games and have a playoff birth wrapped up.
“IF” is the most powerful word in the World. But that is the way the cookie crumbles right.
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Dipietro will have his day I am sure, he is gonna pull blanks like he has done all year. Like he has done before. That should help Montreal. Now if only Koivu and Kovalev won’t pull prima donna hissy fits and jinx the winning streak, and if only Gainey would bring up at least one or two big rookies to savave the sabres…
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Bonk’s salary is over $2 million/year…and the only reason it is at that price is the 25% rollback, Joshtm. Remember that? He used to make over $3 mil. Sound Familiar? Bonk has played well this year, but, he IS euro, and it is a contract year. And OH YEAH, he’s playin’ for a reduced salary of $2 394 000, even after the 25% reduction. Yeah, what a steal. Johnson, your boy, @ 1 900 000, but that so called stud ? Bonk @ $2 394 000. While Johnson is crawlin’, and Samsontiff is cryin’, Bonk is quietly stealin’. You may have forgotten the salary dump that was Bonk in the Garon-Huet deal, I certainly have not. Sure, Bonk has played ok this season…OK. Not a star, by any means. He did nothing to merit his salary in previous seasons.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 pm
HIGGINS that’s all!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:10 pm
I’m impressed Joshtm. Somehow, you have managed to defend Bonk 23 minutes before I even critiqued him. Super power?
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Can you smell it? It’s the smell of Bear fryin in da pan. We cooked them 2 in a row. The meat is sweeter and tastier tonight than Tuesday.
Lets enjoy this win guys, cause Sat. is another big game. The Caps showed that they can beat the big teams. So we will have our work cut out for us.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I guess Nigelski forgets who it was that helped us scrape and crawl our way outta the slump, it sure wasn’t the highest paid hab, Koivu, or that other highly paid Sherbrooke native, wallflower dandynuts…it was Pleks and Bonk my friend. At least Bonk played for his money and was worth the trade. Big difference to that backstroke champion of the ice, someone forgot to tell Johnson he gets paid to skate and score, not crawl and crumble. Its sad when a vet like Johnson needs a smaller Lapierre to look after him, isn’t that just sad? Oh yah, guess what Halak just happens to be a guess what, yes, that’s right…not canadian!!!
But hey its the real canadians on this canadiens team that are pulling us out, I am not talking about the vets, I am talking about the rookies!
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I forget nothing. Bonk has done the Euro contract stroke by playing in the final year of his. Time to steal another 2 out of 3 salary years. And Johnson quit drinking in Toronto, so I hear.