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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 9:44:11 GMT -5
Yes that is right...an opportunity for us to check in on Hainsey, Komi, Pleks, Balej, Ward, the Rat and Lindsay
The game is at 7:30 pm
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Post by cigarviper on Jan 31, 2003 18:04:42 GMT -5
Good, we can see if Audette is playing with a mission in mind or a big egotistical boo-boo lip.
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Post by TheHabsfan on Jan 31, 2003 18:07:30 GMT -5
Good, we can see if Audette is playing with a mission in mind or a big egotistical boo-boo lip. He might be in the pressbox ... ;D Do they have one?  |
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 18:42:56 GMT -5
I can't wait to see Audette in action!  |
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Post by legaspesien on Jan 31, 2003 19:27:22 GMT -5
I can't wait to see Audette in action! CJ coul'd not resist he sould be there to watch him |
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 20:20:25 GMT -5
oh my..
Audette..behind the net...comes out right of the goalie...is ALL ALONE...Bouillon makes him a perfect pass..he flubs it...not even a shot on goal!! he was a step in front of the goal!
It's not confidence...it's his hands...you and I wouldn't have missed that
More thoughts:
-Fichaud looks great
-Bouillon is dominating. Any day over Traverse.
-Komi and Hainsey look good. Not great
-Balej is playing LW with Pleks and Audette. Both Pleks and Balej did not show much
-Lindsay playing with spunk
-Ryder and Ward looked decent
1-0 Dogs after 1
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 22:14:36 GMT -5
Dogs win 3-2....excellent hockey game... my thoughts: Eric Fichaud: played solid. With Conklin injured and Garon up, he is getting ice time and is doing well. Definitely good enough to play in the AHL Ron Hainsey: decent enough game. Looks kind of bored in the AHL. Couldn't get his wicked shot on goal during the PP's. Almost tipped a shot into his own goal with 40 seconds to go. Francis Bouillon: Very solid. Anyday of Traverse(I keep repeating myself). Mike Komisarek: A little shakey at first, but really stepped it up in 2nd and 3rd. Showed a physical edge. Battled hard with Kavanagh and Bouck all night. Has a great point shot. A couple of big time hits. Really encouraging to see him play like this. Keep it up Mike. Tomas Plekanec: 2 great goals. Very fast. But has the hands to finish. Think of a Petrov who plays center and can finish. Will definitely play in the NHL. But can he do it with a team that already has Koivu as it's number 1 center?  Josef Balej: was playing LW(he is a natural RW) so it's tough to really get a read on him but generally unimpressive. Hit the cross bar once but aside from that not much really Donald Audette: *sigh*...had alot of great chances but just like in the NHL..NO FINNISH!! certainly did not dominate like Chow dominated down there Jason Ward: Hit the post a couple of times with rocket shots and played a pretty decent game. Congrats to him on the birth of his son today. Michael Ryder: Picked up an assist...looked pretty good...works hard, moves his feet...drives to the net. I say he has surpassed Balej on the depth chart Bill Lindsay: played with alot of spunk and emotion. Too bad his hands suck. Ward fed him a good pass in the 2nd and Wild Bill missed the net on his shot Another game tomorrow night on Sportsnet. This time at 7 pm |
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Post by seventeen on Jan 31, 2003 22:19:07 GMT -5
Tomas Plekanec: 2 great goals. Very fast. But has the hands to finish. Think of a Petrov who plays center and can finish. Will definitely play in the NHL. But can he do it with a team that already has Koivu as it's number 1 center? Are you suggesting he's Koivu's eventual replacement? You don't see him as a #2? He's not tall, but is stocky. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 22:22:27 GMT -5
Are you suggesting he's Koivu's eventual replacement? You don't see him as a #2? He's not tall, but is stocky. uh what? Koivu's replacement? unless Saku retires...no way. He is gonna be a Hab for a long time I am just saying can a team have 2 under 6 feet tall centers and no big time 6'5' center and win a cup? Pleks will probably have to be a LW on the Habs to make it here |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jan 31, 2003 23:26:03 GMT -5
