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About Dave Stubbs
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Dave Stubbs
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About
Dave Stubbs has been a sportswriter since 1976, which was roughly a decade after he wore the first of many holes through the knees of his jeans playing nets in road hockey (using a modified butterfly popularized by Hall of Famer Glenn Hall). He still has the welts to show on his shins from that rotten, frozen orange ball.
Stubbs kept thick hockey scrapbooks filled with game summaries and Gazette and Montreal Star stories, collected dozens of Bee Hive Corn Syrup photos and put a fortune of hockey cards through the spokes of his bikes. First book ever owned: Scrubs On Skates, the classic by Scott Young (Neil's dad).
Stubbs's fantasy is to travel back in time to the 1950s and watch the great Canadiens dynasty that won five consecutive Stanley Cups. Or a decade earlier, to watch Elmer Lach centre Rocket Richard and Toe Blake on the fearsome Punch Line. Or at least to get Rogie Vachon into the Hockey Hall of Fame – where he belongs.
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YA! interest at 2 and a half. That is all he is worth!
People are concerned with the forwards but if we lose Komi who will fill the void on D?
I think Gainey will rush a prospect into action before he is ready and cause his stock to fall a la O'byrne
he'll resign Brisebois
I can't take another year of the team going Full Breezer :(
Sure you can, he plays for what is on the front not his back!!!
Any news about Koivu and Tanguay?
Would anyone take Chris Neil instead of Tom K?
yes
"Long before I ever wore the jersey, I wore the jersey.” Dryden
NEVER! Tom K is the little Greek that could I love him too much (I'm greek and biased)
I would, for one reason. he has more of a scoring touch than Tom. I love Tom but he has hands of cement.
Which, strangely enough, doesn't make him a better fighter.
so , we trade 2 picks for Tanguay lsat season ... and we theoretically will have nothing to show for it (likely)
We have lost/not signed/traded the following DMen and received no compensation ( or not enough for McDonaugh ) in return
McDonaugh (BEST prospect in our system ) .. and if he isnt progressing as expected, then I have an issue with who we picked , Yemelin and Valentenko ( didnt want to play in North America ) , Souray, Beauchemin, Hainsey AND Streit, and now possibly Komisarek
We identify the need for a big center , a number 1 ... and we end up with an overpaid# 2 center ... the Sedins sign for less cash than this guy ... so .. if you acquire an overpaid player .. why do you have to give up everything we did to acquire him ?
I have given bob gainey the benefit of the doubt, but, this just seals the deal for me ...
Cry me a river. So what would you do to upgrade the team this offseason. We need a big centre? Who would you sign or trade?
you're so typical, head in the sand ... trade all your future assets for something that wont get you any closer to the ultimate goal ... I would do NOTHING rather than trade my best prospects for someone who doesnt get me closer to my goal. Thats called a PLAN ...
One thing I wouldnt do, is overpay for an overpaid player .. especially after stating that it was "still early" and we had August, September and October ...
I don't like trading my top d prospect either Peter. But you didn't answer my question. Who would you trade for or sign. All you've said is that you would wait 5 years for McDonagh. That's not much of a plan.
Hossa 5M/year ... Gomes 7.5M$/Year ... $62M for 12 .. we are paying Gomez 40M$ for 5 ... sad
I answered it ... I said I would do NOTHING instead of trading my future for something that doesnt help me in any way ... you answer this question ... how have we improved ? What does Gomez give you that Lang/Plekanec and/or Koivu ( toss in Tanguay ) didnt ? And at what price ?
Peter, I agree that Hossa the Hossa deal is far more attractive than what we paid for Gomez. So are you suggesting that Bob refused to pay up for Hossa. Come on. Hossa goes where he thinks the Cup will land next year. He did it in Pittsburg and he did it in Detroit. So you blame Bob for that?
My position is not that BG has not made mistakes. And I think it is legitimate to question how our UFAs have gone without compensation. But on July1, I am looking at how best to improve the team today. Gomez is an upgrade on Pleks and Koivu. He is our #1 centre now. I hope he can help bring in a top scoring UFA winger because top UFA wingers aren't lining up to sign with Montreal. We need an incentive. That's what Gomez is. Tanguay is an important asset but he doesn't play centre. That's okay if you don't like Gomez. We will have to see how the trade pans out. If we get a good winger for him, he can get 75pts. McDonagh is 5 years away from making an impact, and that is if he develops the way he can.
I just find it distastefull the way people are all over anything Gainey does. He's trying to make some changes to improve. Hossa signing for less than Gomez is not his fault. And that is why I said what I said. The overwhelming negativity is way over the top. So now we know you would do nothing. How do you think that would sit with the posters here?
