Update (audio): Captain misses practice

If I'm Kyle Chipchura, right now I'm on the phone trying to get Brian Skrudland to teach me how to win a draw, every time. That, more than anything else could be Chips ticket back to Montreal. It's the main reason he got sent down last season if I recall correctly, and it's the one thing the Habs need him to be able to do. Skrudland made a career out of being able to win a clutch faceoff. 50% isn't enough though. He's gott be aiming for 60%+. ________________ For anyone interested, there is an awesome hockey card show at Centre Pierre Charbonneau in Montreal Oct 24, 25, 26 (the weekend of the HIO summit). I have no affiliation with it, but I'll be there, as will Carey Price, Andrei & Sergei Kostitsyn and more!

Love how classy Laraque is. This is no goon who spouts off for no reason like Thornton. His answers are well thought out and respectful. People love him already in Montreal for his fighting skill but wait until he scores his first goal for the Habs. His post goal celebrations in Edmonton were those of a man who loves to play and loves to score and it'll rub off on the rest of the team and the city.

BIG GEORGE LaROCK audio Let it be known throughout the league that the HABS have arrived for the first time since 1993 as a complete package. George took care of 'business' because of Heavy weight Thortons actions during the preseason against middle weight Begin...now that sends a message. no cheapshot will go unanswered...finally.

Excellent audio, my daily morning dose while at work! Now the situation in Chicago has shocked me! Sorry, I don't buy the dismissal of Denis Savard in Chicago. I smell a rat and he's the GM, Dale Tallon! "We will win the Cup only with Carey Price in the nets"

sakus tuff he'll be ready saturday to kik sum coyote azz.these habs are for real!! fast as greased lightning as talented as weve had in many many years.its awesome to watch .

Colorado's goaltending woes continue. They are leading the Flyers 3-2, but Philly has only 10 shots on goal. Raycroft between the pipes tonight. This made me wonder - how long until we play them? Crap, I don't see them on our schedule until the 13th of February. I imagine things will get sorted out, one way or another, before then. _____________________________________ "Deserves" got nothin' to do with it.

Marian Gaborik out with a injury already. Good job we didn't trade for him huh! On a side note what about going after Alexander Radulov?

Congestion at center 2008 onward. It's only going to get more difficult at the center position for 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines this and next season. Carbo has begun to reduce Koivu's playing time down to 15 or so min per game. Key reason is our depth and wanting him to have some gas left in the tank come 2nd half and the playoffs. If Maxwell lives up to expectations he could be the one to replace Lang at the end of this season, i.e. for 09-10. And I really see the potential of Desharnais mixing it up on the 4th line should his development continue as it did last year in the ECHL. He won the scoring championship and both reg season and playoff MVP. He's 2-3" shorter than Tampa's Martin St-Louis. Same weight. Same type of player. But he may not get the chance to be an offensive centerman should Maxwell live up to potential and Koivu resigns w the Habs. Chipchura has to have a really good season in Hamilton to prove his value. I don't see Lapierre losing what he has gained so far. He is far more mature than he was last year. Just like Lats on the wing. He's going to convince Carbo to play him regularly if he continues to perform on face-offs, killing penalties and gets in the face of his opponents. Also, the 1, 2, 3 lines will be more and more comparable in offensive potential. Not sure what Gainey will be tempted to change short term given the depth. Haven't even looked at the wingers. D'Agostini, Pacioretty, Stewart, Trotter and Aubin. What a puzzle to solve. Can't keep them all. And then the Ds next year: Yemelin, PK, McDonagh, Valentenko and especially Weber. Georges D.

This season, sometimes, I cannot figure out who is AK27 and who is SK74 on the ice without seeing the Jersey number. This SK74 is amazing!!!

It really urks me when people say negative things about Chipchura. The guy is class to the max. I also don't think he's as slow as people think he is. I think he has better offensive ability then Lappierre and would never back down from a fight. He is also a very intelligent hockey player and I think would rarely get caught out of position and made to look stupid. A player with his qualities doesn't come around often. Imagine people on this site saying that he is on the clock. If a player like him is on the clock then that's pathetic, IMO. If right now I had to choose between keeping Latendresse or Chipchura, It would be Chip's hands down because he offers more and Lats really is just a third line player if were really being honest. I mean come on, Max Pac can replace him. We "need" people like Chipchura on this team.

