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Update: Halak's agent stirs it up on Twitter
posted by Dave Stubbs at 20h45 EST on Nov 8
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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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Time to nip this goalie controversy in the bud....Trade Halak and his agent now, get a veteran goaltender that can play 25 games per season to mentor Price. Pointe Finale
Why trade Halak? Price has not proven himself yet to be a Number 1 on our team.
I'll do exactly what Jacques is doing, go with the goalie who gives you the W every night you play.
At the present, that goalie is Halak.
"We will win the Cup one day only with a mature Carey Price in the nets"
Retro to be effective a goalie needs to play lots of minutes, ie Brodeur, Loungo etc, JM system is flawed in that if a goalie has a bad game then he id done, goalies need to work their way through a loss. Let's face it losses are not only the fault of the goaltender. Cary has proven much in the past , Calder Cup etc, what has Halak proven nothing either I guess. Price needs to play many minutes. There has to be a clear #1 on this team and it should be Price.
That's right... just cuz!
I agree!!!
There were 2 scenarios to look at:
1. Bob should have left CP in Hamilton for another full year to further develop.
2. It was apparent that Bob was making CP the #1 goalie when he traded Huet. Bob should have put CP to live with a Veteran player or with Bob himself. At the end of that season Bob should have went out & found for CP goalie who could be a mentor to CP who was comfortable being a backup playing 20 - 25 games.
"If ya smell what The Rock is cookin"
Why on earth would we trade away our best goalie??? That would just be dumb! halak needs to be the starter, and Price maybe can start 20 -25 games.
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
Halak is not our best goalie, Price is and he needs to play every game that he can....No more win and your in. I have been a goaltender for 37 years and you do not overcome a slump by sitting on the bench you need to play as much as possible to get your confidence back. If Price is the franchise goaltender he needs to play all the time, Martin is not handling the situation properly and I think that you need a goalie coach that has actually played the position.
Martin should just play Price all the time. If Price costs us the year like Gainey did last year playing Price, then we'll know Price is not God's Gift to The Habs, He's Not The Next Dryden. Just get over it, Price will only be good on another team. Get over it. Martin, play Price all the time, even if it costs us a season. Find out the hard way. By then we'll have lost Halak to some other team and we'll learn the hard way.
I have not given up on Price yet nor should anyone really, it's too early to. But it is kind of interesting how there are so many people arguing that Price is still young and that it takes time to develop and give him a chance to gain more experience but no one seems interested in affording Halak the same logic. Halak is 24 (still young by NHL goalie standards) has only played in North America for 4 seasons and has played a total of 64 NHL games, which is around 1 full seasons worth for a top goalie. Why is no one arguing that he is still young and it takes time to develop?
Yes when you look at their careers so far just about anyone would think that Price has more potential, but that doesn't mean you give up on Halak or relegate him to career back up. There have been notable cases in the past of players with a ton of potential that have never fully worked out.
Keep your options open
p.s - as for the argument that it took Price 104 games to reach 50 wins and comparing him to other goalies like Roy, Broduer, Flurry etc... Halak has played in 64 games and has 35 wins. At that pace he would reach 50 wins in roughly 92 games.
I think the majority of people on this forum have no problem with halak starting the majority of our games for the rest of the season. Even a price fan/apologist will see the value in giving him some back up duty while going with halak who has won the majority of his starts this year.
I think this whole idea of giving up on carey price is ridiculous, but I do agree that for whatever reason, the team plays better in front of halak at the moment, and JM has to go with halak until he truly falters (which he wont). I understand JM going with Carey after his great performance in boston, but why was Carey starting in boston to begin with? Atlanta should have been halaks game because he beat the leafs on saturday night, but price gets the start. Then Price loses to atlanta, only to get the start again in boston where he plays a stellar game, to earn an obvious start against tampa saturday night which he lost. This goes totally against the "win and your in" philosophy and therefor I can totally understand halak and his agents frustration.
That Markov and Price for Lecavalier trade is looking pretty good right about now!!!
Wow. Thank god you're not in change of anything important.
