Injury Bug
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The Canadiens went through the majority of the season with little to no injury problems.
On the brink of clinching their Division and in a good spot to clinch their Conference, the injuries flood in.
Time to panic? Can the Canadiens play the way they’ve played missing these key players? Will it cost them the Conference and home ice advantage?
More importantly, when push comes to shove and the playoffs begin, will the Habs be ready?
115 Comments
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March 31, 2008 pm31 3:20 pm
I only wish I knew the extent of the more concerning injuries, such as Koivu’s, Komisarek’s and Steit’s. As much character as this team has shown at times, I think it’s safe to assume that this pleasantly surprising season will be have a bitter ending if these guys aren’t back in time for the playoffs. Koivu’s injury alone is enough to cause concern. Everyone witnessed what ensued after he took a stick in the eye against an all but defeated Carolina team two years ago. Can they win without him? I’m not so sure.
March 31, 2008 pm31 3:22 pm
It is reported that Koivu has a broken foot!
March 31, 2008 pm31 3:26 pm
TSN.ca
The Montreal Canadiens are going into the playoffs with plenty of question marks as captain Saku Koivu is out for the regular season with a fractured bone in his left foot. Koivu, who has 16 goals and 56 points this season, was seen was using crutches and a foot brace as he left the Bell Centre on Monday.
Carbo was talking on CKAC. He says:
Patrice Brisebois once played with two broken bones in his foot. Koivu’s return might well depend on his pain threshold.
Streit and Latendresse are sure bets for tomorrow.
Komisarek will definitely not play again in the regular season.
Bouillon’s case cannot be determined because of swelling.
Carbo was not satisfied with Grabovski at center on Saturday, may give SK a look at center.
March 31, 2008 pm31 3:26 pm
Perfect. So the first round is out of the question, maybe even the second. That’s not too promising.
Time to shine, Alt-Captain Kovalev!
March 31, 2008 pm31 3:31 pm
Thanks for the updates, Ice Man.
I wish I could translate what the Komisarek bit means with regard to the playoffs. So he’s out for the regular season. No biggie, really. They should still be able to secure 2nd overall. But is that an implication that he may be out a lot longer? If it is, then I might have to join the naysayers.
March 31, 2008 pm31 3:42 pm
I think that everyone will start the playoffs except for Captain K.
But these reports can’t be taken at face value. We will know more by the weekend. I hope.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:11 pm
Is SK a natural centre? anyone know?
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:12 pm
Personally, I would move Lappierre to the second line and bring up chipchura.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:17 pm
Higgins is a natural center no?
I think calling up Chip might help but I wonder if the team we traded him too will let us call ?
LOLOLOL
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:21 pm
Maybe habman traded him and forgot to let Carbonneau know.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:22 pm
The key to the PP is Streit, that was very noticeable in the TO game.
I would keep all of the injuried out of the lineup until the last game. No need to rush them now. Let’s hope that Ottawa loses at least one game and we have second.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:24 pm
Don are you kidding because I am sure he is playing in Hamilton
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:27 pm
Yea Higgins is a natural Centre, and I said the other night that if might be better to try him out on the last few games. On the other hand Lappiere has been playing that position all season and I think he would work good with two of the three, Ryder, Higgins or Sergie K.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:27 pm
Ottawa is probably hoping that they’ll win at least one more game the way they’ve been playing.
Ideally, everyone but Koivu will be back, healthy, in time for the first round. And then it’s up to Kovalev to lead them to the second. He certainly can, but will he?
As to the idea of inserting a younger player or two into the line-up ti give the team a much needed boost (in my opinion), it’s worked before.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:28 pm
You need to look back at the thread before this one .. seems some expert claims that we traded Chip .. of course I was kidding
I think we need to rest the players that are hurting also.. who gives a **** about 1st overall if we need to kill ourselves to get there its not worth it, we need one point, or Ottawa to drop a point … good enough for 2nd overall and gives us home ice advantage
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:30 pm
Well Chipchura was up for quite a few games in the fall, not sure when he got sent down but of all the players brought up and sent back down he is the one I would keep. He plays a good two way game and he likes to hit, something we will need more of in the playoffs.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:32 pm
Don I thought you were and I agree about resting the injuried guys, give them a little ice time in the last game so they are not coming into the playoffs cold turkey.
March 31, 2008 pm31 5:53 pm
Sorry Don I missed all the talk from about #50 to #126 on the previous blog, now I see where you wre coming from.
