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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 22:22:55 GMT -5
He wasn't on the team bus and he may have been traded. This is what Fournier is saying on CKAC right now.
More details to follow.
Edit: TSN says he has been demoted
tsn.ca Staff
12/27/2002
With no plans to put him in the lineup on a consistent basis, the Montreal Canadiens have demoted Mariusz Czerkawski to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League.
Czerkawski - a healthy scratch for the Habs in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators - did not follow the team on the flight to Pittsburgh for Saturday's game against the Penguins.
The disgruntled forward asked Canadiens GM Andre Savard to be traded earlier this month.
In 25 games this season with the Canadiens, Czerkawski has two goals and eight assists.
The 30-year-old was acquired in June from the New York Islanders for forward Arron Asham and a fifth round draft pick in 2002.
another edit: It is now confirmed: Chow is going down for a conditionning stint and is still on the Habs roster. Should be back in 2 weeks.
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 22:32:04 GMT -5
Fournier is now saying he took his equipment(sp?), his stuff and hoped into AS's car. Since AS is going to the WJC tomorrow, this must mean Chow is taking a plane somewhere else and AS is bringing him to the airport.
Has he been traded?(trade freeze ends at midnight tonight) is he going to Hamilton?
I will have the latest when it becomes available.
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Post by GoMtl on Dec 27, 2002 22:40:02 GMT -5
woah, i'm pretty disapointed. i'm sure AS got nothing for him , but this also could be wicked if we happen to get a prospect or a d man and we don't have to pay any of chow's salary (keep dreaming matt)... i wish chow the best of luck on his new team, too bad it couldnt work out here (if he actually is leaving)
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 22:43:06 GMT -5
I believe team 990 has just reported it.
I wonder what is up...
If Chow was traded...would he really go into AS's car? then again, if AS is going to Dorval Airport(Montreal's airport) and Chow must catch a plane somewhere, it makes sense. More flights out of Montreal than Ottawa.
Either way, a RW should be gone, a problem will dissapear so it's all good...
now if Audi could just go away.
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 22:51:32 GMT -5
RDS confirms it
Czerkawski et le CH : c'est fini! Les jours de Mariusz Czerkawski avec le Canadien sont terminés. En effet, le Polonais est monté dans le véhicule du directeur général André Savard pour rentrer à Montréal pendant que le reste de l’équipe montait dans un autobus en direction de l’aéroport. Le Canadien joue à Pittsburgh samedi soir.
Czerkawski n’était pas en uniforme vendredi soir face aux Sénateurs d’Ottawa.
Le Canadien n’a pas le droit d’annoncer une transaction avant minuit vendredi soir. En effet, les équipes de la LNH ne pouvaient échanger de joueurs pendant la pause de Noël.
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Post by 24andcounting on Dec 27, 2002 22:51:53 GMT -5
Too bad Audi didn't get in AS's car. I'd rather "lose" him.
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Post by montreal on Dec 27, 2002 22:53:01 GMT -5
Nah, I don't think he got traded. I think he got a new job title, and is now carrying Savard's bags around for him, and taking notes with a steno pad. ;D
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 22:54:17 GMT -5
we better call up Ward if Chow goes with no one coming back!
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Post by montreal on Dec 27, 2002 22:55:23 GMT -5
RDS confirms it Czerkawski et le CH : c'est fini! Les jours de Mariusz Czerkawski avec le Canadien sont terminés. En effet, le Polonais est monté dans le véhicule du directeur général André Savard pour rentrer à Montréal pendant que le reste de l’équipe montait dans un autobus en direction de l’aéroport. Le Canadien joue à Pittsburgh samedi soir. Czerkawski n’était pas en uniforme vendredi soir face aux Sénateurs d’Ottawa. Le Canadien n’a pas le droit d’annoncer une transaction avant minuit vendredi soir. En effet, les équipes de la LNH ne pouvaient échanger de joueurs pendant la pause de Noël. Marc, I understand most of this, but what are they saying in the last paragraph? Something about an announcement ? Sorry my French isn't very good.
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Post by larek on Dec 27, 2002 23:23:55 GMT -5
It sais on TSN that Chow was sent to the minors,what that accomplishes when your trying to move him, doesnt make any sense,i guess they couldnt get anything for him,but why not release him and Audette who should have been taking the seat to hamilton with Chow!!
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Post by UberCranky on Dec 27, 2002 23:28:43 GMT -5
I wonder if I'm going to Hamilton to watch a new, top prospects? Like The Polish Prince?
Here is an educated trade guess.
Atlanta and Montreal. Someone like Sutton of Terien.
If Cz was traded for a 4th, or maybe less, then I can see the board erupting in a wave of Savard bashing.
