Audio: Habs try to be optimistic

What a bad season... What the habs should do in the offseason 1. Bring back Kovalev Lang and Tanguay and Schneider. They were the only bright spots on a inconsitant team. 2. New coach. That is one area I want to know about. We need a defenceman assitant coach for the forecheck and two way play hey does Lapointe or Langway or another former nhler sound good? Head coach should be Lever and assistant should be like Hartley and goaltending coach should be someone different. 3. Next year Markov should be an assistant and Kovy captian and Tanguay assistant. Maybe we would compete more. Soo for those who say Koivu is a good captian they are somewhat wrong he is a huge d@$% and when Kovy was captian the players followed and did better. 4. Trade Plekanec he is a liability. I know my username is plekanec but hey I will make a new acount :). Also let go of Komi and Obyrne and bring in Mcdounagh and trade for a guy like Emminger 5. Maybe now we will build through the draft better and yeah the future looks good.

It looks like some people would prefer to shake hands and commend their opponents on a great series after game three. I'll join in the "good sport" mentality only after being eliminated. Until then Habs fans and hopefully, Hab players it's ... Oh yeah? We'll just see about that!

Just curious. Is that film crew still following the Habs around chronicling the Centennial Season? The marketing department is gonna have their hands full trying to perfume that pig and sell it!

There's been a few comments about Lecavalier lately... to those who think we should still consider trading for him. You do all realize that Tampa Bay finished 14th in the East and 29th overall in the standings right? Why would you take on a savage contract like his, it proves that a single player can't do too much for you in today's NHL. Do some of you really think the Forum ghosts will infuse Lecavalier with legendary Morenz/Richard/Lafleur/Beliveau powers?

well i.....wont back down.......nooo i...... wont back down....

just an observation here, I am not a Gainey basher, I think he's doing his best, but.....did anyone else notice in last nights game in certain line shifts he would put his players out first, like I am not rocket scientist but aren't you giving up a bit of home ice advantage by doing that?? Maybe he's throwing in the towel, I don't get it....???

"...continue to hope that Carey Price regains his form." We've been hoping since 2008 and hasn't happened yet.

Nick Kypreos just said on Bob McGowen's Prime time that the team begged Tanguay to play last night and that Tanguay took himself out of the lineup. He said Tanguay is the opposite of Schnieder. Take it for what you want. I am just telling you what Kypreos said. Could be true or could be Kypreos is still suffering from his concussion.

I'm embarrassed to be a Habs fan - not hte team - but the fans and the journalists ( primarily the French media). We all agree that the team did not meet our expectations but whose fault is it? Here are some observations. 1. Habs fans - we insist on voting players onto an all star team and they clearly don't desrve it ( except for Markov). Result - Price never recovers from injury,loses confidence,ditto for Komi , and Kovi ends up on a 2 game " suspension". 2. Price - I am sure he will be a great goalie. He needs to play - we are not a championship team DON'T DRIVE HIM OUT OF TOWN - WE WLL REGRET IT. He needs better coaching, more support from management and from fans.Oh -and by the way - he was the better goalie last night. 3. The media made a big deal re Kostytsyns - they have not recovered. Was it a big story? I don't know - but it reminds me of how Kovi was alo=most ridden out of town two years ago.They did it to Ryder last year. 3.Everyone is on Gainey's back - I understand the dissappointment. But to say he did nothing? He signed Tanguay,Lang,Schneider - all productive but sometimes luck - as in injuries - is not on your side. Our good friend Rejean Tremblay was blowing steam about how horrible it was to play Bouillon. I can bet you that that was his wish, he wasn't going to know unless he played and if he needs surgery ( do you remeber Mike McPhee) than he'll need it either way. When jouirnalists make terrible accusations without knowing the story..... I am imagine Tanguay didn't play against Pittsburgh ( last regular season game) because he was hurt - is Gainey supposed to announce it? Our team has shown a lot of heart but I'm afraid we don't have enough left in the tank. And our GM / coach is doing his best with an owner who very may well be baqnkrupt - let's wait to see how many ropes he used to tie Gainey's hand.