Dogs win 3-2....excellent hockey game... my thoughts: Eric Fichaud: played solid. With Conklin injured and Garon up, he is getting ice time and is doing well. Definitely good enough to play in the AHL Ron Hainsey: decent enough game. Looks kind of bored in the AHL. Couldn't get his wicked shot on goal during the PP's. Almost tipped a shot into his own goal with 40 seconds to go. Francis Bouillon: Very solid. Anyday of Traverse(I keep repeating myself). Mike Komisarek: A little shakey at first, but really stepped it up in 2nd and 3rd. Showed a physical edge. Battled hard with Kavanagh and Bouck all night. Has a great point shot. A couple of big time hits. Really encouraging to see him play like this. Keep it up Mike. Tomas Plekanec: 2 great goals. Very fast. But has the hands to finish. Think of a Petrov who plays center and can finish. Will definitely play in the NHL. But can he do it with a team that already has Koivu as it's number 1 center? Josef Balej: was playing LW(he is a natural RW) so it's tough to really get a read on him but generally unimpressive. Hit the cross bar once but aside from that not much really Donald Audette: *sigh*...had alot of great chances but just like in the NHL..NO FINNISH!! certainly did not dominate like Chow dominated down there Jason Ward: Hit the post a couple of times with rocket shots and played a pretty decent game. Congrats to him on the birth of his son today. Michael Ryder: Picked up an assist...looked pretty good...works hard, moves his feet...drives to the net. I say he has surpassed Balej on the depth chart Bill Lindsay: played with alot of spunk and emotion. Too bad his hands suck. Ward fed him a good pass in the 2nd and Wild Bill missed the net on his shot Another game tomorrow night on Sportsnet. This time at 7 pm Great job Marc. Balej and Ward are two of my favorites. Speed and size will get them to the NHL. It's too bad, but I think we won't see "The Donald" in the NHL ever again. Hainsey, Komisarek and Boullion couldn't possibly play any worse than Travesty and Breezeby. |
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Post by oldhabsfan on Jan 31, 2003 23:45:17 GMT -5
Did Beauchemin play? If so, did he look as if he had a chance of making it in the NHL?
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 31, 2003 23:49:21 GMT -5
Did Beauchemin play? If so, did he look as if he had a chance of making it in the NHL? he did but I really didn't focus on him... |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 6:41:58 GMT -5
...I am just saying can a team have 2 under 6 feet tall centers and no big time 6'5' center and win a cup? Pleks will probably have to be a LW on the Habs to make it here Try the recent three-time Cup winning Detroit Red Wings, for example. Sean Avery (C) L 5-10/190 Pavel Datsyuk (C) L 5-11/195 Sergei Fedorov (C) L 6-2/200 Igor Larionov (C) L 5-10/170 Steve Yzerman (C/RW) R 5-10/185 Henrik Zetterberg (LW/C) L 5-11/176 Waiting in the wings (sic[k]): Valtteri Filppula (C) L 5-11/174 Tomas Fleischmann (C) L 6-0/165 Jiri Hudler (C) L 5-9/178 Tomas Kopecky (C) L 6-3/187 Mark Mowers (RW/C) R 5-11/187 Stacy Roest (RW/C) R 5-9/185 Jason Williams (C/RW) R 5-11/185 The Red Wings have 8 forwards in their starting lineup under 200lbs. The have 4 starting d-men under 200lbs. Aside from Jiri Fischer, they don't have a d-man who weighs over 203lbs. The obssession with size is unhealthy and counterproductive. |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 7:05:26 GMT -5
Excellent report! Mind if I hitch a ride? Dogs win 3-2....excellent hockey game... my thoughts: Eric Fichaud: played solid. With Conklin injured and Garon up, he is getting ice time and is doing well. Definitely good enough to play in the AHL Hmm, sounds like damnation by faint praise to me . Is he good enough to replace Garon as Théo's backup? He's just there for the exercise while Julien compiles and contemplates his notes on the Habs defense corps(e). Ah, Franky Bubble a.k.a The Cube. If he held his position better when up in the NHL, instead of running around trying to prove his manhood, I'd say - "Bring him up". At the pace he's learning, I would not be surprised to see him challenge for an NHL job in camp next year. Yes. Habs brass are very high on him (and they haven't shifted him to wing). Has been brittle. Flashy but chicken. Needs to get involved in the play a lot more. Starting to head in the wrong direction. HE may be finished. Could be that he's unfortunately a one-armed player now. If that's the case, I'll have to eat a good helping of crow for razzing him. Production has tailed off dramatically with the absence of Gratton as his centre. Has all the tools, except the one that Savard places the highest premium on - skating. I like this kid a lot. He's persevered through all sorts of crap (very limited ice time, being sent to the ECHL) to get himself noticed. Obviously not a quitter, and is finally starting to bloom talent-wise. Bill Lindsay won't you please come home? I like the way this guy plays. I think he's a perfect fourth liner for us. And he wouldn't complain about being there. Had over 225 hits last year in the NHL. Energy. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 9:01:45 GMT -5