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Post by JohnnyVerdun on Dec 27, 2002 23:38:46 GMT -5
I repeat what I posted elsewhere:
This is all idiocy. Czerkawski hasn't been even half as terrible as Audette, who continues to rack up powerplay minutes while getting absolutely nothing done. Czerkawski actually produced on the top line, unlike Audette. Czerkawski is not nearly as lazy as people like to believe. Czerk, had he been used properly, could have helped the team. Audette, despite all the chances in the world, continues to hurt the team. The only reason it was Czerk who asked to be traded rather than Audette was that Donald knew nobody else wanted him, whereas Czerk could at least hope.
And one of the main reasons that Czerk is being run out of town, after an episode that makes the Habs look like a chickensh#t organization, is that Therrien has bent himself into a pretzel fifty different ways trying to get our little Laval sniper on the scoresheet (at no small cost to team morale, I'm sure). So for all you who are rejoicing at Czerk's departure --if that is what is happening -- you should bear in mind that the real problem is still here....
I think the whole thing really stinks. At least with Berezin we could say that they tried and it didn't work. And people are going to look at Czerks numbers (I don't know what they are) and say "he was a disaster....look at that...9 points in 26 games" without knowing that in 5 of those games he was playing a new position, and that in about 8 of those games he was used on the fourth line, and that he sat for stretches of three or four games at a time, and that he was used almost as much as a penalty killer as on the powerplay, and that he watched an utterly non-productive Donald Audette play shift after shift after shift on the powerplay without getting a single goal while he got half as much time or less, and that for the 5 game stretch that he played with Zednick and Koivu he had something like 7 points, and without knowing that Therrien never even greeted this guy or talked to him until after the third game of the season, and that a team which went out and traded for a pretty known commodity acted as though it had been sold a false bill of goods when an offensive player showed up expecting to be used accordingly....
I'm not saying this is the worst thing an organization can do, but it's really chickensh#t in my books, and what's most galling about it is that people will buy the party line about his work ethic, and what a bunch of crap that is. Like Czerk just loafed around while Gilmour and Audette and Perreault were sacrificing themselves during the first twenty games....
One more thing: I saw Czerk in the preseason. He was happy to be here. The guy can play. He never got a fair shake here.
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Post by larek on Dec 27, 2002 23:44:09 GMT -5
I agree with that,Czerkawski was never given an honest chance while Audette gets chance after chance and with each chance he makes nothing out of them!What i want to know is what this move accomplishes and what the end result will be with this move,im surprised that AS made this move in my mind its a little amateur,especially after seeing this team come out in the last few games and get totally outplayed ,especially with no offense!
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 23:49:32 GMT -5
Oh puh-leeeeeeze.... Chow never showed any kind of consistant effort, he was terrible defensively, he never shot the puck, he was soft, he whined,etc I am more than happy to see him go. Both him and Audette have to go. One of them is gone, hopefully Audette will soon follow. Let's just hope he doesn't teach bad stuff to our top prospects in Hamilton.
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Post by Ged on Dec 27, 2002 23:50:17 GMT -5
Well, whatever is going down is a big, big mistake. I've never been a big fan of the guy, and didn't really understand why AS acquired him, but then again, apparently neither did he. The guy has been screwed, blued, and tatooed from day one, and it's just not right. I just watched a game, where Audette again was given preferential PP time and did dick. When looking at Audette with this team, it's kind of like a camera panning down the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, and when it gets to the end you see Dr. Laura. He just don't fit. I think CZ could have been a force on this team, if he was ever given a legitimate shot. People whine and cry about attracting FA's to this team a lot. Well, even though he was acquired in a trade, this makes this organization look bad, bad, bad. Who would want to come to this team, as a FA when they know the bobblehead boy behind the bench could pull the same crap. Dissapointed to say the least.
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Post by seventeen on Dec 27, 2002 23:53:37 GMT -5
Trouble is, it's standard operating procedure, JV. Too often some player is totally mishandled, put in positions where they are sure to fail and then presto!, perfect excuse to send them packing. Except for the chosen few, of course. We should be thankful Koivu and Zednik are crowd favourites or you'd see them on the 4th line, being blamed for not producing. I suspect most of the team would party for a week if Mt was canned. I think the large majority of the team has lost its patience with Savard and is making their point. That's why we're outshot by 20 per game. It all comes down to AS. MT is a proven idiot, but is still around. And let's face it. The team could go without a head coach and not do any worse, so it's not a matter of waiting until a suitable candidate is found. I think it's Savards stubbornness. Good trait sometimes, bad trait more often. In a just society (sorry Pierre), Audette would be a short order cook and Czerk would be on the 1st or 2nd line.
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 27, 2002 23:54:12 GMT -5
The Habs would rather have 2.6 million$ playing in Hamilton instead of 3 million$
That is why Chow is going down.
