Pre-Game Talk: Price vs Halak revisited

[FerrisRox]

If you're that sure you have a short memory :\ Halak was our #1 in the playoffs and is only 1 year older. It wasn't as cut and dry a decision as you make it sound.

Yes, it truly was. I don't think there was even a conversation in the Habs front office. Halak played in the playoffs because he had the hot hand, period. At no point do I think there was ever a doubt in the minds of the teams brass who they were going to go with moving forward.

 

[FerrisRox]

When he was in Montreal he was one of the best goalie we ever had.

Georges Vezina, Bill Durnan, Jacques Plante, Gump Worsley, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Jose Theodore, Carey Price.

These guys have Stanley Cups, Vezina trophies, Hart trophies, Olympic Gold medals and Jennings trophies.

Your comment, quite frankly, is laughable.

 

[Haburger]

Just because most of the fan base is totally Pejorative Slured when it comes to actually knowing anything about hockey doesn't mean the professionals who manage the team are. It may of been a debate when it comes to the fans but i don't think it was in the hockey world.

You mean bergevin and co actually have nhl expertise?

 

[Burke the Legend]

halak and carter might have been a realistic possibility. but Giroux? no way man.

id still take price

The rumours were originally in October 2009 before Giroux really broke out so maybe the Habs could've gotten him. It was a big topic here back then, but clearly Philly was reluctant to do it.

 

[Natey]

Man, you'd think Halak was the worst goalie in the league in here...

 

[Ezpz]

It was an easy decision because Halak had never shown the capability of handling the #1's workload at any level he'd played at. He was completely out of gas by the conference finals despite only playing 40 games that season.

 

[Natey]

Halak as been with 3 other organisation since the trade. (BUF, WSH and now NYI). If he was that great, I'm sure the Caps and Sabres could have used him as their starter. They choose to pass on him because quite frankly he is always out of gas in February.

The Leafs torched him for 4 goals blocker side in one game.. I thought he was exposed during that game.

Glad we kept Price but why do we always have to bring it up year after year?

Isles are for real... They have top end scoring talent. Halak has been great for them, so is Johnson. Tavares is a freakin superstar (not having a great year). Nelson was a great prospect, Strome was a top 5 pick with a lot of upside. Okposo is a beast.

The Isles also solidified their D with the acquisition of Leddy (still young underated D) and Boychuk (solid top 4).

I still remember Habs getting shutout in Mtl last year vs a Isles team full of AHL'ers.

We tend to play bad in Long Island, especially around the 23 of December.

We better play a full 60 mins tomorrow or the trip will start on a really bad note.

Go Habs Go

You're a strange poster.

Price has never got lit up before? Come on.

And Chad Johnson has been great? In what world? He lets in about 4 goals a game while stopping 7 shots. He's awful.

Gauthier made the right decision (I think), but Halak is a #1. Don't kid yourself.

 

[David Suzuki]

Dec 14 2013 Habs 1 vs NYI 0 in OT
Feb 12 2013 Habs 3 vs NYI 6
Nov 17 2011 Habs 3 vs NYI 4
Dec 26 2010 Habs 1 vs NYI 4
Dec 19 2009 Habs 3 vs NYI 0

NYI are 4 and 2 in last 6 meetings at the Bell... Remember NYI have been bottom feeders for over 15 years...

I wouldn't say we are

..... well thank god this game is in new york/

 

[Michelangelo]

Price >>>> Halak

Michelangelo

 

[the]

The Halak hate is unbelievable. Some seemed b*tthurt that he took the top spot for awhile.

Pierre Gauthier took one heck of a decision staying with Price. It was the unpopular decision and it never was a "easy" decision to take. i'm not a Gauthier fan but his contribution for this team will stay a neutral one just on this decision alone.

I'm glad Halak have been able to turn things around. He will be stealler for the Islanders in the playoffs. It's great to see him get some recognition back in this league. He didn't play some bad hockey in St-Louis but things didn't work out for him...it happens!

I'm equally happy to see Price finally stepping up to the plate and winning some hardware with the gold medal and being able to carry this team to the conference final. Nobody can deny his talent anymore and use the choker excuse on him.

Love them both, I'm glad to see them being legit NHL starters in this league. Hopefully they both win a Stanley Cup one day.

 

[Davebo*]

The debate shouldn't be Price vs Halak. That's settled.

It's Eller vs Halak. Has Eller been good value in that trade? I think yes...

 

[Joe Cole]

I honestly want to punch the next person that brings up "did we trade the right guy" thing.....


seriously.....what does it take?

 

[Yep]

Michelangelo>>>>Leonardo

Raphaël

I know I'm late to the Michelangelo party, but I post about once a month.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

I liked both goalies at the time and I still think they are both talented but Price was the right choice for this team for the sole reason of his consistency. The fan base consists of way too many spazs to deal with any erratic play and Halak has had many ups and downs while Price has been very stable.

 

[dok101]

Halak will soon come down to Earth, as usual. So overrated.

