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About Mike Boone
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Mike Boone
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http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/columnists/mike_boone.html
About
I grew up in Park Extension, within walking distance of Dickie Moore's Dairy Queen on Jean Talon. Moore had a place on L'Acadie Blvd., and we used to see him driving around in his convertible with a Samoyed and a very dishy wife.
While "studying" at McGill University during the 1960s, I used to attend games at the old Montreal Forum. My fellow undergraduate reprobates and I would scramble up the stairs to get centre-ice spots in the top standing room section, where aged ushers didn't know or care what we were smoking.
I stood out in the cold for six hours to get tickets to the 1975 New Year's Eve game between the Canadiens and Central Red Army. With the exception of the birth of my daughter, the 3-3 tie was the greatest event I've ever seen in my life.
The Canada-U.S. Gold medal game comes close .... but I wasn't there.
I've been a professional journalist since 1974, when I joined the Montreal Star sports department. I've covered the 1976 Olympic Games, the 1979 Expos, pop music and MSO tours of Europe and Asia (classical musicians are WAY more fun to drink with than athletes). I wrote a TV & Radio column for 20 years and, since 2000, have written a City column for The Gazette.
The best part of being a Habs Inside/Out contributor is attending games at the Bell Centre. I think it's a great building: noisy, raucous and packed to the rafters with Montrealers and visitors who live for hockey.
And I still get goosebumps every time Michel Lacroix booms out "Accueillons nos Canadiens ..."
Having seen the Boston Red Sox win two World Series and the Pittsburgh Steelers add a couple Super Bowl titles, I suppose I can die happy ... but not before another Stanley Cup parade. And I'd really like my daughter to see a historic New Year's Eve game.
I like all the players. Covering baseball gives me a profound appreciation of pro athletes who aren't jerks.
My weltanschauung was summarized by the late great Bill Hicks when he said "all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves."
Have a nice day.
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Please I really hope the Habs are not dumb enough to get the 'Sedins' they are perhaps the worst possible acquisition ,.....they are F&&%^*ng BUMS,.........and I've had to watch these no-minds skate around doing nothing here in Vancouver for years...................Please DO NOT BRING THESE BUMS to MONTREAL.////or you will have spent years worth of money ,that could be better spent
I don't see how two players who average a PPG, and have a very good +/- rating, as well as decent playoff numbers this past season are such a bad pick up.
_______________________________
Montreal: Home to the worst fans in sports.
Living on the west coast myself, I can't help but agree 100%.
Holy cow....so many of you have already given up on the K Bros. after ONE inconsistent/bad season, yeah there were some off-ice issues, some of which turned out to be not the end of the world, but many of you seem to think that they are no longer capable of playing hockey ever again....we know they have the skill and the grit but the key for ALL rookies is to show it on a consistent basis and they are in the midst of learning that. So chill out on bailing on skilled rookies after ONE bad season...
And if you are holding their home culture against them, then you are no better than Sean Avery and his Frenchman cracks.
I have faith in the Kostitsyn's and they will bounce back....like Kovy did after his "dog" year.
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
First of all Kovalev dogs it every year. With his skill there is zero reason why he can't be challenging for the scoring title. His problem has always been 95% mental and unfortunately he tends to project his garbage work ethic to his teammates. If you're some rookie and you see a legend like Kovy dogging it..well hell why can't I?
Second Sergei may have a measure of grit, Anderi has zero. Once Sergei learns to control his emotions (he's young) he will probably leave Andrei in the dust.
Home culture has nothing to do with why so many Europeans play a skill game that precludes them from the drive to the net, bang in the corners and finish your checks sort of hockey that the Habs need. They simply play a different style. I'm no fan of it, however you NEED a good mixture on your team to be successfull. We have way to many Sally's and not enough Harry's on this team. BG needs to fix that.
Lastly ANYONE can play the Euro skill game, look at Tanguay. Being Canadian or American does not automatically make you a tough guy. Nor does being European automatically make you a pussy.
