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Hats off to the Habs

  • A win tonight will put the Canadiens into 1st in the Conference and force the Penguins to win tomorrow.

    Depending how the chips fall into place over the last weekend of the regular season,
    it looks as though the Canadiens will play the Senators, Bruins or Flyers in the first round.

    The Maple Leafs may look to spoil the party and go out with a bang like they did against the Senators, injuring 2 key players.

    Regardless of how it all ends, the Canadiens have surprised and impressed, exceeded any and all expectations, and find themselves with a very legitimate shot at winning it all.

    Go Habs Go!

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119 Comments
  1. #1 jack hab says:
    April 6, 2008 at 10:46 am

    Well gentlemen, I must confess that for today I’m a Philly!?? fan… uh, way too long… OK. From
    3 – 6 I’ll be a fan!! No that’s not it either. OK F!@K them – but I do hope they pull off a win
    today, then our team can go ahead and crush them in the playoffs.

    CHEERS TO A GREAT SEASON.

  2. #2 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 10:50 am

    IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT DONNA CHERRY THINKS……………

  3. #3 Xtrahabsfan says:
    April 6, 2008 at 11:04 am

    Ice Man,I also woke up today thinking what a f@cking Archie Bunker sore loser wanabe but never will, REDNECK with a low IQ NEVER MADE IT AS A COACH OR A PLAYER and always lost to the Habs when it counted, Don Cherry is and will alway’s be.Al Gore just classified Don Cherry’s mouth as the worlds biggest contributor to noxious emissions ,lol….” some one should shove a catalytic converter in that idiot’s mouth!!!”

  4. #4 PACTUM SERVA says:
    April 6, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Don cherry and the rest of the world never can give us any credit. Many said we would not make the playoffs. We have finnished first in the east even if pittsburg wins today we still have the same points as far as i am concerned.What more do we have to do to prove that we are a great team?. Havent we already proved enough? Playoffs are different i know but i think its safe to say the the days of not making the playoffs are long behind us now. Lets stop all the hate and trash talk on here boys and just enjoy a team we all love. We have waited to long for this and its time once again for our boys to pull off some magic in 2008 GO HABS GO

  5. #5 jack hab says:
    April 6, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    If we face Boston look for them to play a cheap brand of hockey. They simply can’t
    contend with our speed/skill… and another thing… Tim Thomas…. PAH -LEASE!

  6. #6 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    Archie Bunker? Bahaha! Does that make Ron MacLean Edith?

  7. #7 Dancan81 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    No, that makes Ron Maclean “MeatHead”.

  8. #8 habs4life says:
    April 6, 2008 at 2:38 pm

    Forget about 11 wins over Boston; forget about regular season wins.

    It’s playoff!!!

  9. #9 Don Carnage says:
    April 6, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    Yes do not take any one as an easy pick, playoff hockey is a whole new season, we should be fine as long as we play our style of game and keep things simple and fast… we have as good a chance as anyone else in the east… its a whole new season folks let the games begin!!!!

  10. #10 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    Flyers up 1-0 after two, and they’ve had SEVEN short-handed chances against the lifeless Penguins. I don’t think that Pittsburgh wants to play Philadelphia in the first round.

  11. #11 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    Xtrahabsfan; I agree Brother.

    “Cry Baby Sid” a No Show today in a game to win 1st in the East.

    What a JOKE of a Captain he is.

  12. #12 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    WE ARE #1

  13. #13 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    Yep, Habs win the East!

  14. #14 habby says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:32 pm

    First in the east baby!!!!! Go Habs

  15. #15 Don Carnage says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    They are gutless makes me sick ….

  16. #16 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    What a classy team the Pens are. They threw the game Sunday, not to play Philly. At least Montreal played Kovy……….

  17. #17 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    Throwing games is a bad idea. They’ll pay for it too.

  18. #18 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    Such a shame for Crosby to miss the welcome mat that the fans had out for him in Philadelphia too.

  19. #19 Habman says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    Congratulations Habs, season well done,salute!

    My fresh ,crisp “center ice” jersey just came back from the cleaners!

    YEAAAEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Im gonna drink now…or i mean more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. #20 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:43 pm

    Hey Joseph I would love to have Iginla on my team, and based on the way Malkin played today I would definitely like him over Malkin. I still take Crosby first but you know, it all depends on what you need which of the three players you are going to select. Emough said.

