Things Resembling Thoughts
Mar 9, 2002 23:57:05 GMT -5
Post by Johnny Verdun on Mar 9, 2002 23:57:05 GMT -5
Just got back and heard about the game. Absolutely must here detailed descriptions and fair assessment of winners and losers in the Bouillon/Tucker and Asham/Green fights. My guesses would be Tucker and Asham by TKOs.
The Habs should count themselves lucky to even have one point this weekend, given their level of play.
If I'm Savard I'm trying to do a deal if at all possible to give the team a boost and get their heads fixed on the prize. Shouldn't have to do it, but it's like they're hoping to get a few points here and there and that NJ, NYR and Washington will not put a streak together and send them into 9th or 10th spot. Well that's just the wrong attitude and is really just unacceptable bullsh#t but it needs to be dealt with one way or another.
One way is to hold a team meeting and spell it out: This team may be ahead of where the experts predicted 5 months ago, but that in itself is not an achievement. They have it in them to put enough W's together to make the playoffs, but it's going to require ferocious energy and tenacity. That's the way they need to attack each game and each shift and each battle for the puck, because otherwise they won't get it done.
Another approach would be to make the kind of deal that tells the guys in the room that management does not consider failure to be an option. Make a deal for Chris Simon, or a pending UFA with some fire. Someone who's going to roll up his sleeves and give the last full measure in order to get it done. Kasparitis is ideal but he's not going to be moved by Pittsburgh to a team in the conference they're battling for the eighth spot. Maybe Isbister, or Langenbrunner.
The third option is to make a subtle shift to a slightly younger line-up to count on guys like Kilger, Asham and Markov more over the next 5 or so games. Start putting consecutive shifts together where two players on each line throw a couple of solid hits and send a message that we're prepared to make the sacrifice and to battle. Right now, that's just lacking from our game. We don't play with any edge or any mean-streak at all. I'm not advocating stupid penalties, obviously, but we need to start throwing around what little weight we have. A smaller player who is in motion can take out a larger guy standing still, and if we keep the legs moving there should be targets. If Asham and Kilger, and Rivet and Quintal start hitting people they could inject some life into this team. Give them the assignment and see what happens. But if you sit Asham next game and Kilger gets 8 minutes of ice-time, to me you're just encouraging soft play. It's crunch time, so it's time to start playing like it....
The Habs should count themselves lucky to even have one point this weekend, given their level of play.
If I'm Savard I'm trying to do a deal if at all possible to give the team a boost and get their heads fixed on the prize. Shouldn't have to do it, but it's like they're hoping to get a few points here and there and that NJ, NYR and Washington will not put a streak together and send them into 9th or 10th spot. Well that's just the wrong attitude and is really just unacceptable bullsh#t but it needs to be dealt with one way or another.
One way is to hold a team meeting and spell it out: This team may be ahead of where the experts predicted 5 months ago, but that in itself is not an achievement. They have it in them to put enough W's together to make the playoffs, but it's going to require ferocious energy and tenacity. That's the way they need to attack each game and each shift and each battle for the puck, because otherwise they won't get it done.
Another approach would be to make the kind of deal that tells the guys in the room that management does not consider failure to be an option. Make a deal for Chris Simon, or a pending UFA with some fire. Someone who's going to roll up his sleeves and give the last full measure in order to get it done. Kasparitis is ideal but he's not going to be moved by Pittsburgh to a team in the conference they're battling for the eighth spot. Maybe Isbister, or Langenbrunner.
The third option is to make a subtle shift to a slightly younger line-up to count on guys like Kilger, Asham and Markov more over the next 5 or so games. Start putting consecutive shifts together where two players on each line throw a couple of solid hits and send a message that we're prepared to make the sacrifice and to battle. Right now, that's just lacking from our game. We don't play with any edge or any mean-streak at all. I'm not advocating stupid penalties, obviously, but we need to start throwing around what little weight we have. A smaller player who is in motion can take out a larger guy standing still, and if we keep the legs moving there should be targets. If Asham and Kilger, and Rivet and Quintal start hitting people they could inject some life into this team. Give them the assignment and see what happens. But if you sit Asham next game and Kilger gets 8 minutes of ice-time, to me you're just encouraging soft play. It's crunch time, so it's time to start playing like it....