I am in agreement with some that you say and am willing to debate others...it is just some of the nimrods on here that get me all riled up (I am willing to say that I am capable of being a nimrod on here at times).
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
Mike,
Your faith in Jacques Martin astounds me. From your musings we can expect a disaster under Martin this year, and his canning next. I think those that expect Martin's quick demise are going to be disappointed. He is going to bring a system to the team, which lacked under Carbo, and he will bring more defensive accountibility that the team sorely missed last year. Now if they can only sign a big centre, and two hard nosed defensive Dmen, (which they can get a lot cheaper than paying Komi 6$ million to throw the puck up the middle) they may surprise in 2009! I think we may see a full year out of Patch, 20 plus goals out of Dagostini, a rebound from the Bro's K ( I do believe in the easter bunny) and a point man in Weber.
No one plays passive hockey anymore.
That's what Carbonneau had the team doing and that's what Martin's team do.
Gainey again out of touch with the league.
H- Don't expect miracles from us this year. We are rebuilding.
"We will win the Cup one day only with a mature Carey Price in the nets"
The only counter I have to that is weren't the Habs supposed to be in on the Tavares sweepstakes two years ago?
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
H - I'm with you 100%.
... from The Tennessean: ..... Preds G.M. David Poile, who is always worth hearing, speaks about free agency and July 1 to John Glennon in The Tennessean. “Usually a lot of players, if offered the correct contract … many of them re-sign with their club this time of year,” Poile said. “But nobody is signing. Players think that they’re undervalued and that if they go to July 1st, they’ll get more money. In a big sense, it’s a little bit of a game of chicken.”
Sort of a stubborn point of view. I expected a GM would be a little bit more objective (this is what I have to spend, this is what I need, etc) rather than having his feelings hurt. Like when a player's agent puts in an offer and then complains that no counter came back. Maybe the team considered that a drop dead offer, nothing personal, just business.
I think it was Dandy who went to Detroit and said in essense the Habs will give me this, what do you think, and Detroit said Good Luck. That's fair.
Vancouver will not be re-signing the Sedin's.....they will sign with Burke the blowhard. Gaborik will be signing with Van. Tanguay is skilled but I think he is too injury prone to spend all that money on when there are other options out there..
Tangs just had a bad year. He is an offensive beast incase you didn't see...
Can you read? I said he's skilled, the problem I have with him is he is injury prone...all that skill is no good if it's sitting in the infirmary.
Wait a minute...so you will give Tanguay a pass for not playing with grit and guts and dig for the puck while you knock the European players for not chasing down the puck and call them perimeter-playing ballerinas....if the puck is in the corner and loose and Tanguay is the closest skater, I fully expect him to go get it....and if he cannot take the hit, then he should not be playing hockey.
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
I agree with you on that one.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=29482
he had an unlucky year last season... he hasn't missed more than ~10 games in a season since the beginning of his career.
76, 82, 70, 82, 69, 71, 81, 78, 50 (this year). surely we aren't talking about gaborik or havlat here. i do hope his shoulder has made a full recovery after his surgery, though, or that might make him injury prone in the future.
I don't want Havlat or Gabby either, really skilled guy's but just too soft in my opinion. With Boston, Philly, and Toronto trying to ice tougher teams Habs will have to start getting grittier forwards...IMHO
Thank you , I was hoping I wouldnt have to explain myself.
b - he is a soft offensive beast .....
A soft offensive beast that isn't scared to crash the net... We don't have much of that
Just curious to see what you folks think...for all the talk of getting Lecavalier or Sedin to take the #1 center role, which is fine and jettison Koivu and/or Pleks or use one of them as the #2 center...let's assume that the team obtains a #1 center what do you think of having Koivu and Pleks on the 2nd line and convert one of them to a winger? It could solve two issues:
1) Those who want/need a change from Koivu being tagged as #1 center;
2) Those who do not want Koivu to leave the team.