  21. #21 Don Carnage says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:46 pm

    Crosby is a cry baby .. dont want him thanks , I will take Iginla, or big Joe Thor , Vinnie … there are plenty of class acts out there with guts and honor .

  22. #22 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Well, I wouldn’t use anything that happened in today’s game as any indication of what kind of player Malkin is. The Penguins didn’t show up for this game, collectively, and the suggestion that it was on purpose is becoming less difficult to believe.

    That being said, Crosby is a whining *****, and I cannot stand him. ;-)

  23. #23 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    Well I have to agree, if Pitts actually tried to lose this game then I have no respect for them. Crobsy came back too soon from his injury, the type of injury he had is worse than a break and many players who have this injury continue to have trouble with it for years.

    Having said that Pitts seems to play without Crosby for quite some time and successfully so it should not have mattered whether he was in the line up or not. they are definitely a better team with Crosby in the lineup but Malkin’s team did not show up today and from what I saw there was just no effort there at all, which means this team has no pride. Pitts owed Boston and Ottawa there best game and they did not give it. They also owed their fans their best effort to finish first, and they DID NOT GIVE IT. I lost my respect for this organization today.

  24. #24 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    I lost my respect for them a while ago. Typical Pittsburgh mentality: they refuse to change with the times. (Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.) They think that they can run and gun their way to Stanley Cups by loading up with superstar talent. Well, that approach doesn’t work anyumore, sadly.

    Pittsburgh is like an 85-year old physician who keeps wanting to throw first generation penicillin at everything that has evolved to resist it.

  25. #25 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:57 pm

    As far as having Vinni or Thornton I really like both of these guys and if I am looking for a centreman to build a team around give me big Joe. I have always like him. I would take Vinni too because he is a good fit in Montreal. But like Gretzky Crosby will have people who do not like him. I for one would not turn him down if I had chance to get him on my team. There are a lot of very good players in the League. I am parcial to Canadian boys though because to me they have more passion for what the Stanley Cup really means.

  26. #26 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    I’m right there with you with regard to Canadian players, Senet 1. I’m just a little more picky about which Canadians I’d want.

    History has shown: no Canadians = no Cup

  27. #27 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:01 pm

    Joseph, good point. Today reminded me of Detroit a few years ago, all they had to do was tie or beat Chicago and Montreal was in the playoffs, stead they brought up their AHL goalie and sat out all their best players and got beat. It was obvious they did not want the Habs in the Playoffs that year.

  28. #28 hablifer says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:03 pm

    habs are mostly a euro team. Does that mean no cup for us?

  29. #29 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    104 points, 262 goals, 24.2% powerplay efficiency, Division winners, Eastern Conference winners!

    Woooooooooooo-hooooooooooooo!

  30. #30 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    “habs are mostly a euro team. Does that mean no cup for us?”

    Sadly, yes. But that won’t stop me from believing!

  31. #31 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    Question: Has any European Captain ever lead his respective team to a Stanley Cup?

    Answer: No.

  32. #32 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:08 pm

    Well give me a whole team of Canadian boys and with a few decent superstar players and my team will be there every year. You should be picking and if you were the general manager and did not like Crosby then you should not take him. I know that if he were on my team especially had say the Canadiens drafted him he would have a different attitude than he has, he became too important tot he Pittsburg team too soon. If he were on my team we would not have been team captain until he stopped his wining.

  33. #33 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    We have enough Canadian content on our team, I am not against non canadian players I am just saying if I had my choice I would pick a canadian boy.

  34. #34 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    I don’t know… 19 years of whining is difficult to undo, good coaching or not. These guys aren’t military drill sergeants.

  35. #35 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    I concur, Senet 1. Nothing wrong with a healthy mix. The Canadian factor just must be present, and preferably in a leadership role.

  36. #36 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:12 pm

    I am not sure if a non Canadian Captain has ever won the SC. What about Dallas. Who was their captain?

  37. #37 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Modano.

  38. #38 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Yank.

  39. #39 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    Well we have a Canadian Boy leading the way in Goal, Our defence is mostly Canadian although I have to admit that Markov is so far a good leader back there. Up front, Kovy seems to be our leader this year. The one thing I see in Kovy this year he seems to want to prove something and even though he is not our Captain most of the time he has been our team leader all year.

