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Post by sonnytheman on Dec 17, 2002 14:27:12 GMT -5
Are the Canadiens doing themselves a disservice by being a middle-of-the-road team right now? I don't think anyone would call them contenders, but I don't think anyone can rightfully say that this team is developing prospects and giving them a chance at the NHL level. It's fun to watch this team as opposed to the 2000-2001 version, but I just have this feeling that all this win some lose some strategy will result in, well, a longer wait for the Stanley Cup. One can even say that a team like Minnesota, with Gaborik, Koivu and Bouchard up front, is closer to a true contending team then our team. I'm happy watching this team win, but I'd rather see a more youth-infested lineup. Trading for guys like Bulis is a good step, and I was happy when that happened. Last year, when it was certain that Savage and Rucinsky were going to be traded, I was hoping for a similar deal, bringing in more youth. But the deals for Berezin/Audette/Czerkawski left me kind of confused. I, like most of you, hope that this team becomes a dynasty, I just don't see that happening any time in the future. (sorry if this is incoherent, I talk like this too.... )
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Post by montreal on Dec 17, 2002 15:07:51 GMT -5
Well there's several ways to look at this. First, we are hockey fans, but the guy who owns the team, is a businessman. Hockey is now a major business, and you don't shell out big bucks just for fun. With the goaltending we have, we can make the playoffs. Cup ? no I don't see this team as a cup contender, but if we can make it to the 2nd round again (we were very close to the 3rd round) that's around 6M in playoff revenue, plus it makes us more attractive to future UFA's, cause they want money and to go to a team that has a chance of winning.
Now, I believe that you don't have to have your prospects in the NHL, to be considered developing them. Buying time letting them play a lot of hockey in a league with less pressure, maturing and learning the game, can help their progress. If this team didn't have a shot at the playoffs, well then it would make more sense to have a much younger team. But since we have a shot at the playoffs, then it's tough to put Hainsey's Hossa's and Komisarek's into the lineup. Why, cause the pressure to win is so high, and that might not be the best way to try and play error free hockey.
The guys who are close to being ready, Hainsey, Hossa, Ward, Garon, are getting a lot of ice time playing a prime role and stand a very good chance to win a cup for their team. It would be good for them, along with Komisarek, Balej, Pleks, to get a taste for winning it all or coming close at such early stages of their pro careers. With the exception of Ward and Garon, all these players are in their 1st or 2nd year of pro hockey, so it's not like they have been wasting away in AHLville.
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Post by Viper on Dec 17, 2002 16:27:43 GMT -5
sheesh Montreal write a prospects report and all of a sudden your the guru lol
very well said but i really think that with a couple of youngster's minus a couple of so called vet's we still have a decent playoff shot. Winnning a calder cup will be better long term though a taste of winning in the AHL could very well provide even more hunger for the real prize not to mention a little bit of the "what it takes" to get there.
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Post by montreal on Dec 17, 2002 16:57:03 GMT -5
sheesh Montreal write a prospects report and all of a sudden your the guru lol very well said but i really think that with a couple of youngster's minus a couple of so called vet's we still have a decent playoff shot. Winnning a calder cup will be better long term though a taste of winning in the AHL could very well provide even more hunger for the real prize not to mention a little bit of the "what it takes" to get there. Well having 1 or 2 rookies might not be bad, but with the race so close in the east, its a tough call. If they make a lot of mistakes, then it could cost us the playoffs. Every game counts (missing the playoffs by 2 pts again would be very painful) so while having a rookie would be better for the long term, it may not be good for the short term. With all the vets and high payroll, this team has to get into the playoffs, or the money was wasted, the youth should have been getting more of a look, and the vets that were brought in to get us to the playoffs, would be looked at as wasted moves. But if we make the playoffs, then all can be forgotten when we watch hockey in the best time of the year. Just who do you take out of the lineup and replace with inexperincened players? Dykhuis for Hainsey maybe, but it's a tough call either way, cause there's so much riding on making the playoffs, and not much room for mistakes.
