Comments on: Realistic 2008-2009

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:48:24 +0000

Within the next 35 games Plekanec will beat every single season record Koivu accumulate over the past 14th years or so and you might snap out of your coma and start watching the games, ANSWER THIS, when did Koivu score his last goal in regulation? Ribiero already put better numbers than Koivu and in only half a season! Koivu a playmaker? Witch plays are you talking about, maybe the 35- 40 assists he gets each year? If Koivu was such a playmaker why is it that nobody ever produce playing along Captain and don't give me that sh-t, Koivu never played with talented winger, how about Recchi, Higgins, Kovalev. When your a team first line centerman and captain your supposed to make players around you better, something Koivu never did but witch Plekanec is doing right now. Koivu Can't produce or get result like you like to say on the first line, how is he gonna produce on the third? Are your parents brother and sister?

Koivu has become a joke and so did you!

By: habsrock99

habsrock99 — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:01:56 +0000

I can see that you're desperate in this argument. And you must not be able to read all that well either. Like I said, Saku Koivu is a PLAYMAKER. Not a goal scorer. Can you get through you're thick skull? A PLAYMAKER. To be a 1st liner, you need heart, determination and a lot of talent. To be a Captain, you need even more heart, even more determination, you need tonnes of leadership, you need to be the Heart and Soul of your team and you need to be respected by not only your team but your peers as well. Saku Koivu flls every bit of those things. No offence to Tomas Plekanec, he fills out just 2 of those categories, determination and talent. He's learning to play with heart and has been since last year. But he isn't a Captain by no means.

A first liner doesn't have to score goals, case and point, Adam Oates, 2 time 30 goal scorer, which happend to be during the 2 most offensive years of the 1990's. Craig Janney was a solid 1st line hockey player who scored 20 goals just 3 times in his career. How about Doug Weight? Never scored more then 26 goals and was arguably one of the better centermen during his prime.

If you want a recent player, I'll give you one. Joe Thornton. He hasn't hit 30 goals since 2002-03. Are you gonna sit there flapping your gums trying to tell me he isn't a 1st liner because he doesn't score goals? Want another one? Henrik Sedin. Has never scored 20 goals in his career. Are you gonna say he isn't a 1st liner? Ales Hemsky is another example of a 1st line PLAYMAKER. In order to score goals, you need someone who sets them up, wanna know what those players are called? PLAYMAKERS.

Like I've said, you DO NOT need to score goals to be a 1st liner. If I wanted I could name probably 20 more players who fit the bill of being a Playmaker, who in your eyes, aren't 1st line players because they don't score goals.

When healthy and given the right wingers, Saku Koivu is a 70-80 point threat year in, year out. If put on a team with very good wingers, he could be an 80-90 point threat easily. Unfortunately in his career Koivu's had a revolving door by his side when it comes to wingers because the Habs have had some of the stupidest GM's in Andre Savard and Rejean Houle during Saku's tenure as a Hab. Yet, when he was healthy he still managed to produce points despite having to deal with 3rd liners who were being masked as 1st liners.

Now, you want to know where I get this "shit" about Koivu playing better since Sergei's call-up? WATCH THE F***ING GAMES and you'd see it. He's been playing much more aggressively then usual and he's been solid defensively and not to mention he's been driving to the net. Playing aggressively leads to getting more quality scoring chances, which he's gotten, which in turn leads to more goals/points, which will come. Playing aggressively also leads you to getting more penalties. Ask any Power Forward in NHL history or any player that drives to the net a lot.

What's next? Are you gonna start saying Komisarek's a complete waste of skin because he only has 12 points? Or that Latendresse is a waste of life because he only has 4 assists? Or that Alexei Kovalev is a piece of shit because he "only" has 20 goals?

You think that no one will want Koivu because he "sucks" in your eyes. Well reality check shithead, I can name any Play-Off bound team that would gladly welcome Koivu with open arms and who's 4.75 million salary is below the league average for Captains.

And you know what, I am beginning to hope Koivu does get traded to another team because he's endured enough in his career health-wise that he doesn't need to put up with your shit, any fans who are like you's shit, the French media's shit or the French politician's shit.

As far as my response about Ryder, I still stand by it. Without Koivu, he wouldn't of scored 30 goals last year, he'd of been lucky to net 15. And without Koivu and Ribeiro, he wouldn't of scored the 30 and 25 he put up the 2 previous years. Put Ryder with another 3rd liner and he produces squat. Put Koivu with 3rd liners, you still get results.

Don't bother responding because I'm not gonna read it or respond. I'm done with you as you are nothing more then an ignorant person who knows nothing yet you think you do.

