Finding It Difficult To Get Back Into The Team

[tmash]

I've noticed something kind of weird this season compared to prior seasons. I used to get really excited at the start of hockey training camp: keeping close track of dates, all players attending camp, listening to pre-season games, posting on here, etc.

This season most my posts on here have been in Around the League, I haven't even bothered to read a full game summary, and honestly the only scoresheets I looked at on NHL.com were Anaheim and Ottawa's to see how a couple players were doing.

This is something that's never really happened to me as a fan before. It's partially losing Koivu, but I think it goes beyond that. I've lost players I liked before, but in most cases it at least felt like "it was time" and it felt like the player turnover happened gradually enough that you didn't notice as much. I mean, last year only Koivu and Markov were left from the Savard days, yet at no point did I feel too upset with the turnover of the other 21 guys and I think it happened in a natural fashion when it was obviously their time to go on (Ryder, Zednik, and Theo: three players I liked, come to mind).

I think this year feels so different based on the sheer number of players who left, including the entire captaincy team. But it's also the fact that the players we lost weren't exactly worn out. And perhaps the worst part of it is that I'll always wonder what could have been last season. Had the team never fired Julien and with a little better injury luck, how would last season have gone? Had Koivu, Kovalev, and Tanguay gotten more chances together could they have kept the magic they showed for that brief stretch up? I guess it just feels like last year's team had potential and it was the last chance for that "era" to do something, yet they never got that chance.

Now we have a team of newcomers who I don't recognize and more importantly don't have any memories of. They wear the CH and yet it doesn't feel like they are the Habs. I'm sure in time, and hopefully once the regular season starts, I will get back into this team. But the housecleaning has resulted in an unfamiliar looking team that I don't remember being a fan of.

Is it just me or are others feeling like less of a fan these days?

[SteenIsThaFuture]

Well I don't count for the majority but I'm not much into the team at all currently. Not because of the turnover and whatnot, but mainly because I naturally tend to watch the rest of the league moreso as well as other hockey interests of mine (draft, stats, business, junior hockey etc.)

In the end its still hockey I suppose, and those twenty men will be wearing the CH nevertheless. The faces may be new, and the offseason may have left a bad mark on some, but in my opinion, once the puck drops I think it will take some getting used to. By ten games in though everyone will be focused on hockey and the present situation more than the changes and the drama of the offseason.

Koivu will be the hardest to get over, but I guess what as a fan, can be learned from this is how to seperate cheering for a player to your team.

This isn't directed at you Graeme, just a general rambling.

[jst-onge]

I've noticed something kind of weird this season compared to prior seasons. I used to get really excited at the start of hockey training camp: keeping close track of dates, all players attending camp, listening to pre-season games, posting on here, etc.

This season most my posts on here have been in Around the League, I haven't even bothered to read a full game summary, and honestly the only scoresheets I looked at on NHL.com were Anaheim and Ottawa's to see how a couple players were doing.

This is something that's never really happened to me as a fan before. It's partially losing Koivu, but I think it goes beyond that. I've lost players I liked before, but in most cases it at least felt like "it was time" and it felt like the player turnover happened gradually enough that you didn't notice as much. I mean, last year only Koivu and Markov were left from the Savard days, yet at no point did I feel too upset with the turnover of the other 21 guys and I think it happened in a natural fashion when it was obviously their time to go on (Ryder, Zednik, and Theo: three players I liked, come to mind).

I think this year feels so different based on the sheer number of players who left, including the entire captaincy team. But it's also the fact that the players we lost weren't exactly worn out. And perhaps the worst part of it is that I'll always wonder what could have been last season. Had the team never fired Julien and with a little better injury luck, how would last season have gone? Had Koivu, Kovalev, and Tanguay gotten more chances together could they have kept the magic they showed for that brief stretch up? I guess it just feels like last year's team had potential and it was the last chance for that "era" to do something, yet they never got that chance.

Now we have a team of newcomers who I don't recognize and more importantly don't have any memories of. They wear the CH and yet it doesn't feel like they are the Habs. I'm sure in time, and hopefully once the regular season starts, I will get back into this team. But the housecleaning has resulted in an unfamiliar looking team that I don't remember being a fan of.

