[cferneyh]

Well that sucks. It would have been fun to have the Leafs knock out the Sabres in Round One, and then read all of the excuses. Ah well.

I'd like to nominate Andrew Raycroft for the Alexei Yashin Least Valuable Player Award, given annually to the player who does everything in his power to keep his team out of the playoffs. Of the 42 goalies with at least 27 games played, Raycroft finished an impressive 35th in save percentage. Andrew, I recommend you spend some time with Kiprusoff over the summer and learn the art of not giving up fat juicy rebounds on every shot.

I thought you said Raycroft was decent because he was putting up wins. If you're talking about Save % and GAA, your favourite goalie, Gerber, beats Raycroft in both categories by a fairly wide margin. Is Raycroft still head and shoulders above Gerber?

Things YOU said early in the season: Luongo has been a huge disappointment.

Things I said early in the season: In a battle between who has been a bigger bust, Gerber vs Raycroft - Gerber easy.

So careful about which house you pick to throw stones at, buddy.

Raycroft is on the books for two more years at $2 mil per. Gerber is on the books for two more years at $3.7 mil per. Considering he eats up more cap space and sits on the bench, Gerber will continue to be the bigger disappointment.

[grimes]

Rather fitting that it was a shootout that eliminated the Leafs today. Of course, they have no one to blame but themselves, as one can look to their performance on Long Island last Thursday, or in Manhattan last Sunday, or the debalce in Buffalo, or the 5-1 loss in Washington in mid-March, or their shootout record, etc., etc., as the being difference between making playoffs and hitting the golf course. It's unfortunate that this weekend's events have left us with only 3 Canadian teams in the playoffs (yes, I would rather have had the Habs make it than the Isles).

I would hope that a 2nd consecutive year of missing the playoffs would effect some significant organizational change for the Leafs, but that is likely wishful thinking on my part, and we'll probably be mired in mediocrity for years to come.

Anyway, I like the Devils in the east, and San Jose in the west this year. I'm also thinking the Wild will pull the upset in the first round, and maybe the Flames too.

Brodeur seems to have a lock on the Vezina, but I expect we'll here some interesting debate between him, Luongo, and Crosby for the Hart. My money says Crosby will win it, but Brodeur should win it.

[tth_fan]

the Toronto Maple Leafs.... 40 years without a Stanley Cup, and proud of it! :thumb:

Dont worry next year is the year, they mean it this time.

:lol: :lol:

Still bitter they knocked out the Habs eh?

a little
But I'm generally happy every year that the Leafs don't win !

[tigerthelion]

Well that sucks. It would have been fun to have the Leafs knock out the Sabres in Round One, and then read all of the excuses. Ah well.

I'd like to nominate Andrew Raycroft for the Alexei Yashin Least Valuable Player Award, given annually to the player who does everything in his power to keep his team out of the playoffs. Of the 42 goalies with at least 27 games played, Raycroft finished an impressive 35th in save percentage. Andrew, I recommend you spend some time with Kiprusoff over the summer and learn the art of not giving up fat juicy rebounds on every shot.

I thought you said Raycroft was decent because he was putting up wins. If you're talking about Save % and GAA, your favourite goalie, Gerber, beats Raycroft in both categories by a fairly wide margin. Is Raycroft still head and shoulders above Gerber?

Things YOU said early in the season: Luongo has been a huge disappointment.

Things I said early in the season: In a battle between who has been a bigger bust, Gerber vs Raycroft - Gerber easy.

So careful about which house you pick to throw stones at, buddy.

Raycroft is on the books for two more years at $2 mil per. Gerber is on the books for two more years at $3.7 mil per. Considering he eats up more cap space and sits on the bench, Gerber will continue to be the bigger disappointment.

HAHAHA, nice one. I love how defensive you get. So now money is a factor is it? Gerber put up better numbers in the time he played this season than Raycroft. Raycroft, by all rights, should be on the bench a lot more. Gerber can't really control that now can he? He has a coach who feels Emery is better. Raycroft has a coach who plays him no matter what.

Also, Luongo was a huge disappointment early on. Everyone with a brain could see that he was playing like an average goalie until the new year.

Canucks, best Canadian team during the regular season. :thumb: :thumb:

[thedarkcanuck]

was nice to see joe sakic hit the 100 pt mark even though the avs came up short. 95 pts and they miss the playoffs hock:

[ryan93]

I was rooting for the Avalance to catch the Flames these past few weeks, and they came very close to doing so. Had they not blow their 2-1 lead against Nashville Saturday night, they might just be in the playoffs. Of course had the Avs won that game, the Flames would of had Iginla, Langkow, Regehr, etc. in the lineup last night & the game would have actually meant something to them, so who knows what the outcome would of been.

And I agree, it was great to see Joe Sakic reach the 100 point mark, I was watching some of that game just for that reason.

[skippy the wonder dog]

the Toronto Maple Leafs.... 40 years without a Stanley Cup, and proud of it! :thumb:

Dont worry next year is the year, they mean it this time.

:lol: :lol:

Still bitter they knocked out the Habs eh?

The Leafs didn't knock out the Habs.

The Habs spent half the season energetically knocking themselves out.

I'm pretty bitter at the Habs this year, because they spent the first half of the season showing what they could do, and the second half showing that they didn't really want to do it.

[cferneyh]

HAHAHA, nice one. I love how defensive you get. So now money is a factor is it? Gerber put up better numbers in the time he played this season than Raycroft. Raycroft, by all rights, should be on the bench a lot more. Gerber can't really control that now can he? He has a coach who feels Emery is better. Raycroft has a coach who plays him no matter what.