It makes sense in my head...Koivu can show Pleks what hard work can do, the team keeps a vet and everyone's role gets adjusted hopefully for the better.
What do you kids think?
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
Plex and Koivu together on the same line would be Koivu getting beat up in the corners and in front of the net while Plex floats to the bench for a line change where he can get a better look at how getting injured is done properly. LOL
For all my Plekanec bashing he's still a better option to keep than Koivu. He can play a great defensive game and has the ability to score. He'd be great on a puck possesion team. I think his season will improve under Martin because he sucked last year, except for a short period where he was a 5 on 3 machine. He needs to grow some balls though.
They both at most 2nd-3rd line centers, if they stop falling and losing the puck each time they touch it,,,,
*IF* Gainey wakes up and somehow gets a good (read: not sedins) #1 center then:
Koivu stays as center #2, Pleks gone. If for some reason Koivu falters (he is getting old) and can't do the job, then we're still left looking for a proper #2 center. Pleks isn't that guy and that's painfully obvious.
I'm going to make the prediction that the Sedin Sisters will be Habs in less than one week.............
I can only hope not.
Together they can output about 160 points a year... would be worth 12$million a year
I hate having to point thise out to everyone who repeats what you've just said.
160 points a year is completely misrepresentative of what we'll be getting. 95% of the points they get, one passes and the other shoots. 160 points from both of us leads to 80 goals.
Just saying.
Have you told Jacques he's only got two years left to coach the habs?
You mean two years until he's GM! ;-)
Martin won't be fired until you hear Gainey say "The hiring of Jacques was the best decision I ever made". That is his kiss of death.
Kind of like how "We want our team to be a whole lot better" is the kiss of death for next season?
Or, Freddo your my brother and I love you. Smooch!
Mike, I agree with you that Guy Boucher is a great choice. His background is outstanding and he will develop the bunch in Hamilton to overachieve as he did with his junior team and players like Gabriel Dumont. See bio on RDS at http://www.rds.ca/bulldogs/chroniques/277399.html.
Despite the fact that it's hard for Gainey and Timmins to admit their negligence of QMJHL developped players, it's clear that Boucher's knowledge and experience will elevate the 'knowledge base' of QMJHL players at the Canadiens. Don't forget that Sweden and Quebec have seen drafted about the same number of players for almost equivalent populations.
If you're right about the two years before coaching the Habs, it seems to me a bit premature unless something of the following occurs:
-Serge Savard comes in in August/Sept and replaces Boivin at Pres of Habs. Boivin moves up a notch to manage facilities and events. This could mean Gainey's eventual demise. Admission of dissatisfaction with his work is growing on both sides of the linguistic factor. If this occurs see Serge replacing Gainey
-Gauthier leaves, redundant if Savard moves in
-Timmins stays on, with a better attitude and approach with Quebec based players
-As to the UFA unsigned players, I believe Gainey will lack time to resign who he wants and sign available/desired UFAs from elsewhere. I believe he has lost his edge and shows his cards much too quickly. He entered the draft stating he would be signing a big centerman and left 'les mains vides'. His big mistakes: overevaluating and overplaying Price and keeping Koivu too long (with no trade value over the past couple of years).
-Also I dispute his choice of Jacques Martin. Not enough 'hutzpah', too passive and lacking passion. Too much like Gainey. He should have waited before hiring a coach.
-Who to let go: I'm OK with letting go of Brisebois, Bouillon and Dandenault. I'd add Schneider, Koivu, Kostopoulos and Lang to the 'let go' list.
-Who to graduate: D'Agostini (a lot to prove), Stewart and Weber
-Who to sign as UFAs: Beauchemin, Hossa, back-up goalie
-Who to trade for: Lecavalier (sending Halak, Higgins, and prospect (Pacioretti for ex) and 2 first round draft choices and one second)
-Who to start in Hamilton and bring up prior to Xmas: Subban (he would replace Bouillon with Hamilton experience under the belt
--Who to start in Hamilton and bring up after Xmas: Pacioretti (he's proved nothing so far, Lats did much better at the same age). He needs to play and stop reading the headlines
-Who to trade for or sign as UFA: experienced keeper to pressure Price to perform
-Where does Jacques Martin end up if Boucher becomes head coach of the Habs within two years? Good question. Problem: too many coaches, too many GMs. Tough and possibly costly call.
