Audio: Gainey, Carbo analyze Habs season

posted by Dave Stubbs at 16h35 EST on May 6


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Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey and coach Guy Carbonneau met the media this afternoon to offer their postmortem on the 2007-08 season.

Here is their full 50-minute conference in audio form. Download it for listening offline, but be advised it's a 46 MB file. Here's Mike Boone's executive summary of it.

From today's Gazette:

Dave Stubbs: Habs sign off until next season
Pat Hickey: Canadiens need to re-sign Streit
Hickey: Halak needs more work, agent says
Dave Johnston: Bad karma proved Habs' undoing
Don MacPherson: Rioters called Canadiens' early exit
Editorial: Canadiens' streak brought a sense of community




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Comments

careypriceroxmyworld's picture

I like the way they all played...although Price coulda been better in round two! I'm not complaining though! not about that at least! some jerk posted something on one of the other pages saying that Saku Koivu, our beloved Capitano, is pigheaded! can you believe it?! I think he was just saying that cuz he's jealous that he'll NEVER be as good as Koivu!


The Cat's picture

While I liked Brisebois and Smolinski's play in the playoffs, they really shouldn't crack the lineup of a good team.


Just read on TSN that Brisebois and Smolinski want another year. Just say no Bob...


The Teacher's picture

Don't say no to Smokes just yet, we have no idea who we may or may not be able to sign.


You are right, teach - don't say no to Smolinski just yet - I think he still may have a half decent season left in him....patience, wait and see.....


Chipchura > Smolinski, IMO. If and it's a big "if" we sign a top 6 guy, then Higgins is a 3rd liner...our 3rd line would be Chipper, Lats, and Higgy??? Oh man, things are looking up for the Centennial!!!

Really want to see Lapierre centering Begin and Kostop on the 4th...


The 2007-08 Habs were fantastic and I enjoyed every minute (almost every minute) of this season. I have become even more of a fan after this season! It was tough to watch them go out vs. Philly but they will come back stronger next season. The management and coaching did a fantastic job and must be commended. Emerging superstars like Price and Komisarek were given the opportunity to learn and grow. The Kostitsyn brothers looked great as did Plekanec, and Streit. Koivu and Markov were solid all season long and Kovalev was just super. Players like Smolinski and Brisebois showed their worth in the post season and silenced many critics on this site. Latendresse, Lapierre, Higgins, and Gorges all learned lessons this season and will arrive in camp with new goals and expectations of themselves. Look at the future Chipchura, O'Byrne, Valentenko, McDonagh, Pacioretty, Yemelin, and many more. In other words, the future looks great for this franchise and we as fans know that the best is yet to come! Thank you Montreal Canadiens!!! Through the off-season I would love to add a top six forward (Hossa or Sundin), a veteran goalie (Belfour, Joseph, Thibault, Theodore, Kolzig, or Hedberg) with a move of Halak, and another veteran presence (would love to see Chelios bring along the young U.S. born players in the organization). I really think with these moves the Canadiens could become a legitimate cup contender and maybe even a favourite! GO!HABS!GO!


1. Wasn't Kolzig Price's coach for awhile? If so, he might be a great backup goalie, with the understanding that he gets 20-25 games, unless Price is injured. I would hate to see Halak go, but suspect he will leave sometime on the near future if he's not getting significant playing time.

2. No thanks on Chelios or Sundin. Hossa will probably be too expensive. I don't think Yemelin will ever cross the waters. I think Brisebois will get pushed aside by several of the youngsters. Smolinski might be a good insurance policy. I pray AK46 doesn't go to the Russian Super League.

3. I concur with your 1st sentence.


careypriceroxmyworld's picture

why don't you think Yemelin will cross the waters? is he scared or somethin'? LOL! just kidding!
yeah, Chelios and Sundin are gettin' kinda old and I don't really like Hossa, but your right, he probly will be too expesive! aww they can't get rid of Halak! he's so good, just not as good as Price!


Why pass on Sundin or Chelios if they are available? They would not be the focus of the team, they would simply teach and stabilize the youth in the organization.