Try the recent three-time Cup winning Detroit Red Wings, for example. Sean Avery (C) L 5-10/190 Pavel Datsyuk (C) L 5-11/195 Sergei Fedorov (C) L 6-2/200 Igor Larionov (C) L 5-10/170 Steve Yzerman (C/RW) R 5-10/185 Henrik Zetterberg (LW/C) L 5-11/176 Fedorov is 6'2' after all They key with the wings is they play in the west and all their players are 5'10' and over. No Petrov's and Audette's there. You can add: WJC star Igor Grigorenko who is 5'10/178 and can play RW |
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 9:10:04 GMT -5
Excellent report! Mind if I hitch a ride? Hmm, sounds like damnation by faint praise to me . Is he good enough to replace Garon as Théo's backup? Probably not. But if we have injuries, he could be decent for a game or two IMO Hopefully because Hainsey is really bored with that league. Yeah same here. From the first Bulldogs game I saw this year, to the one last night...he has really improved. Much more physical. Still not KKD or Scott Stevens style physical. But he uses his body well around the boards now. He is starting to engage in mini battles with other forwards and piss them off. He also threw a big hit in the 3rd with his elbow and in the 2nd he hit a Moose forward from behind pretty hard. IMO, if Quintal or Rivet or Brisebois go down with an injury next year...Komi will be able to replace them and do a decent job. Yup...you can see why they are high on him. I wonder though if he won't be a LW in the NHL. He has Steve Sullivan clone written all over him. Definitely. Very dissapointing season for him Of note...Audette keeps staying with those wood sticks instead of the new sinergy sticks..maybe if he changed he would be able to shoot the puck again? Ward skates alot like another Jason...Jason Allison...saddly the playmaking and hands are just not the same Yup. And still young enough to be a prospect. Me thinks CJ will give him a real chance in TC next year Of note: Lindsay was also on the ice in the last minute protecting a 1 goal lead in a 4 on 4 (5 on 4 with the goalie pulled) situation..and did a pretty decent job. Better than Blouin for sure(who isn't) |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 9:52:49 GMT -5
Fedorov is 6'2' after all They key with the wings is they play in the west and all their players are 5'10' and over. No Petrov's and Audette's there. You can add: WJC star Igor Grigorenko who is 5'10/178 and can play RW Yes. Fedorov is the giant Red Wings centre at 6'2 and 200lbs. The Petrov and Audette comparison isn't relevant since we're talking about centres. We're bigger than Detroit at centre. But we're not necessarily better at that position. Size doesn't matter. Sean Avery (C) L 5-10/190 Pavel Datsyuk (C) L 5-11/195 Sergei Fedorov (C) L 6-2/200 Igor Larionov (C) L 5-10/170 Steve Yzerman (C/RW) R 5-10/185 Henrik Zetterberg (LW/C) L 5-11/176 *** Doug Gilmour (C) L 5-11/177 Joe Juneau (C/LW) L 6-0/195 Saku Koivu (C) L 5-10/180 Yanic Perreault (C) L 5-11/184 Mike Ribeiro (C/LW) L 6-0/171 Chad Kilger (LW/C) L 6-4/224 Jan Bulis (LW/C) L 6-2/201 Marcel Hossa (LW/C) L 6-2/211 |
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Post by Cranky on Feb 1, 2003 11:03:01 GMT -5
At the pace he's learning, I would not be surprised to see him challenge for an NHL job in camp next year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeah same here. From the first Bulldogs game I saw this year, to the one last night...he has really improved. Much more physical. Still not KKD or Scott Stevens style physical. But he uses his body well around the boards now. He is starting to engage in mini battles with other forwards and piss them off. He also threw a big hit in the 3rd with his elbow and in the 2nd he hit a Moose forward from behind pretty hard. IMO, if Quintal or Rivet or Brisebois go down with an injury next year...Komi will be able to replace them and do a decent job.