March 31, 2008 pm31 6:03 pm
Defenceman Mike Komisarek, who suffered a hip injury last week, skated on his own on Monday but is not expected back before the playoffs. http://www.globesports.com/
March 31, 2008 pm31 6:21 pm
Good we need the Komisaurusrex back !!!
March 31, 2008 pm31 6:49 pm
Left winger Guillaume Latendresse is out with neck spasms, although he could play tomorrow night when the Canadiens meet the Ottawa Senators.
Defenceman Mark Streit, who also sat out in Toronto with a sore foot, was expected to return to the lineup.
http://www.globesports.com
March 31, 2008 pm31 6:59 pm
And Komisarek will, he guarantees, be in the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs, the same rugged, crashing player he was before he was shelved - but one who’s stronger, fitter and better rested. He still leads all NHL defencemen in hits and blocked shots.
“I’m ahead of the game and I’m going to be ready,” Komisarek said. “I’m doing everything I can treatment-wise.”
DAVE STUBBS, The Gazette
Published: Monday, March 31, 2008
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:18 pm
88 Habman
Posted on March 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pm. About ‘Toronto Failures’.
Last time Koivu got hurt was against a “no call” when he injured his eye, up 3 games and lose , Carolina goes on to win the Stanley Cup!
Joseph
Posted on March 31st, 2008 at 3:20 pm. About ‘Injury Bug’.
Everyone witnessed what ensued after he took a stick in the eye against an all but defeated Carolina team two years ago. Can they win without him? I’m not so sure.
“hey JOSEPH”
Before you open your big mouth and personally attack me..try to come up with some “originality ‘ and not “plagiarize” my quotes!
Theres plenty to talk about…shows you need use peoples comments!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:21 pm
My original one…Like I said last blog, Koivu will be in for playoffs, quoted march 30 th….he will get freezing done and play in playoffs, he will retire after this year!
Carbo says he will be out for rest of season, then he said “who knows”, he may be in for 1st round!
Jus-like da Habman says!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:29 pm
You want to get smart?…who said Price would be in for Playoffs?, during your trade mongering debuts…I said Huet would be traded, I could go on and on, about my solid predictions and knowledge, and you guys have come up with nothing! ABSOLULETY NOTHING!
Who said Gorges would be a valued defense men, and the Kostitsyn brothers would be regulars, as well as Lapierre would and will be the next Guy lafluer!
He will score 40 goals next year!
I ready for more attacks,bringem on, Then you will get it first game of playoffs when Koivu steps on the ice!
I told you guyz..I have connections!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:30 pm
I said the Habs would lose to T.O and they got wasted!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:31 pm
They will lose tomorrow and to Buffalo and win their last game…..then you gonna get it again!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:43 pm
Most Important of all.boyzzzzz..I said and was the FIRST to say it!,,HEALTH is the most important factor concerning this team, while all you “favorites” here were whining about how to beat Jersey, and crying about how Ottawa has our number, and of course(you know who you are)the whining about getting first and who we are going to play in the first round,
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:50 pm
yOU WANT SOME joseph…i GOT PLENTY..ASK THE BOYZ ON HERE,,YOU SHUT UP ABOUT ME..ILL DO THE SAME TO YOU, ANY REGULARS GET PERSONAL,(NAME CALLING ECT) WITHOUT DO JUSTICE, IM ON YOU!
March 31, 2008 pm31 7:51 pm
wE WILL SEE YOU APRIL “FOOLS” DAY…oTTAWA 5 HABS 3
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:33 pm
Can someone give “FudgePackerman”aka Habman some batteries for his vibrator so he can amuse himself.
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:38 pm
He amuses us thats for sure… !!!!
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:40 pm
Lapierre may score forty goals, I think he has the potential, but he will never be a Guy LaFleur!
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:51 pm
40? We need to write that down and next year pull it out!!! But by that time who knows where our superham man will be >>> yes thats Super HAM-MAN its not a typo
Noday can ham it up better !!!
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:52 pm
habman, if I ever had a need to plagiarize you, I’d f**king shoot myself. That’s a fact.
FYI, the Habs were up 2-0 over Carolina when Koivu went down with that injury.
Lighten up, Nancy.
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:53 pm
Thats NOBODY can HAM it up better …. CAPS LOCK !!!! MAKES ME LOOK TOUGH!!!!
lol no it dont little man ….
March 31, 2008 pm31 8:57 pm
nO..cAPS iN …WIN EASTERN CONFERENCE!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:00 pm
Yes, im not going anywhere, and I really hope you guyz like it!
