ChitownHabby Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Well, Frei must be a closet Habs fan because the last time he did this we finished first in the conference and last year he picked us for the Cup and it was a disaster, maybe he recognizes that he is 'jinx guy'. He said the Habs will be 9th, which is controversial enough but then he picked the Leafs for 8th, which is just clearly a motivational ploy for our boys, at least those that are left here! http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=4323473 I believe the Habs will finish 6th in the conference, do you agree or disagree with Frei's predictions including the Habs missing the playoffs? As a side note, I could have labelled this a who will finish higher the Leafs or Habs thread but I figured this had more substance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utreder Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Does ESPN even cover hockey? Those people are idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstStar Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Does ESPN even cover hockey? Those people are idiots. I'm with you, they're idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCIDENT Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Someone pointed out, this guys predictions for last year, Habs win the Cup, Bruins don't make the playoffs, Turris wins the Calder, Phaneuf wins the Norris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs1119 Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 The ONLY way Toronto makes the playoffs is if they can make a monster trade and pick up not one but 3 top 6 players so that they can actually have 3 top 6 players on their roster! They have a very imposing defence now, but after Kaberle, they don't really have anyone that can QB a PP very well, nor do they have a great transition Dman, Beauchemin is ok he's a #4 guy and can be used as a 2nd wave PP player he's responsible in his own zone but he lacks foot speed and passing ability to be the go to guy for a blueline. And let's be honest, the only way toronto gets a top 6 player is if they trade their top dman Kaberle and lose that aspect of their game. Are they improved? Heck ya, their D will try to pummel you to make you second guess another attempt at entering their zone. Their goaltending has improved with the Monster backing up a very solid Toskola (as long as he's healthy). But their offence is very suspect when your top players are Grabovski and Hagman. For the laughs to make it past the Habs this year they need a dream season, to make the playoffs...well, I doubt it! As for the Canadiens, I have to be honest and say I don't see a division or conference title this season (unless we see a near injury free top effort season out of everyone). But I can honestly say that 4th isn't out of reach. I mean come on! We finally have a #1 centre (overpaid but a #1 none the less) a 40 goal scorer, a 48 goal scorer, a pretty good blueline, maybe the best goaltending tandem in the east...It's not unreasonable to say this team playing a solid system could win...oh look at that a system oriented coach was hired..what's his name...Oh yeah Jaques Martin. This Frei guy doesn't really know much about hockey...he's a footbal writer for gosh sake! He writes occasionally about hockey in the denver post but he's generally a footbal guy...besides it's ESPN...they barely acknowledge hockey exists! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs_10 Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 they don't know hockey at all... i never cared for their predictions.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChitownHabby Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 I think some of the other predictions are not bad. I am annoyed by the Habs pick, but not as much as the Leafs being picked higher. If he picked the Habs 9th and Leafs 10th, I'd be more ok with it. The Leafs have a solid defence and goaltending which will make them competitive almost every night but when Komi and Beauchemin start taking dumb penalties and one or both of 'em get hurt the Leafs will be another bottom dwelling scrappy team like last year. The Leafs top potential is a playoff spot. The Habs may not make the playoffs but this roster HAS potential. If all goes well, we have 3 guys capable of 30 plus goals and 2 that have already scored 40. We also have some depth on defence and a solid arsenal of pluggers and backup pluggers. Goaltending is actually our only question mark but again the potential for greatness is there. If somehow, Carey Price lives up to his enormous hype, the Habs are serious contenders, especially with some proven recently playoff tested veterans like Gomez, Gionta, Moen, Gil and even Spacek. Cammy is the best player on the roster and he's young. He's also better than ANYBODY on the Leafs team. The Habs may not win the cup but they WILL finish higher than the Leafs!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catt-_mtlc Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Does ESPN even cover hockey? Those people are idiots. Yep they know absolutely jack about Hockey and don't care to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteenIsThaFuture Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Does ESPN even cover hockey? Those people are idiots. I'm with you, they're idiots. Yep they know absolutely jack about Hockey and don't care to know. ESPN knows hockey, Terry Frei doesn't theres a difference. LebBrun, Hradek and Buccigross knows their puck. Also while I predict the Habs for 5th, its possible they finish out of the postseason for those getting all hyper over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catt-_mtlc Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 ESPN knows hockey, Terry Frei doesn't theres a difference. LebBrun, Hradek and Buccigross knows their puck. Also while I predict the Habs for 5th, its possible they finish out of the postseason for those getting all hyper over it. Well MP I value your opinion about hockey above Terry Frei's that's for sure. I just don't put much stock in ESPN Hockey mostly because if you ever watch ESPN they rarely if ever talk about hockey unless there's an on ice incident that embarrasses the game. Maybe the columnists on the ESPN web site are different but watching the people on Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn talk about hockey is truly amusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteenIsThaFuture Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Well MP I value your opinion about hockey above Terry Frei's that's for sure. I just don't put much stock in ESPN Hockey mostly because if you ever watch ESPN they rarely if ever talk about hockey unless there's an on ice incident that embarrasses the game. Maybe the columnists on the ESPN web site are different but watching the people on Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn talk about hockey is truly amusing. ESPN at least tries to cover another sport thats not mainstream by hiring Melrose and Barnaby. As well as one of their anchors being a hockey expert in Buccigross. Their writers Lebrun, works for CBC hockey night in canada, Hradek appears on NHL Live all the time, which is hosted by the NHL Network. Damien Cox is a toronto sportswriter. Buurnside and Buccigross are American I believe, but they're actually paid to follow the sport. Don't listen to Woody Paige (who by the way, made a freaking speech at Sakic's retirement ceremony) or the ATH panel. Only Mariotti and Cowlishaw know hockey, especially the latter as he covers the Dallas Stars. PTI don't know it either although they covered it a little better this year. TSN