Also, Luongo was a huge disappointment early on. Everyone with a brain could see that he was playing like an average goalie until the new year.

Canucks, best Canadian team during the regular season. :thumb: :thumb:

Defensive? By reiterating my point? Uh, OK.

Guess what slugger - in a league with a salary cap money is ALWAYS an issue. And if you go find my posts on Gerber vs. Raycroft, I make the point about money then as well. This isn't new, nor is it rocket science.

And yeah, Gerber can control how much he plays, by, you know, playing better than the other goalie. It's really not all that complicated.

Yeah, that Luongo was a HUGE disappointment early in the season. I guess that's why he played in the All Star game.

[cferneyh]

The Leafs didn't knock out the Habs.

The Habs spent half the season energetically knocking themselves out.

I'm pretty bitter at the Habs this year, because they spent the first half of the season showing what they could do, and the second half showing that they didn't really want to do it.

You can cut it that way all you like, but the fact of the matter is that had the Habs beat the Leafs - or even taken them to OT, they would be in the playoffs. But the Leafs won, in regulation, thereby officially eliminating the Habs from the playoffs.

[cferneyh]

Canucks, best Canadian team during the regular season. :thumb: :thumb:

Where are they going to hang that banner?

[skippy the wonder dog]

The Leafs didn't knock out the Habs.

The Habs spent half the season energetically knocking themselves out.

I'm pretty bitter at the Habs this year, because they spent the first half of the season showing what they could do, and the second half showing that they didn't really want to do it.

You can cut it that way all you like, but the fact of the matter is that had the Habs beat the Leafs - or even taken them to OT, they would be in the playoffs. But the Leafs won, in regulation, thereby officially eliminating the Habs from the playoffs.

Okay, the Leafs eliminated the Habs. Fine.

My point is that as a Habs fan, it makes more sense to be bitter over the team's alarming meltdown in the second half of the season than over one loss to the Leafs. The fact is that the Habs should never have been in a position to be eliminated by the Leafs in the first place.

Now, if it's important to you to crow about the Leafs eliminating the Habs, go right ahead. Although to me, the thought of Sundin thumbing his nose at Koivu on the golf course is, well, a little pointless.

[cferneyh]

Now, if it's important to you to crow about the Leafs eliminating the Habs, go right ahead. Although to me, the thought of Sundin thumbing his nose at Koivu on the golf course is, well, a little pointless.

It's not something I wanted to do (i.e. the crowing), but when other Habs fans say things like the Toronto Maple Leafs.... 40 years without a Stanley Cup, and proud of it! the day after their Habs were bounced by the Leafs....well, I gotta. I mean if there is one time Habs fans should not mock the Leafs' ineptitude, the day after the Leafs bounce the Habs should qualify as it, no?

Plus, it's alls I gots in a royally frustrating season. Ah well - at least I won my pool by 67 points.

GO STARS!

PS - 1993 was kind of a long time ago too, no? Sure, it's not 40 years, but.......

[skippy the wonder dog]

I mean if there is one time Habs fans should not mock the Leafs' ineptitude, the day after the Leafs bounce the Habs should qualify as it, no?

Well, when you put it that way....

[The Darkest Canuck]

w/e, let's all just agree to get excited about/cheer for the raptors...Suns is also acceptable, not just because of Nash (mostly), but they're an exciting team to watch play...just like the Raps...

DIVISION WINNERS! T-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

[Lizard King]

Both teams blew it, simple as that. In all honesty I never expected the Habs to do much this year..so Im not really that dissapointed. After the first half of the season I was sure they would make the playoffs, but they fell apart as usual so that was let down. Ill be more dissapointed if they dont make some real changes in the offseason and make a real attempt to try and ice a better more capable team next year.

Lots of decisions to make..

How to dispose of Samsonov and his 3.5 million contract?

What to do about Kovalev, I personally think he should be traded or something, that guy just doesnt do enough to justify his salary, if he wasnt being paid 4.5 mil I'd have no problem keeping him. But if they think he'll ever get close to 30 thirty goals again thats laughable. Plus his "play when I feel like it" attitude is making me sick, its getting tiresome. He should get the boot just for his performance in the Toronto game last Saturday...pathetic.

Koivu- is this guy still fit to lead this team? I still feel he's got lots to offer but he's not the guy who should be leading this team anymore, we desperately need a Lecavalier/Briere type player to really take this team to the next level. All respect to Saku but his time as captain and star player is up, put him on a second line, get rid of Bonk and sign a star centre. (we all know they wont though..sigh)

Players who should not be back: Aebeischer, Bonk, Kovalev (unless he takes a pay cut), Niinimaa and Garth Murray. All dead weight toss em out.

Souray and the defence- I have a strong feeling he wont stay, word is he wants to go to L.A to be close to his daughter, if he doesnt he'll just sign for more money somewhere else, I dont see the Habs coughing up the big money for him, they may who knows, but if they plan to spend big money on a player, I'd rather it be Briere or someone like that. The rest of the D is decent but we really need a solid stay at home guy back there to solidify the D, our zone coverege was hardly there at times during the season and it cost us. Im not sure what d-men will be available this summer but they better find someone.

Thats the easy part, actually convincing good players to come to Montreal will be the challenge, money talks and they better find some to spend or were going to be worse off next year.

Its getting harder to be a Habs fan every year I swear...hockey was so much more fun when I was a kid, now it just gives me chest pains.

:lol: :lol: