Post-Game Talk: 8th straight wins vs Rangers in Montreal

[deandebean]

Good game by my boy Pricer.

Good game by my boy Peekay Subie-doo.

You boy Pricer? Hehehe...

 

[Luigi Habs]

If Bourque ever comes back, you might get your wish.

Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque
Prust-Halpern-Moen (or Armstrong)

I don't think this is what's going to happen when Bourque returns.

Unfortunately, I see Galchenyuk either on the 4th or scratched.

We'll probably see

Bourque - Eller - Prust
Moen - Halpern - Armstrong
or
Moen - Galchenyuk - Halpern

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I'm not sure if the 07-08 team wasn't better than the current edition.

08 Markov > Subban

No way. Markov has never played to the level Subban is right now. You are dead wrong here.

We haven't had a defenseman this good since Chris Chelios. He's better than Schneider, Desjardins or Markov... and it won't surprise me at all if he wins the Norris and I never saw Markov as a Norris calibre guy.

Hamrlik or Streit > 13 Markov

I don't think this is true either.

08 Kovalev > Pacioretty
Koivu > Desharnais
Higgins > Gionta

Okay.

Kostitsyn brothers in 2008 = the Gallys

I'd take the Gallys.

The current Ryder&Plekanec are better than they were however and Price of course is better today then in 2008, and better than Huet. I think we were more ''top heavy'' in 2008 but have better depth players today (better 3rd pair defense and a much better bottom 6).

Thing is with that team is that a bunch of guys had career years. This year's crop is young and will get better. This isn't a career year for Pacioretty for example and he can play better than he has. Price has played really well but he can be better. We've got Eller who has flashes of brilliance and can be better. The only guy who might be having a career year is Subban and I actually think this is just indicative of the kind of player he's going to be.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

They said yesterday in l'Antichambre that a defenseman hasn't been the #1 scoring Canadien on the team since 1921

 

[Analyzer*]

Hamrlik was great in his first year here, simply great. Ahead of Markov this year, except on the PP.

Streit indeed played more forward than defence at ES. But he got 62 points and that is stellar.

Hamrlik was made a healthy scratch quite frequently and he plays less than Stralman in NY if I'm not mistaken.

Hammer's best year was when Markov went down and Hammer had to step up.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

They said yesterday in l'Antichambre that a defenseman hasn't been the #1 scoring Canadien on the team since 1921

I think they must have meant that a defenseman hasn't finished a season as our leading scorer since 1921 because I'm pretty sure that both Chelios and Markov have led our team in scoring at various points in their career.

Won't surprise me at all if Subban leads the way for us this season though.

 

[Analyzer*]

I think they must have meant that a defenseman hasn't finished a season as our leading scorer since 1921 because I'm pretty sure that both Chelios and Markov have led our team in scoring at various points in their career.

Won't surprise me at all if Subban leads the way for us this season though.

Probably. Markov was close, but got hurt and Kovalev passed him.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Hamrlik was made a healthy scratch quite frequently and he plays less than Stralman in NY if I'm not mistaken.

Hammer's best year was when Markov went down and Hammer had to step up.

Hamrlik was never a healthy scratch, and certainly not in his first year. Your credibility is now zero.

 

[Analyzer*]

Hamrlik was never a healthy scratch, and certainly not in his first year. Your credibility is now zero.

I'm talking about this year as I thought that's what you meant

 

[the]

Time to give credit where credit is due...that was a great performance by Carey Price yesterday. Rangers didn't even have a chance!

 

[Et le But]

I'm not sure if the 07-08 team wasn't better than the current edition.

08 Markov > Subban
Hamrlik or Streit > 13 Markov
08 Kovalev > Pacioretty
Koivu > Desharnais
Higgins > Gionta
Kostitsyn brothers in 2008 = the Gallys

The current Ryder&Plekanec are better than they were however and Price of course is better today then in 2008, and better than Huet. I think we were more ''top heavy'' in 2008 but have better depth players today (better 3rd pair defense and a much better bottom 6).