though is a disgrace No baseball experts No basketball experts (and I mean guys who do analysis, not just Raps games0 Their NFL coverage is ESPN funded or lasts about 10 seconds No tennis experts No golf experts No soccer experts No MMA Russ Amber does boxing once a week for 30 minutes. By the Canadian leader in sports, they mean everyone else sucks but we just suck less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catt-_mtlc Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 ESPN at least tries to cover another sport thats not mainstream by hiring Melrose and Barnaby. As well as one of their anchors being a hockey expert in Buccigross. Their writers Lebrun, works for CBC hockey night in canada, Hradek appears on NHL Live all the time, which is hosted by the NHL Network. Damien Cox is a toronto sportswriter. Buurnside and Buccigross are American I believe, but they're actually paid to follow the sport. Don't listen to Woody Paige (who by the way, made a freaking speech at Sakic's retirement ceremony) or the ATH panel. Only Mariotti and Cowlishaw know hockey, especially the latter as he covers the Dallas Stars. PTI don't know it either although they covered it a little better this year. TSN though is a disgrace No baseball experts No basketball experts (and I mean guys who do analysis, not just Raps games0 Their NFL coverage is ESPN funded or lasts about 10 seconds No tennis experts No golf experts No soccer experts No MMA Russ Amber does boxing once a week for 30 minutes. By the Canadian leader in sports, they mean everyone else sucks but we just suck less. ESPN covers the other major sports very well especially the NFL which is king in the U.S. Cowlishaw is my favorite ATH panel member it just always ticks me off when he gets muted when he tries to talk hockey As for TSN you're right on the money about them they blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy-piton Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 fifth place in the east seems to be realistic for the habs next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate-the-great_mtl Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 fifth place in the east seems to be realistic for the habs next year. screw that, 1st is more like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 I'm gonna wait for Maggie's opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs-transaction-genius Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 did u see were they ranked the devils, 6th and they lost gionta,madden, so they got worse plus brodure is getting older evcery year. the rangers lost gomez and naslund and got higgins to replace naslund and gaborik who plays 10 games a year to replace a big playmaker in gomez. the leafs have no offence at all, their 2 best scorers last year antropov and moore are gone and they only giot better D so they are worse or equally as bad. the caps lost fedorov and kozlov so there replacements are no better and i think we finish 4th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCapitan_mtl Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Predictions are for gypsies. Doesn't it depend on where the NHL wants us to finish anyways?... Honestly I could see this team finishing anywhere from first in the east to the basement. We have so many unknowns, so many intangibles. If Gomez and Gionta spark again and Cammallerri plays as well or better than last year, we have a good chance to make the playoffs. If the young guys like Laps and Tender and Pleks and the Kostytsins play well, same thing. A great season by Price, ditto. If two or or more happen, we'll make a run at first. If all three occur, we could be a cup contender. But key to all these things is a solid defense, and I think this defense could be pretty good. Once they gel. Personally I think I'll be happy if we don't bottom out in that December vacation...er, roadtrip....down south. Over the last decade or so I think that's what has come to ***** me off the most about the team. No matter how we are doing, we always seem to get this roadtrip down to Florida and the south and end up playing like ...well, not actually playing at all......and blowing our season right then and there. The year we finished first is the one year we didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catt-_mtlc Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Predictions are for gypsies. Doesn't it depend on where the NHL wants us to finish anyways?... Honestly I could see this team finishing anywhere from first in the east to the basement. We have so many unknowns, so many intangibles. If Gomez and Gionta spark again and Cammallerri plays as well or better than last year, we have a good chance to make the playoffs. If the young guys like Laps and Tender and Pleks and the Kostytsins play well, same thing. A great season by Price, ditto. If two or or more happen, we'll make a run at first. If all three occur, we could be a cup contender. But key to all these things is a solid defense, and I think this defense could be pretty good. Once they gel. Personally I think I'll be happy if we don't bottom out in that December vacation...er, roadtrip....down south. Over the last decade or so I think that's what has come to ***** me off the most about the team. No matter how we are doing, we always seem to get this roadtrip down to Florida and the south and end up playing like ...well, not actually playing at all......and blowing our season right then and there. The year we finished first is the one year we didn't. Yep that December road trip for the last few seasons is usually the time when things start to go bad then its an uphill climb to just barely make or miss the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amp73 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 As has been a regular HABit during the BG managed years , the Habs will probably fight until the last game of the year for the final playoff spot . 7, 8 or 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket-1 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I can't wait to see the Maple Leafs make the playoffs. With what offense ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2VP Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 As soon as I saw where the Leafs were I laughed. This guy has no clue about what's goin on in the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js2 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I can't wait to see the Maple Leafs make the playoffs. With what offense ? Blake, Hagman, Grabovski, Ponikarovski, Stajan, Kulemin, and Tlusty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramcharger440 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Blake, Hagman, Grabovski, Ponikarovski, Stajan, Kulemin, and Tlusty? so that adds up to what? 130-150 goals? not exactly overwhelming #'s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amp73 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 so that adds up to what? 130-150 goals? not exactly overwhelming #'s And Montreal's offence is goign to come from where ? Gionta 20 Camm 39 Gomez 16 Plekanec 20 AK 23 Lats 14 SK 8 Lapiere 15 then what Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js2 Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 so that adds up to what? 130-150 goals? not exactly overwhelming #'s Their total goals for their top ten scorers were actually more than the Habs top ten scorers last season. Their only problem was defence and Burke made some pretty decent additions to that part of the team. So I wouldn't be surprised if they did make playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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