Canadiens' season over

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I must correct my previous comment regarding RYDER. He scored a 100 goals his first four seasons. He was in the pressbox more than 14 times as I previously stated when you factor in the playoffs. Actually he was given little chance of scoring and the Habs powerplay fell apart in the playoffs due to the fact that Ryder wasn't out there as in previous seasons and scored a majority of his 100 goals on the powerplay with his stellar shot.He only played four playoff games and his line wasn't scored on during those four games. I can't believe that you forgot how well he played for the Habs over the last several seasons and Carbonneau basically destroyed any success he may have had if given fair icetime this season. He held a grudge against him and probably cost us a trip to the cup. What other team in the league benched a 100 goal scorer this season. The answer is none , and he will be welcomed elsewhere. Shame on the fans for using Ryder as an excuse and shame on the coaching staff for making such a stupid mistake. It affected Koivu and Higgins as well for most of the season and the chemistry they had in previous seasons as the number one line was all but destroyed as a result. Again I think a lot of fans missed the signifigance of destroying the chemistry of our number one line this season. A few knowledgable fans did state the stupidity regarding the Koivu-Higgins-Ryder line being separated and questioned the coaches motive behind it.I am a lifetime Habs fan but this certainly tests my loyalty as a Habs fan , similar to the time Roy was forced to leave and was unappreciated.

I guess the Ryder Higgins Koivu line was out of Carbonneaus plans from the start. Apparently Ryder and Carbo havent spoken since xmas time. A guy who scored 99 goals his first four seasons sitting out most of the regular season 14 pressbox trips,limited shifts when playing and lack of play in playoffs is unacceptable. I feel John Leclair ,Ribeiro and now Ryder coming back to haunt us over and over again. He will go to either San Jose, Boston or Toronto and we will see him at his best when he plays us. Carbo you are a fool and should have left the most successful line the Habs have had in last four yrs alone and let it mature. Instead you constantly juggled the lines and played guys like Dandenault and Latendresse . You should be fired for losing in the playoffs. Closest in regular season only counts in horseshoes.Very disappointed fan to say the least!

Hickey's "Stellar season ends on sour note" is unavailable. Any ideas why?

Well, it was a great season and it's too bad it's over, but anyway, as others have said, they've learned a lot and the future looks great. I hope managment can see what I see in terms of need. I think, in order to win the Cup, you kind of need two teams. You need a regular season team made of guys like Kovey, Pleks the Kostitsyns etc. They get you your home ice advantage by playing a finesse style that suits the regular season. Power play is key during this time. In the playoffs, they are still valuable, but the guys who take the forefront are gritty tough, big and mean (with hands and speed). The power play needs to change from a finesse to a banging type power play. You need guys to go to the front of the net and bang hard, all game long. We lost this series because we did not go to the front of the net consistently. What I'm saying is Hossa is not the answer, as many have already pointed out. For the record, I said this at the trade deadline too. What they need more of is the second type of player. Ryan Getzlaf types. That's what we need to make a real run.

Considering that the brains are Gainey, Carbonneau, Jarvis and Muller, I find it odd that this team only seems to consider players that are unlike what they were as players/winners.

I agree Big Bird. I can't see the habs trading Koivu or Kovalev. Hossa isnt the answer either, dont we have enough of these type of players? We need workhorses, Wouldnt mind Shanahan. We could ship Markov to Washington to be with his buddy Ovechkin, they got some good below the radar talent on that team.

Well, I just watched the Stars take down the Sharks. Turko and Nabokov faced a combined 117 shots and the game ended 2 to 1. Watching the goalies tonight left me with a clearer realization that the goaltending the Habs got during the playoffs was amateurish at best. Many of the goals against the Habs would not even have rated as scoring chances tonight. Hopefully next year I don't hear the term "tracking the puck" as much. It fine if some want to say that he is only twenty years old. That only makes me question the wisdom of those who put the fate of the Eastern Conference champions in the hands of trainee. Watching Ribeiro fly around again tonight (assisting on the game winner) makes me question even more. Yes, I've heard the theory that he never would have "developed" in Montreal. I'm not sure I follow the logic given that he was also one of our top point getters. Tonight they tell me he is even very tough to knock of the puck - who knew?

Pretty clear from the playoffs, if your goalie is NOT one of your best players, your team is going nowhere. Not saying all the blame is on Price, heck he is only a 20 year old rookie. But Gainey, should have never put him and the team in that position. You can't compare it to the Roy and Dryden situation, both of them had a veteran to back them up.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if Koivu plays a full season for the Habs next year, wont he then be our longest serving captain of all time? Robert L. you out there? Go Habs Go

havent posted anything since the playoffs began.....We had a great year. These kids are just going to get better. I have read some posts saying trade price, Kovy, Saku and so on and so forth. Price is our future. Saku has been a really good captain and Kovy played inspired hockey this whole season. We need to keep our you guys Kostinsin's, Higgins, Komi etc....We are a very young team and we learned a lot this year. We will be ready next year for the playoffs because all those young players now know what to expect. Trade none of our top 6 forwards...if we can get a power forward. thats great..but we will build on the year we had. It was great. I dont want to hear or read anyone saying trade price etc...thats just stupid. Great young team thats just gonna get better...all this was this year was growing pains. Watch out next year.

I would consider trading Price and Kovalev in a package to get Vinny. We would still have a young goalie in Halak and would finally have the big centre we have been missing for years.

I find it interesting that we would consider trading Koivu and Kovalev because they are becoming UFA in 2009-2010. I realize that this is conjecture and debate. Koivu in my opinion is our heart and Kovalev is our soul. I think if we need any kind of veteran presence on the team it's those two players. Everyone else is expendable from a veteran perspective. We have a large russian - former soviet republics - contingent on the team. Players like the Kostitsyns, Grabovski, Markov and prospects such as Yemelin, Valentenko and Perezhogin (should he ever come back to the team). I think we need Kovalev to guide these players and show them the way. With regards to Koivu, call me a sentamentalist, but you need players that have heart and are willing to fight in your lineup. This guy has given so much to Montreal that he deserves to end his career here. Nothing less than him lifting a Stanley Cup would be fitting.

Overtime :) Gotta love it. Hope the Habs are watching this game.

last year for both Kovy and Koivu so makes sense to trade 1 of them. Kovalev has more talent but Koivu has more heart. tossup.

Hossa is probably is going to Boston. best friends with Chara. Boston will be a force next year with Bergeron and if they get Hossa.

does anyone have a list of the UFA's available? If you guys are watching the SJ, Dallas game, very physical series. If you think Boston was physical, nothing compared to this series. Habs wouldn't last 1 game in this series. we need big gritty players who aren't afraid to hit or get hit. I could see Gainey trading Plekanec, because he plays like a little girl!

Now for the first line. Gainey seems intent on signing Hossa. We will have a better chance of getting him if Pittsburgh wins. so our first line would then be Andrei/Plekanc/Hossa. guess who the left out guy is? We bought him low. It's time to sell him high.

Well ... It's been an eventful season... a roller coaster of frustration and euphoria. I any event, the experience was made much richer by the folks who host this forum, as well as most of the posters. Although, I'm still a bit hung over, I take comfort in the fact that we've grown just a little wiser for the experience. Here's to the HABS,... here's to the future.