Habs thread 2011-2012

[nilan30]

Not sure if anyone will post in here but here goes.

Habs fans, what do you think of the team for this year.

Outside the lack of toughness which we all know exists, what do you think of this team as compared to last year.

Additions:

Erik Cole - Not a big fan of this addition. Never really liked Cole but that could be because he always seemed like a Hab killer. Hopefully he can get
55+ points, but I'm not sure he will. If not watch how fast he turns into a whipping boy.

Chris Campoli - Don't mind the player but I don't really beleive he was that big of a need for the Habs. Already hurt too.

Alexei Yemelin - Hopefully he can become somewhat of a poor man's Darius Kasparitis but he's already a health scratch so we'll see what happens there.

Raphael Diaz - Don't know enough about him to comment yet.

Blair Betts - Really liked this pick-up even if it is another non-ohysical player on the fourth line. Hopefully he can free up some PK time from a few other guys such as Plekanec.

Peter Budaj - I really don't see him as an upgrade over Auld who, in my opinion, they should have kept.

Losses:

Roman Hamrlik - Really think losing Hamrlik will hurt. Was as steady as they come and logged a lot of minutes in all situations. Although I'm glad the Habs didn;t pay him what the Caps did.

Jeff Halpern - WIll not miss. I think Betts is an upgrade.

Tom Pyatt - Didn't mind Tom the Bomb but I don't think this loss will hurt the Habs.

Benoit Pouliot - Would've liked the Habs to give him one more year. Still think he could turn out ok. Like him better than Andrei Kostitsyn anyways.

Alex Auld - See Peter Budaj.

I see the Habs in their usual dog fight for 8th spot. I think losing Hamrlik is big blow to this team. The defence is shaky and unproven and has two many question marks;

Yemelin - ANy good?
Diaz - Who is he?
Markov - Will he even play?
Gorges - Will his knee hold up?
Spacek - No questions here. He is flat out terrible.
Gill - How much does he have left?
Campoli - Will he stay healthy? Two injuries in three games as a Hab.
Subban - What kind of year will he have? Sophomore slump?

I think the forwards have a lot of talent but the overall make-up of them is too small. When you have guys like GIonta, Cammalerri, Gomez, and Plekanec in your top six, you'd better not have guys like Desharnais and Webber in your bottom half. I like the possibility of a fourth line of White-Betts-Moen but there should be two or three more big bodies on the first three lines. Hopefully Pacioretty regains his level of play pre-injury. Kostitsyn I hope finds himself on another team by year end and Darche, though I don't mind him, I would rather he were the 13th forward but Jacques Martin has a real love for him.

[fcm]

Emelin definitly any good.

[nilan30]

Originally Posted by fcm

Emelin definitly any good.

Wow this thread is booming as I expected haha. Yeah I agree Emelin is good. Yet surprise suprise Martin has made him a healthy scratch tonighht with Campoli's return and Diaz and Weber are both in. Weber up front. I can't beleive how much Martin continues to undervalue having a real fourth line and continues to put a soft defencemen there who isn't good enough to crack the top 6.

[ARCTICCAT24]

When does White get back?

[nilan30]

Originally Posted by ARCTICCAT24

When does White get back?

About a week ago he told Sergio Momesso who works for one of the Montreal radio stations I beleive that he'd be back in about 3 weeks. So hopefully sometime around Christmas. Of course we'll have to see if Martin will use him or keep a defensemen on the fourth line.

[nilan30]

Damn I just depressed myself by looking at some old Habs boxscores of 2003.

The defense back then

Sheldon Souray
Craig Rivet
Stephane Quintal
Michael Komisarek
Francis Bouillon
Andrei Markov

five capable scrappers on the blue line plus guys like Darren Langdon and Steve Begin upfront

Compare that to last night

Hal Gill
Raphael Diaz
Chris Campoli
PK Subban
Josh Gorges
Tomas Kaberle

not one decent/willing fighter and only Travis Moen of any substance up front and I beleive he got hurt last night

[fcm]

Originally Posted by nilan30

Damn I just depressed myself by looking at some old Habs boxscores of 2003.

The defense back then

Sheldon Souray
Craig Rivet
Stephane Quintal
Michael Komisarek
Francis Bouillon
Andrei Markov

five capable scrappers on the blue line plus guys like Darren Langdon and Steve Begin upfront

Compare that to last night

Hal Gill
Raphael Diaz
Chris Campoli
PK Subban
Josh Gorges
Tomas Kaberle

not one decent/willing fighter and only Travis Moen of any substance up front and I beleive he got hurt last night

To many seasons with Gayney - Gauthier as the GM of this team, this is what it makes.