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Post by Gogie on Oct 28, 2007 19:38:03 GMT -5
Dogs Butcher HogsA few comments: Sergei Kostitsyn is going to be a factor in the Habs future. This guy is a terrific playmaker. He's sees the ice well and makes great tape-to-tape passes. He's been playing the point on the PP all season for a good reason - he does a great job back there. He's not afraid to take a hit and he's been playing with a lot of maturity for a rookie. The real test is that my wife says he's better than his brother, and she usually has a good eye for spotting things like that. Halak was back in form after a so-so start to the season (although from what I've read he played a good game last night as well). I like Valentenko. He's big and mobile and uses his size to advantage. He's not afraid to throw his weight around. I can see him with the Habs in the near future. O'Byrne continues to play a solid game. I wasn't really watching him (it's a given he'll be up before the end of the season) but he didn't make any mistakes or I would have noticed. Lapierre wasn't playing with his usual zip, although he did try to agitate some. He's back to playing centre - has the experiment on the wing ended? I'm disappointed in what I've seen from Lahti so far. He's a big boy, but he doesn't seem to use his size to any advantage. Andrew Archer is destined for a career in the AHL at best (he could end up in the ECHL) if his play doesn't improve soon. I'll put it down to playing with a full face shield for the time being. He sure makes a lot of bone-headed plays these days, though. Corey Locke continues to produce. I wish this guy could find a team in the NHL to play for cause I think he could make a go of it.
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Post by seventeen on Oct 28, 2007 20:31:56 GMT -5
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 28, 2007 20:42:15 GMT -5
Great report, Gogie. Thanks.
Cheers.
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Post by habmeister on Oct 28, 2007 22:31:11 GMT -5
i agree with your wife gogie, if you look at what sergei has done and where he is at when compared to his brother he's already way further along at a much younger age. granted he doesn't have his brothers size, but in this new nhl its more about speed and skill than power and size.
lapierre must feel like his heart has been ripped out a bit.
i say locke must make himself good trade bait, or too good to be in the ahl. if he is too good then he will get traded, its only right.
halak has to buckle down and stop sulking, i think he thought he had a lock on the backup after how he finished for us last season, but a kid named price did just a little bit more. even if it was at inferior levels.
i'm crossing my fingers that mcdonagh, valentenko, o'byrne and yemelin are all at camp next year and take a few d spots. add s. kosty into that mix as a pp qb.
the bulldgos are now competitive at every position, and that is a good thing.
so who do you think will be best in 2 years gogie?
valentenko
sergei kosty
o'byrne
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Post by Gogie on Oct 29, 2007 10:14:01 GMT -5
so who do you think will be best in 2 years gogie? valentenko sergei kosty o'byrne That's an interesting question, HC. Given their relative ages, I'd put both Kostitsyn and Valentenko ahead of O'Byrne (K & V are both 20, O is 23). I've had limited exposure to both Kosty and Valentenko so I'm going out on a limb here, but from what I've seen SK will be an impact player while Valentenko will be a solid d-man. Given the Habs' needs these days I think SK will be the most important to the Habs of the three and in absolute terms will probably be the "best". However, I like the looks of all three. O'Byrne will be the first to crack the Habs' lineup because he is further along the development curve, but I think Valentenko may surpass him skill-wise in a few years. As for SK, as long as he continues to develop I seriously see him as a top six forward and a possible PP QB. |
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Post by HFTO on Oct 29, 2007 12:43:09 GMT -5
Thanks for the update haven't made it down to the dogs yet.
My daughter was looking forward to seeing Carle so we may wait a few more weeks.
