fourtrax Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Stay on topic, folks. The subject is Latendresse, not Ryder or the overall team composition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheFly Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I think it is possible if he doesn't play on the fourth line and if he can play more offensively without worrying too much about his defensive play I'd say, let this part of the game to the defensive specialists. What I dont understand is... People keep saying let Latendresse play more offensively without worrying aboyut defense, but isnt this why most fans are mad at Koivu and want Ryder traded? I think Lats is good player and all but, ever since he made the team he has gotten special treatment from fans and media. Sure he had a decent rookie season, but imo he still hasnt proven he belongs on the top two lines. We sent Kostitsyn down because we wanted him to improve his defensive game, we bash Ryder because he was -28. We demand for a new captain because Saku was -25 but, its ok for Latendresse to forget about the defensive aspect of the game? I think Latendresse has the potential to be a decent 2nd line winger, but I want him to prove that he belongs, the way Plekanec proved he could handle being a second line center, the way Higgins proved that he is 20 goal scorer(and maybe even more). The way Ryder had to work himself to make it to the Nhl considering that he doesnt have much talent and prove he was a 30 goal scorer with many fans having doubts(if you dont believe me, read the begining of the Ryder thread), and the way Komesarek had to prove that he can be tough rugged top 4 defensemen. I think Latendresse should be treated like everyone else, and prove that he belongs, and not be given any special treatment. The way to prove that is that he has to 1) work his defensive game 2) work on his play without the puck in all three zones 3) synchronize his hits 4) work on his foot speed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JL Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I think it is possible if he doesn't play on the fourth line and if he can play more offensively without worrying too much about his defensive play I'd say, let this part of the game to the defensive specialists. If we're going to make Kovalev accountable defensively, it's only fair to get the young guy to do the same. Carbonneau and Muller are teaching the guy to become a solid two-way player, a bit like Simon Gagné in Philly and that will beneficiate him in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GDECHANTAL Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 no latrendrees is going to be 20 years old ,has many more tools to play at this level then most young player ,saku "D" is because he is small,and most of our d-man are small ,and they get pushed around ,lats will learn the deffencive play,and with confidence he'll get better,but I presonally see him able to do want ryder did at 26 years old ,this years ,ryder skating was not all that good that rookie year ,lats is big and strong on a small team,need to give he more responcability for he to develop , and because of lats and his age ,montreal can trade ryder to fill some spot ,but it's because of his potencial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NDSuto Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 If we're going to make Kovalev accountable defensively, it's only fair to get the young guy to do the same. Carbonneau and Muller are teaching the guy to become a solid two-way player, a bit like Simon Gagné in Philly and that will beneficiate him in the long run. I'm not talking about Kovalev, I just think that players with amazing offensive skills (like Kovalev) should worry too much about their defensive. I'm not saying they shouldn't care at all, but it doesn't have to be their main concern. In fact, it MUST not be their main concern if they want to show their best up on the ice. I'm not willing to excuse the fact that Latendresse ended the year with -20 (so did the whole team), but I do think that a -10, -5, would be "acceptable" for him. With a good defensive and everything on his team, he could play a lot better and show a little more what he can bring on the ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest habinto Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I'm not talking about Kovalev, I just think that players with amazing offensive skills (like Kovalev) should worry too much about their defensive. I'm not saying they shouldn't care at all, but it doesn't have to be their main concern. In fact, it MUST not be their main concern if they want to show their best up on the ice. I'm not willing to excuse the fact that Latendresse ended the year with -20 (so did the whole team), but I do think that a -10, -5, would be "acceptable" for him. With a good defensive and everything on his team, he could play a lot better and show a little more what he can bring on the ice. I agree I think! It seems that whenever we have offensively gifted players we force them to give up their natural abilities to committee to defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KOIVU#11 Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Ya for a team who's defense I thought for the most part SUCKED for the latter part of the year, we put a lot of emphasis on it, like defense was the way we were going to win. When we do this, guys like Latendresse, Kovalev, (I would say Ryder but somehow he still finds a way to score), and even Samsonov get held back. Howver onj the other hand Koivu and Plekanec had their best offensive seasons yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord_Stanley Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I think a lot of people on here have in bang on... Lats is never going to be Sid the Kid, or a 50-goal scorer even. But he's so freakin' young, he can definitely be a solid part of this team. He's BIG, meaning with practice he can be a presence in front of the net, a Bertuzzi-like presence. But he needs to be faster and smarter. And I think he definitely will be. Watch out for this kid in the next couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest caperns Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Latandresse is great down low in the offensive zone. However he is going to have to do alot of things to his game to deserve more than 11 or 12 minutes a game. He is at the very least 3 or 4 steps behind most people in the league. So Skating is a big issue. He is terrible away from the puck and looks really lost most times unless the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone. He is a big strong kid who can become a good scorer in this league. I am just not sold on him yet. He has alot of potential but needs a lot of work yet. He reminds me alot of Nick Antropov in TO. 12 and 18 for 30 points in 66 games as a 19 year old. They were talking about his size and how strong he was down low. But, his game never did develop. IF Latandresse does not work extremely hard on his weakness's I don't see him being that great a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NDSuto Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 He is at the very least 3 or 4 steps behind most people in the league. So