Which Lecavalier have you been watching this season? The one I know of only has 2 goals and is a minus 5 and has been playing some pretty uninspired hockey...
Pretty hard to stay motivated after signing an 11 year, Highly lucrative, guaranteed-money contract and playing for rick tocchet, of all people, in an uninspired hockey market. I predicted pre-season that lecavalier wouldn't be a force this year, and who knows if he would have played more inspired in montreal, but right now hes making me look good.
THe guys a big power center, and hes already been playing 12 years, it was going to catch up with him eventually.
Markov alone is worth 2 Lecavaliers...Vinnie is washed up, and IMO was never as valuable to his team as Markov.
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
I was being sarcastic. Hook, line and sinker you all!!
If Price's agent would have put his foot in his mouth as Halak's agent as done, Price himself would be bashed to high heaven.
"If ya smell what The Rock is cookin"
Get off the crack!
You are quite knowledgeable in insulting people! Too bad the same can't be said for you hockey knowledge!
"If ya smell what The Rock is cookin"
Now you've gone and hurt my feelings.
This agent should shut his big mouth, the Habs have been terrible the last 50 games or so going back to last year and Price is in no way at fault for every loss the TEAM had....What's Jaro's record in his last 42 games?
"What's Jaro's record in his last 42 games?"
By my count, 23-19 (incl 1 overtime loss). No hiding the fact that it is better then 10-32.
Now, if we look at halaks and prices SV% this year, they are pretty much equal, but theres a large disparity in GAA. Seeing as win/loss record as well as GAA are far more of a team stat then a goalie stat, I think its safe to say that THE TEAM plays better in front of halak for whatever reason.
Here's what I do know - some simple facts for you.
Halak has a better career save % in the NHL (.912 Halak to .910 Price) and the AHL (Halak .930 to Price .901). Halak has a better winning percentage in the NHL than Price does (Halak at .547, Price at .481).
Why can this man never get the respect he deserves? If he was Fench, he would have been the starter years ago...
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
Question for all Price bashers? Lets just say if management decided to put CP on waivers? How many teams would take CP in a heartbeat? Can you answer for the rest of us here on this site. The Habs are under a NEW team from last year. It takes time for players to gel together and to create team chemistry under a NEW coach. With the 3 so called SMURFS and Plekanec up front to do the scoring is very EASY for teams to shut them down on any given night. UNTIL this team fines its idenity it could be a few more seasons before this team regains respect in this 30 team league. Management let 10 UFA's leave with no compensation in return. That SPELLS volumes and another 5 years to rebuild a story franchise that was once "THE GREATEST TEAM" in the NHL. People here expect miracles to happen over night and the GHOST of the past to return to the BELL CENTRE. GO HABS GO!!!! I BELIEVE!!!!!
Of course every team would pick him up. He is a top prospect. The question isn't there. How many of those teams who picked him up on waivers would make him their number one? He needs to work in tandem with Halak until he gets into a groove, or until Halak gets into a groove and becomes a number one. Price isn't there (yet?).
Believe? Nah, think and analyze.
With an improvement in defence, and some secondary scoring, goalies won't be an issue. We'll be as strong as the storied days of Bunny Laroque, Michel Plasse and Andre Racicot! Err, maybe we could even have better goaltending now than that.
Most goalies are only as good as the team in front of them---simple as that. Right now the Habs dont have the team to put in front of Halak or Price. Both are left alone time and time again, with the defence pulling a disappearing act. And as I mentioned in a previous post, wondered why Chipchura was sitting and Lapierre and Latendresse were playing, well guess Martin finally saw the light on Saturday when both players got around 5 minutes of playing time each. Lapierre and Latendresse have had their chance and havent proven a thing, time to give players like Chipchura a fighting chance to earn a permanent spot on the team.
Both are left alone time and time again, with the defence pulling a disappearing act.
that's just not true...Price faced only 21 shots last game (and let in 3 goals after 17). He has faced a similar number of shots in most of his games this year (all but 3 under 25, I believe).
Agreed on the rest, though...