The Cat's picture

Jdub, I too think Philly will beat Pittsburgh. They have a better 'one goal wins in regulation' ratio than Pitts; a true sign of a good team.


The Cat's picture

Paul Maurice deserved to be fired IMO. At the beginning of the year, he failed with his goalies, alternating them like no one's business when he should have just let Toskala get in his groove instead of creating this number one position is up for grabs competition, and not too mention all those 3rd period defensive breakdowns; it seems they didnt have a solid defensive scheme, and that has to fall with the coach. Toronto for all their faults were a very good 5on5 team (top 5 in the east for a good portion of the year)and would've been dangerous had they snuck in the playoffs.


TommyB's picture

Toronto flat out sucked!


Grabbed The Cup's picture

Aww come on Tommy, don't be so harsh. Using the simple(ton) logic employed by some of the brainiacs here, if Toronto would have just won 6 of the games they lost in regulation they would have been in.


TommyB's picture

Sorry GTC, I'm sticking to my claim...LOL


the real vinnydj's picture

WOW, talk about having nothing to talk about!!


The Teacher's picture

Hahaha, I know


Jdub1515's picture

Johnston has an interesting article...

Lets sum up the Philly series in 7 words - "Brisebois scores series opener on own net"

Perhaps some of you remember, it was the "Great One" that scored Montreal's first series goal in 93 and how did that turn out?

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind Philly upsetting a cocky Pittsburgh city (wipe those smirks away) ... lets back track, last 2 times HABS lost in round 2 ... CAR (won 2002 Cup), TAM (won 2004 cup) ... I see a trend


Who could perform consistently under one year contracts, in, where you are carved up under the microscope after every game?

Other players have been given latitiude to make mistakes (Kovalev, "latenderness")but not Ryder.

I can only conclude that Gainey saw him as a flash in the pan...the three 25-30 seasons as some series of lucky bounces.

If Ryder plays well in 2008/09 his name will be added to that growing list of Montreal write offs who blossom elsewhere.

If he does not play well elsewhere Gainey will look like a genius.

BTW...if we add a forward don't we want a top 6? Now who do we demote. I guess Higgins will finally end up where he belongs...checking third line center.


TommyB's picture

First off, those one-year contracts with Ryder were just as much his doing as Gainey's. Ryder was trying to keep the door open for an exit should something come up somewhere where he might actually want to play. Trouble is, it blew up in his face.


One has to wonder why a Leafs fan (LBChase) spends so much time on a Habs board.... but then if one spends their time trying to figure out the actions of a Leafs fan, they'll probably find themselves without any time left for anything else.

That being said, can the rest of us Habs fans please stop replying to annoying posts, the likes of which are posted by LBChase, which are clearly only posted to garner a reaction. If you don't stop reacting he will not go away. And i think every one of us wants him to go away. But like most children, the only way to make them stop their annoying behaviour is to ignore it.

Please heed that advice when dealing with people like LBChase, and the other annoyances that frequent this space. Thank you


Shoowtime's picture

Francois Gagnon is a Dumb ASS .
Why does he still have a Job.
Great move to pee off Kovalev and Koivu.
There go our chances to sign anybody.
He though he was ok and just got mislead the last article he wrote about Kovalev but this one takes the cake.


The Teacher's picture

Not the place, ;)


forskis's picture

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080507.wspthabs7/GSStor...

SIGH...there goes the off-season efforts to find that impact forward...what a moron...


The Teacher's picture

That is a flag


Jdub1515's picture

then let them delete it ... I have no tolerance for the Separatist mindset


The Teacher's picture

Fine, what does pepper have to do with it?


ice_queen's picture

you're kidding, right?

a "pepper" is used to refer to French Quebecers, much like how anglos are referred to as "têtes carrés" ...

I'm curious, is being called a "frog" worse than a "pepper"?


The Teacher's picture

Well, I'm being sarcastic, if that could be construed as kidding?

I know it's a derogatory term ;)

I think Frog is worse for some reason?


Grabbed The Cup's picture

Frog huh?

That's it, you're flagged.