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Happy birthday, Josh Gorges
posted by Mike Boone at 11h52 EST on Aug 14
La Presse talked to Guy Carbonneau at the Montreal Open and the coach was candid on the Sundin situation:
"He doesn't seem to be in a hurry to make a decision," Carbo said. "He has a very full bank account, and what's important for him is deciding whether he wants to play or not. We're prepared to wait."
Carbo said he liked his team regardless of what Sundin decides.
• • •
Alex Tanguay, in an interview with RDS, says he'd be happy to play right wing but hasn't really thought about linemates.
There's speculation Tanguay will play on the right side with Saku Koivu and Christopher Higgins.
Tanguay said he'll let Maxim Lapierre keep number 40. He'd lik number 13 but that might not be available if Sundin signs. In that case, Tanguay would take number 81.
• • •
In his Hockey News blog, Rory Boylen predicts the Canadiens will stumble this season:
Sure, the Canadiens are talented and I’d be surprised if they missed the playoffs, but I don’t think they’ll finish with home-ice advantage again this season. If the Habs proved anything in last year’s playoffs it’s that they weren’t as good as their regular season record indicated.
• • •
In Part 2 of his salary structure analysis, James Mirtle looks at the NHL's middle class, which he defines as players earning between $2 million and $5 million.
" ... what this data speaks to in my mind is the fact NHL teams, unlike in other sports, need more than two or three heavy lifters to build a successful team. Rather than have two $9-million snipers, it makes sense, for instance, to sign two $6-million scorers (deals still in the 96th percentile) and add in two $3-million defencemen.
"Given that even your best forwards can only play about one-third of a game, depth matters in hockey. The league may go to a more top-heavy salary model in the future if it's proven that that's what works, but for the moment, the middle class isn't going anywhere."
• • •
In The Hockey News, Ryan Dixon looks at the deterioration of the old-boy coaching carousel.
"Already this off-season we’ve witnessed first NHL head coaching cracks be dolled out to Todd McLellan in San Jose, Peter DeBoer in Florida and John Anderson in Atlanta. Now, Gordon’s hire on Long Island brings the total number of bench bosses currently on their first NHL coaching gig to 15, making an even 50-50 split league-wide."
• • •
After Sportsnet reported Bryan McCabe had waived his no-trade clause, the Toronto Sun and the Star suggested he may be on his way to Florida
• • •
Edmonton will retire Glenn Anderson's number 9.
Patti Lupone to sing the national anthem?
Share the agony and ecstasy of Habs fandom and read live blogs from every game with Gazette columnist Mike Boone.
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Washington Capitals have sold 3,800 new full season tickets since Feb/08 .. by Tarek El-Bashir .. Washington Post.com ..... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR200808...
Isles Hire A Coach They Can Fire .. by The puck stops here
It's an often stated line that "Coaches are hired to be fired". While this is often true, there are some meaningful exceptions (for example Jacques Lemaire and Barry Trotz have been the only coaches in the histories of their franchises), several coaches are replaced each season. It seems that poorly run teams tend to replace coaches a lot more than the more well run teams and often at poorly chosen times, such as the New York Islanders firing Ted Nolan in mid-July. This left the Islanders without a coach until Scott Gordon was hired yesterday (well into August).
Faux Rumors believe that the plan on Long Island was to make Ted Nolan the fall guy in 2008/09 if things did not go well and given the roster the team will likely have that is a good possibility. The Islanders are a bad team that had looked somewhat respectable due to Ted Nolan's coaching. Adding Mark Streit and Doug Weight as UFAs this summer is not going to do much to improve the Islanders chances and after two years of overachieving under Nolan, a crash was quite likely. Some blame could be deflected from owner Charles Wang and his GM Garth Snow if they fired the coach and made him the fall guy. It doesn't matter if the coach is actually doing a good job and the team gets worse without him. A scapegoat would exist.
Ted Nolan was not so willing to go along with the company line that all was well, when it was clear that he would be fired by the end of the season if the team did not drastically exceed expectations. As a result, Teed Nolan was fired. A coach who would be more easily controlled by GM Garth Snow was needed. After considering retread NHL coaches, the decision was made to hire somebody with no NHL experience. Of course, you need to find a plausible hire with no experience. The candidate chosen was Scott Gordon. Gordon is the reigning AHL coach of the year (since coaches of the year are chosen as coach of the most improved team they are often not the best coach in the league). This makes Gordon a man who is happy to be coaching in the NHL, willing to give it his all and not jaded enough to see that he is the fall guy if the Islanders do not overachieve this season.
Garth Snow got what he wanted in a coach. He has somebody he should be able to control. He has somebody that in a year or two, he should be able to fire. He has somebody he can sell in the short term as a good pick. What more could he want - except for a winning team - which is likely something he is not capable of producing. Snow's best bet for longevity as GM is to find a coach that he can successfully blame for his inept management who will get positive reviews from the media for his hiring. I predict within less than 2 years, Gordon will be fired and the Islanders won't look any more like a playoff team than they do now.