Skating is a big issue. He is terrible away from the puck and looks really lost most times unless the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone. He is a big strong kid who can become a good scorer in this league. I am just not sold on him yet. He has alot of potential but needs a lot of work yet. He's not the best without the puck, but we have to remember that it was his first season. Plus, he was in the Q league right before going into the NHL so it is a HUGE step for him. He pass from being a star in the QJMHL to being a 4th liner in the NHL so he had to adjust his game a lot. Last season he add to learn how to play with the men, next season the expectations will be higher, he'll have to show that he is a man too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Handlanger Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 If he looses some of his fat, he will be a lot faster!!! I think if he gets in better shape, he will be great for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1970 Habs Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 If he looses some of his fat, he will be a lot faster!!! I think if he gets in better shape, he will be great for us. I did not know he was fat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Handlanger Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Just take a look and you will know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koivu-11-Fan Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 He has good hands and a good shot. He is not fast enogh right now and he doesn't have the build of a fast player. He is inconsistint but he can be very good at times. I think he could be a potential 25-30 goal scorer and a 60-65 points per season kind of guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 ^ Just give him a few years more to develop and to find his way, he is still young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FtonHabsFan Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 A couple quotes from Lats & Laps http://www.habsinsideout.com/2007/07/leade...eplaced_latend/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sportsfreak_39 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 ^ Just give him a few years more to develop and to find his way, he is still young ya really no need to be so critical on a 19 I think 20 year old kid who is just entering his sophormore year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyv Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 he looks very trimmed down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aegrith Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 A couple quotes from Lats & Laps http://www.habsinsideout.com/2007/07/leade...eplaced_latend/ "I am from Montreal and I am treated well by the organization, so when it comes time for my free agency, I don't see why I would go anywhere else. It's a question of loyalty," Latendresse said Tell me why more players arnt like this. I dont understand why a top notch player, which im not saying Lat is, yet" cant live his life with 5 million a year , hell i wanna play hockey for 40K a year if I could!!! Loyalty is something thats gone these days , with the exception of a few, Brodeur is one of them, but not many others, even Crosbys contract is a bit high if hes taking 1 for the team, leaving them 1.3 million is nothing. I just love how so many players say its not for the money, but it almost always is. Good for Lat for saying this, hopefully he lives up to it , like Higgins and Kom did also. " not like Ryder" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shamrun Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Tell me why more players arnt like this. I dont understand why a top notch player, which im not saying Lat is, yet" cant live his life with 5 million a year , hell i wanna play hockey for 40K a year if I could!!! Loyalty is something thats gone these days , with the exception of a few, Brodeur is one of them, but not many others, even Crosbys contract is a bit high if hes taking 1 for the team, leaving them 1.3 million is nothing. I just love how so many players say its not for the money, but it almost always is. Good for Lat for saying this, hopefully he lives up to it , like Higgins and Kom did also. " not like Ryder" i agree about the loyalty but the players association would not allow crosby to take such a massive pay cut, in my book, crosby > briere but who is getting some massive moolah in the first year. It would make things weird, if players that are worth 8 mills sign for 4 mills, and vice versa. This is a prime example of why i love koivu, through thick and thin, he is still around here. Guillaume is new to the buisness, im happy to hear what he said about loyalty, (if not for anything it can be used for future quotes if he leves) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheFly Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 When reading the interview they did with him, what did they expect him to say? That he doesnt want to play with us when he's a UFA? lolol He's 19, I think rds and the fans are putting too much pressure on his back and I think everyone should leave him alone and stop assuming that he might score X amount of goals or get X amount of points. He had a good not great rookie season. I think that if he works on the obvious flaws that he has which isnt much and that he gains expierience he will be a good 2nd line winger. I think everyone should lay off the kids back a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FunkyOne Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 Watching some clips of his past season makes me think that Lats will be the French savior we all have been waiting for. He is the perennial powerforward, he will be useless as a 4th liner, he must be given at least 2nd line minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1970 Habs Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 He needs to develop the whole package to be a true power forward. I believe he should start out on the third line with Smolinski to learn about playing consistently, defensively and being more physical. As he progresses then insert him on the second line every so often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Miltie01 Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 Even Bob and Guy say they want him to be good in a few years, not necessarily this year. He is a work in progress folks. He had a decent rookie year. As long as he builds on it and grows we should be happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FREDDYBEACH HAB Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 He needs to develop the whole package to be a true power forward. I believe he should start out on the third line with Smolinski to learn about playing consistently, defensively and being more physical. As he progresses then insert him on the second line every so often. You remember when Burns put Thornton on the 3rd line in Boston to teach him it's a two way game? It did wonders for Joe. I think it would be good for Latendresse to be on the 3rd line. You can learn alot and you can score on that line as well, but only after taking care of your defensive responsibilities first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.