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About Mike Boone
Full Name
Mike Boone
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http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/columnists/mike_boone.html
About
I grew up in Park Extension, within walking distance of Dickie Moore's Dairy Queen on Jean Talon. Moore had a place on L'Acadie Blvd., and we used to see him driving around in his convertible with a Samoyed and a very dishy wife.
While "studying" at McGill University during the 1960s, I used to attend games at the old Montreal Forum. My fellow undergraduate reprobates and I would scramble up the stairs to get centre-ice spots in the top standing room section, where aged ushers didn't know or care what we were smoking.
I stood out in the cold for six hours to get tickets to the 1975 New Year's Eve game between the Canadiens and Central Red Army. With the exception of the birth of my daughter, the 3-3 tie was the greatest event I've ever seen in my life.
The Canada-U.S. Gold medal game comes close .... but I wasn't there.
I've been a professional journalist since 1974, when I joined the Montreal Star sports department. I've covered the 1976 Olympic Games, the 1979 Expos, pop music and MSO tours of Europe and Asia (classical musicians are WAY more fun to drink with than athletes). I wrote a TV & Radio column for 20 years and, since 2000, have written a City column for The Gazette.
The best part of being a Habs Inside/Out contributor is attending games at the Bell Centre. I think it's a great building: noisy, raucous and packed to the rafters with Montrealers and visitors who live for hockey.
And I still get goosebumps every time Michel Lacroix booms out "Accueillons nos Canadiens ..."
Having seen the Boston Red Sox win two World Series and the Pittsburgh Steelers add a couple Super Bowl titles, I suppose I can die happy ... but not before another Stanley Cup parade. And I'd really like my daughter to see a historic New Year's Eve game.
I like all the players. Covering baseball gives me a profound appreciation of pro athletes who aren't jerks.
My weltanschauung was summarized by the late great Bill Hicks when he said "all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves."
Have a nice day.
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Thanks for the link Mike! :o))
........... "Thank you Cammy for making my day even more amazing!" I STILL BELIEVE. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE. Cammalleri: “I almost feel bad for a guy who plays an NHL career without experiencing what it’s like to be a Montreal Canadien”.
Hey Denise!
That's an awesome quote from Cammalleri....I love it!
Go Habs Go!! "Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them." - Sam Pollock
pk for captain........ .. ..like 2-3 years down the road.........eh???I think there is a distinct possibility.
He is quite the upcoming star, and what a humble and well spoken young guy he is. Looking forward to his contributions in the near future!
It also astonishes me how we seem to think our management does such a TERRIBLE job, yet we made the Conference Finals this season. We were first in the East two seasons ago. We have 4-6 very good prospects coming up, including PK SUBBAN, Tinordi, Kristo, Leblanc, Eller, Palushaj.
We have a few on the team already, Pouliot, Pyatt, Max Pac, Price.
We have a GREAT CORE. Good experienced players in Gomez, Gio, Moen, Gill.
We have a couple of SUPERSTARS in Cammlleri and Markov. Possibly Plekanec...
And a great bunch of grinders... Gorges, Darche, (moen), (pyatt)...
I think this club has made leaps and bounds over the team we had in 2002...
Plus the future is looking very bright. And we did it all without tanking. Which is just a pathetic strategy and usually doesnt work.
If you really think having so many injuries last season didnt affect our standing in the conference, then you need to wake up to reality. Should we stay reasonably free on injuries this season we will be moving up in the table.... As we moved up in the Playoffs.
Top 5 in the East this season.
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
Where did all our first round picks go?
you can find some positive if you want for the #30 team not only for the #19 team. finished 8th barely squeaking in to the playoffs the last two years and have not upgraded over last year while other teams have. plus the only goalie habs had last year with a winning record they traded away.
are you trying to suggest that if we hadn't lost Markov, Cammy, Gionta, Gill, Spacek, AK46 to lengthy injuries we would have won a few more games?!?!?
hogwash
------------------
88 is the new 23
habs lost markov and then did something no hab team had done since he played. they also lost kostitsyn for the playoffs althoug he did dress. all teams have injuries.
wow - talk about a glass half full dude...I don't think anyone has the same view as you do on this team.
very good prospects coming up - really no one has any idea if the names you have listed fall into that category - cept PK.
few on the team already - to that I say "hahahahaha" no one would call any of them very good prospects, cept maybe Price.
great core - Moen? whatever
superstars- Cammy and Markov - maybe stars but hardly superstars...
grinders? we don't have ANY...softest team in the league
anyways - its no a lost cause - plenty of upside but in no way shape or form is this team poised for the type of future as you state.
