tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post4092897832618602553..comments2024-03-05T19:21:13.252-05:00Comments on Eyes On The Prize: Habs Spank Sens, Clinch Playoff BerthRobert Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-8156332094835495632008-03-25T22:54:00.000-04:002008-03-25T22:54:00.000-04:00Higgins is under contract next year, so I doubt he...Higgins is under contract next year, so I doubt he's going anywhere without some serious return. He's known talent with known character - the kind of player Gainey has been drafting.<BR/><BR/>Ryder is gone, and I can't say I'll miss him. He's gritty, but that's not why we have him.<BR/><BR/>Streit will be tough to replace, but with the exit of ryder, brisebois and smokes (about 5.7M leaving), I think we'll have the money to keep him and bring up some more youngins for depth.BrownJesushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03016097129328265051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-91540054870351739842008-03-25T13:44:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:44:00.000-04:00My guess is that the next player to come up might ...My guess is that the next player to come up might just be Emelin. He already belongs to us, and since we are now considered a contender he might change his mind and bolt Russia.<BR/><BR/>Chips will replace Smokes next season, but McDonagh and Pacioretty, as good as they seem to be progressing, might be another year or two away. Owning college players rights allows the team to take their time with their development and not rush them.<BR/><BR/>The players most succeptible to leaving are Ryder, Higgins and Streit....and I'd miss all three.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-46441712760667751702008-03-25T12:14:00.000-04:002008-03-25T12:14:00.000-04:00So now with us being 1st with the team we have, wh...So now with us being 1st with the team we have, what happens next with Pacioretty, McDonaugh, Chipchura, etc. (Heh, that rhymed) They can only get better (Scary good even) but which players will be sacrificed in order to make some spots available?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-70546909285093529252008-03-25T11:38:00.000-04:002008-03-25T11:38:00.000-04:00Toaster, I wasn't too far off what you were thinki...Toaster, I wasn't too far off what you were thinking. I was looking at 6th or 7th myself.<BR/><BR/>What Kovy has done, I didn't see coming either, but I did see all the youth and I knew that Price would weigh heavy in the mix.<BR/><BR/>As for first place, I had a feeling that Ottawa would drop off, but not quite this badly. I figured that if Montreal could win the season series between them, then things would get really interesting.<BR/><BR/>The basic thing is, last season they were a fourth place team, and not a 10th where they ended.<BR/><BR/>This just kind of confirms that notion.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-3053124977329143882008-03-25T11:28:00.000-04:002008-03-25T11:28:00.000-04:00Am i the only guy out there who isn't really surpr...Am i the only guy out there who isn't really surprised to see the Habs 1st in the Eastern Conference? When i looked at the redictions of "experts" saying they would finish 14th, even putting the Panthers ahead of Montreal, i was baffled.<BR/><BR/>I started to wonder, what DID the Habs do to deserve such a low standing in their predictions? They lost Sheldon Souray? If that's it then i thought the Habs would still be competitive, as they had many young players that could be called up from Hamilton, including Sergei Kostitsyn whom i predicted would be fantastic this year. I also saw Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn blooming into very capable offensive forwards, etc. The only thing i DIDN'T predict, was Kovalev's play this year, then again i thought Higgins would be better so it evens out. So i predicted them 7th, actually i didn't even put Philly or Boston in the playoff picture when i made my predictions. Now with the Sens being utterly awful this season, the Habs find themselves in first. Hoorah!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-45934654310165095682008-03-25T10:07:00.000-04:002008-03-25T10:07:00.000-04:00One more demon to exorcise.A destruction of the Le...One more demon to exorcise.<BR/><BR/>A destruction of the Leafs and their playoff hopes would be the cherry on a great seasonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-4877465940208891562008-03-25T03:32:00.000-04:002008-03-25T03:32:00.000-04:00Another brilliant post Rob... partly because you t...Another brilliant post Rob... partly because you take what I'm thinking and put it in words ;)<BR/><BR/>A fun season - which was my pre-season prediction. Never in my wildest thought did I expect this kind of learning curve!<BR/><BR/>Les Habitants sont la!<BR/><BR/>Sam L.BrownJesushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03016097129328265051noreply@blogger.com