  40. #40 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Thats what I was thinking that Modano was the captain I knew he was a Yank.

  41. #41 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    I think that the Habs, being the Habs, can make anything happen. I truly do. They could write the book on pioneerism in the NHL. So anything is possible with this group.

  42. #42 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:19 pm

    On an unrelated note, Marcus Naslund played on he fourth line in Pittsburgh in the early nineties. How scary was that team?

  43. #43 Senet 1 says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    It is your senior players that take these rookies aside and tell them they are embassing their teammates. That is were the leadership role comes in, as a rookie you better toe the line or else. Crosby came into Pittsburg and basically was the star of the team overnight and soon to be captain as well. There was no mentorship there at all.

  44. #44 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    On the other hand, you can’t polish a ****. In this case, the **** being his personality (because everyone knows that he has tremedous skill). I suspect that he played with girls a lot growing up. And when I say ‘played’, I mean with doll houses.

  45. #45 Xtrahabsfan says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    I just pictured young Stewart saying “You want to go?”to Chara,this is going to be to much fun !!!!Ole Ole Ole….

  46. #46 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:29 pm

    It is more like: “You want to go you Ugly *** Bigfoot”…

  47. #47 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:31 pm

    Zdeno ‘The Giant’ Chara has a future in the WWF after hockey. Another fine product of Pittsburgh, PA.

  49. #49 Ice Man says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    Joe said; “Has any European Captain ever lead his respective team to a Stanley Cup? Answer: No.

    I say “This year will be the FIRST”

  50. #50 Joseph says:
    April 6, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    And Joe hopes that you’re right on the money, Ice Man.