Hold on Adam. There are many good hockey minds on this site. Some see a team in perpetual decline while others see a team improving over the past few years. Who can say which camp is right? A Cup or three in the next few years would be a great way to put that to rest, wouldn't it? Until then we'll debate these issues ad nauseum and neither party can possibly claim to have the correct or true vision. As for me I agree with most of his statements. Not all but most. And as a balance I only agree with one of yours re: superstars but then does it really take a superstar on the roster to win a cup and does a superstar gauarantee one?
FREE TIMO!
yes there are some good hockey minds on this site but none of them really think this team is set up and poised to compete for a cup or 3 in the next few years. I was simply making pretty obvious statements to counter the points that this team has many great up and coming prospects, many great prospects actually on the team (again to that I say hahahahah), great grinders (please team is a joke to play against) and superstars (please )- none of those statements are true.
this team has some decent top end talent with some holes. a weak bottom 6 lacking size and toughness, above average D with obvious holes and questionable goaltending.
pretty sure this team was last in the league in 5 on 5 goals and made exaclty zero moves to improve offensively 5 on 5 when the going is tough. lost Metro with his team leading PP goals and Moore who played really well down the stretch. All that to say - I hope this team does well but there isn't any evidence to prove that it will or even should. If we can stay away from all the injuries from last year - this team should make the playoffs but it won't be by a lot.
some dont see it either declining or improving. they see it as a team fighting for 8th place about every year and are not happy with that.
I believe his comment about " a top 5 team in the East" will be proven incorrect not in years but in months. I would safely bet that it will be proven way off before Christmas 2010.
That single comment renders the rest of the posting questionable from a purely objective standpoint.
"There is no way Alex Auld was going to be on this team this year, unless he flew to France during the summer and bathed in the holy waters at Lourdes." BRIAN BURKE
I think you having a quote from a leafs GM bashing a Hab says far more about you than anything that was said in his post says about him.
The fact is, the Habs had more "key" injuries than any other team last season. Sure, it would be nice to have enough depth to make up for that, but no team does. With half the injuries, we're staring 5th and maybe even 4th place in the face.
How has the team gotten worse? By trading Halak? Maybe, but time will tell. I certainly don't think you believe that losing Metropolit, moore, and Bergeron will be the team's downfall, do you? We've added PK, Eller, and Boyd, as well as a confident and seemingly hard-working Price to the mix, with a decent backup in Auld (not crazy about him, but for 20-25 games he should do the job).
So, before running off about how we will all be proven wrong about 5th place, step back and look at whether the team got worse, then think about an average amount of injuries...and think honestly, not just in a way that will allow you to bash management for another off-season.
Go Habs Go!! "Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them." - Sam Pollock
Actually, there are quite a few of us who agree with Joey. We're just not on here every day beating the dead horses (Tonolay). Cammy & Markov? I bet they'd be pretty hot items if they were UFAs right now.Subban, Tinordi, Kristo, Leblanc, Eller, Palusha, Avstin, I'd say that's a pretty good crop. I'd say, without injuries like last year, we'll be much better this year. And give it 2 or 3 years and this will be an annual contender for a while.
Hey, weren't they a contender this year? I mean conference finals and all? So maybe your 2 to 3 year window has actually moved much closer. Of course this will bring about the usual "we-only-got-this-far-because-of-the-goalie" rant but I've heard that one enough on here. I really don't care if we make by a country mile or a nose at the finish line. Man, we were in the race :)
FREE TIMO!
contender for the playoffs which they made by a point and the only goalie they had with a winning record is now gone.
You're right, they did contend this year. But you've been on this site long enough to know that was only because of Halak, flukes, 88pts, 47% and so on.
would you bet your own money that habs will get more points this season than washington?
Hey, I have a very similar view, so don't go chucking that 'anyone/everyone' term around!
You must have a very tough time enjoying yourself if you think things are so grim.
I suggest supporting Timbits Hockey: much less chance of dissapointment -everyone's a winner!