I see some strange skating and thinking from him.
Example: He was skating back to receive the puck and continued to skate towards the boards while calling for the puck. What was he thinking? He was going to turn and face the opposition AFTER he received it? He should have turned about ten feet and scanned the opposing forward placement before he called for it.
He passing is beyond crisp, he tend to fire it like a wrist shot and telegraph his play about a mile away.
He keeps wondering to his wrong side. Not because he was forced to but because he was trying to get the puck.
From what I saw live, he now hits a little more. Still nothing like we expected.
Note his lack of carrying the puck. He is afraid of making a mistake and tends to pass it to early.
He is not the go to guy in Hamilton and I don't think he will be this year. *looks over to BC*
He still has a looooong way to go to be a good defenseman (top 4) and even good enough to replace Quintal. Maybe, just maybe a 6th defensive call up by next spring. Don't forget, he could spend two more years down there and he will still be a 23 years old.
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 12:26:28 GMT -5
Bozo..you are forgetting about either Draper or Maltby..one of them must play center on that grind line
HA, He does look ''raw'' in alot of situations and doesn't look ''natural'' out there all the time.........I guess that's why he is still learning in the AHL..
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 12:35:09 GMT -5
Bozo..you are forgetting about either Draper or Maltby..one of them must play center on that grind line HA, He does look ''raw'' in alot of situations and doesn't look ''natural'' out there all the time.........I guess that's why he is still learning in the AHL.. Maltby is purely a winger. But you're right, Draper is HUGE Kris Draper (C/RW/LW) L 5-11/190 As I mentioned in a previous post, the Red Wings were on average both the shortest and lightest team in the playoffs last year. Skill matters. |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 14:48:50 GMT -5
*If* the hockeysfuture poster (after last night's game) I'm going to quote is right, I doubt that we'll see Ward in a Habs jersey. Of course, people are wrong all the time.
"Ward seems to have developed some decent offensive instincts but he is still a horrid skater who is easily knocked on his butt due to poor balance. He has good size but didn't show much of a physical game and I don't think he would be very effective in the NHL around the net because NHL d-men would simply kill him. I can see why Savard isn't very high on Ward and he looks destined to be a career AHL star. Ward did play a good game but the game he plays is only effective in minor pro leagues. Jason has to realize that the only way he is going to play in the NHL is as a banger so he should give up the sniper act because he won't be able to score like he is in the AHL at the next level."