Is it just me or are others feeling like less of a fan these days?

I can relate to what you are feeling, I to would have liked to see those players in a Montreal uniform, but bg felt that is wasn't going to work, there must have being something he noticed in the room to want to make those changes. But if you look at the changes man for man I think we are a better team, and maybe without being so streeky and that is in both directions

[Dnjscott]

I had the same feeling for a few minutes....but it went away fast. Mostly because of the experience behind the bench, but also because of the nature of the changes....they're all good. I mean, Gomez, Gionta, and Cammalleri are all top players still young enough to be a force. Spacek, Mara and Gill are great defensive acquisitions. Travis Moen has even looked good. We have a few young guns ready to have breakout years. And now we have a coach who knows what to do.

I hated losing Koivu, too. Something in me wanted to see him raise the Cup in the CH sweater. Bob must have needed a total "changing of the guard" to make the facelift complete. Perhaps the new players will assume ownership of the legacy better if they all come in "clean." New team, new leadership.

The more I thought about it, the better it kept looking for the Habs. We have players who will give it their all until the clock reads 0.0. We have players with Cup rings. We have players who, I believe, will finally be the ones who kick their former team's behinds, not the other way around, as it always seemed to be in past seasons. And we have a coach who is hungry himself to win it all. The Centennial year, with all its crazy celebrations, is over, and so are the old expectations....which, for me, was to painfully witness yet another meltdown when it counted most.

No more. If this team does happen to go down in the playoffs, it won't be without a fight. Mark my words.

[GreekHockeyCoach]

You know Graeme, it's funny that you started this topic and made that post that you made because I've been experiencing the exact same thing. While I had all the free time to watch the last two preseason games, the interest wasn't there. Last year, at the same time, I was glued to my tv or radio following every second of every play. This year, my main concern was, what's Kovy doing? what's Saku up to? are they playing tonight? I did watch part of the game tonight and I was bored. If you remember, I was very vocal after our start last year in getting rid of Carbo, even though we had one of the best records in the NHL. I too sit and wonder what would have happened if we had proper coaching. While I can appreciate everyone's excitement with our new team, I don't feel we're as talented as we were in the past two years.

I hated that we let Streit and Ryder walk and it makes me sick that we let Kovy and Saku walk. I've been cheering for the Habs for close to 40 years and quite a few of my favourite players have come and gone over that time span. I've always gotten over it pretty quickly so why is it that I am so bothered and angry this time around?

I'll always cheer for the Habs, there's no ifs or buts about that. I'll swallow my bitterness and anger like a man and continue cheering for my team, however, it'll take time for the passion to return.

[MrJGoodTimes]

Personally I have been a Hab fan all my life and I've seen players go that I really liked. I think the worst mistake was letting Patrick Roy go because after that it was all down hill for most of the 90's. If you had paid attention last season you would have noticed that when the majority of the players were injured and a lot of the young guys were brought up to play, we went on a winning streak, but after the injured players came back we had the down hill spiral. I want a winning team! I have no loyalty to a player if he isn't preforming. This is a Sport I pay to watch and I want my team to win! I'm not a boyscout leader I won't stand by and think well, I have memories of them in their better days and hold on to the days of old. All last season I kept telling myself Saku is done Gainey please trade him. The guy is too small and I think all that he went through took a toll on him. I think the reason Gainey let so many of the old guys go is he has so much fresh talent in the minors that are ready to go and you either sign them, play them, or let them go. I think that has a lot to do with his decision to let the old guys go. I feel new comers were just what this team needed. The old face produced the same results season after season even with the minor changes. Gainey did a complete face lift. Bring up the young guys and let them mesh with the new signings! Go Habs Go!

[bell75]

Feeling a similar thing. We don't just invest ourselves in the franchise, the city and the logo, we also invest ourselves in the players, and the players that left were uniquely Canadien. Koivu was the skilled little guy who could compete with the big guys, and overcome cancer and the right thing, at least once, would be to see him get that cup. Kovalev was the ridiculously skilled and inconsistent player that you always hoped could just score at will and with style.