Ohhh, I love it,Hablifier going to see it all, babies are babies, bring it on!
Oh , by the way, who’s gonna win the lottery?…Me I am going to say Calgary for the west
T.O for the East, ant wiener head comments or guesses?
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:01 pm
LOL Huet never won nothing in his life , I dont think he will this year either, The team with the best chance Pens , But that dont mean they will, I want the Habs to win of course … but I wont be bothered if they dont
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:01 pm
habman, in all honesty, you’re my hero. I’m flabbergasted by your unlimited knowledge. Please, Sensei, show me the way to Habland.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:02 pm
Cranage, what team did you play for again, I dlike to see if you ever even had “ladies” skates on!!..lol
youd get a boner wearing them!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:03 pm
No JOSEPH..you follow me and tell all your friends what you learned, but oh, never let them see this site, theyd BUST you and call you a PHONY!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:04 pm
habman is a bonified ******, folks.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:05 pm
word
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:05 pm
Oh yes Carnage, you will cry if the habs lose, because you didnt think about the TEAM, only yourself!..even fans are selfish!, you never cared about the HEALTH of the team like I did 2 months ago, you only cared about wearing your jersey to school so you could brag to the kids you pick on…because you only play “floor hockey!”..and your weak in the “mind”
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:05 pm
My apologies, Ice Man. I called you on that earlier, but now I understand.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:07 pm
No..Joseph is a “copy cat kid’.come up with sometin original, !
Ill give you a pointer, the”C” will play Round 1..go with it!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:08 pm
habman, do you live in Montreal?
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:08 pm
Ice man, hes ok, he never did go to that “dojo” and ask that guy(instructor0 for that “spar’
Sp..i could phone him and ask how you did…
I guess he kicks around “children’…tisk tisk…
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:10 pm
School ? Work more like … my Kids go to school fool !
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:10 pm
ILL TELL YOU WHO TAUGHT ME AND YOU CAN PHONE HIM…THEN GET YOUR *** DOWN THERE AND WE WILL TALK..
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:11 pm
You’re an insecure little boy, yes, we know.
Back to my question: Do you live in Montreal?
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:19 pm
You dont own this site, ill be here , you cant do nothing, so kiss my BIG FROG!!!!!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:20 pm
You can say what you want..when the boyz come back..ill laugh at you..so “kissy’ kissy “each other until tommorow!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:21 pm
I dont answer to “information ally” challenged people that attack people on this site without warrant or reason!, I dont answer to you!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:22 pm
I answer to my team!, ans my friends on here!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:24 pm
I don’t want to own anything, thank you, but here’s why I asked the question…
If you had said ‘Yes, I live in Montreal’, it would have explained a lot about you, because only a child or a social misfit living in a city like Montreal would spend so much of his time indoors every night acting out his frustrations on the internet.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:26 pm
im not asking to be acknowledged as “RIGHT” , i am saying we dont put the priorities in order until “incidence’ dictates it, I address important issues that you guyz say have no relevance, then when they do, I get “cut down’ for it, instead of being treated like i have the ‘radar’ for it”, i have plenty , and I mean plenty of Hab friends that look at this site and Laugh at you guyz, they will be invited shortly for you “entertainment”
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:27 pm
I was quick to judge Ice Man for insulting you a few days ago, but it’s now obvious to me that it was warranted because you’re quite clearly the one with the insults for everyone.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:29 pm
Thanks Don for clearing up the Chipchura trade. I thought I missed something there!
Habs vs Philly = Yes
Habs vs Bruins = Yes
Habs vs Capitals = No
Habs vs Sens = SCARY
Price is a cool cuccumber. He’ll keep the Habs in there every game when it counts…
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:29 pm
No, habman. You demand that you’re right about everything, and that everyone else is an idiot, unjustifiably. That’s why you get cut down.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:31 pm
Smarten up.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:33 pm
Well instead of running each other down lets be a little serious for a moment. I agreed with you Habman about the health issue, but let be real for a moment, You cannot sit out all your best players for the last two to three weeks of the schedule, first if we lost five in a row instead of winning most of those games we would not be talking about first or second place, we would be right back where we were last year trying to make the playoffs. If you look at this conference there are currently 9 teams that can still make the playoffs with only three games left. Two weeks ago there were 12 teams, this conference is so close you can go from first to last in one year. So you make the playoffs and then who hope for the best. Kiovu and Steits injuries were both flukes. The could have happen at any time whether it was the last game, or in the last 10 games. That hockey it is just dump luck.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:34 pm
Call me on what Joe?