Maybe this is what Chow needs. A KICK IN THE A$$!!!! a REALITY check.
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Post by larek on Dec 28, 2002 0:00:37 GMT -5
Marc ,what you have just said could be said about alot more players on this team than just Czerkawski!What im interested about is what will be the end means of this move?Will Chow eventually be released or traded for an 9th rd pick or what?Why have an expensive veteran take up a spot from a prospect?I say release him and also release Audette and trade Dykhuis!If you cant trade Dykhuis then release him to,callup Ward and Gratton or Hossa!
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Post by JohnnyVerdun on Dec 28, 2002 0:08:42 GMT -5
The Habs would rather have 2.6 million$ playing in Hamilton instead of 3 million$ That is why Chow is going down. You know that's not true. It has nothing to do with the money. It has everything to do with the fact that you can do this to Czerk without the press making a peep, but if you did it to Audette it would be considered an unforgiveable humiliation and the worst mistreatment of a man who gave his arm for the organization, blah, blah, blah.... And as for Czerk not making a consistent effort, spare me....he was never played consistently enough in the right spot for him to make a consistent effort....that's the kind of stuff Demers gets away with on tv and radio, Marc, but this is Habsrus....
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Post by PTH on Dec 28, 2002 0:16:43 GMT -5
The guy can play. He never got a fair shake here. Amen.
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Post by UberCranky on Dec 28, 2002 0:18:09 GMT -5
Come on guys, make some sense. The farm is for kids to learn to play the game. What exactly will Cz learn? NOTHING. He has more skills then ANYONE there and he does not need to work on any "weak" part of his game. His problem is motivation and he is not going to find motivation in Hamilton. How exactly is Cz going to "desire" to succeed with the Hab's? He is getting a kick in the head and now he is suppose to say, "thank you Mr. Savard, you have shown me the path to glory, call me Gladiator. show me the arena". This is a mess of Savard’s and his pet donkey’s doing. Right now, today, I would trade Lindsay, Audi and Cz. For whatever I could get. WHATEVER. I would bring up Ward and play him with Blouin and Ribiero on the 4th line. Take some time to get this guys together and have them accomplish SOMETHING. Blouin can go fetch pucks pass them to Ribiero and Ward will head to the net like a dog on meat.. At least there is a touch more future with them then a pile of junk consuming money faster then my wife and her girlfriends.
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Post by habwest on Dec 28, 2002 0:35:43 GMT -5
I agree with JV. Seeing (well, not seeing actually) Audette in person tonight just confirms my belief that this guy is finished. I also think that Czerk might have done fairly well had he been given a proper chance.
I still think that AS has the organization on the right track but he's got to shoulder the responsibility for the Czerk situation. Why acquire the guy if he's not to be given a proper chance? Is he really that thin skinned that he turned against him for the "trade me" remarks? If so it would appear to be a case of ego getting in the way of properly ustilizing your resources. Not smart management.
On the other hand, if Czerk has been traded for something significant it's a different matter. Or if he's being "parked" in Hamilton until the Audette situation is dealt with. But if Audette is allowed to dribble along like he was tonight, occupying a roster spot and screwing up the lineup indefinitely- what 4th line? How many games will the Habs lose while AS shortens his bench and the players become exhausted?- then AS has to take responisibility for that as well. I don't blame AS for Audette not working out because I think that a lot of it is due to his arm. But the subsequent situation is a different matter.
As for MT, I would love to see the guy go but only if he were replaced with a good candidate. Unless the interim guy really is interim. We really don't need to get saddled with another coach in mid season, who gets the team to play well for a while, until he's exposed as also having no clothes.
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Post by habwest on Dec 28, 2002 0:38:36 GMT -5
Problem is HA, nobody wants Lindsay, Czerk or Audette. Saying "I'd trade them right now for whatever I could get" is a whole lot easier than actually getting it done. Takes two to make a trade.
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Post by UberCranky on Dec 28, 2002 0:43:43 GMT -5
Problem is HA, nobody wants Lindsay, Czerk or Audette. Saying "I'd trade them right now for whatever I could get" is a whole lot easier than actually getting it done. Takes two to make a trade. Future considerations and a Timbit.
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 28, 2002 0:52:21 GMT -5
I disagree with the fact Chow won't find any movitation in Hamilton.
The guy was available for FREE and no one picked him up. He is off to play with rejects and prospects while riding busses and getting into hotels at 4 or 5 am and playing at 3 pm that day. This is a guy who scored 35 goals 3 years ago. If he has pride, he should go down there, work his a$$ off, burn that freaking league, play with pride and DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to get back up in the NHL. With the Habs or any other team.