Here is TSN's story on the Islanders new coach.
Whenever you feel like criticizing Gainey and Carbo, think about how far that franchise has fallen since their dynasty years. Crap, they hired Mike Milbury, but made it even worse by putting the Gorton's fisherman on their uniforms. I don't know how you ever recover from that. I can still hear the jeers in Madison Square Garden, "Fish sticks suck, fish sticks suck..."
We still remember Houle and Tremblay.
Another franchise fallen on hard times and they started out so well.From Mad Mike on down ,and down ,and down..
Frank, you asked the other night about regiments from Maine that fought in the American Civil War. This is a good place to start:
http://maine.gov/sos/arc/archives/military/civilwar/reghis.htm
Thanks , I'll pass that on...long story,big family,longer history.
This just in from Eklund: There will be deals involving some of the thirty teams in the NHL before training camp opens. Roster players, a few prospects, young players, old players and fictitious players wil certainly be involved. His sources are saying that forwards, d-men and goaltenders will be the most likely involved. Mats may play, but it is not decided yet. Sources say that he is looking forward to being a member of the Habs in their Centennial Year, but there are at least 29 other franchises that have a chance as well.
Am I the only one who thinks this guy is just some fat bastard eating Philly Cheese steaks at the Jersey shore and making up stuff all day long. My sources? If he were hanging out wearing a Speedo on the French Riviera I might believe it, but the NJ shore?
Didn't you read Roberts post at 16:31 below.Mats is a Canadien...yukyuk.Actually it is not funny anymore,just plain pathetic.
Are you saying that Eklund has been sited in Wildwood and who is your source?
Margate, NJ is at the Jersey shore. Isn't that where he has been posting from? Speaking of Wildwood, any Danny Briere sightings down there?
Add, "Perpetually drunk and laughing as he cashes the big cheques he gets from all the crazy Habs fans who boost his site's hits," and you're right on.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Personally, I think the Magic 8-Ball has a better hit ratio than that clown. Will Mats sign? Give it a good shake. Soon! Is he coming to the Habs? Give it a good shake. Be positive! His sources? He calls up Enzo at the local pizza joint. Yo Enzo, you thinks Mats Sundin is gonna play this year? Absitively Eklund! With the Habs? You can hab your pie with anything you want my man. It's be ready in about 20 minutes!
When he can't get hold of Enzo, he calls his grandma who's always available. "Gran, what will I tell them today?" "Oh, Ekkie, you kidder! What does your old Grannie know about the hockey? I'm busy making a new mat. I'm bringing thirteen of my best mats to a big craft market in Montreal in the fall." "Great, thanks Gran!" On Eklund's blog: Habs fans will be happy to hear a crafty source tells me Mats will be wearing number thirteen in Montreal this fall.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
The sad thing is that I can see it happening like that. It's like when Beevis and Buthead call the phone sex line.
i miss beavis and butthead. I actually bought the box set but i was pissed when i realized they cut the videos out of it. Some of their best material was said while they were watching videos.
Showey , noted a comment from you recently that you have had your own "free agent" signing. Hope it is for "long term" and with a good "bonus package".
I don't know. I think that's giving him too much credit. I think it's more like him lighting up a giant spliff and giggling over his bag of Doritos as he writes down whatever the voices in his head tell him.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
The next time he enters the Atlantic of the coast of Margate, NJ, I hope he is attacked viciously by a pack of blue, white and red jellyfish! That'll teach that prick!
Matthew Lombardi of Montreal : Musings of interest .. Five Hole Fanatics ..... http://fiveholefanatics.blogspot.com/2008/08/musings-of-interest-matthew...
http://sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/08/14/leafs_mccabe_panthers/
McCabe is gone to florida
He will wait until after September 1st to stick it to the Leafs.
"Oh come all ye faithful"
Video of the Day : Ovechkin Unleashed! (from Russian Television) .. by Eric McErlain .. NHL Fanhouse ..... http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/08/14/video-of-the-day-ovechkin-unleashed/
Give 13 to Tanguay, Mats is not coming here.
Here's a look at what THN has on the Canadiens inside its annual hockey poolers guide.
http://wwwrealitycheckeyesontheprize.blogspot.com/2008/08/inside-thn-poo...
Mats Sundin is listed as a Canadien?
Does The Hockey News have inside information?
Don't be fooled by my creative photoshopping! Gotta throw in the odd shit and giggle for levity sake!
Clever! It looked good.
It was painstaking work! I was almost ready to srap it before it rescued by my 13 year old daughter's ideas!
So the truth comes out. Now we know who the real genius is in your family.