tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post1535055689134922972..comments2023-06-01T21:15:57.354-11:00Comments on The H Does NOT Stand For Habs: Will You Mara Me?J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00012075493503316318noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-68230306531553078402011-02-17T11:00:10.696-11:002011-02-17T11:00:10.696-11:00It isn't that complicated. Nash auditioned. Pi...It isn't that complicated. Nash auditioned. Picard auditioned. Markov and Gorges are out. Spacek is hurt. Mara is back. All of them shoot left.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-67475064321128095682011-02-17T09:10:47.413-11:002011-02-17T09:10:47.413-11:00Fully agree. Mara's not the superstar people w...Fully agree. Mara's not the superstar people wanted to get but to me, he's a decent addition. I'm glad he's back and he provides a good bandaid for the Habs.<br /><br />Now, can PG move AK46, please? I don't care if he does like SK and produces like a maniac...I'm just tired to see him suck in the Habs uniform.<br /><br />Gomez we are stuck with, so lets just stop talking about it...I know he's expensive, not producing, untradable (sp?) etc but he seems appreciated in the dressing room. That has a lot to say about the team chemistry, which, you don't want to mess with as a GM and/or coach.<br /><br />I've read rumors coming from Columbus...I hope they are false. I think we should stick it out with what we got now, unless other injuries hit the team. <br /><br />God forbid Price gets injured! I like Auld but he's no Price, nor is he #1 material (as far as we have seen).Hadulfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-78875814127354224832011-02-17T07:45:40.311-11:002011-02-17T07:45:40.311-11:00While I agree with moving Gomez, it presents a pro...While I agree with moving Gomez, it presents a problem because he's the practically the main setup man for practically any sort of powerplay after Pleks. I honestly don't believe Desharnais can fill that role just yet.<br /><br />Mara coming back to the Habs is a great depth move. Considering ANA gave up Festerling as well for basically Max Lap.nokohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04920127365854198313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-51014266090700496672011-02-17T07:40:36.556-11:002011-02-17T07:40:36.556-11:00What's the big deal? We didn't give anythi...What's the big deal? We didn't give anything away that would prevent us from making a bigger deal (which we are not making anyway) and we did not lose a prospect. It's a pretty good thing to have another Dman like Mara and he should have some motivation to prove he is still an NHL defenceman.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13373309266277039250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-29393234139963568082011-02-17T07:20:38.498-11:002011-02-17T07:20:38.498-11:00Calm & mature analysis, JT (well, except for t...Calm & mature analysis, JT (well, except for the gratuitous Gomez-bashing)--really appreciate the helpful context.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-73408852786507945382011-02-17T07:12:12.651-11:002011-02-17T07:12:12.651-11:00Like the Mara pickup. He was injured in Montreal s...Like the Mara pickup. He was injured in Montreal so we never got to see the player he was in New York. If healthy he'll help Habs stay in the playoff picture. Don't want Kaberle at all and not crazy about Phillips, so good job Goat.dustynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-51115539447698786702011-02-17T06:42:52.776-11:002011-02-17T06:42:52.776-11:00Agreed, I would also like to see Nash given a tryo...Agreed, I would also like to see Nash given a tryout for at least 4-5 games.Martin Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-38958655164183170582011-02-17T05:41:21.950-11:002011-02-17T05:41:21.950-11:00If you think Spacek has been playing solid defense...If you think Spacek has been playing solid defense this year you're watching a different team than I see game in and game out. Spacek gives away the puck about every third pass he makes. He has slowed down so much that he is constantly being caught up ice when the other team breaks out.I would play any of the young D-men (well except Picard) over him. If it were my choice, I'd give Nash a chance to show what he can do and leave Spacek in the press box.<br /><br />And when it comes to that, Subban and Weber are the only blueliners that don't consistently give the puck away (and Hamrlik on his good days). Gill has been passing to the other team since he arrived, regardless of whether he is under pressure or not. Wisniewski passed to the Islanders 3 times in about 15 seconds on one shift (maybe he forgot he was traded for a while) but at least he has a serious offensive upside to make up for his extremely poor defensive game.