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:40 pm
On calling habman a ******. He drove me to it as well. My apologies.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:40 pm
Streit is back so is Latts …
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:44 pm
Not just hockey, but sports in general, Senet 1. That’s the most frustrating part of being a fan. You have to put all of your faith in the coaches, the team, and the hockey gods, and there’s nothing you can do but watch it all unfold as it will. But there’s fun in that too, agreed?
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:44 pm
If you guyz ever met me, you’d meet a guy that would give you a shirt of his back, ice man, we had our thing, we made peace, now he finds a new guy to fight on his side, guyz, I just ask for opinions, im not a Sooth sayer, just a fan that his been loyal, scince 1975, i played hockey, i played,in pain, i was young, i was loved, hated , but respected, i know how to lose,made most of my friends by fighting, in order to go the farthest, you need to know who’s toughest, you guyz dig in, i respect that, prove your point with facts, thats all, Im on YOUR SIDE< I drink and salute my hab brothers, Playoffs are here, we need ALL our Prayers for our team!, dissension among the men means we all lose, so, lets do this fresh!
PEACE
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:45 pm
No need to Joe
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:45 pm
Joseph, I agree 100%, you are right!
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:53 pm
Joseph, Agree.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:54 pm
habman, I have no problem with you when you’re being level-headed and objective. It’s the ‘I was right!’, ‘you’re unoriginal’ and ‘you guys are idiots’ stuff that calls for reaction.
As to my comments on the previous entry, they were meant in fun. And the only reason I posted them was as a reaction to the stuff that I just mentioned. If you want mutual respect, you’ll get it here. Just don’t attempt to belittle my intelligence to make a point.
I came here for two reasons: to offer my unwavering support of the Habs, and hopefully some positive perspective when so many people are being so negative, and to learn the game more. I think hockey is the greatest game there is, but quite honestly, when you attack my comments it kind of ruins it for me.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:55 pm
Well, I’m a hypocrite, Ice Man.
March 31, 2008 pm31 9:59 pm
I think we all are on times.
No worries Mate.
LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:00 pm
Penguins’ OT loss puts them a full two ahead. I don’t think we’ll catch them, especially considering the fact that they have two more wins.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:01 pm
No. I get all caught up in the moment, the past circumstances have left me with a “chip’ on my shoulder, all this hard work to get here, and it is true, if there is depth , there is will to succeed, and i have wavered in my confidence in the coach, thus i have been ‘benched by you guyz, and i concede i have bee unruly, there is no time to look back on the past , it is now, comradely, and it is my turn to listen!, and thus i will, No more “in your face”
PROMISE!
beerz dont help either…lol
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:01 pm
Right on, Ice Man. I need to remember that advice at times.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:02 pm
Just got back from work,new topic eh, did I miss anything???lol….
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:03 pm
So we’re cool from this point on, habman? Good.
Like I said, I won’t attack unless provoked.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:03 pm
What is the “best ” senario givin the fact we may end up second in our division< ?/
Which team could we have a chance with now, say nothing changes? (injuries)
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:04 pm
LOL! Yeah…
Has this site always been this lively, or do I bring out the ‘best’ in people?
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:07 pm
nyr 2 Pitts 1 ot
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:08 pm
The way I see it is we’ll have to beat three of them to reach the promise land anyway, so what difference does it make who we play first, second? After all, if Washington is going to be a force in the playoffs, then we’re going to have to face them eventually (if we are going to be a force, that is).
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:12 pm
Who else here thinks that Pittsburgh is a better team when Malkin fills in as their leader? They’ve got a better winning percentage when Crosby is side-lined and their goals for goes from 2.58 to 3.5 per game.
A better question: how long will Malkin play in Croby’s shadow?
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:12 pm
Oh yeah ,it’s like this all the time ,it’s HABitual don’t you know. I ‘m sure it’s cause we are all habnutty.As concerning Chipcura I believe he got injured his last game to,yikes!!!!
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:13 pm
Well now that we have all made up and are kissy kissy again lets talk some hockey. How do we do two things.
Figure out how to win at least one more game and two get prepared for the playoffs.