By: habsalicious

habsalicious — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:30:54 +0000

Why do idiots always have to go with Koivu VS Peklanec? Huet VS Price? Etc.

As far as I know, we do need 4 centermen on the team, and two goalies. What's wrong with having KOIVU AND PEKLANEC? NOTHING!!!! That's what makes teams win you *********!

And those who think Huet is not a top ten goalie in the league don't know much about hockey either. The fact remains he's been putting good and consistent numbers (top five at least) in the league for the past three years. Sure he's got weaknesses, but he's easily top ten material. I'll concede that he sucks when out of the net to play the puck, but in the end it's the GAA and the save percentage that matters. And he has great ones.

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:43:39 +0000

Osgood, Legace, Lethonen, Gerber and Toskala aren't better than Huet but the rest are.

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:40:32 +0000

Also in a previous post you said that Ryder scored 30 inconstent goals and wasn't worth first line, was Koivu more constent while scoring an unbelievable 22 goals? Ryder has score more goal in is first three season than Koivu in his last five but yet you claimed that koivu deserves fist line time, how does that make sense? You are such a tool!

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:33:38 +0000

Where do you get this shit that Koivu has played better since Kostisyn was brought up, how so? And you think that Koivu season high 75 pts is worthy of first liner, I don't think so! 80% of all NHL players could get 75 pts/year playing on the first line , Since Koivu has been better since Kostitsyn call-up, tell me the last time Koivu scored a Goal, about 10 games ago, what a star! Yes everybody takes penalty but koivu(65PIM) is second on his team behind Kostopoulos (66PIM)? BTW RDS has been televising habs games for only 3 or 4 years,not every habs games have been televised since 99-00. Koivu played for around 14 season and his best season was 75 pts, witch he only did once, it's not like he's a regular 75 pts man, that was one time only, pathetic!

We won't trade Koivu cause nobody wants him! Who would want a $4.750 000 million a year 20 goal scorer? Snap out of it retard!

By: habsrock99

habsrock99 — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:43:30 +0000

Again, you are an idiot who obviously didn't read my original comment. Plekanec scored 20 goals and 47 points last year while scoring at least 32 in the 2nd half. Saku Koivu scored 22 goals last season, which any person above the age of 6 can tell you, 22 is greater then 20. As for Koivu leading the league in scoring the one year he was injured, he was setting the pace through January of the 1996-97 NHL season, which happend to be his 2nd NHL season but then an injury struck him and he missed the majority of the 2nd half, playing in 50 games in all while scoring 56 points.

And yes, the Habs have suffered through Koivu's tenure and like I stated before, IS IT HIS FAULT HE WAS STUCK WITH UNDER-ACHIEVING LINE-MATES LIKE MICHAEL RYDER, DAINUS ZUBRUS, SERGEI ZHOLTOK, OLEG PETROV, MARTIN RUCINSKY, TREVOR LINDEN, BRIAN SAVAGE, BENOIT BRUNET, SHAYNE CORSON, CHAD KILGER, JAN BULIS, RICHARD ZEDNIK, DONALD AUDETTE?? It's not a Captain's job to build a team, it's a GM's job.

Like I stated before, had you actually read my comment, had it not been for 2 incompetent GM's in Rejean Houle and Andre Savard who got 3rd line talent which in turn made the Habs a very mediocre team, Koivu would have been a much more successful player which in turn would have made the Habs into a more successful team through the late 90's and early 00's.

And whoopdy sh!it, you saw 81 of 82 games last year. I bet you feel proud. I haven't missed a f***ing game since 1999-00, a string of 619 Regular Season games. Now add the 29 Play-off games in that time, that makes for 648 straight games I've seen. Now, factor in I've been a Habs fan for nearly 19 years and I watched them through-out the 1988-89 and 1992-93 Cup runs, I've seen well over 1200 Habs games in my life.

I've had the luxory/priveledge of watching Saku Koivu when he was at his best. I've also seen Tomas Plekanec from Day 1 and I can tell you Plekanec isn't at the same level Koivu was at this time. Koivu's had the heart and talent of a 1st liner his entire career but he lacked the size back when 1st liners had to be over 6'1". They don't have to now but unfortunately Koivu's better days are behind him and he isn't as fast as he once was. When Plekanec first came up, he was considered an above-average 3rd line offensive threat and I'm proud to say that he's emerged as a potential team leader in points.

