Koivu says Canadiens are not Cup contenders

[Guest DetroitIan]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=217589&hubname=nhl

I have no clue what Koivu was thinking here. I mean, yeah, we all know Montreal is no Cup favorite or anything. But still, why even say that??? I mean hell, he's their CAPTAIN for Christ sake. Talk about taking the morale of a team and crushing it into pieces. Im sure all of the players he captains are just thrilled to hear this, lol. No matter what the situation is, you never say anything like that as a captain of the team. ESPECIALLY to the frickin media of all people. I've always liked Koivu. But this just baffles me.

Edited September 5, 2007 by DetroitIan

[FinWing 26]

I think Koivu wanted to send a message to the management since he was frustrated with the fact that Habs weren't able to bring in enough reinforcements during the summer. But yeah, he probably should have picked a different way to voice his opinion.

[Icer 0]

He probably did it for a bunch of reasons. First, to send a message to management to get better players. Second, to send a message to the players by saying "I don't think you guys are good enough. Prove me wrong." Third, to send a message to the media to stay off their case because they have a way to go before they should be considered contenders. Besides he's not saying anything that anyone doesn't already know. I think Koivu is one of the better captains in the NHL.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

He isnt gonna lie, The Habs right now , IMO are a pretty terrible team. They wont make the playoffs and Koivu knows it. Hes trying to send a message to management to get the Habs some better players and get them back into the playoffs.

[Louisville 112]

If I was Koivu, I would be preety angry the Habs didn't retain Souray or sign either Gomez or Drury. It's not like management has shown their capitan they are trying to put a better team out there.

They lost out on the Briere sweepstakes and management just sat back after that. I'm not suprised Koivu so frustrated.

[Opie 308]

I look at this from a couple of different points of view:

1. Yzerman (imo the captain to compare all captains to) would never have said anything like this in the media. He may have said it in the locker room or on the practice ice or on the bench but never in the media. As much crap as the NE pats get for their "Belichek Coach speak" where no one really says anything to the media, Stevie had that same approach. In the media you say things like, "We are going to go out there and take it one game at a time, there are 8 playoff spots and if we can grab one of those anything can happen." Did I hint at the fact that this team is not a contender yes, but never did I actually say it.

2. Media- the media asked this question of him knowing that they were not contenders, in most people's eyes the top 4-6 teams are contenders the rest are pretenders. So the media set him up, we don't know maybe he just got done with the most frustrating skate of his career, maybe he just got his ass reamed by the coach, and happened to let out a poorly timed vent.

3. Honesty- Maybe Saku after all if these years of getting no where with Montreal, seeing guys like Alexi Kovalev overact and lose a puck for a game winning goal, or loaf his way around the rink, while Saku himself busts his ass night in and night out. And when the question was asked he gave his honest answer.

What ever the reason, it was a bad judgment. He should have given some canned answer that had a positive tone. I mean how are the younger guys supposed to feel about the season now. Their Captain has given up on them and they haven't even started the season.

On a side note, maybe if they are as bad as Saku thinks a guy like Roman Hamrlik, Brisebois or Ryder become available.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Opie

[eva unit zero 271]

If I was Koivu, I would be preety angry the Habs didn't retain Souray or sign either Gomez or Drury. It's not like management has shown their capitan they are trying to put a better team out there.

They lost out on the Briere sweepstakes and management just sat back after that. I'm not suprised Koivu so frustrated.

Hamrlik > Souray.

[Guest jaytan]

Well, at least he's not giving anybody false hope. The Habs will suck, and Koivu will suck. Out.

[Guest DetroitIan]

He isnt gonna lie, The Habs right now , IMO are a pretty terrible team. They wont make the playoffs and Koivu knows it. Hes trying to send a message to management to get the Habs some better players and get them back into the playoffs.

Yeah I totally feel ya on that. Still, I just cant see anything positive and uplifting about the team Captain ripping the team apart, just a month shy of opening night. Personally, I just dont think saying stuff like that about your squad can do anything but hurt. I mean sure, if this was the start of the offseason. They MAYBE I could see what Koivu was thinking. But to say this in almost mid September, just seems like the wrong move completely.