In the immortal words of Jed Clampett......pitiful.....just pitiful,but i'll still be watching because i love this team....just not this version

It's like I said before. The only thing worse than having the worst record in the 2nd half of the season is not having the worst record in the 1st half as well. Instead, what do we get? A team that barely squeeks into the playoffs and wilts in the 1st round. Yes I've written them off. They aren't that good and Boston is very, very good. Another thing that makes me sick is that with all Carey Price's talent his head is just not in the right place. Always shaking it as if in disbelief. The last few games he doesn't even know what the hell is going on and only his natural skills are making him look a bit competent out there. I fear he's being ruined by Bob Gainey. He might need to be traded so that he can clear his head and work with some better coaching staff. I can't imagine how scary good he'd be if he was with New Jersey or Detroit. It's pretty clear he was brought up way too early in view of the Habs trading Huet away. How many players have left the Habs to go onto either better careers or Stanley Cup wins elsewhere? Too many in my opinion! I just don't get this team any more. We used to say there's always next year and back in the late 80's and early 90's we could actually say it with confidence. Now all I can say is, "Well, there's always next years 5 year plan!" What a load of crap.

Wow, is it ever nice to see Price and Komisarek finally show up to an optional practice and work a little more on their shortcomings. Thanks for waiting until we are 1 game from elimination for doing that, a little to late to get some extra practice don't you think.

Price will be in net. There is no doubt about it. If you're hoping for Cam Ward when you've got Gerber in net, you do the switch in game 3, not in the elimination game. And you can bet that if there is any chance that Markov can be frozen enough to be out there, he will be. And yet Komo wears the "A"?!? But it's hard to be upbeat about the situation. I just hope we can save ourselves a shred of dignity. Or maybe this was the plan all along? http://habsbros.blogspot.com/2009/04/rope-dope.html We have one decent line with a center that needs a rest every 30 seconds, but is otherwise good. Then all the other lines BLOW. And the fact that O'Byrne was probably the best d-man last night is pretty sad.

It'll take a miracle for them to win a game let alone turn it around completely...but I will be watching tomorrow night and still freaking out on the play as if it was Game 1...since only one of two things can happen: 1) They lose and we talk about the changes over the course of the off-season; 2) They win and we debate about Saturday. This is sports after all, strange things happen, so let's see what happens. Chances are they will lose, but I will go for the upside.... GO HABS GO

Long time reader, first time poster.... As I watch in frustration the season that has unfolded before I, I really can only hope Bob works some magic in the offseason. We have the cap space to play with and with some solid free agents and a mixture of the young guys that will hopefully be somewhat ready next year. I do have a theory, especially after watching the 3rd period of last nights game, down 2 games in the series and down a goal. I did not see one inch of desperation, it looked like we had given up...where is the heart?! My theory is that these European players (Plekanec, Kostitsyns, etc) don't show up for the playoffs, what are they playing for, some cup they never grew up dreaming for? Plekanec said he hadn't even heard of the NHL til he was in his late teens! The future looks bright, Bob's bringing in some NCAA and some Juniors kids and with the right crop of free agents, we'll be right back at the top next season.

The big question is.....will the Habs be the only team to get swept? Let's hope it's the Blues

The boys owe one to the fans. They'll win one tomorrow. Yes, Halak deserves a start. BG treats him like Rodney Dangerfield. This team has talent, not much grit and not much experience behind the bench. Once the team is sold, the new owners can look for a team of professional coaches. My hope is to see Serge Savard take over. He's not going to buy into promises a la Pierre Boivin. So, good bye Rollie, Dougie, Kirky and (as much as I respect the man)Bobby. His 5 year program is up and failed. Jean Perron made an interesting comment last night; 26 of the 30 teams currently have a coach or assistant-coach who was a D-man during their career. Do the Habs have one ? No ! Do we need one ? Yes, big time !