Bill .. i dont care about Posters .. if I have a plan that I am executing against ... i dont care what people think .. but there is NO PLAN ..
Bill ... my position with Bob Gainey was indifference ... he has now proven to me, that the league has passed him by ... it has nothing to do wth Hossa ... Hossa wasnt coming ... Sedins werent coming ... Havlat isnt coming ... Komisarek wants to leave ... who cares ... then BUILD WITH YOUR YOUTH ... BUT to trade your youth for a guy who doesnt fill a void is just ridiculous ...
My point is this .. he WAITS ALL SEASON TO SIGN OUR UFAs ... ALL SEASON .. everyone knows the cap is going DOWN .. everyone is talking about all the CAP ISSUES that the NYR , Flyers , Flames, Nucks have ... everyone knows that SJ wants to make a move ... BOB GAINEY HIMSELF STATES that he has August, Sept and Oct to acquire that center ... so ... the day BEFORE FA Starts ... he OVERPAYS for an OVERPAID player ... I have no issue with Gomez as our # 2 ... but, when you know that the team is against the cap, why trade for him BEFORE FA starts ? And why overpay for him. Higgins and Valentenko for Gomez ... done
Dont you wish we didnt have Hamrlik this season ? I know I do ... now you'll also have Gomez who you'll regret in 2 seasons when he asks to be traded ...
People are all over Gainey because he has now made too many costly mistakes ... all those mentioned before ... coach after coach ( no stability ) .. the ONLY thing he has done well, he hired Trevor Timmons ..the rest has been an utter disater. He also said 2 years ago what a "Champion" Saku was ... where is Saku today ? I guess he'll be a champion in a professional organization.
I find it distasteful that I am paying 9500$ ( with my price increase this year ) for my tickets for a product which will not be improved for years and years to come. DOnt tell me not to buy them .. they have us trapped becuase of the demand ... but one day, demand ofr those tickets will wane again if they dont get someone with a plan , and who can execute
We can agree to disagree on some points. I don't know if next year's team will improve or not. I am willing to wait and see. I am sorry to see Saku go too. But I don't think we have all the background info on why Gainey does what he does. Of this I am sure: we all lose if the Canadiens don't significantly improve next year. I will suffer because the negativity really gets to me here. You, because you will have seasons tickets to watch a bunch of losers. I guess neither of us really has anywhere to go. I'm in Toronto. ;-)
Cry me a river...come on, the guy is right. Gainey has let way too many guys go for nothing, and he has yet to solidify ANY position on the team (most noticeably centre, but now I am more concerned with the D) since he has been here.
Bob gambled with the UFA money to get Lecavalier and others before the deadline. not his fault Tampa was gun-shy. i'd rather he risk something like that than do nothing, which is what you're accusing him of. be angry at Tampa, if you feel the need.
I agree .. he wanted lecavalier .. didnt get him ... but he still was in the drivers seat ... and he panicked .. because he needed to do something ... and whenever anyone feels pressured to do something ... they make mistakes .. and he made a terrible mistake ..
So now, WE are saddled with an "unmovable contract" especially seeing the deals the Sedins have signed ... AND we still arent BIGGER up the middle, we still DONT have a # 1 center ... we are still WEAK on Defense .. and now, we have lost all of our depth on D in the minors ... anyone with half a brain can see that ...
Gomez for Higgins and Valentenko ... i get it ... toss in McDonaugh ....then you overpaid because you panicked.
That is such bull. So what, did he have the package for Gomez originally set up for Lecav? When Lecav said no, he said oh well...may as well give it all up for Gomez (who is not close to the impact player that Lecav is) rather than make any changes...that would be too much work.
He should have definitely not given up McDonagh for Gomez...and if Sather demanded him Gainey should have called his bluff...there was no need for that trade to go down yesterday anyway. His 'gamble' as you called it is going to cost the habs for a long time. No wonder everyone in the press is teeing off on Gainey.
he has not been the same player since lucic pwned him .. its sad i thought he was going to be an amazing player, he looks like he is scared to hit people now
Has Havlat been signed or is he still available?
Available... The Canadiens are apparently in the hunt.
Wouldn't mind seeing a guy like him on the team..my only concern is that I am doubting he can have two healthy seasons based on his track record
Am i the only one who thinks komi is intentionally pricing himself out of the habs price range and will probably take less to go home.
After last year I believe he did not have any intention in coming back to Montreal. He is a goner. But if anyone signs him for more than 4 mil a year, they can have him.