Well, at least he's not giving anybody false hope. The Habs will suck, and Koivu will suck. Out.

Sounds simple enough, lol.

[Viperar 16]

i think this could be one of many jolts the habs need to get their s*** together. Do I agree that was a good way to do it, not at all. But i dont really see him having other options. I think its pretty extreme, and the outcome and consequences could be extreme, good or bad, but i guess thats a risk Koivu is willing to take.

[Opie 308]

If you check out the front page of TSN they have a video of him explaining why he said what he said. I guess that could take the guess work out of it, except for the fact that I can not get the stupid ass video to play.

he said he meant, they will make the playoffs and that they are not viewed as a favorite for the cup, but other teams have won the cup not being the favorites. Petty much saying that the reporter turned his words around.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Opie

[Icer 0]

Do I agree that was a good way to do it, not at all. But i dont really see him having other options.

Absolutely. He's probably been trying to get this done behind closed doors for months. Since that didn't work, he's trying someting a little more agressive.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

yea i agree with what he said but how is a comment like that from the team cap gonna help his team any? for all of you that have played hockey and are playing...how would you like to play a full season knowing you cap has no faith in you or the team. " Lets go into battle men!!"..."oh btw we will win some of the fights but we will lose this war" .."fight hard for me!!"

[Echolalia 2,961]

I think its his way of saying "I want the Wings to pick me up!"

[Opie 308]

Just wanted to bring this topic back to the fore front seeing as he was so completely wrong it is not even funny.

Should he get credit for firing up the troops, was it really all just misrepresentation, what are others thoughts now that his team is #1 in the east?

Granted by 1 point but still #1 is #1.

I have a feeling Pit will take it over, but I watched the Habs bruins game this weekend, these guys look like a bunch of high energy grinders. They work hard and play like they don't know that they are not supposed to be good, well except Kovalev who I have never been a huge fan of.

[DenJ91 0]

i was totally gonna start yelling at everyone for saying the habs suck and whatnot and i couldn't figure out why koivu would say that now of all times until i looked at the date of the thread. whew!!

[DaKineMaui 8]

Just wanted to bring this topic back to the fore front seeing as he was so completely wrong it is not even funny.

Good call! It is funny.

So much for 're-building years'. Apparently it can be done over a weekend.

C'mon Habs! They won't, but if they do make the SCFs, I will purchase an authentic Habs sweater. (#10). Oh - and they hafta play the Wings.

aloha

[HenrikRules40 14]

I get so confused when people bring up old threads! I'm like, how did I miss a whole topic like this!!! But I say good for them. I like original six success...as long as it doesn't supercede the Red Wings.

[umredwing11 2]

I get so confused when people bring up old threads! I'm like, how did I miss a whole topic like this!!! But I say good for them. I like original six success...as long as it doesn't supercede the Red Wings.

OMG, i was soo confused too. I read a comment like "the habs will not make the playoffs" and I was like huh, aren't they one of the better teams in the East. But then I saw it was dated September 07...

[cirov19 1]

How do you even dig a eight month old thread up like this?

Koivu actually wasn't wrong because he said that they weren't favourites for the cup on paper but he was sure they were going to make the playoffs and from there on - blaaaaaaaaah.

That's what happened. They still aren't favourites for the cup, although they may be higher in favouritsm than other teams, but they definately did make the playoffs and they should make a good cup run, only to (possibly) make the finals and get slammed by the Wings.

Go Wings, go cup.

[Opie 308]

Well seeing as I always s*** on people who post threads with out looking to see if there already is one, I figured since I was going to create a new thread and reference this one, I might as well just pull this one back up!

[Doggy 130]

Canadiens won't win the Cup. Koivu is still right.

[Guest QuackQuack]

You're just reading into it to much. The media has been riding Koivu hard this season and he was just taking a swipe back at them. Hes been that franchises go to guy for ten years and he deserves more respect then the fans are giving him.

It would be comparable to the Detroit media blaming Yzerman for losing the cup in 2004 when his career was winding down. Koivu isn't a first line player anymore, the fan base is expecting way too much from one guy.