David Desharnais part X - Together We Rise, Together We Fall

[ECWHSWI]

Yes but what people like Ron don't understand is that maybe in the old days francophone players were clamouring to play for the Habs. The team always has had some local quotient in the lineup even in recent times anyway. The underlying problem Fournier and co. have is that we don't see francophone star players here. But in recent times francophone stars like Briere (Flyers signing as a star, not the post-buyout one!), Lecavalier, and Martin Lapointe have all passed on the chance to sign here as free agents despite getting lucrative offers. Look at Martin St Louis - Laval kid and he demanded a trade only to New York! The players primarily care about getting maximum value and so the Canadiens, as an institution, team or whatever, have to do the same to thrive in the standings....which puts fans in the seats.

Bergevin has it right on. If there are two equals fine prefer the local but we can't just build a team premised around keeping francophone players in the NHL.

It is something to be cognizant of but it can't drive the team's decision making. I think a good example of the right balance is this. When Gauthier foolishly made the unilingual Randy Cunneyworth the head coach to replace Jacques Martin, he was rightly criticized. But I would say that is because he should have acted quicker and hired Kirk Muller instead...sure Muller was an anglophone, but he was probably better qualified and given his history here I'm sure he would have been accepted if he promised to learn French (he actually promised to do so when named captain but Savard flipped him for Turgeon soon after anyway).

Bergevin signed Briere...


all he learned when asst. coach is merci, you gotta be damn naive to think he would have made the effort, he didnt bother as an asst. he would have found an excuse as head coach.

 

[Runner77]

Must have been ratings week for Rawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Language/ Race BS is a great way to stir up an audience, pas vrai ça mon Rawn? Ouan, ouan, ouan! Pas piiiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhh, pas piiiiiiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhhh, pas piiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhhh. Sacramouille, mon Rawnnnnnnn.

 

[smon]

Bergevin signed Briere...


all he learned when asst. coach is merci, you gotta be damn naive to think he would have made the effort, he didnt bother as an asst. he would have found an excuse as head coach.

Right so? Point is Briere didn't want to come here when he was a star player. 2007 Gainey put up the dough and he opted for Philly instead because he wanted privacy.

He only came here after he was bought out. And Bergevin later signing Briere was a perfectly reasonable move as a replacement for Ryder.

And as for Kirk yes we could go back and forth who knows if he would have. But he would have gotten more patience from the media anyway. He was a Cup winner with the Habs.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Right so? Point is Briere didn't want to come here when he was a star player. 2007 Gainey put up the dough and he opted for Philly instead because he wanted privacy.

He only came here after he was bought out. And Bergevin later signing Briere was a perfectly reasonable move as a replacement for Ryder.

And as for Kirk yes we could go back and forth who knows if he would have. But he would have gotten more patience from the media anyway. He was a Cup winner with the Habs.

point is, you think MB wouldnt sign a local for the sake of signing a local... yet he gave 4M$ to bought-up Briere.

it's common sense, if it was requirement to learn a language to get the promotion you want... would you wait till you get said promotion to start learning or you'll take time to learn merci, bonjour, comment ca va, etc ?? (or another language) besides, the promise was made by the Gionta, Gomez and co during Gainey shopping spree a few years ago... still waiting for them to say a few words in french naive.

 

[smon]

point is, you think MB wouldnt sign a local for the sake of signing a local... yet he gave 4M$ to bought-up Briere.

it's common sense, if it was requirement to learn a language to get the promotion you want... would you wait till you get said promotion to start learning or you'll take time to learn merci, bonjour, comment ca va, etc ?? (or another language) besides, the promise was made by the Gionta, Gomez and co during Gainey shopping spree a few years ago... still waiting for them to say a few words in french naive.

Briere probably got similar offers though. He wasn't considered useless at all. Heck we did get Parenteau for him. I don't think it was merely because he was a local.

And yeah I like Muller so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt naively. But true say he could have learned French in advance, he had been an assistant through two regimes; although learning a new language as an adult isn't the easiest thing in the world either.

But I just think they should be strategic about the cultural aspect, that's all. It should be a consideration sure, but it simply cannot be the overriding one. Especially not if it is not a consideration for local players.

 

[TheViperOne]

OMG

Who the **** cares if he can say Merci or Poutine or Jeune Weber.

Hire the best guy available. Be it Pierre Luc Francois, Jonathan Smith, Vladislav Kovak or Trinh Tran Minh.

Like seriously, the language is such a moot point.

 

[Whitesnake]

Since you brought up shot totals per game....

Looking at the stats last week (havent looked at it since then), PK Subban's shots per game have dropped 40% below his shots per game during his Norris season.

However, that gets ignored or dismissed or shifted.

DD!!!!!

SouthernHaB, I have no idea why you deflect DD criticisms towards PK. It won't work for tons of reasons that I don't even have to list. But even if he has a drop in his shots, he's 27th in the league on D. Desharnais is 107th for the C's. You can't actually compare a drop to an abysmal number.