Its going to take some time.

From what I've seen so far, these new guys are pretty damn likable too. And they are good players as well. I think they will win your interest back by Christmas.

[Rocket-1]

Well just ask yourself this question do you think we have more talent than before?

[koreysecord1992]

I haven't found that so much, but I'm typically not one to follow hockey so closely. It feels, I don't know, empty almost knowing when I tune in come October I won't hear Koivu's name (well, I'm sure I'll here his name a ton, but you know what I mean), but I suppose that's it.

[Kubby31]

I'll always cheer for the Habs, there's no ifs or buts about that. I'll swallow my bitterness and anger like a man and continue cheering for my team, however, it'll take time for the passion to return.

As I also will...the Habs are all I ever had & this will not change.

Understandably, I can appreciate & sympathized were y'all all coming from though.

[sssfffs]

Can't say I feel the same as you. I just love to watch the puck drop and see my favorite team play!

[roy_133]

While I can sympathize with some of what you're saying for the most part I actually feel the opposite. I like the old core, I like continuity, I like knowing my who I'm cheering for as well but with that being said in a lot of cases I felt the time was right. Kovalev and Komisarek, by all accounts, were made fair offers and decided for whatever reason not to take them, that happens it's part of the business. Saku hurts, more because of what he's been than then what he will be on the ice because he has been in a bit of a decline but sure I'd have rather had him on line 2 with Gionta than Plekanec. The thing is I think there's more to this than meets the eye, I really believe Bob saw a lot of things he didn't like when he took over as coach, he had to of to explain this kind of turnover.

I love seeing the level of excitment the new guys are bringing to the table, people around the team keep talking about this new positive energy and that excites me. When these guys talk about playing in Montreal you can tell they really appreciate that it is a special and unique situation with the best fan base in the league and it's energizing them while maybe it was beggining to wear on the old guard.

Mostly though, I'm excited because I feel we've upgraded in almost every conceivable manner. I can completely understand the feelings, basically everyone lost their best player and in a lot of cases people lost their 2-3 favorite players but from a purely hockey standpoint this is one of my most optimistic preseasons in ages.

[ryderfan1]

You know, this is interesting because last night I could not believe how calm and almost detached I felt watching the game between Sens and Habs...normally, I would have been sitting there with pounding heart, clammy hands, etc...

All these new guys, whom I don't really know (and I wasn't exactly a Gionta or Gomez fan before they donned the holy sweater)...all the guys I had loved and followed over the years, Saku, Komisarek (I tell you, I can't even stand to see him wearing the blue and white yeccchhhh!!! ), Begin....I dunno...

We need to see who's going to be the "heart" of this new team....

We need to see what kind of chemistry establishes itself.

I suspect by the time Oct and the Laffs roll around on the calendar, we'll be feeling a lot less detached....(esp if former Leaf Hal Gill pancakes that heinous Grabby ).

[tony5775]

I really understand where your coming from. Felt the same way when the game started last night. But by the end of the first period I was right in to it.

All I have to say is welcome to the new NHL, it does suck. But there still our Habs. If you start watching them you will see the new guys have come to play this season. I do believe that Gionta might even be able to bring Plekanec out of his funk.

We will get used to them and by mid season they will be the players we all have to see.

[flames4eva]

I think its the "What if?" factor that may be playing a part in some of my reluctance this coming season... the five year plan that looked to be peeking at the right time with a Conference championship, some tweaking of the line-up and a good start to 2008-2009 (at least in the points column) and then the wheels came off. Everything that could possibly go wrong just about did go wrong... at the wrong time. You get your hopes up then poof the dream is gone and you're left with a bad sense that the door has been slammed shut for another five years. But what if things didn't go that bad eh?

Some could probably have seen it coming and there were still doubts (at least on my part) to be truthful, so arguably changes were almost certain to be the result after what transpired both on and off the ice (though the magnitude was a shock)... accept it and move on I tell myself.

Nothing like a breath of fresh air without a need for deoderizer I'm thinking now. Its a new slate and I'm willing to give it a chance even though I cannot say I'm totally happy with some of the off-season moves that BG has made... yet there has been enough to get that interest more than a little perked.