In conclusion, I think the Habs will be a much different team than the one we saw last year. A tough year if Price doesn't step and Markov perform under pressure. What about Komisarek? Keep at 4,75-5 max. Let him go at over 5. Who's captain? Kovalev, who else. Even if Komisarek is resigned. He'll be a better captain than Koivu has been. Sorry to say.
Keep up the good work!
Georges Drouin
Wow...what detail...and to what better accompaniment than a fine Buddy Rich solo...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_OQMr6wsk&feature=related
You certainly put a lot of thought into that post. Do you think the younger Habs are ready to be more than 5-7 minute per game players at the NHL level?
You raise lots of intersting and debatable points, but you pronounce them as the gospel truth rather than your opinion. It's as if God has just whispered a new version of the ten commandments in your ear. Somehow you seem to know that Subban should be brought up before Christmas and MaxPac after. How you come to that stunning conclusion is beyond me. FWIW MaxPac impressed me last year. He has a presence that most don't. I wish we had a few more like him waiting in the wings.
BTW I'm not flaming you, even it might seem that way. :) Just letting you know how your post came across to me. Peace.
They seem like opinions to me, but then again so are the 10 commandments.
Well, that's your opinion about my opinion of his opinions ... and so on.
There were 10?
Oh, oh. Oops.
Lats looked much better than MaxPac at that age? Sorry, I must have missed something during the part of these guys lives when they were breakin' into the big leagues.
TO NEXT YEAR...
I completely disagree with Pacioretty.
I don't see at all how Latendresse "did much better at the same age." Gui! was pushed onto the team by a solid training camp, and the media. He really looked out of place for the first 2 seasons of his career, prompting most fans to acknowledge his development was hindered by being rushed. Right now, Gui! is nothing more than a third line checker, who can pot 20 goals a year - in the right situation. Max Pac has great size, explosive speed, and a solid all around game. He will be twice the player Latendresse is.
I also don't understand the "stop reading the headlines" comment. Pacioretty has had no free ride in his first season of pro hockey. He completely outplayed Latendresse in every facet of the word during training camp, yet he was sent to the minors. He was then brought up for 37 games and did fairly well, only to be sent down again.
Not sure what you have against Latendresse, but he has been very impressive with very limited ice time so far in his career, and he is still very young. I'd say because of his size, he could turn out to be just as, or more valuable than Pacioretty....but only time will tell.
You are greatly exagerrating about Pacioretty outplaying Latendresse.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
I have nothing against Latendresse. He is what he is - a solid 3rd line player with 20 goal upside. I guess I'm just a little more optimistic about our top forward propect than you are. I would never compare him to Latendresse, because I feel Max Pac's potential is much better than a 3rd line checker. Don't you? But I would be more than willing to wager with you that Max Pac will have a more productive career than Gui! - you just name the price.
Only an idiot would bet money based on guesses that even professional scouts hardly ever get right.
Everything you say seems well thought out and intelligent. That being said, I disagree about Koivu. He should retire a Hab for the following reasons:
1. He plays with the passion and heart that the greats did before him, and is one of the few who do it now. This is how he leads....unfortunately, he's rarely had decent followers.
2. He is our BEST playoff performer, bar none.
3. He loves it here despite how he has sometimes been terribly treated.
I also disagree with your stance on Martin. He's an excellent coach with experience, and he's tough. This is what underperforming party-goers need. I think we'll see a huge change in the young guys because of Jacques.
