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Layoff

  • Written by Habs BlogHabs Blog 17 Comments17 Comments Comments
    Last Updated: November 7, 2008

    The Canadiens have only played 10 games thus far. The lowest amount of games played in the league.

    Can anyone understand why in less than a month, the Habs have had two very long spans of no activity?

    Does this hurt or help the team right now? Are the Habs going to be overwhelmed with games at some later point in the season?

    Is it tough to stay sharp or focused when you are not playing? The team comes from obscurity again tonight and will face the Blue Jackets and then the Maple Leafs 24 hours later.

    The Habs only regulation loss was to the Ducks after the first layoff, a game where they definitely started slow.

17 Comments
  1. #1 PACTUM SERVA
    November 7, 2008 pm30 5:03 pm

    Just picked up some beer and a couple of movie tickets for my wife and her friend awwwwwwwwwwww yes the world is right tonight. I think we may come out flat in the first period but then find our legs in the second, lets just hope we dont get down in the first.

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  2. #2 groundworking
    November 7, 2008 pm30 11:21 pm

    It’s probably best that they lost one–they’d been pushing their luck lately. And I always think Halak looks like an AHLer. I cringe whenever the other team gets a shot. It showed tonight in the shoot-out.

    He might have been rusty too, though, b/c he looked pretty good at the very start of the year.

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  3. #3 habfan in van
    November 8, 2008 pm30 2:13 am

    After tonight’s game, you gotta wonder what the schedule makers at NHL HQ were thinking. February’s sked is brutal - 14 games in 28 days, including 4 back to back games and a 6-game road trip out west.

    They didn’t look particularly sharp tonight. Let’s hope they don’t make a habit of coming back from long breaks looking like they’re still on break (e.g. Xmas & All-Star game).

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  4. #4 PACTUM SERVA
    November 8, 2008 pm30 12:57 pm

    Even with our great start so far i still think this team has yet to click. We have played good but not to our potential. I cant wait to see the habs running on jet fuel.

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  5. #5 Rocq
    November 8, 2008 pm30 1:39 pm

    Habs will have trouble with the refs tonight, not the Leafs.
    1 to 3 two man advantages for the Laffs.

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  6. #6 Senet1
    November 8, 2008 pm30 1:54 pm

    I would like to see Plex and the two Kost brothers on a line together. I think Kovalev as served this line well but it is time for him to be moved to a line with Koivu or Lang. This kid line could be a line of the present as well as the future for many years. They seem to have good chemistry and always seem to come up with a big goal when they are put together. Last night was no exception.

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  7. #7 Senet1
    November 8, 2008 pm30 2:00 pm

    Price is being touted as the Olympic goalie replacing Brodeur by 2010. He has the stage tonight against the leafs. Hope he plays well, based on how we did not finish plays off last night we may need him to be sharp.

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  8. #8 Senet1
    November 8, 2008 pm30 2:12 pm

    I would like to see these line combinations for a while to see if they click.
    Tanguay, Koivu, Kovalev
    A.Kost, Plex, Sergie
    Higgins, Lang, Latendresse
    Fourth line remains the same.

    I would also line to see a line with
    Lang, Kovalev and Higgins

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  9. #9 Senet1
    November 8, 2008 pm30 2:27 pm

    ON Halak, I would like to see him traded to the Western Conference sometime later in the season. He needs to start to show his abilities though or he will not be worth much as trade bait. He has had two bad outings recently and does not look like the goalie that we all felt he would be. I would not be surprised if he gets sent down to get some playing time, Mark Denis is playing well and could be brought up. Not sure how the waiver thing works with either of them though? Anyone know?

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  10. #10 groundworking
    November 8, 2008 pm30 11:39 pm

    I enjoyed watching the Habs last year much more than I enjoy them this year. All talent, no heart. I hope it changes or this will be a long year, especially as the other teams get hungrier. I think it will change.