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
Do you remember when the Habs played the Russians? The Habs dominated the game from start to finish and it ended in a 3-3 tie. The Russians only had 13 shots on net against Ken Dryden. It doesn't really matter how many shots are taken, its the quality of scoring chances that this team has given up that lead to goals. You can say all the right things and expect CP to stop everything that comes his way. Do you think that Halak can do much better? I think not. Therefore, CP has to carry this team from top to bottom if this team is going to make it into the playoffs.
Nice analagy (and yes, I saw the games against the Russians, even saw them again this year - have the DVD)...but let's get real here for a moment. Did you see the last game? Two of the three goals Price let in were awful, completely preventable, and completely his fault. He is no Ken Dryden. And Tampa bay is not even close in talent to the great Russian teams of the early 1970's...And to answer your question - YES, I do think Halak can do much better. Why do I think this? Because I live and breath, my friend. By which I mean I have seen the evidence. Halak is right now the better goalie, because he is much stronger mentally than Price. I hope Price lives up to his potential, but right now we need to win games...or not - we could play price all the way and go for a top draft pick!
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
Lets see if Halak can redeem himself against Calgary tomorrow night. I hope Halak gets the call. Lets see what Halak can do? But Tampa has Lecavalier, St Louis and Stamkos just to name a few. Who does the Habs have.....MARKOV
Walsh's completely unprofessional conduct is sad. How is he doing his client any favours here? What a classless toad. To try and slough it off as humour was especially pathetic.
Young goalies will suffer ups and downs. Look at Fleury. Look at Luongo. They take time to mature and round out the technical aspects of their game.
I've said it before: I like Jaro Halak. He's a competent goalie and from all accounts, is a good teammate. But he's never going to take us anywhere. He can be anything from a middling to above average starter with occasional bursts of brilliance somewhere - like Mathieu Garon, Tommy Vokoun, Jeff Hackett etc. He's Brian Hayward and Denis Herron and Jocelyn Thibault and Wayne Thomas and Rick Walmsley.
He can help us be competitive and fight for that No. 8 playoff spot every year. But we are not getting anywhere without a franchise goalie.
Price has that potential based on his track record everywhere including the NHL. Whether he reaches it in Montreal is utterly debatable and it may be it takes a trade for him to find himself. But for now, we have to give him extended stretches to see if he can indeed reach that potential. Our current group with 16-goal men locked up forever at $7M per and 20-goal men tied up for long-term deals at $5M per, coupled with a handful of mediocre vets on defence means the future isn't exactly rosy. The only way to dig out of that hole (and it remains a big if) is with a franchise goalie.
If everyone wants to plug along and battle for No. 8 with Halak (whose own save percentage is under .900), have at 'er. if that doesn't work out, there's all kinds of Craig Andersons out there we can grab off the scrap heap. I'd rather take a shot at future greatness with Price.
Our biggest problem for decades has been the development of our young players. They are not allowed to overcome their early mistakes (if we had Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews you can bet they would have been stapled to the bench or banished to Hammy Beach). I hope we don't bury Price too.
If numbnuts Walsh is eager to pull 40ish game samples out of his ***, how about this:
25-5-5. That was Price's record in the last 35 regular-season games he played before Dec. 30 of last year. Just before his injury, the brutal all-star game and the beginning of a confidence-testing patch.
Again, I like Halak, but he doesn't have 25-5-5 in him. That's what we need if we're ever going to win the Cup. If everyone is happy with being entertained and battling for the No. 8 spot, that's their prerogative. But for oldtimers like me, that will never be enough.
Here's some other numbers:
55-105-19. That would be Roberto Luongo's first four years in the league. He's pretty good now.
17-41-8 (save percentage less than .900). That's Marc-Andre Fleury trying to find himself in Pittsburgh for his first couple of years. He's pretty good now too.
23-18-3, 3.35, .875; 31-25-5, 3.20, .894. Those would be the regular-season stats of Mr. Patrick Roy during his two championship years in Montreal. We old guys remember them as (first) the year everyone was clamouring for the talents of Doug Soetaert and (second) the year everyone wanted to run Patty out of town and was mesermized by the remarkable skills of one Andre Racicot.