Any discussion.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:14 pm
I played in the south west league(saskatchewan) for the Abbey eagles, in 2005, i worked on a cattle ranch, Nov 4 2005, I was thrown from a vehicle and broke my back, iam skating today, i was paralyzed for three months from the waist down, The small town I chose to play for treated me like gold, hockey keeps those towns alive, people pack the joint, (and the farm kids are big~!)..i was 42 years old, i was the “grandaddy of the team,, CBC DID FEATURE ON ABBEY,I got up at 5 to run, stay in shape, work on the farm, it was awesome….just somthing I miss, have you guyz played or still play>?
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:17 pm
Implement the trap!
No…
One: motivational coaching
Two: motivational coaching
If the Florida Panthers can beat Lemieux’s Penguins to get to the Final, then so can the banged up Habs beat Crosby’s Penguins, or whomever else, until the Captain returns.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:22 pm
The Pittsburgh situation is interesting. There is one way for Malkin to overcome Crobsy’s shadow and that is to out play and out point him. One thing is for sure, good players learn to play with one another. They win championships together, if these two superstars cannot play on the same time then they are not real hockey players. Gretyz and Messier learned how to play on the same time. They respected each other and won the cup together. Evenually they had to leave the oilers because of money, that eventually will happen in Pittsburg too. The capp is going up over 55M next year. Soon the small market teams are going to be back in the same boat as the three years ago. One of them will leave eventually my money is on Malkin.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:23 pm
That’s some story, habman. I’m glad to hear that you’ve recovered to the point where you can play.
I played a bit for Mt. Lebanon in Pittsburgh, but it isn’t the same. Football consumed most of our time. Regardless, I laced up and hit the ice every chance I got when I was younger, attempting to mimick everything that Mario Lemiuex did - u-huh. Well, a kid can dream, can’t he?
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:27 pm
Senet 1, I see more of a Lemieux-Jagr scenario playing out in Pittsburgh than I do a Gretzky-Messier one. They learned to played together, but Jagr (I know him) had difficulties playing in Lemiuex’s shadow. That being said, Pittsburgh won’t be able to afford them both for long, which is probably why they have their eyes on a championship right now.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:31 pm
That was redundant, wasn’t it?
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:37 pm
One of the reasons we have trouble with teams like Ottawa and Pittsburgh is that they are both skating teams and they have a number of pure goal scorers. Although we have some good players we do not have any 50-60 goal men on our team. We score using skill, speed and team work and less individual skills. When we play our skating game, we are good as long as we incorporate our forechecking style. We get beat when we try to play fire wagon hockey against these types of team. So some form of the trap may work, the only thing is we really have not played it for most of the year. Having said that if with speed we can take away the middle of the ice in the neutral zone and forecheck with speed and body contact in the offensive end then I think we have a chance against Pitts, Ott, NYR, Wash. Our speed will also beat teams like Bos, Phily, Carl, and NJ. The secret is good goaltending, strong defense and a speedy forecheck. But sometimes even to play your best is not good enough without a little luck.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:43 pm
Being from Pittsburgh area I can see why you would choose, Lemieux and Jagr. However, even though Lemieux was probably one of the purest goal scorers there ever was, he never really became a truely good hockey player until he played with Gretkyz and Messier in that Canada Cup. Both these two players were not true team men in their early years and I am not sure Jagr ever became a team man. That is the difference between these four super star players and time will tell whether Crosby and Malkin with be the Lem/Jagr or the Gretz/mess comparison.
March 31, 2008 pm31 10:53 pm
Another good comparison would be the Montreal Canadiens for the 1955 to 1960.
Look at the superstars on that team. Rocket, Beleveau, Geffrion, Harvey, Plante. These guys learned how to play with each other and that is what made them a great team.
March 31, 2008 pm31 11:20 pm
No joseph, I like to haer about the memories, it sets a spark , man , we all fought like cats and dogs, froze our feet, late for supper, playing outside with lights out!…lol..man it makes me happy to hear that stuff.MT. Lebanon, cool…ill remember that, i have 14 year old in Minnesota, your ABSOLUTELY dead on!…They play base ball, and it FOOT BALL #1 there, I could never dream playing base ball under the lights at 13 -14!..WOW…and its pricey sport…
Its a might chilly in PITT, same in SAskatchewan….
hockey lives here
I thin im gonna cry…lol..just juicin ya …real cool man1..
Why you not a Penguin fan?
March 31, 2008 pm31 11:22 pm
SEnet 1, these guys played hurt alot too…imagine having to go to work the next day…im amazed at the balls of these guys, wearing “shinny” equipmnet.
Im gonna check out some years and playesr..you got me going….
They expanded around then?