That's a pretty superficial way of looking at it. The 07-08 team was a mediocre even strength team with an exceptionally good power play; the 2013 Habs are one of the best even strength teams in the league. This team is ahead of that team defensively - as much as I love Markov, he was never as flat out dominant as Subban is right now, except on the power play. On the other hand, you are underrating the current Markov, who is at least as good as Hamrlik was that year.

And of course the depth. This year we have players as good as Eller and Galchenyuk on the 3rd line.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

And of course the depth. This year we have players as good as Eller and Galchenyuk on the 3rd line.

Our 3rd line C that year was a rotation of Smolinski (aka the Devils killer) or Lapierre. Eller >> either for sure.

 

[KingGallagherXI]

Rangers scored 1 goal in last 5 games in Montreal.

 

[Kriss E]

No way. Markov has never played to the level Subban is right now. You are dead wrong here.

We haven't had a defenseman this good since Chris Chelios. He's better than Schneider, Desjardins or Markov... and it won't surprise me at all if he wins the Norris and I never saw Markov as a Norris calibre guy.

I agree that PK is playing better than Markov was. However, I personally feel Markov should have been a nominee on his career year. He was seriously solid, easily top 5 in the league during that season.

But PK is something else.

Thing is with that team is that a bunch of guys had career years. This year's crop is young and will get better. This isn't a career year for Pacioretty for example and he can play better than he has. Price has played really well but he can be better. We've got Eller who has flashes of brilliance and can be better. The only guy who might be having a career year is Subban and I actually think this is just indicative of the kind of player he's going to be.

Not only that, but that year we really weren't that great at even strength. We just had an amazing PP that consistently bailed us out. But when teams managed to shut us down on the PP, we usually ended up losing. Not quite the sign of a strong team.
More one of a heavily PP reliant.

This year we're only behind Chicago and Pittsburgh in terms of ES play. We add a top 10 PP and an average PK. That's the make up of a strong team.
Also, we have the confidence to come back from whatever deficit, without relying on the PP. We have comeback from many deficits this year, even in the 3rd period.

As you said, we don't have anybody having crazy career years like we did that season. We have bunch of players performing their roles well however, which is what matters most.
But this team is a lot more solid than the 07-08 one. Not really comparable.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Rangers scored 1 goal in last 5 games in Montreal.

dear god

 

[BLONG7]

Rangers scored 1 goal in last 5 games in Montreal.

That's insane...

 

[Muminek]

Rangers scored 1 goal in last 5 games in Montreal.

Seriously, what was Budaj thinking letting in a Rangers goal in Montreal
I wonder if the curse would work in playoffs too.

 

[habtastic]

Please do not take this as a slight against Subban, please! This is more a reflection of the many wonderful years of Markov.


While PK does a lot himself, is just insane lately in terms of controlling the puck, throwing guys off him, making sweet zone entries, you name it, Markov's strength in terms of vision will likely go unrivaled. Markov's game has always been tactical and skillful. He wouldn't skate through a ton of guys, but would see the play 3 passes ahead. His backdoor pinches, his cross crease passes, his dependability in the D zone (ask Price how strong Markov is). The guy is just incredible. So when we compare Subban and Markov, they have a lot in common, but they also have unique skills. I don't think PK's style will ever reach the kind of passing, playmaking and craftiness that Markov has shown at the top of his game. And PK doesn't necessarily have to attain those levels, he's absolutely fine the way he is.

I think a lot of people forget just how great Andrei Markov has been for this organization. He really has been for certain years a league star who was vastly underrated due to our less than average league presence (although we have had some pretty decent success with him around last decade).

 

[Theosis]

Seriously, what was Budaj thinking letting in a Rangers goal in Montreal
I wonder if the curse would work in playoffs too.

Good thing we'd have home ice advantage...

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

Rangers scored 1 goal in last 5 games in Montreal.