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  • goalie : I don't know when they'll announce it but the Oilers will be signing Sutter (Flames ex-coach) to coach their team - that's why Kevin Lowe chose him to coach in the World's. That was the world's worst kept secret.
  • Senet1 : I guess I wish we could get it done so all the speculating was over and we can get to building out team.
  • goalie : I can't type.... what a faux pas on my behalf...
  • goalie : I just realized what I said adn didn't say yesterday. What a fayx as on my behalf. Regarding coaching Randy Cunnyworth MUSDT stay as an assistant- he deserves at least that after the tremendous job he did in the latter part of this past season. I'd still mlike to have Robinson, Carbo adn Allard on the staff also.
  • Avatar37 : I agree Senet, my choice if we can't have Cunneyworth would be Crawford, Robinson on defense, Cunneyworth for offense, and Carbo as offense/faceoffs .
  • Senet1 : I think if I had my choice it would be Crawford and see if he could get Carbo and Robinson as assistants. That would be my idea coaching team.
  • goalie : I witnesed Marc Crawford MANY times when the Avs, etc. played against Oilers and let me tell you - he is constantly on the referees asses virtually game after game. He is the complete OPPOSITE of J. Martin. Crawford is calm on TSN but he is one excited coach behind the bench. A friend of mine who was an NHL linesman for 26 years said they dreaded Crawford he was so tough on the officials!
  • goalie : You know, I've bee thinking about the coaching situation. I'd be really excited if the Habs had Hartley as head coach and Carbo adn Robinson as his assistants. I also read it somewhere about a month ago that Toronto's goalie coach Allard (?) wants to relocate back to Montreal where he has his goaltending school/business. Add him to the mix and I'd say the Habs would be in great shape coaching wise.
  • Avatar37 : Well, from what I recall, Hartley didn't do all that well with the Thrashers. But, I don't know enough about him to judge one way or the other. Crawford I do know, and he always seemed to be a good, level headed coach to me.
  • Senet1 : even Pacioretty two years ago did not impress any of us. Younger players have to play and make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. If they sit in the press box they are learning nothing.
  • Senet1 : Of course if he have some good assistants like a Larry Robinson to teach the young defence and someone like Carbo to teach faceoffs etc. then your coach does not have to be as good at teaching. If Hartley fits the bill you get no argument from me. My only previous point is that if he is impatient with your younger players to the point that he does not play them, then we are right back where we were with Martin. Martin was a good coach too, but how he handled Emelin, PK and even Pacioretty two
  • goalie : I would like to see the Habs sign a coach who realizes that our team isn't tough enough (we need to get bigger and somewhat more nastier),the coach needs t be a great TEACHER and be a coach who can get the players to understand and buy into his system. Other than that I couldn't care what lingo he speaks. I wnat to see our team become a ligitimate contender fast!
  • HabsLoseAgain : Well we dont know if he is or is not a teaching coach. I woukd just hate to paint Hartley something that he is not. There will always be questions but if Hartley was hired as the habs new bench boss i for one would not be overly upset.
  • Senet1 : My thoughts are not that he is or is not a good coach but rather that when he won the cup he had an experience team of superstars on that team. Where as we have a group of young inexperienced players, is he a teaching coach or a tactical coach or both? I am not question whether he is a good coach, but my question therefore is he the coach for us at this point in the deveopment of our team?? Not sure we are all purely speculating at the moment?
  • Senet1 : Something happened to my first post. I will try again.
  • Senet1 : That is why I said I am not sure he is the coach for us at this time? Right now we are all speculating including yourself, because non of us know for sure?
  • HabsLoseAgain : Crawford also won a cup with Patrick Roy so would you say he is a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best goaltenders of alltime?
  • HabsLoseAgain : Senrt so please give me some reasons why you think Hartley is not the coach the habs need right now. What is it that you do not like about him or his coaching style?
  • HabsLoseAgain : Well all great coaches had great players playing for them so i guess you you add a a pile of other coaches to that list including Bowan......
  • Senet1 : Hartley, was he a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best altime goaltenders of all time. I am not sure that he is the type of coach that this organization needs right now. Unless of course we sign a ton of free agents.
  • Avatar37 : However, my feelings may completely be wrong, Hartley may turn out to be a good fit.
  • Avatar37 : I didn't say Hartley was unknown, I said we demoted a good coach in Cunneyworth and now have an unknown quantity because we don't have a coach. I don't have that great a feeling about Hartley, I'd be much more comfortable with Crawford.
  • HabsLoseAgain : In my opinion i think he might be a good fit in montreal. Oh and he also likes to have a tough team.
  • HabsLoseAgain : Also this year he coached the ZSC Lions to the swiss championship title.
  • HabsLoseAgain : lol the so called "unknown" won a cup in 2000-2001 with the colarado avalanch.
  • HabsLoseAgain : lol Bob Hartley is not an unknown lol.....sheesh.
  • Senet1 : I think he has until the trading deadline to show us that he deserves to be on this team. If he does not get back on track then he could be simply a 2nd round draft pick to whoever we can trade him to.
  • Avatar37 : Bourque reminds me of Pouliot, size, skill, and invisible. He needs to get back to playing a physical game and bang people around and maybe he'll start getting some of those garbage goals again. Need to get to the front of the net. I hope he can find his game again.
  • Avatar37 : We had a good coach in Randy Cunneyworth. Now we have an unknown, with Bob Hartley rumoured to be the front runner. I'd rather have Cunneyworth.
  • goalie : A player like Rene Bourwue has al the physical attributes of what would be a beter than average player. Hwever, he certainly didn't play that well especially after being in Montreal about three weeks. We NEED players like Rene to play hard AND produce points on a REGULAR BASIS in order for us to be competitive.
  • Senet1 : MONTREAL – Rene Bourque had a rocky start to his career as a Hab, but he’s planning on using the next four years to make up for it. After arriving in Montreal under less-than-ideal circumstances in January, Bourque spent the following 38 games hoping to find the spark he needed to rekindle his offensive production. Despite flanking Tomas Plekanec on the team’s second line to close out the season, the 30-year-old sniper suddenly found himself firing blanks in his new NHL home.
  • Senet1 : I think we have to be patient and not expect too much too soon. Let's get a strong management team in place, make a good choices in the draft get a good coach and then see what we need at the free agent market. I will not be too disapointed if we miss the playoffs again next year if it means a long term team success. We have the opportunity to make some major strides over the next two years at the draft table. Then we fill in the holes.
  • goalie : I certainly agree that we need to get some impact forwards who will sign for 5 years, not for a season then walk away. That's not going to help us.
  • goalie : I wouldn't trade PK for Ovetchkin no matter what. He is a coach's NIGHTMARE and a poor team player.
  • Senet1 : I believe he will as we graducally put better players around him and build this team.

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