This was a potential mess the day we got Chow(too many RW's and similar players) and right now, the first step towards cleaning the mess has been taken. Now let's hope Audette goes as well.
1 gone, 1 to go hopefully.
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Post by JohnnyVerdun on Dec 28, 2002 0:59:45 GMT -5
I know I'm beating this to death, but it just drives me nuts that the reason all this is going down is that Czerk didn't get the pp time that's been squandered on Audette. Does anybody seriously believe that Czerk could rack up almost 4 minutes of pp time per game and not do better than 4 measly points in 25 games? And by the way, when is La Presse or the Journal de Montreal, or even the freaking Gazette going to have a headline in the sports section that says "Audette's Power Failure" or something like that? And while I'm at it, does anybody wonder why it is that the second pp unit is outperforming the first nowadays??? Or why it is that Zednick and Koivu are struggling to get anything going with the man advantage when Audette's out there with them while they've been doing fine at even strength without him? How can these people call themselves reporters?
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Post by JFM on Dec 28, 2002 1:00:58 GMT -5
I agree with those who have said that he was poorly used. Let's remember that this is the same player that led the LEAGUE in pre season scoring. And yes I know that the pre season is completely different ( for those that are yelling at their monitors ). Then for some unknown reason once the real games start he gets minimal top 2 line time and even less power play time. I can only hope that this is only the first in a series of moves. If it starts and ends with just Mariusz getting sent down, then I'll be seriously disappointed and I'll start to have my doubts about Savard having the smarts to do a proper rebuilding job.
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 28, 2002 1:06:52 GMT -5
I know I'm beating this to death, but it just drives me nuts that the reason all this is going down is that Czerk didn't get the pp time that's been squandered on Audette. Does anybody seriously believe that Czerk could rack up almost 4 minutes of pp time per game and not do better than 4 measly points in 25 games? And by the way, when is La Presse or the Journal de Montreal, or even the freaking Gazette going to have a headline in the sports section that says "Audette's Power Failure" or something like that? And while I'm at it, does anybody wonder why it is that the second pp unit is outperforming the first nowadays??? Or why it is that Zednick and Koivu are struggling to get anything going with the man advantage when Audette's out there with them while they've been doing fine at even strength without him? How can these people call themselves reporters? You are making this a Chow vs Audette situation when it really isn't Say Audette was the one demoted....where would Chow play? 4th line. And the situation would still exist. Ribeiro would probably replace Audette on the first PP unit and Chow is an unhappy 4th liner... Audette sucks and it's time for the media to bash him but even if he was the one being banished to the minors, I am convinced Chow would still remain a spare part on this team.
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Post by JohnnyVerdun on Dec 28, 2002 1:07:33 GMT -5
. If he has pride, he should go down there, work his a$$ off, burn that freaking league, play with pride and DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to get back up in the NHL. With the Habs or any other team. The real reason he's in the AHL has nothing to do with a lack of pride or professionalism on his part. Give him the next 100 minutes of pp time instead of Audette and then talk to me about people deserving to be in the AHL. The Habs look like a freaking clown show. And Savard is no longer insulated from this. It's one thing to have Darby and Poulin down there making a combined 1.4 million. But when you've got Czerk there at 2.6 and Audette up here producing one assist for every 25 minutes of powerplay time and playing the odd shift on the 4th or 1st line at 3 million, you look like a clown....
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Post by UberCranky on Dec 28, 2002 1:08:10 GMT -5
I disagree with the fact Chow won't find any movitation in Hamilton. The guy was available for FREE and no one picked him up. He is off to play with rejects and prospects while riding busses and getting into hotels at 4 or 5 am and playing at 3 pm that day. This is a guy who scored 35 goals 3 years ago. If he has pride, he should go down there, work his a$$ off, burn that freaking league, play with pride and DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to get back up in the NHL. With the Habs or any other team. This was a potential mess the day we got Chow(too many RW's and similar players) and right now, the first step towards cleaning the mess has been taken. Now let's hope Audette goes as well. 1 gone, 1 to go hopefully. I was young and idealistic once, just like you Marc, but look at me now, sullen, sarcastic and full Therrien induced venom..................... Millionaires do not learn a “lessons”, they get a paycheck to insulate them from the pain. One thing we must understand, if Savard did this to "punish" Cz then he is a lousy manager. And he should be fired tomorrow. I am not kidding about this. There is absolutely no way Cz will gain anything from this “demotion”. NOTHING. Whether or not Cz consented to this is irrelevant, this is a bush league move. At best he has a multimillion dollar player wasting in the farm system, at worse, he has a dissatisfied piece of locker room poison sharing bread and passing gas with some very impressionable young players who are the future of the Hab’s. Either way, IT IS NOT GOOD! He should of tried to move the guy out at all costs.
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