I can't see The Molsons bring in Savard. Gainey leaving would be the worst thing that could happen. Savard would go get every Francophone player he could, good or bad. Gainey has improved this team ten fold and he now has a chance to put the finishing touches on it with the money and trade bait he has left himself with. This summer will be telling, but I have a good feeling abou it.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Koivu is a passive leader which has not benefitted the team, especially this past season; yes he plays with passion and heart, and would make a great 3rd, 4th line center, but not at $3-4+ thank you very much, which he will more than likely command on the open market. After nine years as captain, the Habs have not progressed past the 2nd round. I respect what you are saying Habsrule, but the time to move on is now. And apparently the fans agree, as an RDS poll has suggested that his time with the Habs should come to an end.
On the other hand, I agree on Jacques Martin.
We don't really know how passive he is in the room, but I expect you're probably right. 3rd or 4th line centre? Come on, that's ridiculous. He was amazing with Kovy & Tanguay, and he would be a top 10 2nd line centre in this league still now. I'd pay him $3.5M for 2 more years as our 2nd line centre. As far as them not progressing past the 2nd round, you'd do better to play everyone besides Koivu for that. Take a look at who he has played with over the years, and how many points he still put up in the playoffs.
As far as the RDS poll, I'm still betting that this is from many Francophone fans that want to see a french-speaking captain cause apparently that's more important than playing with heart & soul and being a point per game playoff performer.
Koivu should retire a HAB.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Then he should retire today. I couldn't resist that one. LOL
Koivu can't play 15 minutes a game any more, is not a 1st line centre on any team in the NHL (except the Habs) and is a 3rd line centre on any good team in the league.
Two years ago we wouldn't be having this conversation, but that was then...
I feel for the guy and his supporters but I wouldn't shed any tears if he doesn't return next year. The chances of him playing a full injury free season are slim if even existent. Markus Naslund retired, why not Saku?
As a player, we all liked Koivu at some point over his career with the Habs. I'm no exception, except that for the past 2 or 3 years I believe we should have traded him away. This might have occurred if it weren't for Bob Gainey's obstinacy in keeping him.
I liked the Koivu at the beginning of this career more than since the last 4 years. He's aged, can't play more than 16-17 minutes per game, less so as the season progresses and doesn't deliver what a first or second line center should be delivering. I still continue to admire him but not for the same reasons as before: his courage, his fignt and gritt and, when he's on his game and has the stamina to go with it, his play.
It's a numbers game with Koivu now:
-he's definitely NOT a first-line center;
-on a so-so team he's at best a second-line center. If the Habs sign a bona-fide first-line center he could be a second.
-he definitely can't replace Lapierre and wouldn't play a fourth-line role like Metropolit/Bégin like players do or did.
You don't keep a player on sentiment. Think about Moore, Robinson and Savard who finished their careers in St-Louis, Winnipeg and L.A.. Heck, Moore had way better numbers than Koivu ever had: two-time leading scorer in the NHL. What need I add about the other two. And I haven't breathed the name Lafleur yet. In Montreal unfortunately, we and Gainey have given Koivu much more importance and responsibility for a role he couldn't assume over the past 3-4 years. It's time, it's better to move on for him.
It's not a question of how Koivu was or is treated. He's not the only player in Habs history who had to go through some criticism: it comes with playing in Montreal and "assume" the role of captain. But that's another question for another day.
As for Martin, you're right, he is a good coach. Except I find his style, as some-not all-do too defensive, too Lemaire-like. This isn't what I expect to see in the Habs play. Maybe he'll prove otherwise: like Julien with the Bruins who'se team is far from being defensive as he was when coaching the Habs.
Gainey I just believe has done his time. I've seen him with the Habs since he came up from the Petes. It's nothing personal, simply that his margin of error is too thin for him now. He should move over and make room for Serge Savard like André Savard moved over and eventually left to make room for him. Too many errors have been committed by Bob and some of his crew: the Price-Huet scenario, overevaluating Price, too lax (i.e. not enough accountability) with the young players like D'Agostini and Paccioretti and mid-terms like Higgins; over-evaluating Komisarek, Koivu and Higgins especially; not giving enough "encadrement", as we say in French, i.e. supportive structure, to the young players, the Ks especially; and finally not building on the previous year's success as we legitimately could have expected.