[lesfoldi]

i kind of feel the same way and i hope to god i get it back. My biggest miss is kovalev. he never put up insane numbers but he had my interest to the fullest. I guess it will just take time and hopefully i find a "like" in this team that keeps me coming back

[steph-Quintal-prevost]

After the first couple pre season games.....the only touble I have is getting to know what # each of the new players are and remembering that when watching games. Other than that I say good bye to the broken older team and let's get this on with the new guns.

[Bastian_mtl]

I agree with how you feel. I am excited (maybe curious or interested is more the word) to see the team play as a whole once regular season starts, though I do like seeing the young guys I hardly ever get to see, but I, too, wasn't glued to my t.v. or on the edge of my seat, as is usually the case. I like some of the moves that were made, and absolutely do not like others, but overall, the game seemed boring, more boring than I usually find them, and the new player's didn't really excite me as other's have in the past.....I actually fell asleep before the third period, not that it's never happed before, but it's not a common occurance. I've been thinking for the past few seasons that hockey isn't as fun to watch/follow anymore (because of players, coaches, but mainly the refereeing and rule changes), and with all the changes to the team this year, I can really see the countdown to "no more hockey for me" starting. Sad but true. Not that I'll never watch a game again, I just can't see myself being into it as much and follow it as much as I usually have. Once the season starts, hopefully things will change for me. Here's hoping.

As an above poster stated, "the new NHL sucks"....Amen to that. I miss the old NHL.

[fourtrax]

This is a great thread.

I'm kind of torn, because I often share Graeme's sentiment that this doesn't feel like my team. I see a Kovalev quote in a wire story and I'm still more inclined to check it out than find out what Hal Gill said after one of our preseason games. Saku's departure still angers me to end. Changes needed to be made, but I still don't feel the team needed the absolute overhaul it received.

That being said, I am trying to move forward and cheer for this new incarnation of the Montreal Canadiens, and there are still enough familiar faces left (Markov, the Kostitsyns, Latendresse) that it doesn't feel like an alien team. In the end, it'll still matter just as much to me whether we win or lose, even if the passion for the individual components of the team isn't quite there yet. But fake it til you make it.

[roy_133]

I see a Kovalev quote in a wire story and I'm still more inclined to check it out than find out what Hal Gill said after one of our preseason games.

Well to be fair that's kind of an extreme example. Kovalev is a star player and Gill is a 3rd pairing defenseman. It's like me saying I'm much more interested in a quote from Mike Cammalleri than I am in what Francis Bouillon has to say. I do understand that the emotional attachment isn't there yet for a lot of people and that's to be expected until we see these guy's in meaningful games, scoring big goals, winning games ect. If we had Gomez Gionta and Cammalleri the past 5 season and let them all go at once to bring in Kovalev, Koivu and Tanguay we'd all feel the same types of detachment towards the new group.

Saku's departure still angers me to end. Changes needed to be made, but I still don't feel the team needed the absolute overhaul it received.

Well to be fair, offers were made to Kovalev and Komisarek. It didn't work out and that's just the business but I don't think this magnitude of overhaul was necessarily planned but in same cases it just kind of happened. What I do wonder is what Bob saw in the dressing room after taking over as coach because based on how the offseason went there was some guys he had absolutely no interest in bringing back, not even for the "right" price. There could be more to these decisions then what we see at the surface.

That being said, I am trying to move forward and cheer for this new incarnation of the Montreal Canadiens, and there are still enough familiar faces left (Markov, the Kostitsyns, Latendresse) that it doesn't feel like an alien team. In the end, it'll still matter just as much to me whether we win or lose, even if the passion for the individual components of the team isn't quite there yet. But fake it til you make it.

Agreed. Sure right now it seems bad but once the fans see the first big hit, or big GWG from one of the new guys they'll start to feel that excitement again.