My long-winded point: it's been a decade and a half since our last franchise goalie left town and the team has suffered through an unparalleled stretch of mediocrity ever since. And even that guy, who may have been the best ever to strap on the pads, was villified by the braying critics.
I'm still willing to give Price a little more leash because the potential reward for nurturing his talent is the one goal we should all share. And that one goal will never, ever include Jaro Halak.
All kinds of Craig Andersons out there?...Let me guess, Price is better than him too...
Not sure why anyone at all is getting angry or offended by this (Stubbs, Boone, et all, and fellow fans). If that is Price's record, what can be the harm in stating it. Can anyone truthfully deny that Price has been nothing short of terrible since mid-season last year? If so, I say this to you - you are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. Halak did nothing wrong, and has nothing to apologize for - not does his agent. Halak has earned the starting job, Price was given it. Time to accept reality and just let Halak start. Price can EARN his job back if he can...
I had very high hopes fro Price, ans was one of his biggest fans. But I am not one to deny reality when it bites me in the arse...and the reality is that Price is not mentally strong enough (now, and hopefully he will be later) to be a starting goaltender - at least in Montreal.
If it's true that "only dopes do dope", can we not also say that "only twits tweet"?
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
I just read the article by Stubbs. Its a good article but I really dont think Walsh's objective was to insult Price, it was more pointing out the organization's hypocrisy. The sad thing though is this whole thing just reinforces the stereotype that habs fans are irrational idiots that get worked up over any little thing. Who on earth will want to play here and put up with the constant controversy creating?
i somewhat agree with you....but the fans aren't the problem in my opinion its the media that like to shout useless news or rumours before anyone else......and now look, we got another controversy!! :S
----- Go Habs f*kin Go - AMEN!!! -----
Honestly, we should all stop defending Price. If thats the stat, well thats it and it needs to improve, period.
That is just wrong from the agent. It does put Halak in a weird position.
--------
We have a new team!
Mike Komisarek: (-2)-0-(-2)
Gainey Haters bandwagon ---> This way
I know I know, it's all Price's fault...
I mean sure our Defence is missing 3 roster players including our Star player who's one of the League's 10 D-Men while the remainder are playing minutes well beyond what they should have to, plus MAB being a ghost in the defensive zone. We could also think of Lats and Lapierre stinking it up when they played the checking line, or the Top 6! Let's think about Pacioretty needing to spend time on the Bulldogs rather than in Montreal, D'Agostini is recovering from a concussion and we needed to call up guys for their first NHL games EVER. AK46 hasn't accilimated to JM's system very well at the start or that SK74 needs to be up here, but hasn't because he needed to get his head screwed on straight first. Let's not forget Stewart being a good designated seat-warmer for everyone in the pressbox and Laraque having the back of 80-year old piano mover and the fighting instincts of a Zen Pacifist.
Price never got the defensive coverage Dryden and Roy had to start their careers and he got shelled when he should have had much better protection from his team for a number of those losses. Yes he hasn't been "The Franchise" In every game, but he also never got the D-zone coverage that the legends he is expected to embody enjoyed when they got started and had time to develop. Price can be great for Montreal, but the rest of this team needs to work for him as well. If they can't get more than a goal a game because they either expect him to post a shutout or give up on a soft goal and when it happens they should stop trying, the team didn't deserve to win! You can't come back from a bad goal because you expect your goalie to let in more and he won't rebound, you're not a real competitor in the game and don't deserve to be in the NHL. If the argument is the team will lose confidence in Price if he lets in a soft one, they should work hard to show him they'll help him out when he needs it, Price will feel more confident about his game knowing his team is there for him and will help him erase his mistakes and will work harder to make sure he doesn't allow more. They can work off each other, rather than the team expecting Price to steal every game he plays. Team games go both ways, Price should be good for the team and I think he can be better and needs to get over his shaky issues in the Bell Centr while the team should realise that they're not scoring nearly enough to win most of their games.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu.
Price's job is to beat the goalie at the other end. Lately, he hasn't. Saying that he hasn't had much offensive help is not the point. Price has to play better in order to win. How is it the goalies on the other team beat him 3 out of 4 times since last January? Even a mediocre goalie would be at a .400 winning clip.