And Biron last 4 starts against the Habs, his team was shutout every single time. Poor guy..

 

[Teufelsdreck]

The Habs have been good against Lundqvist, too. Even before the teams met this season Ranger fans remarked about not wanting to face the Habs in the playoffs.

 

[Lshap]

While PK does a lot himself, is just insane lately in terms of controlling the puck, throwing guys off him, making sweet zone entries, you name it, Markov's strength in terms of vision will likely go unrivaled. Markov's game has always been tactical and skillful. He wouldn't skate through a ton of guys, but would see the play 3 passes ahead. His backdoor pinches, his cross crease passes, his dependability in the D zone (ask Price how strong Markov is). The guy is just incredible. So when we compare Subban and Markov, they have a lot in common, but they also have unique skills. I don't think PK's style will ever reach the kind of passing, playmaking and craftiness that Markov has shown at the top of his game. And PK doesn't necessarily have to attain those levels, he's absolutely fine the way he is.

This is a fair point. Markov never had the showmanship that PK has but was so important to our overall play. That said, PK is probably more dominant over an entire game than any Montreal defenseman I've ever seen. Yeah, of course I'm thinking of his recent games, but if this season represents the player he's becoming - holy cow!

And yes, I remember watching Larry Robinson working up a head of steam as he flew down the ice, as well as delivering some massive hip checks similar to Subban's. We're a long way to comparing them yet, but make no mistake - PK Subban is a budding frikkin superstar. And he's ours!

 

[Alexdaman]

Seriously, what was Budaj thinking letting in a Rangers goal in Montreal
I wonder if the curse would work in playoffs too.

I wouldn't give the Rangers more than a 4-5% chance to beat us the PO.

 

[FlyingKostitsyn]

No way. Markov has never played to the level Subban is right now. You are dead wrong here.

We haven't had a defenseman this good since Chris Chelios. He's better than Schneider, Desjardins or Markov... and it won't surprise me at all if he wins the Norris and I never saw Markov as a Norris calibre guy.

I disagree. And Subban wouldn't be a Norris contender with guys like Chara, Lidstrom, Niedermayer, Pronger ect. in their prime, Markov had far more competition. People forget just how amazingly good he was at his peak.

I don't think this is true either.

At the very least equal. Hamrlik was much stronger defensively than today's Markov and Streit equivalent on the offensive end.

I'd take the Gallys.

Andrei Kostitsyn contributed to the level of Gallagher or better that year and Sergei contributed more than Galchenyuk does. OF COURSE the Gallys have more potential, character ect but the 2008 Kostitsyns had more impact the the 2013 Gallys have. Consider the Kostitsyns were older and more NHL ready.

Thing is with that team is that a bunch of guys had career years. This year's crop is young and will get better. This isn't a career year for Pacioretty for example and he can play better than he has. Price has played really well but he can be better. We've got Eller who has flashes of brilliance and can be better. The only guy who might be having a career year is Subban and I actually think this is just indicative of the kind of player he's going to be.

I agree, the potential of our current team is better but if this year's team and the 2008 team played a series today I'm doubt today's edition would win. We also have much better coaching this year than Carbonneau, and that is perhaps the key element 5 on 5, more so than the players.

 

[Et le But]

I agree, the potential of our current team is better but if this year's team and the 2008 team played a series today I'm doubt today's edition would win. We also have much better coaching this year than Carbonneau, and that is perhaps the key element 5 on 5, more so than the players.

Actually this is probably true only because our penalty kill this year is painfully bad, that the 2008 team was a power play machine. Bad matchup and if anyone on the coaching staff this year has some explaining to do, it's Daigneault. 2008 Kovalev and Markov would feast on our stupid diamond thing.

On the other hand the current version of the Habs matches up better against most playoff quality teams. Outside of the Penguins, none of the east contenders have scary power plays, while most of the playoff teams right now have great penalty kills. The 2008 team would be destroyed by Boston or Ottawa.