<br /><br />I would consider bringing Hamrlik back next year for the right price, but they should buy Spacek out (no other team would trade for him). And the reason they never offered Mara a contract after last year was because he never did anything to justify it. He'll do as an emergency fill-in, but really he didn't play a physical game for Montreal, had no offensive game and he wasn't all that effective inside his own blueline. I'd rather see Nash get that ice to develop.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-51659380592198706312011-02-17T05:29:20.261-11:002011-02-17T05:29:20.261-11:00I think Mara is a good addition to this team. He i...I think Mara is a good addition to this team. He is going to be looked upon as a 6th/7th defencemen which is exactly what he is. He can provide some solid minutes over the next few weeks to give some of the other guys some rest for the playoff run. In regards to whether this team is a contender or not. It's hard to say. Vancouver and San Jose have been called "Contenders" the past number of years with 0 cups between them. I would hate to see us give up some prospects/picks for a single run. This is a new era in the NHL where picks/prospects have to be treated like gold. I think if we can get Gill and Spacek back, our defence really isn't that horrible. Everybody is familiar with the system and as long as everyone buys in as they did last year, you never know what will happen. I think that only Kostitsyn and Gomez should be moved. Kostitsyn has been invisible all year, which is too bad because he has so much potential and such a lethal shot. He should be able to fetch a good prospect in return. Gomez, unfortunately for all of Habs nation, he is very much UNTRADEABLE. Put him in the minors next year and free up some space.Martin Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-60417145411206469702011-02-17T04:54:58.259-11:002011-02-17T04:54:58.259-11:00Your on the money J.T.Your on the money J.T.Ian Cobbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-1508856828050133452011-02-17T04:19:23.773-11:002011-02-17T04:19:23.773-11:00We've heard this before about how excited we a...We've heard this before about how excited we are about our prosepcts even back in 2003 when we praised Michael Ryder, Mike Komisarek, Josef Balej, Jason Ward to name a few and then 4 years later with Sergei Kostitsyn, Maximw Lapierre, Ryan )'Byrne, Mikhail Grabovski, Ryan )'Byrne, to name a few. So it appears we are on a trend. Expect an exciting competitive team in the regular season and just hope we squeak into the second round playoffs to make the playoffs. I say we totally retool this team if we all want a Cup in Montreal in the next 5 years. And if it means to trade Weber, Cammalleri, Gionta, to name a few, so be it.RetroMikeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-47667998914283252212011-02-17T03:06:01.927-11:002011-02-17T03:06:01.927-11:00Exactly my sentiments, J.T. We gave up nothing ta...Exactly my sentiments, J.T. We gave up nothing tangible, and Mara adds some veteran depth on defence at a critical moment. The idea of facing Calgary and Vancouver with one veteran Dman is frightening. Gill is skating, but we don't know the extent of the injury to Spacek.<br /><br />Mara was not terrible last year, and by the time the team had come together and was playing well, he was out for pretty much the rest of the season, so it's not really fair to draw conclusions from his early-season performance with us.<br /><br />Mara knows the team, the system, and Jacques Martin, so he should fit in well. Also, he said at the end of last year's playoff run that he would give anything to play for this team this year.JFnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-43402395999976723762011-02-17T02:43:38.142-11:002011-02-17T02:43:38.142-11:00Team USA? With Mara, the American count to where ...Team USA? With Mara, the American count to where the CH is now at seven!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-5189093095268389182011-02-17T01:55:22.149-11:002011-02-17T01:55:22.149-11:00Well-said, J.T. When I first saw news of the trade...Well-said, J.T. When I first saw news of the trade, I admit that I was a little dismayed. But on the other hand, he's a good insurance policy and at least we (and the coaches) know what to expect. <br /><br />Moreover, the 5th rounder we gave up to get him was the one we acquired for Lappy, which amounts to a trade of Lapierre for Mara--one spare part that was no use for us for another team's spare part that could be serviceable. Viewed in that light, you could hardly say we got ripped off.Jay in PAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03609710878759642575noreply@blogger.com