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Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
...just a note ...Dryden would average 40 to 50 shots per game in His debut diring the 1971/72 playoffs
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Couldn't agree with you more!! The Price is wrong!
...Repost of something I posted on Mike's rave on the Walsh/Halak/Price issue
...to change the mood ...a funny quote from Sports Illustrated article quoting an unidentified Boston player during the 1971/72 upset of the Boston Bruins by Our Habs (...as posted on Robert L's super-natural blog-site)
..."Don't those damned little Frogs ever quit ?"
and more....
...Esposito after being robbed by Dryden, ..."You thieving giraffe!"
Dryden; "I looked at the faces of the Bruins," Dryden said later, "and I could see it all so clearly. They all looked defeated." (...hope Carey is readin' this...")
Bobby Orr; "Dryden was better than we had ever dreamed,"
John Ferguson; "That's one dynasty that didn't last very long."
Frank Mahovlich; "With the Canadiens, pride is instilled even in the ratholes of the Forum."
More from a frustrated Phil Esposito; ..."In 1968 Gump Worsley was like St. Peter at the pearly gates against us. The next year that little Roggy Vachon robbed me blind. And now these bleeping Canadiens come up with Dryden . Cripes. The kid's got paws like a giraffe."
Bruin's goalie Gerry Cheevers on Dryden; ...Between games law student Dryden visited law school libraries. "That's good," said Gerry Cheevers. "At least I'll never run into him off the ice." When he is not in the Boston goal, Cheevers usually can be found at the race track. "I start every day the same way," he says, "with the Lord's Prayer. 'Our Father, Who art in heaven, give us this day our daily double.' "
...just to lighten every One up ...there were Better Days
...AND there WILL Be Better Days ...again
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Good post.
I see it positive for both the agen and Halak. He just spoke out some "real stories".
If things turned to be controversial and the agent was fired (by Halak), it would be easier for this agent to market more clients, because he will be known as "supporting his clients".
To Halak, somebody else spoke out the team's goaltending situation, which is somehow one of the big issues the Habs are facing.
More critics (like this) are welcome!
Walsh? Is that you?
Hahahahaha
To be quite honest ...WHO CARES??? I am more concerned with wins and if that means putting in Sanford to get them then DO IT....I don't buy the Defense excuses either...bull crap
Price always faces the music.
He gets crapped on.
Golden Boy can't after his agent makes a fool of him.
Yeah, that's a real leader.
That's gutless.
You know I used to enjoy your posts. But now youre delving in the absurd lately. In Boones thread you tell me Halak was given his playoff chance but was horrible against Philly in 2008. If you remember, Price was played for the remainder of the reg season schedule. Halak came in relief after being on the bench for 2 fricken straight months, and you call that being given a fair chance? Come on get real.
Halak, the Golden Boy?
Really?
Where have you been for the past three seasons?
Not your best post, bub.
Price faces much music because he was played, promoted and pushed into the spotlight by Gainey when he wasn't up to the task. I think I am not the only Habs fan still shaking his head at last season watching the management instist on going with Price despite his obvious problems (on and off ice (to the latter of which they were sure to have been privy)) while we had a much more reliable performer sitting on the bench game after game until we ended blowing the whole second half of the season.
Really, that was totally disrespectful of the Habs' loyal fan base, who expect excellence on the ice <ul>and</ul> behind the bench. Bob Gainey blew the good faith of a lot of fans last year with his wierd Price agenda, and, unfortunately Price is paying the (um..sorry) price for that now. How many bad games of his did we have to watch last year? Bob, we have no choice which team we get to watch, you do!
The current frustration with Price is not his own making, personally I am more angry at BG, but he's not on the ice as regularly. Unfortunately, kid's in the spotlight and unduly gets much wrath.
Meanwhile, Halak's agent is an fool. Halak has so much good will stored up over the last seasons, and now his agent is tainting that really irresponsibly. If I were Halak I would fire him, at least make a public statement. I've heard his English interviews, he can express himself. Halak SPEAK!
So true i really hope Halak is practicing his English right now...