---Hope Springs Eternal---
I agree too!
Now, all we need is a num1 goalie and a powerhouse forward and we're all set.
We get those, we'll make the playoffs; we don't, we won't.
We're weaker than we were last year squeezin in at 8th and you foresee top 5 this year? I dunno...
If my boy Poolio becomes a man, Carey becomes the Priceberg and Eller becomes the Great One reincarnated, maybe...
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
What about Perezhogin -- is there no chance he will return?
I may be one of the few left in the Habs world who liked his play and would like to see him back.
who cares?!
It's been three years, mate.
For all we know, he might be playin like a half-Yashin by now.
I liked him too, but we don't need'm, so why pine for'm?
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
The new contracts according to ESPN....THINK NHL SALARIES ARE SILLY?
Now to the contracts. ESPN is reporting that LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed identical six-year, $110.1 million deals. Dwyane Wade signed a 6-year deal worth $107.5, taking even less money to help his team sign more players. The deals have Bosh and James making $14.5 million in 2010-11 while Wade will make $14 million, giving the Heat more breathing room to sign a better supporting cast.
Overall, each player is leaving $15 million on the table over the life of their contracts. They also have the choice to opt out of the final year of their contracts in 2015-16. However, if they plan on making this a true decade-long dynasty then I think by then they'll already be negotiating contract extensions.
Pro sports owners and in this case players(although an owner of 1 team was happy to sign them) are going to kill the golden goose. How about in basebal Hicks who is Gillett's partner in soccer and other enterprises, his Texas Rangers in bankruptcy and MLB is propping up the team which is a strong contender this year for the AL Crown. A deal was announced on ESPN for Cliff Lee sending him to the Yankees and supposedly to be confirmed but hours later the Mariners ship Cy Young award winner to Texas Rangers instead for a bag of baseballs AND also will pay most of Lee's remaining salary this year while playing for Texas. And there will be no NFL next year because the owners will lockout the players AND they even have TV contracts with the networks that will pay them billions even if no games are played. That's where these lawyers as commissioners including hockey with his USA teams obsession and greedy owners have taken pro sports.
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/cliff-lee-traded-to-texas-rangers/
I find it astonishing some of the comments I hear from the same old posters. Its funny to me that they actually think that we could (or any team) afford to pay ALL our players all they deserved.
Moore 2.5 million (Especially funny since when he came it was the same posters who said it was a dumb move.)
Halak 3.75 million
Pleks 5 million
Price 3 million
Total 14.25 million on a team that had only 11.5 million in cap space. AND IS STILL MISSING ONE PLAYER (laps).
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
What "same old posters?"
How do you know it's the same posters? Do you keep a chart of who said what when?
Or are you just grossly generalizing to pass YOURSELF off as more levelheaded than everybody else?
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
It may just happen that we play without a C on a sweater this year. It just might be held back one year for a kid that I know will captain this team in the future.
Maybe they should just chuck the 'C' in the air in the locker room and whoever catches it becomes captain.
Then again, that pretty much assures Gill the captaincy... not a bad thing, but not very competitive.
Why don't they let the players vote?! They're the ones that have to look up to him!
---Hope Springs Eternal---
I doubt it, the team's got a pack of veteran players with strong leadership qualities. Perhaps Subban will be a better leader than all of them in the future, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind waiting to wear the C as someone like Gionta led in the meantime. The great leaders in MTL always served behind others and then would take the C on themselves as it became their turn to wear it.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
we've seen others come up here from lever's coaching or this year from hamilton and play great immediately but after the coaches here get hold of them their play suddenly declines. higgins, d'agostini, pacioretti, etc. better hope subban is not next to be ruined here.
I don't think so. I think we will see Gionta. But there are a few other candidates. I think PK will see it around 28-30...
I think we will definitely see a C this season. Gio seems the most likely. Gill may not be with us for the length it takes, Camma is my choice but I don't know if the team sees it. Gomez is likely too, but it seems to me Gio would be the one. You know how mus=ch the Habs like to have the smallest guy on the team as Captain...
RUDY, RUDY, RUDY, RUDY, RUDY...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
Awright, enough jokes. Let's do da biness:
Uruguay vs ze Geeermans.
They gonna go all out or not give a dang?