I'm a big fan and will always stick up for Koivu, but maybe it's because I was so into the game last night, honestly, I did not notice he wasn't playing in the O.T.. That's an indication we have depth!

Koivu missed practice and was at Starbucks on Crescent St. instead!!

I think we don't know what the situation is with Chipchura. Really it depends on him. I think he is a helluva hockey player. I don't think he will get a chance with the Habs. In Dallas, Philly, Calgary, NJ, places like that he'd do great. Too bad, because this man can be another Rod Brind'Amour. He didn't look too happy last night during the team intros.

Saku Koivu. Knocked for: getting old; not kicking Markov's ***; having worn a blue jersey and for not winning the Cup...yet. http://habsbros.blogspot.com Peace Out. ______________________________________________________ Lord Bugs Potter, esq. Earl of Fluppitburg, Baron of Flopshlupshire and Knight of the Flannel Republic.

Chips is excellent insurance against any center being injured. Sending him to Hamilton to stay game sharp is the way to motivate him to get faster and be quicker. The NHL is now played at breakneck speed, so you either jump in or be passed by someone who is quicker. I'm pulling for him because intelligent players are tough to find, and quiet grit is the best kind. Gilbert 2008/09 is the season of the Habs

Once Chipchura learns to skate much better, he'll make the team. Right now, it's looknig bleak for him, but he really needs to improve his skating ability. IMO, Gainey is probably disappointed with Chipchura's development. I think Chips can be a helluva player, but as of right now, he's got some work to do

Savard fired!!!! Replaced by Quenneville...That's a shocker to me...

Does anyone know how Hamilton is doing? Has their season started?

You would have to have absolutely not a grain of intelligence (I guess some are in that category), to even think, not to mention write, in this wonderful forum about trade, especially after last night's first period demonstration. Let's consider some other gems on the same level as the notion of trading ANYONE: - Bet $1 million on the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup in 4 straight. -Sundin returns in February to the Laffs and he wins the NHL scoring title - The Expos are resurrected and start in April 2009 in Montreal - The City of Montreal agrees to build a downtown hockey complex for the Boston Bruins. Any others?

Chips is a good player. If he had started training camp the way he ended it, he might still be with the team. As it stands, Lapierre brings a lot more to the team at the present moment. He's winning his face-offs and playing with a lot of grit and energy. I think Chipchura needs to work on his speed. Montreal's game is all about speed. Lapierre, Bégin, Dandenault, Kostopoulos. On another team, say Vancouver, he probably wouldn't be so slow. This past summer would have been a good time for him to improve on his speed. Like Lats. I don't think he got the message. Lats did. Now, he has to win back his stature with the team back in Hamilton. It's a huge challenge. Maybe an injury, maybe a trade, maybe good playing time in Hamilton. No matter how he cuts it, he has to get back to his strengths: work ethic, intensity, intelligent play, leadership especially. This isn't the farm team of a mediocre NHL team. This is probably the best farm team/system in all of hockey. He's up against a guy like Desharnais. A scorer who could eventually find himself with the Habs much like a guy like Guy Carbonneau did way back. Carbo was the best 'offensive' player in the QMJHL at the time. He fought for the only available position on the Habs, i.e. defensive specialist. Desharnais could beat him to it. Time will tell. Georges D. I believe he's got the challenge of a career.

Sad to see Chips sent down, but it was an inevitability when Lang was signed. Lapierre was not about to cede his spot to Chips. He's still only 22, but he either makes the team next year or he is gone. _____________________________________ "Deserves" got nothin' to do with it.

Its way too early in the season to talk trade, Minny will wait until the deadline when the demand will be at a high. Gainey is too smart to make a move like this right now.

gaborik would be a monumental addition, he's a young kovalev, but i wouldn't trade both koivu and higgins, just one of them would be enough plus a 1st round pick

Higgins must be back. Atleast this way Chips will get a chance to play!

What good is a superstar like Gaborik if he doesn't play. Last year was the first season in his career where he got anywhere near 82 games. 50- 60 games is not good enough. It is too big of a risk to take at such an early point in the season.

There is NO WAY Gainey is going to trade our Captain in our 100th year unless he asks for it. I really like our team, it is too early to tinker with it. Gainey knows that. Even if he has talked with Minny, doesnt mean he is going to pull the triger. This is not nhl 09.

Rumor: Koivu and Higgins to Wild for Gaborik? Reunite the Koivu brothers, trade out of conference? Just sayin'...