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Post by sonnytheman on Dec 17, 2002 18:10:07 GMT -5
If you're talking about the extra money made with the playoffs, you have to admit that if they cut down on the overpaid vets, then Gillette would probably save more money. And it doesn't mean that a young team wouldn't make the playoffs. Even if the team was not as competitive, the fans would still come to watch the youngsters. And if the team did perform poorly, you end up getting a good prospect (hopefully) out of it through the draft.
I enjoy watching the team win, I'm just afraid that they may not be doing enough to get to that next level. Other than Komisarek, there really isn't that home-run type prospect in the system.
One question: would you guys give up Zednik to get a top-3 pick in this year's draft?
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Post by Viper on Dec 17, 2002 18:17:02 GMT -5
here's a better question sonny what team would take zednik for a top three pick
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 17, 2002 18:18:29 GMT -5
One question: would you guys give up Zednik to get a top-3 pick in this year's draft? Man that is a toughie... 26 year old winger who can score 40 goals while playing a gritty game... or 18 year old power forward center(Horton) who rates A or B in every major category and looks like he will be a Thornton type or Russian dynamo Zherdev who could be another Mogilny. That's why being an NHL GM must be so tough...
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Post by habruti on Dec 17, 2002 18:42:30 GMT -5
Man that is a toughie... 26 year old winger who can score 40 goals while playing a gritty game... or 18 year old power forward center(Horton) who rates A or B in every major category and looks like he will be a Thornton type or Russian dynamo Zherdev who could be another Mogilny. That's why being an NHL GM must be so tough... I would certainly not do that in this year's draft which is so deap. You have guys that looks really good even at the end of the first round. I realy think that you can build a winning team by drafting in the middle of the pack if you have a good supporting cast to bring these guys along (Ottawa being a pretty good example of that and in a few years we will be talking abount Minnisota and Florida). It would certainly not be bad for our team to get a young stud like Horton or Zherdev or Michalek but if you would give me the choice between (Zednik and Frische/Bernier) I would probably opt for the second option.....
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Post by MPLABBE on Dec 17, 2002 19:10:53 GMT -5
here's a better question sonny what team would take zednik for a top three pick Nashville probably.
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Post by sonnytheman on Dec 17, 2002 19:28:45 GMT -5
here's a better question sonny what team would take zednik for a top three pick I'm the one asking the questions here! lol.... But seriously....Zednik's more of a sure thing....while a guy like Horton can be great or a bust, that was the whole point. Would you take a risk like that? Oh btw, Philly got the #4 overall last year for Fedotenko..... Montreal got the 1st overall a few years back for Ernie Banks.....stuff happens
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Post by PTH on Dec 18, 2002 3:23:51 GMT -5
Man that is a toughie... 26 year old winger who can score 40 goals while playing a gritty game... or 18 year old power forward center(Horton) who rates A or B in every major category and looks like he will be a Thornton type or Russian dynamo Zherdev who could be another Mogilny. That's why being an NHL GM must be so tough... Zednik is as much a 40 goal scorer as Savage is a 30 goal scorer.... just not there yet. I doubt we could get a top 3 pick for Zed - he clicks here, but hasn't shown the kind of consistency over the years to make him worth a top notch pick. Zed might fetch us a 10-15th overall + change.... For a top 3 pick, I think Théodore or Markov would have to be on the table. Personally, I wouldn't trade these guys for the kind of picks we could get..... selling the farm for a Kovalchuk can work, but otherwise we just have to wish for improved drafting and player development, and hope that GG cuts back on salaries, so AS simply has to play some kids.
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Post by Rhiessan on Dec 18, 2002 6:54:36 GMT -5
NOPE! NOT A CHANCE!! We would be lucky to get one of these top 3 picks to turn out as good as Zed is now let alone how good he's gonna be. Every week Zed seems to get better and better to the point that it's scary . Zedder probably has close to as much potential right now as most top 5 prospects start with! The only players IMO that are totally untouchable at this point are Koivu, Zedder, Komisarek, Markov and whether you like it or not Theodore(he will rebound to once again be one of our best players because if he doesn't lets face it we're screwed). Anyone other than the fore-mentioned used in a deal to get 1 of the top 3 picks this year wouldn't even cause me to bat an eyelash ;D
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