Either way, put me down for 3-1 in favour of ze Mannschaft. And yes, I know I lost my 100% prediction succes rating to the squid, but I found out that he only started callin games when ze Germans went up against Argentina, whereas I started in the group of 16 stage all across the board, soooo...
Squid ain't all that.
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
I tend to agree with Chorske's comments rather than Ed's, on bringing our kids along slowly. They need a couple of years in the minors to first learn how to become a quality professional before entering the show.
They were discussing PK below. Even if PK or any other player has the skill set to play the game at a high level, they need to become a pro first. Goal Tenders and Defenseman even more so than forwards.----More Fan Summit Information
not surprised Ian - that was your position all along.
i seem to recall you telling me also:
"this is not our year any way - its not like PK will be missing anything by coming up this year; let him stay
in the AHL and learn how to win a championship"
(I used quotation marks, but those are not the exact words)
Flip side of that coin is, how would the Bulldogs have done WITH PK in the lineup. Would they have won the Cup???
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
However if PK wasn't brought up, Ian probably would have been right and we likely would have lost one of those games against Washington.
maybe - I see what you're saying, and you have a point.
my point was,
had PK played an extra 20 games before the playoffs for the Habs, he would have been a MUCH BETTER
NHL player come playoff time.
and he stood to benefit from that NHL experience.
I stand by that point.
Great players actually raise their game to the level they are asked to play.
PK had already played something like 60 games in the AHL.
Any way, I accept your point., it is valid.
Chances we'll be saying this about Leblanc, Tinordi, Avtsin, Kristo in their first AHL season perhaps?
Saying this player will be different in MTL reminds me of another theme I've had in my life, all the people I knew who were smokers who said 'this is my last cigarette' and it was far from it.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
You're making a claim, but you're far from stating a fact. Who can say that PK would be better having played in the NHL over that time instead of the NHL? He may have been more beat up, he may have taken a step down and benched by JM because of a couple giveaways. You don't know. Odds are, that for his age and position, he benefited from dominating in the AHL and playing under the guidance of a coach who's actually good with young players.
"Odds are, that for his age and position, he benefited from dominating in the AHL and playing under the guidance of a coach who's actually good with young players."
that is also a claim, Andrew.
there are NO FACTS here - we are just speculating.
Of course it is, but history is not on the side of your claim Ed. Most defensemen can't just go straight into the NHL.
true - and my point all along has been what?
PK is not like "most defencemen".
any way, just glad we have him on the Habs - he's awesome!
you're right about all you've said but note the brilliant gm did not bring him up until game 6 vs the capitals or after the habs could have been eliminated by washington had they won game 5. and we never could have seen how well he played(as he also did before the olympic break). he played maybe 10 minutes i'm guessing that game and never again as martin saw and now knew he was far better than what gauthier had thought.
Correct sir, I did say that, and I beleive it very strongly. Even though he will be our captain one day.
Disagree.
If you're ready, you're ready. 17, 23, 42, doesn't make no difference.
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
Very few Bobby Orr's or Wayne Gretsky"s that are ready to play in the show at 19 or 20.
Wasn't our own Kirk Muller a captain at 21 for the Devils?
Some are just born to be leaders right out of the crib Ian. PK Suban shows signs of it....I HOPE SO.
Different talents not necessarily of the best calibre can be "quality professionals" as well, Mr.Ian.
I'm sure you agree with this.
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
exactly right Bugs - once we saw what the 19 year old defenceman in the NHl were doing last year, and I
knew that PK was better than ALL of them - including Tyler Myers - it was obvious that PK could now play and
develop at the NHL level.
you don't have to be Bobby Orr to play great hockey in the NHL as a 19 year old defenceman.
Leadership is a natural characteristic, but it needs nurturing and grooming. Followers need to put in their time and dues as well.
Finally, some action at the Tour de France! No stage should be complete without some fisticuffs, I say. Then I would watch all the time. Cuz let's face it, folks don't watch the Tour de France for the "tour"; they watch it for the "France."
I don't know 'bout y'all, but watchin guys PEDAL?
"Ooooh, look at how that guy pedals. Oooh, he pedals so good. And that guy's not a bad pedaler neither. Great pedalin goin on today. What a Tour!"
Please.
But throw in some haymakers, some right crosses and a few devastating uppercuts, and I'm there, baby!