You obviously must not watch the same games I do on RDS because if you have watched every game this year like you said, then you would have noticed that since Sergei's call-up, Koivu's had an extra bounce in his step and has been playing a much better overall game not to mention a more agressive game then when Michael Ryder was dragging him and Higgins down. Sure, Koivu takes penalties AS DO ALL 750 OTHER NHL PLAYERS. Sure, some are bad but anyone, anywhere can make a case that just about any penalty being called is bad. Mike Komisarek takes bad penalties most nights, as do Alexei Kovalev, Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Markov, Francis Bouillon, Roman Hamrlik, Chris Higgins and just about any other Habs player. Playing as agressively as Koivu's been playing lately, you're bound to get penalties but take notice over the next few games and watch when Koivu's on the ice, he drives for the net, something he didn't do through-out the fisrt 20-30 games while playing with Ryder/Smolinski/Kostopoulos/Dandeneault.

As for checking my stats, I have, have you? Plekanec's first year, he yielded 9 goals and 29 points compared to Koivu's 20 goals, 45 points. Plekanec's 2nd year, he had 20 goals and 47 points, where Koivu had 17 goals and 56 points in 50 games, 9 more points in 31 less games. That's when the injuries hit Koivu and derailed his production ove the next 7 seasons. And like I've stated a few times now, Koivu's career high in goals is 22, which is 2 more(TWO MORE) then what Plekanec's career high currently is. Now yes, Plekanec is likely to surpass Koivu's 22 goals but take a moment and think about this, Koivu never has and has never claimed to be a goal scorer. He's a play-maker. Plekanec is an between, he can set up decent passes and can finish when need be.

As for Higgins not being the same, I'm pretty sure it's because he's playing with an under-achieving player in Michael Ryder and a born 4th liner in Maxim Lapierre and has been for roughly 10-15 games now, not the fact he hasn't played with Plekanec and Kovalev. Higgins is being used as an Energy Player because frankly, he has chemistry with any combination of line-mates.

And, on a last note, Tomas Plekanec is currently on pace for a 29 goal, 72 point season, which is 3 less then Koivu's career high when he scored 75 last year.

And, you know what, be in denial all you want but if it weren't for Kovalev being as great as he's been this year, both the Habs and Plekanec would hurt tremendously. I'm talking about if it weren't for him, we'd be right where the Leafs are, maybe lower. And Plekaenc would be nowhere near his current pace and we'd be reading articles of "Trade Kovalev and Plekanec" instead of "Trade Koivu".

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=56385 -Plekanec's stats

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=2771 -Koivu's stats

Now remember, I've provided these links because you claim Plekanec's 20 goals has surpassed Koivu's career mark when it HASN'T. 22>20. Grade 2 Math right there.

By: BruMagnus

BruMagnus — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:23:12 +0000

I know he's your first line center. And I hope he gets more minutes.

In fact, I have to thank you and whichever other Habs' fans gave me the heads-up about Plekanec, as I stole him in a VERY late round in my hockey pool and he is doing me wonders. I'm currently in a up-down battle for 1st and 2nd, and him and Dustin Brown are the biggest reasons why.

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:42:13 +0000

Plekanec is already our first line centerman, Do you even watch the habs, we barely see Koivu anymore! Carbo doesn't decide who's our first line center, the opposition coach does by sending his checking against our first line and the last time "I" checked Plekanec line was our first, regardless of what your dumb ass thinks!

PS: If you don't know squat or don't watch the habs don't embarassed yourself by writting limited and ignorant sh-t about them! Get a clue!

By: Plekanec

Plekanec — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:37:01 +0000

If he is such a leader explain why the habs had their worst years in almost a century with Koivu as there Capt. I never said it was Koivu's fault for having cancer ect... All I said he had is shot and now it's time for new blood!

BTW I watched 81 out of 82 games last year and haven't missed one yet this year on RDS> As for Koivu being re-juvenated, you had to be kidding, he has 3 even strenght goals all year , he's been sitting at thirty pts for two weeks and keeps taking dumb hooking penalty, WHAT A RE-JUVENATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As for Koivu leading the scorer one year before getting injured, Brian Savage did the same thing one year leading all NHL scorer and was neck to neck with Lemieux for the first 28 games!

My question to you is, Do you watch hockey? It look like you Can't let go of the 90's! The fact is Koivu never, never had a season over 75pts or over 21 goals, even though he had cancer he still had at least 8 healthy season but failed to produced and came short of making the playoffs most years as our captain.Koivu was never worthy of first line time. So before you flat your gums make sure you do some research!

As for Plekanec depending on Kovalev for success, I don't think so! Last year Plekanec wasn't playing with Kovalev and had over 40 pts in the second half of the season and this year Kovalev start producing when paired with Plek, Even Higgins isn't the same since split off last years line with Kosti and Plek . Plekanec already passed koivu goal record for a season and will probably pass his point record this year after only playing for 3 years so why don't you check your stats before calling people idiots.