"one win, plan the parade; one loss, tie the noose. It’s super-emotional, it’s completely irrational, but that’s what makes it so glorious." - George Stroumboulopoulos
North American agents who have European clients probably feel like they have more latitude in what they do because of the communication difficulties.
C'mon, Halak's English is not that bad.
Awesome piece Stubbs! What I would like to add is that if anyone has been professional and fair to this organization, that would be Jaro. Halak just never complains, never once did he say "I thought I deserved to play today|, never did he ask for a trade. Even as he saw Price just jump in and take the back-up spot to Huet sending him down. Or even when he replaced Huet and then didn't get the start against Toronto. He signed another two years looking to wait for his chance. He got a legit chance last year before he caught a cold that prolly ended his hot streak (remember Colorado, Philly, San Jose --- Cinderella in pads!). So, I jst think that it's completely uncalled for and unfair to Halak just because he was doing so well this season and JM seems to be a fair coach. He would have gotten his chance and I hope people understand that and don't criticize him for it...I personally don't think he had anything to do with it.
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
What is "prolly"?
Short way of saying probably! Blame it on using twitter and texting too much! Sorry!
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
Excellent article Stubbs, and I agree that this creates an unfair situation for Jaro, who's always been a classy guy. That's why this whole thing is so confusing, no way would Halak want him to be so unprofessional.
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http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
The worst part about all of this is that it shines Halak in a bad light, if only through his association with his agent. This guy has to know that when he speaks, he speaks for his Halak. After all, it's Halak that's paying him. It shows a complete lack of respect towards Jaro.
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I have H1N2. Always the bridesmaid...
Took the words right out of my mouth.
I completely agree Chuck. I highly doubt Price gives a crap about Halak's agent saying something, it's Halak who this affects. I feel bad for him, because he's never complained once in Montreal and now his agent tarnishes his reputation for no reason.
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http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
...that was one of your best written columns yet Dave (National Post)
...very professional
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
like.... way out of date
"The Canadiens, he said, have become "more a team of Russians than of French Canadians.""?
I wish we had our ONE Russian playing right now.
Canadiens are over 50% Canadian at the present and, yes, ufortunately without so much as a viable Quebecois first or second liner on offence or defence.
Why is this? Who knows? the QMJHL is floundering since it expanded outside ouf Quebec in, get this, 1994! (victorious 1993 Quebecois-led team mentioned in article) This diluted the Quebecois quality of the league and integrated an increasing amount of non-Q juniors not only from the ROC but from around the world. Desperate for funding, it has corporatized trophies, series and division names. Local interest is flagging, it is becoming a globalized commercial league like every other.
Kès tsu dis? Tsu joues avec les MAINEiaque de Lewiston (63% Quebecois players) dans l'division TELUS centrale de la LMJHQ et tsu prepares pour l'Série Super Subway?
The Canadiens are becoming just like any team in the league, and we can see the whole league flattening out with access to all talent pools flattening out and the cap generalizing rosters. Building a roster is really becoming llike playing monopoly, it seems the sport part of the game is being taken for granted, that's why fantasy hockey is becoming almost as important as the real hockey played on the ice.
Without the necessary resources to attract top talent on a regular basis, either on the player's bench or behind it, and much in the particularities of the place to even dissuade talent from coming here, Montreal looks to continue winning the cup, as they have since 1979, about once every 15 years.
just my 2₵
I think the Quebec junior league has the reputation of not building complete hockey players, ie just goal scorers and goaltenders. I wonder with the importance of special teams nowadays, is a complete player the be-all end-all anymore?
Great article Stubbs.
Halak has always conducted himself in the most professional manner. I hope people don't hold it against him that his agent has not acted in the same fashion. All agents are leaches - trust me on this one - so picking a "good one" isn't easy. That said, I hope Halak fires Walsh and gets a better one, which he deserves. Someone who will at least stay out of his client's way while he continues to quietly build a solid reputation through his incredible patience and dedication.
I hope the players can laugh this one off, which is likely, and that fans let the issue die, which isn't so likely.
I also hope the Habs resign both Price and Halak to extensions: they both deserve them and the team needs to have both on the roster.