Down to Earth? His season stats are comparable to his career stats.

Career: GGA 2.37, SV% .918
Season:GGA 2.24, SV% .919

 

[madhi19]

The Halak hate is unbelievable. Some seemed b*tthurt that he took the top spot for awhile.

Pierre Gauthier took one heck of a decision staying with Price. It was the unpopular decision and it never was a "easy" decision to take. i'm not a Gauthier fan but his contribution for this team will stay a neutral one just on this decision alone.

I'm glad Halak have been able to turn things around. He will be stealler for the Islanders in the playoffs. It's great to see him get some recognition back in this league. He didn't play some bad hockey in St-Louis but things didn't work out for him...it happens!

I'm equally happy to see Price finally stepping up to the plate and winning some hardware with the gold medal and being able to carry this team to the conference final. Nobody can deny his talent anymore and use the choker excuse on him.

Love them both, I'm glad to see them being legit NHL starters in this league. Hopefully they both win a Stanley Cup one day.

Gauthier made the brave move, but he was so afraid of making it that he took the first offer. You see he could not risk shopping Halak because it would have leaked. I agree this is more a Eller vs Halak debate now. On this point I say it a wash. We are still waiting for Eller to become a top 6 forward and now it clear that he not. He a decent third line centre nothing more.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

I honestly want to punch the next person that brings up "did we trade the right guy" thing.....


seriously.....what does it take?

Seriously? Getting farther without him than they did with him. And that's probably what it should take to put it to rest, because if they don't, there will always be the question of what a better player (or players) than Eller could have done for this team in the meantime with Halak between the pipes instead (or what could now be a combination of Halak and Tokarski, who is right now older than Halak was when we dealt him). We're 5 years down the road now, and this is when we all knew that it would be clear that Price was technically the "best" between them. How many years of "prime Price" do we all think we have left to cash in on this decision, though?

Down to Earth? His season stats are comparable to his career stats.

Career: GGA 2.37, SV% .918
Season:GGA 2.24, SV% .919

January: GAA 2.35, SV% 0.917
February: GAA 2.52, SV% 0.920
March: GAA 2.40, SV% 0.917
April: GAA 1.82, SV% 0.940

Which one is he going to come "all the way" down to?

 

[number 11]

Easy decision. Fans might have been split on it, but I highly doubt it was a debate.

the only debate was among fans who witnessed a goaltender play so insanely over his head that he single handedly beat 2 teams that could have competed for the cup. then he came back down to earth. now he's a very solid goaltender playing on an excellent young team.

Internally the trade was a no brainer, and 29 other GM's would have made the same decision.

 

[Habsawce]

the only debate was among fans who witnessed a goaltender play so insanely over his head that he single handedly beat 2 teams that could have competed for the cup. then he came back down to earth. now he's a very solid goaltender playing on an excellent young team.

Internally the trade was a no brainer, and 29 other GM's would have made the same decision.

He was unreal when they were up against the wall in the first 2 series. He got blown up a few times in the playoffs and lost in 5 to Philly. He was great in about 5-6 games though.

And for people complaining about Halak-hate. Get a grip, it's not hate it's an understanding that Carey Price was always the guy and the better goalie and has nothing to do with Halak.

 

[madhi19]

the only debate was among fans who witnessed a goaltender play so insanely over his head that he single handedly beat 2 teams that could have competed for the cup. then he came back down to earth. now he's a very solid goaltender playing on an excellent young team.

Internally the trade was a no brainer, and 29 other GM's would have made the same decision.

To be fair you could make the point that Price would have fetched a king ransom. And more than a few GM publicly stated that they were shocked that the Habs did not even try to shop Halak.

 

[the]

January: GAA 2.35, SV% 0.917
February: GAA 2.52, SV% 0.920
March: GAA 2.40, SV% 0.917
April: GAA 1.82, SV% 0.940

Which one is he going to come "all the way" down to?

He will come down to earth during the playoffs...I can feel it!

Playoffs: GAA 2.42, SV% 0.923

 

[CupInSIX]

If you're that sure you have a short memory :\ Halak was our #1 in the playoffs and is only 1 year older. It wasn't as cut and dry a decision as you make it sound.

It probably was, actually. Only fickle fans thought Halak was the better goalie moving forward. I'm sure the Habs video team broke down all the screen shots Halak was too short to see as well. The Flyers just ate him up.

Nat King Cole

 

[HabsChik*]

You're a strange poster.

Price has never got lit up before? Come on.

And Chad Johnson has been great? In what world? He lets in about 4 goals a game while stopping 7 shots. He's awful.

Gauthier made the right decision (I think), but Halak is a #1. Don't kid yourself.

Pot calling the kettle black ?

 

[bipolarhabfan]

Pat Jablonski and it is not even close.

 

[Sword]

He never did much in the playoffs post Habs, he was injured in game 1 of the 2nd round against the Kings in his 1st year with the Blues and the spot of no.1 goalie was given to Elliot the following year. Apparently, there were some tension between him and Hitchcock.