Comments on: Latendresse taking things for granted??

By: XOXOHTH

XOXOHTH — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:37:57 +0000

I didn't say checking line, and he most certainly isn't getting the same playing time as Plekanec and rightly so.

By: prairiehab

prairiehab — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:25:45 +0000

He is not in a checking line role though, just because he is the “3rd” Line doesn’t mean he is checking, if you take a look at the ice time all 4 lines are getting equal playing time, Koivu’s a little bit more but not much. The Plan so far has been to give Koivu’s Plekanec’s and Kovalev’s Lines equal playing time, and the 4th line happen’s to get close to equal time due to checking resposibilities.
People think Lats should be on the 1st line and Pleks on the 2nd, now if they are together on the 3rd with equal playing time as the 2nd line, does that not make them a legit 3rd Scoring line? the only problem is that Kostolopulos doesn’t have much if any Offensive potential.
It has only been 2 games some time will tell.

By: habsrock99

habsrock99 — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:25:12 +0000

ok, before someone actually says it because it has been implied. Latendresse is here to stay. Their is no demotion to Hamilton in his sights. If, for some f***ed up reason, Montreal wishes to send Latendresse down, he'll have to clear waivers, something he WILL NOT DO, and he'll turn around and bite Montreal in the ass much like Desjardins and LeClair did when they were traded for Recchi. I have a feeling Latendresse's eyes will open up during the Pens game.

By: rob121

rob121 — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:43:18 +0000

Latendresse looks confused. Is he a scorer/power forward expected to improve on last years numbers or a checking line forward expected to pay attention to defense first? Is this coaching staff trying to turn Latendresse into an all around player or are they just biding their time before some player movement opens a space for him to become a more integral part of Montreal's offense? Time will tell but between that and the "Sophmore" jinx, be patient.

By: XOXOHTH

XOXOHTH — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:02:03 +0000

These kinds of things happen when you play a scoring forward in a defensive role. Latendresse is a scorer and a (hopefully, someday) power forward. You just don't play those types of players on 3rd and 4th lines. Gui played well in the top line role last year and until he gets that opportunity again I don't expect much better from him.

By: prairiehab

prairiehab — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:50:37 +0000

Oops, I guess it is not the home opener.

By: prairiehab

prairiehab — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:40:41 +0000

Price to start his first game in the home opener against Crosby and the kids....
talk about getting thrown into the fire.

By: habsoverserver

habsoverserver — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:14:23 +0000

gazette is saying pleks back to second line grabovski sits, chipchura plays on fourth line, smolinski centers the third line and price starts.

By: prairiehab

prairiehab — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:27:43 +0000

What exactly is wrong with trying to balancing 3 scoring lines and a checking line? If a team can run all 4 lines effectively throughout the season the players are not going to be as worn out when they get to the end of the season.
And if you take a look at this: Balanced ice time is exactly what is happening.

http://www.cs.unb.ca/~mwf/habs/

Pleks is not losing any ice time to Kovalev's line. Think of it as lines 1 and 2a-2b.

Besides when Kovy is happy, he plays well, also if he is happy he may want to give some of his knowledge to the players he does like(Kost and Gabs),
Even though Kovy has a bad or Lazy attitude whenever he is Bored and unhappy, No one can say the guy doesn't have loads of talent.
So if Carbs can instill the attitude of Hard work and effort into the 2 young guys, and then add Kovy's Skill and knowledge of the game into the 2 young guys aswell. Then you have 2 young Kovy's without the attitude and laziness.

But if you don't beleive that could happen. Then move Pleks to the 2nd line, Now he has chemistry with Kost, and scores 30 goals (yay). Kovalev is unhappy and becomes a cancer in the locker room again. (boo).
Grabs goes to the 3rd line and tries to play with Lats and Kost. (that line ends up being -9000, because Lats never learns how to put in the effort that Pleks could teach him and Grabs never wins a faceoff because he is on a 3rd line(no longer 2b because you can't give this line as many mins as you could with pleks on it) So now it is a typical 3rd line, trying to check the other teams 1st or 2nd line and getting killed.

So instead of having 3 lines that can all go at a good pace.
You have 1 and 2/3rd's of a line and 10 more goals scored by Pleks, a Kovy Cancer in the locker room, a demorilized Grabs and Lats becuase they got schooled everytime they went on the ice and now have absoutly no confidence.

The fact of the matter is you can't trade Kovy right now, so do the best you can and make him happy, if he stays interested and happy maybe you get some points out of him.
Pleks is good and aslong as he doesn't have signifcantly less mins then the other 2 lines he will still develop, maybe giving him another winger with some offensive skill could help. Smoke can play wing he has done it before. Maybe move Begin to center drop Kosto down to 4th line, and move Smoke up to wing with Pleks, the effort put out by both Pleks and Smoke has got to wear off on Lats or else bench him.
Grabs will get better in the faceoff circle just give him time to adjust to the NHL, gawd.
The last thing to mention, when you have 3 lines with the potential to score it means less pressure and more room for Koivu's line.
We can only work with what we have, give it time.

By: Rico71

Rico71 — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:24:19 +0000

Anyway...

I doubt Grabs will last more then 10 games in Montreal. The guy can't win a faceoff. He was 3 for 15 !!! in Toronto. You can't have him take an offensive or defensive faceoff. Might as well put Kovalev in the faceoff circle. He will be sent back to Hamilton soon and either Pleks or Smoly will get 2nd line duties between Kovy and Kost. Personally, I would try Smoly there. He's got experience and actually is pretty good defensively. That would help the 2 russian.

It is too bad that Pleks gets 3rd line duties...but that's how it goes in Montreal. Kovy seems to not like playing with him, so he gets demoted. If only Latendresse wakes up from his self-induced coma, it will help. Kostopoulos is simply not on the right line. He's at best, a grinder and small-time hitter. Put him on a 4th line with Chipchura and Bégin. Lapierre should be called up if Grabs goes down. I would much prefer seeing Lapierre with Latendresse and Plekanec.

Lines would be:

Higgins-Koivu-Ryder
Kost-Smoly-Kovy
Latendresse-Pleks-Lapierre
Bégin-Chippy-Kostopoulos/Dandeneault

Though Dandy has done a really good job on the 4th.

Umm...