Anyone else nervous?

I think that was the most eloquent testimony in favor of Saku Koivu, that I've ever read. And it was about damn time it happened.

Anyone who knows the track record of Saku's post seasons performance will admit to anxiety without the Captain. He has always played hard in the playoffs and when he went down with the eye injury against Carolina in 2006 the team changed, like night into day. They did little without him, and everyone knew why; you can't replace leadership. While Kovy is the motor that runs this team on the score sheet, Saku has been its heart and soul for a long time. Saku has a reputation of fearlessness, tenacity and heart, and those are the qualities which bring home a cup. To have any chance of going deeply into the playoffs without him, the rest of the team will have to emulate his best qualities.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!!!!!!!!!

Koivu goes down but nobody knows what's happening and announcements are not made until MONDAY, MARCH 31st!!!

THEREFORE: Published on April 1st.

But wait: Carbo has a quiet, backroom, quasi-off-the-record talk with the media during this same press conference.

Anybody else smell April Fool's?

The media would freak out if they were duped, so why not let them in on it?

There is enough back-room chemistry for this to be successful, and since we're clinched anyway it doesn't have any major consequences before the truth comes out. We're playing well, why not have some fun?

Some fans will be annoyed but most will be relieved and or excited.

The Sens, however, will not be pleased. Suckers.

And it also pokes good fun at the league's new "Give information" policy... assuming that this is a real policy. They said they want details; they never said anything about the truth.

Let's be realistic, even if it was announced that Koivu's foot is broken, why would Bouillon be in a brace with no other info?

OK,

So. If I'm right you can all call me a genius. If I'm wrong, feel free to chalk it up to pure outright denial.

Great blog Boone. It seems nobody realized the importance Koivu had on this team until he is lost. I agree with everything you say, but I am very hopeful he will be back for the playoffs. 'Cause everyone knows that is when players like Koivu really shine.

Boone... your post makes me nervous. Thanks a lot! (sarcasm)

In spite of Carolina having point totals similar to Philly & Boston they have been doing surprisingly well since their captain, Brind'Amour, got injured. Even Samsonov has been producing without him. I think that the Habs can do at least as well as the Hurricanes without Koivu. If Samsonov can step up so can the entire Habs roster, no excuses.

Given the Habs depth they should be able to play well despite the injuries. If Boston can go long periods this season without their best players (Bergeron, Chara, Murray), and compete with much less talent than the Habs, there isn't any reason the Habs can't do the same. Koivu is one of my favourite players and brings so much more than his point total to the table every game, but it would be hard to argue that he is more important to the Habs chances than Bergeron or Chara are to the Bruins.

The sign of a great team is when that team can pick up the slack when a teammate goes down and dig out victories regardless. Does this team have that kind of heart, depth, and willpower? We've seen them pull off a history making comeback with a full lineup. But, now is what athletes call "gut check" time. Personally, I think they can still win. But, if they sustain any more key player injuries it could be curtains.

The game vs. TO was listless, heartless, and gutless to say the least. Carbo said when a team plays not to get injured, injuries follow quickly. Others have echoed the same idea in different words. The team needs to play with conviction, even when the opposition is bound for the 'links'. The top of the standings is a great place to be, but a very tough one mentally. Once that final regular season game is over, I think players will get pumped and start focusing on the prize.

I'm not nervous, and the hoofbeats are mine Boone, so please put your sharp instruments away, I am a flight animal, my Habs need me.

The habs will step up for the captain, they'll take two of the last three. It's all good people, some of our key guys are getting some much needed rest. There is strategy at work here.

Nervous ?.. terrified would be more like it.

Could Itzhak Perlman's limitless virtuosity made up for a missing string on his violon ?

Could the CH go deep without Koivu ?

The arrival of Grabs gaved our team the true scoring depth profile I feel team's must have in order to go deep,... Koivu's absence would terminate our pretention of having 3 capable scoring lines and I dont think we would survive without it and without him for too long of a time.

Small victories:

Penguins lost, albeit in OT.

Man standing are so tight, we can play anyone from Ottawa to Carolina to Washington and in between. I hate this one point garbage.

it's not the end of the world...but we're weak down the middle in terms of offensive centres throughout our organization. The only two that come to mind are corey locke and grabovski...and does anyone feel confident of either of them fitting into the second line at the moment?? Our depth as a full team was just good enough, missing a top 6 player makes us look mighty thin now. If Saturday's game is a foreshadow of what's about to come...we're in for a crap end to the season. Kovy's line was fairly neutralized, and the second line was disgustingly weak, though higgins seems to have woken up a bit since koivu being injured...maybe he feels it's his time to step it up.

Does this mean ryder's actually going to get more than 7 minutes of ice time?

Also I didn't see any posts mentioning this but Kovalev gets to wear the C for the second time this season. (still makes me feel uneasy).

I agree with you Boone, and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who sees the contributions the Captain makes. Koivu has always been one of the team's better (if not the best) playoff performers, and he'll be missed.

That said, we didn't develop great depth for nothing. Without Komi, Cube, Streit and Koivu for any prolonged period of time, I would have a lot of doubt about our team, but with one more point we'll have clinched the division and be either #1 or #2 in the East. Our roster is still good enough to do that. Komi, Cube and Streit seem almost certain to return for the playoffs, if not before, and I doubt Koivu will be that far behind. Remember in the Boston series where we played with broken ribs? The captain has and can play through pain, and he will. He'll take the few weeks now to heal up as much as possible, but I'm positive he'll be back early in round 1 when we'll need him again.

Oy gevalt, Boone. Those putz's reflexively spouting dreck about Koivu are nothing but golem. What has anyone done for them lately, eh?

TSN sports experts??

check out their poll question which doesn't include Carolina (same division as Washington with less pts than the Rangers,Boston, or Philly):

Which team will be on the outside looking in on April 7?
NY Rangers
5%

Boston
24%

Philadelphia
29%

Washington
41%

I just read Boone's piece without reading the posts. I hope everyone isn't as doom and gloom as Boone. Of course Koivu is an intregal part of this team and it's success this year. Stats don't even come close to what he means to this team. But I think the boys can get through the 1st round without him and hopefully he'll be back for when the series may be on the line in round 2. He'll be a big spark when we might need it.

This isnt the year when Carolina picks his eye out and we don't win another game. This team has much more depth. Besides, other than Pittsburg who is just warming up, the East is full of problems. Now we have one too. If we can establish our game and get the goaltending we need, I think we will be alive when Saku gets back. He just won't be blocking many shots.

Guys and girls, we have to remember that we have a MUCH different team than the one that faced Carolina.

Yes Koivu is a big loss. Komisarek is a big loss. Bouillon is a big loss.

But don't forget, the Buffalo Sabres were missing their top 4? defencemen last year and still made the Conference finals.

Komi is coming back and so will Koivu before the 1st round is up. Bouillon hopefully is ok, but I'm worried now.

We need to all step it up another notch. Especially our posters. now isn't the time to criticize, it is to SUPPORT.

our team...no?

"Are the Habs ready to pay the Price?"