I bet he and his agent are like a couple of kids in a candy store.........somebody will get real stupid and offer him an exorbitant amount that he can not say no to. I agree he was never the same player after Milan laid that major 'beat down' on him. Interesting to see how he plays next year. If he does sign in Boston; at least he'll have Milan as his 'protector'
I would like to think of it more as Milan being Komi's pimp.
"Don't let me bitch slap you Mike!"
Has anyone been able to confirm the Kovy signing?
I'm exactly crying if Komi leaves the only thing is that I know if he plays the way he could then he is a punishing defencemen. My only worry is that he is going to go to a team in the East in which case our small Habs will pay for it with the bruises he will leave :S
Well apparently TO is in the hunt for Komi.. So, he might be a leaf pretty soon.
That would not be good fo us seeing as how those games already get ridiculously physical..But Brian Burke looks like he is making offers on everyone lol I won't take anything Leafs do seriously until anything is confirmed.
I hope some team signs Komi for 8 mil then sees how he can't get the puck out of his zone. better still I'd like to see their reaction at his great offensive skills. better still, I'd like their reaction to his great fighting skills. You have to wonder if teams ever watched him play last year. he's no loss!
Agreed...if he doesn't want to be here, get rid of his yankeed ass...to Long Island or some sh**ty place like that.
Watch him sign with Boston.
Reposting from earlier thread:
Team 990 says Kovy signed 2 years for $8.8M (4.4M per season). But they are still trying to confirm that.
TSN lists Kovy as still unsigned. They put up a list of top 5 UFAs still available:
Hossa, Gaborik, Havlat, Cammalleri, Komisarek.
Team 990 is at http://www.team990.com/#
TSN is at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/TML-Live
So long Mike.
he hasn't resigned with any team because he probably isnt getting the big bucks offers he was expecting come july 1st, since ohlund signed for 3.5 mil its lowering the "standards" for d-men
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Taylor Hall on the 2010-2011 roster
komisarek is way too gun shy now since lucic pounded him
Hopre we sign Ian Laperriere from the AVS, we'll could use his backbone against the Leafs and Flyers!
Put him on the 3rd line with Lats and Laps!!!
With all the guys we give away, why do we hang on to LaSlowesse?
O'Byrne's the replacement oh yeahhh!!!!!!
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Taylor Hall on the 2010-2011 roster
Colton Orr to the Leafs.
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
Based on the deals for Ohlund and Jay Bo, anything over $3.5M is lunacy.
There were a ton of LD on the market, very few RD. Supply dictates that demand will be intense.
YOU SEE BOB?
That's what happens when you don't negotiate during the season.
If Komisarek was intent on testing free agency, what makes you think that he would have signed during the season for less money?
Gainey's policy is COMPLETELY flawed.
The organization tells Komi that he's the future of this team but they dont back it up with a contract. Komisarek is probably thinking what if I woud have suffered a career-ending injury during the playoffs.
Komi is telling Bob, f--k you and your policy!
Komisarek is the future if he wants to stay. You're forgetting that Komisarek is the one who's decided to test free agency. This has absolutely nothing to do with and Gainey "policy"... it has EVERYTHING to do with Komi wanting the biggest paycheck that he can get, and that wouldn't happen if he was to sign mid-season.
hahahaha, the guy was the assistant coach to carbo for what, 5 games???...thats more than telling a guy, ur our future, thats saying you are the next captain.....you gotta sign the guy if you're gonna make statements like that.....
"thats more than telling a guy, ur our future"
Yet Komi chose to spit in our faces and test the market. Now that's one-sided loyalty, imo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The patience that Bob Gainey showed me when he could have gotten rid of me years ago, I am just really grateful for it." - Mike Modano, June 30, 1999
Correct chuck,why the hell would komi negotiate when he was having such a brutal year when he can get more money at july 1st when you can get more money no matter how bad of a season you had.
how will you know if you NEVER TRY...thats my problem with bob......and its not like were assuming he does not try...he openly states that he does not negotiate during the season....
Likely because he doesn't want it discussed in the media while the season is on. You can be sure that Gainey talks with agents as the season goes.
Signing during the season can be too much of a crap shoot. You end up having to reward a player for what he's done over the first part of the season instead of the whole year. What if your guy tanks after signing his contract?
i know but look at streit, ryder...now komi???....i honestly think he's gonna be a superstar somewhere else.....and he will be signed for over 5 mil.....
Streit and Ryder were asking for more money than the Habs' cap situation would allow. And now you want Komisarek signed for $5 mjillion per. Commiting that kind of money during the season wasn't that feasable.
The player is NEVER accountable, right?
Of course not!
should have signed him a loooooooooooooong time ago! at least we have the big bad gorges....ouufff