|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:06:56 GMT -5
Now that AS has addressed the first issue... The habs have to get a defenseman that makes other teams nervous when crossing our blueline. Presently we have no one on our blueline that even closely resembles this. In doing an acquistion on these lines we could get rid of the dead wood upfront, and regain some respectability on our blueline. Right now opposing teams must lick their chops when facing our soft defenseman. From what i understand CJ played this type of game so this might help light a fire under AS. Does anyone know if we showed any interest in Kasparitis in the past off season, or was his price tag too high. Even a guy like Ulanov, with his mental lapses, would be cheap to acquire and would be upgrade on Traverse. Marchment is another option with a low price tag.
|
|
|
Post by Habsolution on Jan 19, 2003 16:13:59 GMT -5
I agree. We only need one though physical dman that can log some time to replace Traverse. It all depends on when Sourray is going to come back. I heard about him coming back in late feb or early march. Think we could wait for him instead of trading players ? Like you said we have so much dead wood we have nothing to trade that could get us what we want.
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:22:25 GMT -5
Souray would definately be welcomed back with open arms. I thought he played great in last years playoffs, considering how banged up he was. That said i still don't think he fits the bill as a menacing defenseman. And if he does play that way how long will his injury prone body last. We need a defenseman that makes opposing forwards wonder were they're on the ice at all times. A bone crusher. Even if we overpay slightly for this type of asset it would make room upfront which would give Ward and Gratton a chance.
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 16:27:10 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Habsolution on Jan 19, 2003 16:27:59 GMT -5
The guy you're looking for is McClaren ...
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 16:31:44 GMT -5
The guy you're looking for is McClaren ... and you ain't getting him unless you give them a Zednik or a Markov IMO... I don't think Bruins are ready to give up a 26 year old d-man for Hackett and his impending UFA..
|
|
|
Post by PTH on Jan 19, 2003 16:35:41 GMT -5
For what we have to offer, I can't see us getting much of an upgrade on Traverse/Dykhuis, myself...
And just trying to desperately fill a hole often leads to mistakes.... do we really want another Robert Dirk ? I wouldn't want another Ulanov or Manson either, this team needs to be a constant, reliable team - no need for spectacular hits, which typically also mean seeing the defenseman make boo-boos every game.
Traverse.... well, he's hopeless, but just seeing Dykhuis play a good, simple game or seeing Souray back, will be just fine.
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:38:32 GMT -5
I wonder what the price tag would be on Marchment Sutton or Ulanov? I can't imagine any of them being too expensive. It would be great to get Mclaren but how much are audette, ribs, hackett, traverse, and dackell worth. Any of those 4 guys would give our defense a much tougher edge. Jason Smith from edmonton would be good, yeah i know good luck getting him.
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:43:30 GMT -5
PTH your right with a guy like Ulanov we would get the mental lapses. Yet we are already getting those with the guys we got now. At least with Ulanov opposing forwards are keeping an eye on where he is. A big hitter gives opposing teams on more thing to think about and currently we have no one to do this even with a healthy Souray. Wouldn't you rather see Ulanov than traverse? It wouldn't be a complete overhaul but it would give our defense one more tool at their disposal.
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 16:45:20 GMT -5
If you are looking for a short term solution...Habs really need just a mean tough SOB who can play a little. Not a world beater. Just a solid 6th d-men.
A Traverse/Dykhuis with a mean streak and who WILL HIT people.
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jan 19, 2003 16:47:15 GMT -5
I mentioned Ulanov countless times before and while he is a bit of a loose canon, he makes opposing forwards think about keeping their heads up when crossing the blueline. He's also a good dressingroom guy to have around as well. Last time he was here he was very well respected by his teammates.
Grant Marshall is also another guy I'd go after. This guy broke his neck in junior and had to wear a halo brace to keep his head from moving while it healed. He not only made it back but made it into the pros. He's not a Gary Roberts, but he plays the same style and is fearless.
I had these two guys mentioned in the last "Dis and That" I submitted a few weeks back, but alas, the main board went down and with it, our features; bummer.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Habsolution on Jan 19, 2003 16:48:01 GMT -5
and you ain't getting him unless you give them a Zednik or a Markov IMO... I don't think Bruins are ready to give up a 26 year old d-man for Hackett and his impending UFA.. Sadly you're right
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:48:57 GMT -5
Marc when we're talking about Marchment, Ulanov, and Sutton these guys can be obtained for a relatively low price. Any of these three would be a huge upgrade on Traverse, and would probably make guys like Breezy and Markov look better.
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 16:53:02 GMT -5
well Sharks are going nowhere and Marchment is a UFA so maybe something could be done there?