Sometimes it will be a little harder to enjoy yourself. I know in 07-08 while everyone was on top of the world for the first part of the season I resented Kovalev, I resented the fact that Kovalev was having the big year to carry us from mediocrity that I had always prayed Saku would have. I resented it was Kovalev being the hero while Saku actually had a pretty bad year, it took me a good 2-3 months to accept it but by the time February rolled around I had gotten over it and was just as excited for what Kovalev was doing as I would have been if it was Saku.

[habs-24]

I've noticed something kind of weird this season compared to prior seasons. I used to get really excited at the start of hockey training camp: keeping close track of dates, all players attending camp, listening to pre-season games, posting on here, etc.

This season most my posts on here have been in Around the League, I haven't even bothered to read a full game summary, and honestly the only scoresheets I looked at on NHL.com were Anaheim and Ottawa's to see how a couple players were doing.

This is something that's never really happened to me as a fan before. It's partially losing Koivu, but I think it goes beyond that. I've lost players I liked before, but in most cases it at least felt like "it was time" and it felt like the player turnover happened gradually enough that you didn't notice as much. I mean, last year only Koivu and Markov were left from the Savard days, yet at no point did I feel too upset with the turnover of the other 21 guys and I think it happened in a natural fashion when it was obviously their time to go on (Ryder, Zednik, and Theo: three players I liked, come to mind).

I think this year feels so different based on the sheer number of players who left, including the entire captaincy team. But it's also the fact that the players we lost weren't exactly worn out. And perhaps the worst part of it is that I'll always wonder what could have been last season. Had the team never fired Julien and with a little better injury luck, how would last season have gone? Had Koivu, Kovalev, and Tanguay gotten more chances together could they have kept the magic they showed for that brief stretch up? I guess it just feels like last year's team had potential and it was the last chance for that "era" to do something, yet they never got that chance.

Now we have a team of newcomers who I don't recognize and more importantly don't have any memories of. They wear the CH and yet it doesn't feel like they are the Habs. I'm sure in time, and hopefully once the regular season starts, I will get back into this team. But the housecleaning has resulted in an unfamiliar looking team that I don't remember being a fan of.

Is it just me or are others feeling like less of a fan these days?

Well what your seeing right now is bob making one last ditch to keep his job by cleaning house, Most of our team now we have no relationship with we havent gone to war with them before and its gonna take some time to build relationships with most of our team, imo its gonna take this whole season maybe next and some playoff runs to get involved with these players and go to battle with them.

the fact that saku isnt back is just so ridiculous not even offered a contract i mean its mind blowing

[shmitzy-11]

I can't quote everyone but this is in response to everything on this thread.

We have just got to move on folks. Like BOO HOO, let's get goin' already. While I sympathize with you as a fellow Habs fan, who loved those players, I respectfully urge you all to suck it up and get behind the new guys. I never though I would be cheering for Gomez, Gionta or Gill either, in fact I would have said I hated those players. But I said the same thing about Doug Gilmour and looked what happened. Everyone was cheering his name by the end of that year because he gave it his all. They're still the Habs, whether you like it or not, and all seven of the new guys have expressed just how proud they are to wear the CH.

For the last, I don't know, FOREVER, no one would sign in Montreal. Call it the pressure, call it the taxes, call it the language, whatever, no one came to Montreal that wasn't drafted or destined for the bottom-6 (Smolinski, Kostopolus). Now there is this opening of the flood gates and a bunch of proven winners decide to come here and everyone is choked.

The difference between Habs fans and Leafs fans (other than awesome and stupid): Habs fans constantly complain about the team and Leafs fans always think they have a winner. Frankly, they are both unhealthy ways to cheer.

The fact is, the group everyone misses so much couldn't win. They emerged as contenders and the whole scene collapsed on them. What is a GM supposed to do? Call a mulligan? Do you want to sit on the same group year after year like Ottawa did until you are missing the playoffs and watching your star players ask for trades to winners? Not me.

It was a shock, I agree. I had a few weeks to prepare for Koivu because we all knew. And hey, it sucked but it happened. Kovalev threw me a bit because I figured he was going to be captain but, at the end of the day, he wasn't bringing us a cup either.