Halak should hire his Momma! It worked for Ovie!
"If ya smell what The Rock is cookin"
My take on it...Also a poll on it as well.
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
The managers can always decide if they want to become or remain involved with the various agents. Depending on the player involved, the agent may become part of the GM's decision making process. Example, BG may at some point can say: Halak is fine but his agent is not worth the hassle. I am sure Halak is aware that the organization is not happy with his agent, so can make his choices as well.
I don't know if anyone else has brought this up, but isn't Halak still not 100%? So why is his agent stirring the pot when he isn't even in the position to be starting right now? The internet allows people to make rash decisions like this, if he really thought about it I am hoping that there would have been a different outcome. Regardless if Halak knew about this it is still a direct reflection on him. Price and Halak are supposed to be a tandem - and I know that Price was in agreement that Halak should have been starting when he was getting the wins, I can't help believing this will cause some tension between the two guys and I hope the team doesn't suffer as a result.
Halak is indeed 100 per cent. He told the media quietly on Friday that he was 100 per cent and ready to go on Saturday.
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
Thanks Dave! I live out in BC and don't hear any news about the Habs unless it is on this site or their homepage, so I appreciate you clearing that up for me.
I do have to say though regardless that it is still very unprofessional in my opinion.
Eliisa, you're not the only one who thinks it's very unprofessional. That Walsh then deleted everything without explanation, justification or even a mea culpa speaks volumes. I feel badly for Halak. He's a good kid and a great teammate, by all accounts. With friends like this agent, he needs enemies?
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
If Halak didn't play in Montreal he would be pretty much irrelevant. Another dime a dozen back up.
The point, bub, is that he does that job very well, in the shadow of The Franchise, without complaint. That he has been the picture of reliability and class. I am glad to see that all of the blame for this kerfuffle is falling where it belongs: on his agent.
Your obviously going to keep posting this until someone replies so...
Halak's NHL career total Save % is .912
That puts him in the top 20 goalies any given year.
There are 30 teams in the league.
Discussions on goaltending always arise when statistical disparities emerge; see w/l-column.
Is ther any chance that this guy is going to be looking for a new client in the near future?
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I have H1N2. Always the bridesmaid...
Do people still think that Bob is calling the shots on any given night? Do people think that he'll actually tell Martin how to coach and who to play?
Martin decides who plays and who doesn't.
I would say Gainey has big input as to the goings on at rinkside ,after all it is his butt that takes the boot.......
Yawn - this is so tiresome - more cursing of Price. And yet - did I not just read the other day that Price got win #50 - on about the same time-line as Roy, Fleury, Luongo??... Price is fine...To me - the problem last night?...Well - how about the fact we scored one goal... One goal....Teams do not win often when they score one or two goals.... All of this foolishness about Price over Halak - Halak over Price...Change the name of this website from'Habs Inside Out' to something along the lines of 'Goalie Meoldrama in Montreal Inside out' or 'Price and Halak Inside Out'... But certainly - do not - by any means - refer to it as anything remotely positive about the habs - that would be misleading....sheesh....
"...The Edmonton Oilers - hockey's team of the 80's versus the Montreal Canadiens - hockey's team of all-time...." - Dryden
good post bud
Lost in the discussion here is that Halak can shoot the puck 73 mph! I am willing to wager that is faster than some of the current Hab defencemen can shoot....
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”Playing goal is like being shot at.”
--Jacques Plante
Big deal... Price shot 85mph! :)
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I have H1N2. Always the bridesmaid...
Chuck: seriously? That really would be impressive.
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”Playing goal is like being shot at.”
--Jacques Plante
Two slapshots by Price today in full goaltending equipment, with regular gloves and stick, both at 85 mph.
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
That is amazing.
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”Playing goal is like being shot at.”
--Jacques Plante
...Carey Price MAY Be the Big Centre We have been lookin' for
...suggest it to The Bob ...would ya Dave ?
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Wow Dave.
Maybe CP should change positions in his career...LOL
The Habs do need a D-Man with a mean shot.
"If ya smell what The Rock is cookin"