Keepin it real, I be chillin as
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com
I'm amazed at the lack of outrage over the one-sided trade that happened this Friday.
Talk about losing a trade BIG time.
If the Habs had swapped 10 for 4, this place would implode.
Who got the better of the deal? Let the asst. GM tell you...
"Joe Biden said it was all right that the United States only got four accused spies from Russia while giving up 10"
"We got back four really good ones," Biden said. And the 10, they've been here a long time, but they hadn't done much."
On the bright side. They were able to rid themselves of some lazy players.
I still think the US lost on this trade!
;)
------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them." - Sam Pollock
I would trade 20 Russians for just 1 Habs number 4.!!-------More Fan Summit Information
Amen to that, Ian!!
There's NO other like Le Gros Bill.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them." - Sam Pollock
LOL.
Good day for both intentional and unintentional comedy on Habs I/O.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
The Post has learned that one of Canada's national outlets formally has proposed that Kovalchuk, the 27-year-old goal-scoring machine who is the most luminous prime-time star in NHL free agent history, announce his Decision during a one-hour network special based on LeBron's precedent-setting episode on ESPN.
And if Kovalchuk makes the decision to go prime-time, isn't it about time that Dolan and general manager Glen Sather offer this marquee athlete who has spent the first eight years of his career toiling off-off Broadway and off-Broadway in Atlanta and Newark, respectively, the biggest marquee there is, the one in New York?
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/dolan_whiffed_on_lebron_but_can_tZSPKB3VDPV738R5bJ1RvK#ixzz0tIMji8Cm
If Leblanc ever decides to leave Harvard, RDS is poised to air a 24-hour extravaganza.
Society at large was reached for this comment on the TV special.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
LMAO...the office is one of the few sitcoms that can compare to Seinfeld
Impeccable sources have told The Post that the Devils have a contract offer on the table to Kovalchuk for 17 years at more than $100 million, and front-loaded so that Kovalchuk would collect $100 million over the first 10 years of the deal.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/dolan_whiffed_on_lebron_but_can_tZSPKB3VDPV738R5bJ1RvK#ixzz0tIMTBqwj
Did Lou Lamoriello step down and Glen Sather get hired by the Devils?
If that contract is allowed by the NHL, it's a total ****ing farce of a league and it will be official.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
Are the last 7 years at $1 per year?
_____________________________________
Cheer for the crest on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.
Last winter, just before the Olympic break, PK was brought up for 2 games against the Flyers.
The kid was playing his first and second games in the NHL.
With our only "all world" player, MArkov, on the shelf, PK was clearly the best Hab on the ice BOTH NIGHTS.
I have been following PK's career very closely, and I tried to SCREAM ADVICE to Habs management, that they
should just keep PK up with the Habs after the Olympics.
I took a lot of abuse for this - it went on for days and days.
I had posters here telling me that somehow PK was not yet ready, or that the Montreal fans would be too
tough on him, or that we should learn our lesson from Guillaume and Paccioretty.
Finally, I gave up.
Forget about PK's skills, because everyone who makes the NHL has great skills, some more than others, but
they all can play.
Its PK - the person - the calm, confident person - that makes him standout from everyone else.
I have lived in Montreal all my life, and I've been following the Habs since I was a young boy in the 60's.
You know how tough Habs fans treat their heros at the Bell Center?
You know that even Robinson and Lafleur have been booed by their home crowd?
There is no need to worry about PK, my friends.
He was born for this - he is the total package;
And PK will become the fans great favorite for years and years to come.
Oh - I forgot - wait til you see his SLAP SHOT!!!
We haven't seen much of that yet - remember Souray and how many he scored on the PP?
for all of you who were kind enough to respond to my post, we ALL agree on 3 things:
1) we are lucky to have PK on the Habs
2) we are especially lucky to have a great young coach here with the Habs who can nurture PK's wonderful skills. thankfully, the Habs understood that Boucher was the real deal, found a spot for him behind the bench, and quietly moved JM out to pasture.
3) and, hiring Robinson for the defence - so that PK could learn from 1 of the 3 best defenceman to ever play the game, who has NHL experience, and who wanted to coach here; thankfully the Habs saw the value in that one too.
sorry guys.....I couldn't help myself. Boucher and Robinson - wow!!! My entire attitude towards management would be different if we had those 2 guys behind the bench.