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  11. #11 Senet1
    November 9, 2008 pm30 12:30 am

    We need less offence and a lot more defence if we are going to deal with these in your face type teams. Hope Gainey goes out and gets a veteran defencemen (stay at Home). Where was Laraque tonight seemed like he was lost out there. Any Kovalev has really not shown up for two straight games. Is he hurt? Could not fault Price on the goals. Inexperienced defence is our problem.

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  12. #12 starkey
    November 9, 2008 pm30 12:56 am

    Sorry, but you navel-gazers are missing the point. This just isn’t a very good team. Their spot in the standings is misleading. There’s little heart, little grit, no discipline. You won’t be watching this crew very deeply into the spring. Maybe next season, dudes.

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  13. #13 BIG-D
    November 9, 2008 pm30 12:59 am

    Only Montreal could make Toronto look that good……

    Montreal has alot of work to do.

    There will be no Stanley Cup for Montreal in 2009. Not a remote chance at that………

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  14. #14 groundworking
    November 9, 2008 pm30 3:57 pm

    I wouldn’t throw in the towel quite yet. The Habs enough skill, and enough good coaching and management, to turn things around. On the plus side, Koivu and Tanguay are looking good. Plekanec and Katstitsyn are struggling, which is adding to Kovalev’s troubles. Markov is also doing well, though Komisarek hasn’t been as strong as he was last year.

    Lang is a good addition, and Lapierre is working hard. But let’s face it, Montreal’s #1 line isn’t clicking, and I’m picking up hints of attitude issues with some of the youngtier players who are, for the first time, comfortable in the roster spot.

    And if the league is going to review Kostopolous for his hit when Van Ryn turned away from him at the last second, are they going to look at Grabovski for his blatant attempt to injure (spear) Price? That little **** need a good beating.

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  15. #15 Ganz
    November 9, 2008 pm30 9:42 pm

    Sensible post groundworking (#14). Let’s not panic. For the disaster that was last night and the less than impressive play lately, there are more pluses than minuses.

    I’d also like to see Carbo shake things up a bit: Begin should take Lats place for a few games (then we’ll see some effort — from both!!); maybe risk sending Sergei K to Hamilton (I doubt he’d bolt back to Russia with bro here and a good sit-down with Bob about life). Maybe let Shawn Belle, Matt D’Agostini or Yannick Weber have a few games with the big team… just a thought. To me it’s just as logical as sending Price to Hamilton was last year.

    I agree with many: we’re vulnerable on defence with only Breeze-by and O’Byrne as the fall-back when Hammer gets hurt. Play Dandenault on defense. Hell, if he plays OK he’d improve his trade value (which has gotta be low with his salary and press-box time).

    We should be fair, the lackadaisical play may be due to the stupid schedule, but PICK IT UP BOYS… LET’S SEE SOME SUSTAINED (60 mins) EFFORT!!!

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  16. #16 Senet1
    November 10, 2008 pm30 8:15 pm

    To me we saw a team that took two teams for granted and did not prepare to play against these two teams. Lets face it we have trouble with teams that play in your face type of hocket and if we are not prepared then a team that works are like Toronto and Columbus are going to beat you many times. Hammer was sure missed on defence and as I have said a hundred times that is our weakest position on our team. I know that you all like Obryne and I do too but he played very badly against the leafs. We certainly could not fault Price on any of the goals in hind sight had Price played against Columbus we would have won that game and Halik just is not playing well right now. I may be because he is not getting enough playing time but hey that is what happens with a back up goalie. He probably should be in Hamilton and bring up Denis.

    I would do three things:
    I would move Kovy on a line with Lang.
    I would move Sergie on a line with his brother and Plex.
    Koivu and Tanguay seem to be playing well, but we need another player on that line who wants to play hockey. Not sure who I would play unless it would be Kovy and keep Lang’s line in tack.
    Bob we need an experience defenceman, stay at home but moves the puck well.

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  17. #17 Senet1
    November 10, 2008 pm30 8:55 pm

    One other Change, Price plays the next five games in a row. Let see what he is made of, this week will be like the playoffs, every other night.

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