ESPN Predicts Habs Miss Playoffs
You gotta love these bozo July hockey predictions by dimwits with no other on ice stories to write about. Placing the Canadiens outside brings in readers - bottom line. This time, ESPN's Terry Frei has the Habs out of the loop. Never heard of him, but he thinks he has his pulse on stuff. Good on him. Nothing deeply analytical here, but worth a pffft!
over 2 years ago
Robert L
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I wouldn’t be concerned with a Colorado writer analyzing the Canadiens moves.
The biggest issues I have with Gainey’s moves are cap concerns, but looking at the team player for player they are improved. Last time the consensus was that they stunk, they won the East.
So keep the predictions coming!
www.fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com
I’m not convinced the Habs make the playoffs, either, just based on the sheer volume and magnitude of moves. There’s a lot of cohesiveness lost when most of your veteran core is tossed unceremoniously overboard, though I’ll grant that Gomez-Gionta might not be a bad place to start.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)
Were the Habs cohesive last season?
They made the playoffs.
Assesments by outside sources rarely take into account the internal improvement of a hockey team.
Latendresse, Plekanec, Lapierre, A. Kostitsyn, S. Kostitsyn, Price, Halak can all improve internally.
The amazing thing is that the media made these same assumptions just two seasons ago, yet are
tripping over the same mistakes again.
In order for the Habs to be worse than last year:
1. Gomez, Gionta and Cammallari will have to be the same as they were last season.
2. The Kostitsyn’s will have to plateau at their regression point of last season.
3. Price and Halak will not improve
4. Mara, Spacek and Gill will not work as an upgrade, but a regression over Komisarek, Boulion and O’Byrne/Dandenault.
5. Latendresse and Lapierre’s progression will also halt
They are a better team today then they were in April.
www.fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com
“Taking into account the internal improvements of the hockey team”, I predicted two seasons ago that Montreal would finish first. I also based it on Ottawa taking the usual Stanley Cup finalist starts slow mode that Pittsburgh took last season. This season, I see them clinging to 7th or 8th,but still in the picture. I gather opponants will have a rough time sizing up the Canadiens for a bit.
Like, who knew what to make of Frankenstein when he was first “born”!
I’m sure it was all fine and dandy to hear people predict that the Canadiens were gonna win the Cup in their centennial season but now that the Habs are clearly a mess you can’t seem to accept that as a fact.
And BTW, two seasons ago Pittsburgh could’ve finished first in the East, but lost their final regular season game on purpose by resting their players so they could have and easier road to the finals.
On paper, yes, this is a comparable or better collection of players (I would say better up front, worse in the back; I’m not a huge Spacek fan). I guess I’m just concerned about how they’re going to perform on the ice as a team. A lot of those late-90s/early-2000s Rangers teams were decent enough on paper, but never played well together and consistently missed the dance. My most optimistic guess is that there’ll be an early-season slump and a lot of hand-wringing before everything comes together in December and they make a charge for a low playoff seed. That being said, I would not be surprised or disappointed if they miss altogether, especially considering cunningdave’s salient point, that the gap between playoff have and have-not has been negligible in recent years. Remember the Habs’ margin over Florida last season.
As for internal improvement, I agree, it’s often overlooked. One of the big problems in convincing people the Oilers can be a playoff team with a couple of tweaks (third-line centre) is in making it clear that there’s so much room for improvement on last year’s collective sophomore slumps from a lot of key young players. It’s a similar problem to Montreal, actually, where most of the good young players had off years or long slumps last year.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)
If they miss the playoffs though
then Gainey’s moves are a disaster.
The whole strategy was short term thinking and long term cap pain, if they aren’t good in 2010 then
they are in BIG trouble.
www.fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com
Actually...
Actually, Terry Frei is one of ESPN’s better columnist, hockey notwithstanding. He’s written some good stuff and even responded to an email or two that I sent him when I had something to comment on. In general, he’s fair, and these days who can tell who’ll make the playoffs? With SO points, the difference between 7th and 10th is usually less than six points – it’s a crap shoot.
Where is the consistent reasoning?
The Leafs are going to make the playoffs because they signed Komisarek and Beauchemin?
They got an unproven goaltender in Gustavson who if things go well will just backup Toskala?
He is implying that Toskala bounces back from disaster and the zero depth at forward will be enough
to get them in the playoffs.
Where is the reasoning as to why the Habs will miss the playoffs? What does Gomez’s salary have to do with
next season, that issue will be something that needs to be dealt with post 2010. No mention of any players
and the possibility of bounceback. This is not analysis.
This is somebody who skimmed over the summer transactions and is affixing odds based on the talent level
moving between teams. Why Komisarek coming off a terrible season is not discounted on future potential
but Gomez and Gionta are is beyond me. He did not mention one thing that is a real concern, just lazy uninspired
rehash.
That is my problem with it.
www.fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com
I also think he is severely underestimating
the Panthers.
I can see Ewing theory all over them (J-BO)
www.fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com
I like the Moen and Mara signings.
Overall, I’m inclined to agree with the writer, partly for the same reasons that Doogie2k mentions. Also, Toronto will be a better team this year. The Panthers too, probably.
However, I do think that if this team can make the playoffs, they could be dangerous.
Whether or not we make the playoffs will be strongly determined by how we do against Toronto and Boston.
I’d place us around 9th, battling for the 8th position.
I’m not sure if I care that much about the team now, or I am just curious. Of course, if they win their first 5 games I’ll be making plans for the Stanley Cup Parade just like everyone else.
Way too early to judge
Gee, I thought the guy on THN that made the top 10 bad free agent signings was evaluating too early.
Now these “experts”!
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