Taking it slow is best with PK. You need to build these things up slowly (c.f. Price, Lats). As it is, I think he blew a tire against Philly and started making some mistakes- the last couple of games he was decidedly meh (although to be fair, the whole team seemed to have run out of adrenaline).
So chalk me down as 100% in favour of slowly bringing these guys on. Goes for Eller, too.
Luckily when Markov is in the lineup Subban won't be forced to be the #1 guy like he was against the Flyers. Teams can focus more on the experienced Markov who can handle it and PK can have an easier time.
agreed..PK tons of potential looks great but will make lots of rookie mistakes. we saw a few of them in the playoffs and will have good games and not so good games. he does not walk on water.
I'm sure PK would have been fine if he'd stayed up with the big club, but I'm glad he didn't. I think he was much better served by the coaching of Boucher for another couple months than he would have been with Martin.
In hindsight you were correct in your assessment of the maturity and skill level of PK Suban. He is that rare individual that thrives on pressure and takes pleasure in the spotlight.
At the time and with previous missteps by management with regards to young players it seemed the prudent move. PK Suban probably was not ill served by spending a full season in Hamilton under Boucher rather than under JM. I only hope he is not set back by a season of JM. I doubt it as PK Suban has enormous self confidence and can withstand even JM's coaching.
I love P.K. Subban, he is potentially a greater defender than our own Andrei Markov, but I also know this town can twist people around given the wrong circumstances. I have my confidence in him, but I also don't think a player is above temptation to get into the wrong things given things happening. Everyone here would call him a special player, but I also know we've liked a lot of special players who all had something get in the way of their being that kind of player.
I think P.K. will have an excellent career, but I like we're playing better safe than sorry with player develoment these days. DET slow-cooks their prospects and they rarely bust with what they choose.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
its not that it "seems" that there's nothing the Habs can do right.
it IS that the Habs rarely make the right decision.
Having PK would have allowed us to avoid Washington, and then probably Pittsburgh.
We were pushed to play 14 tough games, including 5 ELIMINATION GAMES in the first 2 series.
We were PUSHED the last 2 weeks of the season just making the playoffs.
This caused the Habs to be completely burnt out against Philly.
Leaving PK in Hamilton didn't hurt PK - it hurt the Habs chances to win the cup.
rarely make the right decision...signing cams, gionta, gomez, moen, gill , moore i guess were all bad moves. does not matter how teams make it to the playoffs..we made it and performed well. we gained alot of respect and thats a fact.
ps..not sure PK would have made the difference. it was the hawks year..karma.
You think Moen's been a disappointment? What exactly were you expecting? He's been about as clutch as you can get, he hits everything that moves and forechecks like a demon, and he was one of the best penalty killers in the NHL last season.
no - I don't see that. "hits everything that moves"??
I think Lapierre led the habs last year in hits, and he averaged 2 hits a game.
Agreed...I was very underwhelmed by Moen this past season.
I don't feel he brought the physical prescence he had when he played with the Ducks.
XXIV...and counting
Except most of Lapierre's hits were on the boards, not on players. I like Lapierre, but Moen was leaps and bounds better in all categories.
Many, many including the media said he should have been called up for the stretch drive. He finally got called up just as Habs could have been eliminated.
Apparently you were right (I never argued the point), but I guess it all worked out in the end -- at least in terms of last year. I think he'll be great this year too BTW.
This afternoon on RADIO FREE TIMO (RFT): 2:00PM EDT: Roundtable discussion on optimal fourth-line combinations for the upcoming season. Join Gilles Poisson, Kilroy, Tony 242, Sheldon and the man himself in a lively debate as to who should be placed on the last trio of forwards and why. Spicing up the discussion will be special guest and Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur. What should Jacques Martin do given that he has a roster with four fourth lines? The should be one for the time capsule!
RADIO FREE TIMO: Always fair and mentally balanced!
Mike, how about using links to the Windsor Star for Probert stories? They are one of your sister papers...
...........
"Thank you Cammy for making my day even more amazing!"
I STILL BELIEVE. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE.
Cammalleri: “I almost feel bad for a guy who plays an NHL career without experiencing what it’s like to be a Montreal Canadien”.
You're right.
Done.
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