 

[lo striver]

OMG

Who the **** cares if he can say Merci or Poutine or Jeune Weber.

Hire the best guy available. Be it Pierre Luc Francois, Jonathan Smith, Vladislav Kovak or Trinh Tran Minh.

Like seriously, the language is such a moot point.

a lot of folks outside of Montreal still have not noticed that the 60s are over.

 

[rockjngo]

David Desharnais and Pierre Alexandre Parenteau should not be on this team.

We need two quality players to replace them and Lars Eller back.

 

[JLP]

Good contribution in a new role for Desharnais tonight

 

[sharks9]

David Desharnais and Pierre Alexandre Parenteau should not be on this team.

We need two quality players to replace them and Lars Eller back.

They're quality players on the 3rd line. I doubt we'd find better replacements around the league for cheap.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

They're quality players on the 3rd line. I doubt we'd find better replacements around the league for cheap.

You do know that's a $10 million third line though, right? You might be surprised what that would get you around the league. I think both the Hawks and Pens - at the top of the cap chart - have 3rd lines that cost close to half that, for easy examples. But if it fits on our team and it works, then whatever. Will it hold up in the playoffs? Hopefully we'll see.

 

[Monctonscout]

You do know that's a $10 million third line though, right? You might be surprised what that would get you around the league. I think both the Hawks and Pens - at the top of the cap chart - have 3rd lines that cost close to half that, for easy examples. But if it fits on our team and it works, then whatever. Will it hold up in the playoffs? Hopefully we'll see.

...and the Pens are looking for wingers at the deadline every year.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Man, the new role is sure helping him a ton. Finally moving his feet and is like a hyena on loose pucks. Still will get out-strengthen often, but if he keeps moving, it's acceptable. New dynamic with new wingers, who knew...

Would be interesting to see what they come up with when Eller's back

 

[Chacal667]

1 goal 1 pass, for DD tonight

Galchenyuk and his line, pretty awful

 

[sharks9]

You do know that's a $10 million third line though, right? You might be surprised what that would get you around the league. I think both the Hawks and Pens - at the top of the cap chart - have 3rd lines that cost close to half that, for easy examples. But if it fits on our team and it works, then whatever. Will it hold up in the playoffs? Hopefully we'll see.

Right now our 1st line also costs 10 million so I'm fine with that. The Hawks will be paying that for 1 player on their top line next year. Plus PAP has 1 year after this one, DD has 2, so if they don't play well it's not like we're locked in long-term to either of them.

They had a good night tonight and let's hope they keep it up!

 

[JLP]

1 goal 1 pass, for DD tonight

Galchenyuk and his line, pretty awful

Yup.

 

[Saundies]

Like I said in the PGT, DD scoring tonight was the best thing for this team because it shows MT that he shouldn't change the lines and leave him where he is.

 

[JLP]

Like I said in the PGT, DD scoring tonight was the best thing for this team because it shows MT that he shouldn't change the lines and leave him where he is.

that seems rational but is mt rational?

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Right now our 1st line also costs 10 million so I'm fine with that. The Hawks will be paying that for 1 player on their top line next year. Plus PAP has 1 year after this one, DD has 2, so if they don't play well it's not like we're locked in long-term to either of them.

This has nothing to do with your comment about being able to find better and/or cheaper players for the role around the league.

 

[bouquet]

Like I said in the PGT, DD scoring tonight was the best thing for this team because it shows MT that he shouldn't change the lines and leave him where he is.

i hope so too. Playing the third is good for him, and Galchenyuk plays against the top defenseman. Help the team big time. And this is why i want Sekac with Plek, they are the second line and are able to play against the best + the best trio. The third then have lower opposition.

 

[Natey]

You do know that's a $10 million third line though, right? You might be surprised what that would get you around the league. I think both the Hawks and Pens - at the top of the cap chart - have 3rd lines that cost close to half that, for easy examples. But if it fits on our team and it works, then whatever. Will it hold up in the playoffs? Hopefully we'll see.

Those are two awful, awful comparisons. Both teams have two of the Top-10 players in the league in their Top-6.

 

[sharks9]

This has nothing to do with your comment about being able to find better and/or cheaper players for the role around the league.

I'm just saying that salary shouldn't be an issue that makes us move them. Plus if there are better and cheaper 3rd liners around the league, you'll need to give up assets to get them.

 

[hoockeyrocks]

would David survive and play defensive as good as Alex tonight if he were up against Kopitar basically each and every shift?

DD has played center for about 4 seasons now, and yet doesnt play quality defense like a top line center should!

Alex on the other hand has played full time first line center for 2 games, and is showing that he has improved on both defence and face offs!

Alex is the future, and should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them this season, so he can be a star for the next 15 years!

 

[Bloumeister]

Another DD thread, another 1,000 posts.

Good work, guys