HFTO
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Post by habmeister on Oct 29, 2007 13:01:05 GMT -5
so who do you think will be best in 2 years gogie? valentenko sergei kosty o'byrne That's an interesting question, HC. Given their relative ages, I'd put both Kostitsyn and Valentenko ahead of O'Byrne (K & V are both 20, O is 23). I've had limited exposure to both Kosty and Valentenko so I'm going out on a limb here, but from what I've seen SK will be an impact player while Valentenko will be a solid d-man. Given the Habs' needs these days I think SK will be the most important to the Habs of the three and in absolute terms will probably be the "best". However, I like the looks of all three. O'Byrne will be the first to crack the Habs' lineup because he is further along the development curve, but I think Valentenko may surpass him skill-wise in a few years. As for SK, as long as he continues to develop I seriously see him as a top six forward and a possible PP QB. beautiful, thanks! |
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Post by mic on Oct 29, 2007 14:06:54 GMT -5
Dogs Butcher HogsA few comments: Sergei Kostitsyn is going to be a factor in the Habs future. This guy is a terrific playmaker. He's sees the ice well and makes great tape-to-tape passes. He's been playing the point on the PP all season for a good reason - he does a great job back there. He's not afraid to take a hit and he's been playing with a lot of maturity for a rookie. The real test is that my wife says he's better than his brother, and she usually has a good eye for spotting things like that. Makes you really wonder how draft lists are compiled sometimes. Of course, scouts do a very good job, but it's funny really how a player whose brother has been drafted so high in a hockey crazy town could slip under the radar like that. |
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Post by Doc Holliday on Oct 30, 2007 7:40:18 GMT -5
Makes you really wonder how draft lists are compiled sometimes. Of course, scouts do a very good job, but it's funny really how a player whose brother has been drafted so high in a hockey crazy town could slip under the radar like that. Given his brother's limited success and extremely slow developping curve, maybe they were afraid SK would be a carbon copy. |
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Post by habmeister on Oct 30, 2007 11:57:53 GMT -5
i think he was drafted pre new nhl. he's pretty smallish and in the new nhl it doesn't matter how big you are anymore. a steal of a pick for sure.
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Post by mic on Oct 30, 2007 14:53:25 GMT -5
Makes you really wonder how draft lists are compiled sometimes. Of course, scouts do a very good job, but it's funny really how a player whose brother has been drafted so high in a hockey crazy town could slip under the radar like that. Given his brother's limited success and extremely slow developping curve, maybe they were afraid SK would be a carbon copy. For some reasons, I thought that he was drafted the year after. |
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Post by mic on Oct 30, 2007 14:55:05 GMT -5
i think he was drafted pre new nhl. he's pretty smallish and in the new nhl it doesn't matter how big you are anymore. a steal of a pick for sure. True, but I think the capacity to play in rough games rather than you size is (was) important, in my opinion. And from what I read, the younger Kostitsyn is far from soft. But yeah, you may be right. |
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Post by habmeister on Oct 31, 2007 12:12:05 GMT -5
he's now 6th in the ahl in scoring, not bad for a rookie straight from junior.
9 games 12 points for sergei
big bro had better start playing better or he'll be watching little bro from the press box.
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Post by HABsurd on Oct 31, 2007 13:45:37 GMT -5
i think he was drafted pre new nhl. he's pretty smallish and in the new nhl it doesn't matter how big you are anymore. a steal of a pick for sure. True, but I think the capacity to play in rough games rather than you size is (was) important, in my opinion. And from what I read, the younger Kostitsyn is far from soft. But yeah, you may be right. It has been mentioned that since Kostitsyn the younger came to North America at a much younger age his development has progressed at a much more rapid pace. Also didn't Kostitsyn the elder spend a year on the bench playing for Moscow Dynamo? Something about the coach not liking him? |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Oct 31, 2007 21:06:13 GMT -5
True, but I think the capacity to play in rough games rather than you size is (was) important, in my opinion. And from what I read, the younger Kostitsyn is far from soft. But yeah, you may be right. It has been mentioned that since Kostitsyn the younger came to North America at a much younger age his development has progressed at a much more rapid pace. Also didn't Kostitsyn the elder spend a year on the bench playing for Moscow Dynamo? Something about the coach not liking him? That be true, legend Viktor T was not a fan of the young Belarussian for some reason, so you don't develop not playing. I like Sergei's chances of making it sooner rather than later. Maybe not the total package his brother has, but he has convereted it into great success since that very smart decision to come and learn NA hockey in the London Knights hockey factory. |
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