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 14:53:34 GMT -5
Maltby is purely a winger. But you're right, Draper is HUGE Kris Draper (C/RW/LW) L 5-11/190 As I mentioned in a previous post, the Red Wings were on average both the shortest and lightest team in the playoffs last year. Skill matters. But...they don't have any 5'7 or 5'8 guys...most of their players are 6 feet or just a tad under...that's the difference. Plus most of their guys seem to be built like little tanks. No Ribeiro's in there... Plus they had Yzerman playing like a freakin god with only 1 leg going...and all kinds of experience..and the master behind the bench |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 15:22:47 GMT -5
But...they don't have any 5'7 or 5'8 guys...most of their players are 6 feet or just a tad under...that's the difference. Plus most of their guys seem to be built like little tanks. No Ribeiro's in there... Oleg Petrov is the only Hab under 5'10. The Red Wings by and small are normal size male human beings. They have no special armour. The Habs have five defensemen who are bigger than every single Wings defenseman except Jiri Fischer. Doesn't make them better, though. My point exactly. They had skill. Size didn't matter. Besides we were talking about Plekanec, at 5'10 198lbs, being too small to be the Habs second line centre. Not so. Koivu is too small to be the first line centre. Tomas and Saku are the same height, but the kid outweighs our captain by 18lbs. Plekanec will do just fine playing in the middle. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 15:32:03 GMT -5
Plekanec looks smaller than 5'10' in action More like 5'7  I still would hate to see Koivu and Plekanec matched up against...say...Sundin and Antropov in a playoff series...the size difference would definitely show |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 1, 2003 15:48:55 GMT -5
Plekanec looks smaller than 5'10' in action More like 5'7 I still would hate to see Koivu and Plekanec matched up against...say...Sundin and Antropov in a playoff series...the size difference would definitely show Appearances are deceiving. Obviously Sundin and Antropov are bigger. So what? That doesn't guarantee them anything. If you're afraid of the matchup because you think the Leafs' centres are more skilled and determined to win, that's another thing; then they would definitely have an edge. Why was Yzerman on one leg able to play better than his two legged opponents? Because he was bigger? Certainly not. Why were the Habs able to beat Boston, and be well on their way to ousting Carolina? Because they were bigger? Certainly not. |
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Post by seventeen on Feb 1, 2003 18:43:17 GMT -5
I'm having trouble understanding this fascination with a BIG #2 centre. I'd like a GOOD #2 centre. Speaking of checking centres, Doug Jarvis was one of the smallest and one of the best. I rest my case.
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Post by PTH on Feb 1, 2003 21:09:08 GMT -5
I'm having trouble understanding this fascination with a BIG #2 centre. I'd like a GOOD #2 centre. Speaking of checking centres, Doug Jarvis was one of the smallest and one of the best. I rest my case. Carbonneau and Peca are also smallish guys who got the job done more than adequately. And Gainey wasn't a giant, though not a center. I don't quite get the fascination for the big #2 center thing myself. I think it has something to do with compensating for Saku's size and also it's for checking big centers. It's also a way to justify wanting to get rid of Perreault BTW. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 1, 2003 22:05:37 GMT -5
It is, for me, to compensate for Saku's lack of size
and the fact the east is loaded with big centers
Thornton
Stumpel
Rolston
Sundin
Antropov
Bonk
Gratton
Primeau
Handzus
Lindros
Holik
Scatchard
Lemieux
Kraft
Stefan
Lecavalier
Jokinen
Kozlov
among others...
BTW Dogs lose 3-2 in OT tonight. Here is the boxscore:
Manitoba Moose 3 Final Update:
9:37pm EST
Hamilton Bulldogs 2
Scoring Plays For Hamilton Bulldogs
1st Prd: Ham - (Sh) Jason Ward 22 (Unassisted) 14:00
2nd Prd: Ham - (Pp) Jason Ward 23 (Jani Rita, Mike Komisarek) 14:06 Scoring Plays For Manitoba Moose
1st Prd: Mtb - (Pp) Justin Kurtz 7 (Justin Morrison, Chris Herperger) 18:30
2nd Prd: Mtb - (Pp) Brandon Reid 13 (Bryan Helmer, Justin Kurtz) 9:22
Ot: Mtb - Justin Kurtz 8 (Chris Herperger) 0:51
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Post by cigarviper on Feb 2, 2003 1:33:09 GMT -5
Getting back to Detroit, I saw alot of Sean Avery here in Kingston as a junior and he backed down from no one. His nose was in all kinds of situations and at practice he was the guy calling on everyone to drop the gloves. He didn't win every time, but, was willing to go with anyone. No fear. That's what the Wings see in him. If his work ethic has continued, he'll be in the league for a long time.
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 2, 2003 13:42:31 GMT -5
Yeah Avery is a pest...fits in well with the grind line members they already have
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