Will the new guys win? Most likely not this season, but with a killer farm system full of strong prospects and Gomez, the Squid and Gionta locked for five each, I'm willing to see what they can do. Because, when those top prospects are ready to win, a 39-year-old Kovalev and 38-year-old Saku wouldn't be much help.

So I say, GO HABS GO!!! Whoever you are.

[habs-24]

I can't quote everyone but this is in response to everything on this thread.

We have just got to move on folks. Like BOO HOO, let's get goin' already. While I sympathize with you as a fellow Habs fan, who loved those players, I respectfully urge you all to suck it up and get behind the new guys. I never though I would be cheering for Gomez, Gionta or Gill either, in fact I would have said I hated those players. But I said the same thing about Doug Gilmour and looked what happened. Everyone was cheering his name by the end of that year because he gave it his all. They're still the Habs, whether you like it or not, and all seven of the new guys have expressed just how proud they are to wear the CH.

For the last, I don't know, FOREVER, no one would sign in Montreal. Call it the pressure, call it the taxes, call it the language, whatever, no one came to Montreal that wasn't drafted or destined for the bottom-6 (Smolinski, Kostopolus). Now there is this opening of the flood gates and a bunch of proven winners decide to come here and everyone is choked.

The difference between Habs fans and Leafs fans (other than awesome and stupid): Habs fans constantly complain about the team and Leafs fans always think they have a winner. Frankly, they are both unhealthy ways to cheer.

The fact is, the group everyone misses so much couldn't win. They emerged as contenders and the whole scene collapsed on them. What is a GM supposed to do? Call a mulligan? Do you want to sit on the same group year after year like Ottawa did until you are missing the playoffs and watching your star players ask for trades to winners? Not me.

It was a shock, I agree. I had a few weeks to prepare for Koivu because we all knew. And hey, it sucked but it happened. Kovalev threw me a bit because I figured he was going to be captain but, at the end of the day, he wasn't bringing us a cup either.

Will the new guys win? Most likely not this season, but with a killer farm system full of strong prospects and Gomez, the Squid and Gionta locked for five each, I'm willing to see what they can do. Because, when those top prospects are ready to win, a 39-year-old Kovalev and 38-year-old Saku wouldn't be much help.

So I say, GO HABS GO!!! Whoever you are.

your missing the whole point by sayin saku will be 38 in 3 years

[utreder]

I feel the same thing and I think it's because last season was just so mentally and emotionally exhausting, I basically forgot all about hockey over the offseason and now I'm just trying to get back into the swing.

These players will give us something to cheer about soon.

[Lynch_mtl]

Hm...I know what you guys mean, or more specifically, what Graeme means. I can't really explain it. I'm finding it really difficult to discuss the upcoming hockey season, and I don't really care what my boring leafs fan friends say about my team. My passion for the team has slowly worn away, compared to how excited I was about the draft earlier this year, and how cool this offseason was supposed to be. I don't want to say it's because all the players I enjoyed watching play last season are gone, but it's very possible that this is the reason...After thinking about the initial post, I found one line that perfectly described my sentiments: "I see a Kovalev quote in a wire story and I'm still more inclined to check it out than find out what Hal Gill said after one of our preseason games." The problem, I think, is that I have no connection to the current players. I mean, I'm going to be watching habs games rooting for Hal Gill's team and booing Alex Kovalev's team? Weird.

It's not even the fact that the roster was overturned. If Lucic was brought in over the offseason, I'd be excited, and the same goes for many players, like the Sedins, Gaborik, Hossa. When I heard Gill and Gomez were brought over, I thought about how much I disliked these guys 2 seasons ago. The only reason I knew who Cammy was is because I saw him at the top of many best UFA's lists. Who knows, maybe all I need to do is watch a couple of games to get into it, but most of my favorite players are gone, and it's tough to get into the game when you don't have any connection, no good memories of the players that currently fill our roster. I've always been someone to dislike a player, or like a player no matter what jersey they wear. I've always been a Habs fan, but I've never pledged my allegiance to the CH, but to the players who wear the CH. At the moment, my allegiance lies elsewhere.

Question: Who are these guys?

Answer: They're the Habs...but they're not my team.