The hella good team that Bob built: Tanguay-Koivu-Higgins AK46-Lang-Kovalev Lats-Pleks-SK74 BGL-Laps-TTB Markov-Komi Hamrlik-Gorges Bouillon-Dandy The so-so injury-wracked team we were left with for a good chunk of this year: D'Agostini-Koivu-Higgins AK46-Pleks-Kovalev Lats-Lapierre-Pacioretty Stewart-Metro-TTB Markov-Gorges Hamrlik-O'Byrne Dandy-Brisebois Come on guys, no way is that Bob's fault. He even brings in Schneider mid-season to fill in, revitalizes our PP, and he goes down with an injury too! You can quibble with a decision of his here or there, criticize a line change or a goalie decision on a given night, but injuries have been a much bigger problem this year than anything else. Not Bob's fault. 1. www.flickeringpictures.com - not a hockey site, but still kinda neat 2. Josh Gorges on Montreal's attack: "They're comin', they're comin' and they keep comin'. Just line after line, wave after wave..."

Price came in a winner.How many players came in plying well the died under Carbo.Blame Gainey why? He brought in good players to the Coach and he screwed up by being unable to handle them as indiviguals. Price was put down by him also we have a goalie coach who wants im to play his way. Halack is a good Goalie and helped us get to the playoffs for two years. Bring in the Hamilton coach a coach for the defence men and teach these young players.

What's with the optional practises all the time?? And Gainey wonders why his team is outworked and outmuscled, they simply aren't in good shape!! Boston practised during every off day of this series...

Anyone who looked at the starting roster in October could tell we were really weak on defence. After Markov we have no able puck movers. Hammer can anchor a pairing but isnt much good on the rush. Komisarek without Markov is a big pylon. Gorges without a towering physical partner is only capable but hardly stellar. Bouillon is small and not terribly good with the puck, Dandy is capable but lacks toughness, Breezer is a train wreck, OB needed ice time and coaching and got neither. The plan for the defence seems to be wait for PK and McDonagh, hope Emelin comes over and pray Markov doesnt get hurt. Our most urgent need is for a puck moving d-man (preferably with size) and a purely physical, punishing d-man to add to team toughness. Without upgrading our defence we wont be much better next year.

Lighten up folks; been following our Habs for 50 years and as much as I hurt inside seeing them of late, it's no use taking it so hard. In the meantime...... On a tour of Florida , the Pope took a couple of days off to visit the Coast for some sightseeing. He was cruising along the beach in the Pope Mobile when there was a frantic commotion just off shore. A helpless Man, wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, was struggling frantically to Free himself from the jaws of a 25-foot shark. As the Pope watched, horrified, a speedboat came racing up with three Men wearing Montreal Canadian jerseys aboard. One quickly fired a Harpoon into the shark's side. The other two reached out and pulled the Bleeding, semiconscious Leaf fan from the water. Then using baseball Bats, the three heroes in red beat the shark to death and hauled it into The boat also. Immediately the Pope shouted and summoned them to the beach. "I give you My blessing for your brave actions," he told them. "I heard that there Was some bitter hatred between Leaf and Habs fans, but now I have seen With my own eyes that this is not the truth." As the Pope drove off, the harpooner asked his buddies "Who was that?" "It was the Pope, "one replied. "He is in direct contact with God and Has access to all of God's wisdom." "Well," the harpooner said, "he may have access to God's wisdom, but he doesn't know much about shark fishing.........how's the bait holding up?

Is Tanguay actually hurt, or did he get into a beef with Gainey over the role that he was assigned? I could see the guy getting miffed about not playing with Saku and Kovy in favour of BGL - and letting Gainey know about it. Didnt he have off ice issues with Keenan? Has anyone confirmed how or when he got hurt? He hasnt looked to injured to me...