Doc, I may be a habs fan but I'm also a hockey fan. I don't let my support for my team blind me to the reality of the situation. In the habs case, the loss of Markov was a huge blow just as it was last year, and it'll be a huge hurdle for the team to get over. With Markov in the lineup they'd most likely have another couple of games in the win column. Without him, they're struggling and will continue to do so unless someone unexpected steps it up a few notches.
But the Leafs are a healthy team, not counting their goalies who really aren't any better than their replacements and don't score goals anyways. The team has been on the ropes since the first loss of the season and their confidence seems to have vanished. And saying that they 'deserved' to win at least a couple of games is nothing but garbage. A team wins or loses games. Saying they 'deserved better' is bull. If they deserved to win, they would have won. Teams get lucky goals both for and against, the same with penalty calls. Good teams rise above it and find a way to win. Lousy teams, and their fans, use it as an excuse. If you can't put the puck behind their goalie more times than they put it behind yours, you don't deserve to win. Simple as that.
When it comes to player salaries, you pay the price that you have to pay to get the players you want or need. Sometimes you have to overpay because of the situation you find yourself in, like the habs have done. But I base the value of a player on what he does for a team today, not on what he did before on another team with different teammates or may do in a year from now. I don't buy into the hype that floats around some players like a bad smell.
I'm not a great fan of Price and think he would have been better served being sent down to Hamilton last year for some seasoning. Now it's too late for that and it seems like the habs are going to stick with him as their number 1 but I still don't think he's earned it at all. He hasn't played bad, but he hasn't played great either. Sure he was badly outshot in the first two games but since then he's been ordinary. I think it's time to give Halak a shot for a couple of games and see what he can do.
One last thing, Doc...never, but never disrespect the Montreal Canadien's hockey sweater. It is one of the most respected symbols of excellence in professional sports!
This video should be watched by every habs fan at least once a year!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJlilwLlBhg
And this one is a reminder of the greatness that once was and celebrates one of the best players of all time, the epitome of dedication and hockey spirit!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DS_x0FwuqY&feature=related
And that's about all I have to say until after the next habs - Leafs game.
Techman