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 16:54:29 GMT -5
I don't know if AS can reach the phone when he's hiding under that pile of coats.
|
|
|
Post by Habsolution on Jan 19, 2003 17:03:15 GMT -5
I don't know if AS can reach the phone when he's hiding under that pile of coats. It's hard for a GM to adress the team's needs when the assets are badly used. He was left with no trading power. Now that the situation is clearer and that the players are well used he'll see what he has to do much better. Now AS can re-evaluate the situation and do better ... I'm confident
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 17:03:37 GMT -5
DIS both Ulanov and Marshall would fit the bill. It's tough sometimes to watch Ulanov play because one night he plays amazing, and the next night he looks like he's tanking the game for some russian mobster. That said i would take him over dykhuis or traverse any day of the week.
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Jan 19, 2003 17:26:30 GMT -5
and you ain't getting him unless you give them a Zednik or a Markov IMO... I don't think Bruins are ready to give up a 26 year old d-man for Hackett and his impending UFA.. No, but as I suggested some time ago...what if it was Hack and Souray? Two injury prone defensemen, not far apart in age. Hack is the rental, Souray will not be a big contributor this year. Of course no way a Habs/Bruins trade like this comes off. It's not a Weinrich/Traverse situation.
|
|
|
Post by AH on Jan 19, 2003 17:26:55 GMT -5
I think Marshall is a winger.
We needed a defenseman before Souray got hurt. We still need that defenseman on top of a healthy Souray. I also don't want ot get an overly physical pylon. The greater need is reliability and the ability to clear the zone quickly.
How about Bryce Salvador in St louis ?
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 17:36:22 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by zenseeker on Jan 19, 2003 17:58:00 GMT -5
Habsolution as you can probably guess i'am not AS's biggest fan. He should of addressed the issue of our defense corps long ago. Instead he created more of a log jam at right wing, which has created nothing but problems. I'll stop there with my AS critique because it always gets everyone off the present subject. I think even by trading our spare parts we can get the defenseman we were talking about. Guys like Marchmant, Ulanov, Sutton, and Marshall aern't guys who cost a mint in acquiring. Hopefully AS broke the seal by firing MT and becomes more decisive in rectifying current problems
|
|
|
Post by Viper on Jan 19, 2003 18:31:02 GMT -5
The guy you're looking for is McClaren ... sorry but i disagree Mclaren will only do half the job if that. It's tuff to strike fear or even a slight scare from the IR. On another note i wonder do we really need a D-man realistically this team is not in contention we have briser locked in rivet locked in Markov better end up that way soon Hainsey developing nicely and Komi on the way (crossing my fingers for next season or late this year !!) that's five with quintal souray and travesty thats 8 quintal could end up the seventh d-man if he's still around. my concerns to be honest are for a big center this is more the teams need from this point of view. with the Julien three offensive and a grinder line i really think a good big second line center is essential for the success of something like that. Ribiero can't cut it he's got the talent as a playmaker but just not enough wheels to be truly effective at this level.
|
|
|
Post by Viper on Jan 19, 2003 18:37:37 GMT -5
It's hard for a GM to adress the team's needs when the assets are badly used. He was left with no trading power. Now that the situation is clearer and that the players are well used he'll see what he has to do much better. Now AS can re-evaluate the situation and do better ... I'm confident excellent point habsolution. coaching is essential for effective work as a GM. when your assets are mismanaged the holes in the system are as clear as mud. Hopefully we will see things become more clear under Julien. One game is too early to assess the situation but after a 8 or 10 it should be clear the type of system (please lord let there be one. ) Cj wants to implement and which players are going to fit into that system. Then AS can do the job of filling the empty holes with prospects or traades. GO HABS GO !!!
|
|
|
Post by TheHabsfan on Jan 19, 2003 19:02:47 GMT -5
On another note i wonder do we really need a D-man While I agree with you that the future looks bright at this position, it looks bleak now. Our sloppy defense is costing us games. In yesterday's game against the laffs, Traverse turned the puck over 7 times...6 of them in the defensive zone. I am not saying that we need to get a top 4 D...but a tough 5th or 6th would be a great addition to this already soft defense team. Granted, we need a big center for the second line, but I think we can still win games with Perreault....the problem is that we are losing games because of Traverse and to a certain extent, Brisebois. Dykhuis isn't too bad lately...because he is benched! cheers,
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 19:31:31 GMT -5
Viper...of your 8 d-men
You counted Traverse(who sucks) Souray who is always injured
and you forgot Dykhuis(who is certainly nothing more than a 5th or 6th guy)
We need help on D. Improve the defence, get more scoring, find more toughness and this team is a playoff contender if Theo keeps finding his groove.
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Jan 19, 2003 20:28:42 GMT -5
Let me be even more blunt. We have Markov #1, Hainsey #2, Komi #3 and Souray, when healthy, #4. The rest have deficiencies that overshadow their positives. Quintal has picked it up and could be a 6 1/2. Unfortunately, Komi & Souray aren't playing so we have 2 NHL d-men on the roster. Hopefully, a new system will make the rest look better. Another legacy of MT's, gross depreciation of our assets. It is mind boggling how a guy who can turn good players into garbage within 2 games, held on to his job for 2+ years. Am I still bitter? I hate waste.
|
|
|
Post by rocky on Jan 19, 2003 20:29:15 GMT -5
I was wondering about Francois Beauchemin from the Dogs. I have watched him play a few times on tv this season plus I had seen him play several games in Junior. Now I know that having 2 rookies on D ( Hainsey ) may be a stretch, but Beauchemin is a more physical type blueliner. One thing for sure, if he is capable of playing in Mtl. CJ would be the first to know. Anyway just a thought, like PTH said we don't need any more Dirk type moves.
|
|
|
Post by PTH on Jan 19, 2003 21:04:01 GMT -5
Let me be even more blunt. We have Markov #1, Hainsey #2, Komi #3 and Souray, when healthy, #4. The rest have deficiencies that overshadow their positives. Quintal has picked it up and could be a 6 1/2. Unfortunately, Komi & Souray aren't playing so we have 2 NHL d-men on the roster. Hopefully, a new system will make the rest look better. Another legacy of MT's, gross depreciation of our assets. It is mind boggling how a guy who can turn good players into garbage within 2 games, held on to his job for 2+ years. Am I still bitter? I hate waste. I think you're overrating the kids, and underrating a few guys... Brisebois is a top 4 defenseman, he just needs to be that #4 guy. Rivet and Quintal are NHL worthy too - but both need to be #3-#6 guys. Dykhuis also is OK, but this season he's lost it for some reason. As to gross deterioration under MT.... just about everyone we got was a spare part, of course they won't be worth more. The only clear loss of value IMO is in Audette and Chow - Audette is through his own fault, and Chow was put in a position to fail (off-wing) and showed up to camp out of shape (look at AS's quotes when he got sent down).... Zed, Bulis and Markov though have become far better players. MT was given an imbalanced team made up largely of castoffs and spare parts, and he made it play, sometimes well, sometimes badly. But given the material he had on hand, I wouldn't say he caused our assets to lose value.
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 19, 2003 21:21:36 GMT -5
Brisebois is a top 4 defenseman, he just needs to be that #4 guy. Rivet and Quintal are NHL worthy too - but both need to be #3-#6 guys. Totally agree. He is a number 3-4 d-man. Just put Brisebois with a big tough lefty D...and you would see a MUCH better Brisebois IMO.
|
|
|
Post by Viper on Jan 19, 2003 21:33:33 GMT -5
Viper...of your 8 d-men You counted Traverse(who sucks) Souray who is always injured and you forgot Dykhuis(who is certainly nothing more than a 5th or 6th guy) We need help on D. Improve the defence, get more scoring, find more toughness and this team is a playoff contender if Theo keeps finding his groove. Okay but by comparison to the rest of the league assuming that some type of system gets implemented by Julien i really wonder how bad it is. Dykhuis, Briser, Hainsey, Markov, Rivet, and Quintal with travesty as a 7th and Souray on the IR may not be as bad as it seems. (and this is also considering Komi will be around next year) i am content to sit on things for at least a dozen or so games before doing anything at all. We did after all give up less than 30 shots and have almost 40 ourselves in Julien's debut. If this is a sign of things to come will we be complaining about the D in a dozen games or wishing we had somebody putting the puck in the net This is an offensive team that was content to sit back relax and take advantae of the few chances it did generate if we are going to see the shot clock exceed 30 for us more regularly the goals for should coincide with that. Ironically as impatient as i usually am for the team to make moves to improve i think doing something without a true assessment under the new coach would be harsh. It's like habsolution brought up, the existing player's we're being misused for the most part. the real holes in the lineup are as clear as mud right now because of that. let's see how the D is when it gets used more efficiently before deciding if it's a need. I think that it will be better in the short future with it's existing parts we've already seen an indication of that last night. Get me a big number 2 center we have nobody now and nobody coming in in the short future. the long term fix is the real goal not the short term hole filler. I've seen enough hole filler already
|
|