So, I believe there comes a time for.......change and that time is now.
GD
georgesd- you are very right about Koivu. His numbers are respectable for a 2nd liner- look at these figures while he's been clocking #1 center minutes: 792GP- 641pts. playoffs: 54GP- 48pts.
Respectable? Yes. Lead us to the next Cup? Nope. Can't do it. Remember, I respect Koivu more as a man than as a player and right there that tells you something of the disappointing career he's had here in Montreal.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
It's nice to read some realism for a change.
I agree,
I just don't like "-Timmins stays on, with a better attitude and approach with Quebec based players"
I mean, I like Timmins, I think he has an eye for tallent, I just want him to focus on the best players, not a specific area of the world.
I believe Timmins had to buy in to Bob's evaluation and opinion when he was brought over from the Sens. I think now things have changed for him since then; I 'sense' a change of attitude. You see, as we say in French 'à talent égal' i.e. at equal talent Timmins/Bob, up until now, would exclude a Quebec-developped player. This shouldn't be. I wonder how Calgary fans would feel if they felt a Quebec developped player was selected in preference to one of their own.
Timmins is talented in spotting talent. I believe he can improve his focus on Quebec players. If he doesn't he simply won't stick around. Don't get me wrong however: if there is a better player available from outside the QMJHL, he should be preferred over a Q player, without question. Believe me!
It's just that when you have a GM with such a strong personality, with such a history with the Habs, such as Bob, it's awfully hard to break away from preset and preconditioned values and conclusions.
So, my view is that I'd prefer Serge over Bob, keeping Timmins unless he fails at his job. Bring in a goalie coach sooner than later and a D coach, sorely lacking since Laps departed well over 10 years ago. We're entering a new era with the Habs: it's not rebuilding but rather re-aligning, doing away with preset management plays (such as US developped Ds are better draft choices than a Quebec D) and thinking that are based on an old-school approach that I believe Gainey adheres to.
There is a new school approach that is being exemplified in the NHL with the likes of Holland and Shero and the like, even Holmgren in Philly: GMs who are not afraid to 'apparently' trade away the kitchen sink or let go of the dead wood and the like. These GMs have very good people who work and report to them and who's opinions are not ignored (like Carbo's on Price) when expressed.
Players can't ONLY play in fear of losing their job or being traded just as coaches can't in fear of being fired.
The thing with the Habs is that this is a team that isn't keeping up with the pressures and requirements of playing in today's NHL, where regular season performance means squat except for the fact that it gets you into the playoffs. After than, factors of success are measured by other means: a Malkin, a Lecavalier or a Datsuk; goal-tending à-la Fleury or Osgood (last year); Defense that means clearing the net and standing up to the pressure; strong down the center and blitzing from the wings; and doing this over the most gruelling Championship run no other sport can rival, even a little bit.
Georges D
Actually, we are the only team that seems bent on selecting and acquiring Quebec-born players. No one else gives a damn where they come from as long as they can perform.
At the rate we're going, based on all the hoopla, we'll soon be drafting exclusively from Quebec while 29 other teams have the world as their oyster.
That and all the fan expertise will get us nowhere fast.
I liked his argument of all things being equal lean towards the local boy and I don't see that as being exclusive. Most times though all things aren't equal and the Q isn't solely for players from Quebec anymore.
The Montreal Canadiens are an industry. The fact of the matter is they are an industry competing for the same resources as other industries, and only getting to pick in the middle of the pack or lower in each and every round. Unless they know something other teams do not know, they will end up with middle of the pack players.
So if the Montreal Canadiens can find players anywhere that are flying under the radar, go get them. Quebec pur laine players flying under the radar should self identify, because not a lot of scouts seem to be able to pick them out.
Environmental Biology huh? Seems to be a real nice guy...
Given the average lifespan of recent Habs' coaches, it could be a lot sooner than that.