All posts tagged Alexander Radulov

Hey Andrei! You forgot Sergei?


The more things change in Andrei Kostitsyn‘s life, the more things don’t require a perestroika – at least in Andrei’s way of thinking.

AK46.

The Russian who was supposed to snipe for the Montreal Canadiens, is up to his old tricks. Let us hope for Kostitsyn’s lady of choice’s sake – the tricks are not old as he makes the rounds in the seedy side of the hockey rink.

Andrei and his teammate, Alexander Radulov, are both being scratched from game three in their second round series against the Coyotes. Suspended for breaking team rules.

Ah …. C’mon! It was just one night …. ?!

It appears the duo – took the wrong fork in the road to the Stanley Cup. Veering left to the wee hours of the morning instead of keeping a curfew and staying on the right track. Andrei should know better. While in Montreal, the enigmatic Belarussian forward was linked periously close to a police investigation with alleged ties to the Russian mob.

Andrei, his younger brother Sergei and former teammate – Roman Hamrlik; cavorted off the ice instead of the ice surface. In a town such as Montreal where a hockey – playing Hab is the equivalent of a Tom Cruise sighting in Tinseltown, the trio’s shenanigans were as obvious as a pimple on Jimmy Durante‘s nose.

The ‘ Booze ‘ Brothers

Sergei was shipped away ( hockey matters played a small part ), Roman was exonerated and Andrei remained off the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Until now …

Did brother Andrei mistake the anonymity of being a Predator with a licence to prey on rum and cokes? Did himself and Radulov not understand or feel the heat from the media’s playoff scrutiny as it filtered through the camera lenses?

Granted – this pair of partying players did not get arrested. They were not involved in a secret – service undercover operation involving undercover girls wearing Secret nylons and providing a service. As far as the world knows – they did nothing short of not being able to read the digital numbers that flash from their cellphones. The ones that informed them that David Letterman was off and Ferguson was awaiting them. Yet – in the name of Dick Duff … Where’s the hockey integrity? The passion? The desire to win …?

Never Quit

Down 2 – 0 in games to a Coyote team should not give anyone the right to re- enact a scene from the movie Coyote Ugly. Want to be ugly? By all means. Go back to the hotel room and watch some American politics on the tube. That will be more sleaze than Radulov and Kostitsyn will ever witness at an after – hours club. Not satisfied boys? Perhaps watching game tapes of your team’s performance in a loss to Pheonix should be on the agenda? That’s sleazy!

After – all, hockey and winning the Stanley Cup are the reasons millions are being directly deposited into your account. Up one or two games in a series? An outing with a few beers and a missed curfew is more tolerable yet not really. Win or lose – in a few weeks, a summer of sun, ladies and Pina Coladas await.

For now …

Please concentrate on the task at hand. Ask anyone who has ever been part of a Stanley Cup winning team. The celebrations start following a win …

A perestroika that does not take place …

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by Rick Keene on May 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Habs, sports
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Posted by Rick Keene on May 1, 2012

http://laforumdemontreal.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/hey-andrei-you-forgot-sergei/

Monday Q – Tip


Are you howling yet? Is your aphotic basement illuminated only by the brightness caused by Bettman’s smile?

Ladies and gentlemen … It’s Coyote time!

The series between the Coyotes and the Predators is a bit like David and Goliath.

Ask the average hockey fan to name three guys who skate for Pheonix. Most will say – Shane Doan, Mike Smith and Shane Doan. If pressed, they may explore their memories until the name Shane Doan appears.

The Coyotes are a team that skate in an orphanage, looking for someone – anyone to love them and take them home. For now, the NHL and Gary Bettman are their caregivers. Much like a Disney cartoon, the Coyotes are being raised by the cruelest of parents. Arrogance and greed – the greatest attributes to a league that toils in a league of their own.

Predator Hockey?

If les Cotoyes continue to dominate players such as Radulov, Kostitsyn and Rinne – the Predators, will be listening to Glen Campbell quicker than a jilted country boy gets his truck back. Can the Preds get their Stanley Cup goal back? That is the question?

Fixed?

If the players from Pheonix keep their groove on and advance to the finals and win Lord Stanley’s Coupe, the questions of conspiracy will be floating around on a thawed rink in Bettman’s backyard.

- Did the Coyotes win to increase the distance of the NHL’s brass’ vacation destinations? More money in the pockets of everyone?

- If the Coyotes win, it would increase interest for a potential buyer in and around the Arizona area. It would also increase interest of a potential buyer in Anywhere, U.S.A. Hockey hotbeds such as Hawaii or Arkansas. For Bettman’s boys – a coyote anywhere than Canada is not ugly.

Better Team?

The Nashville Predators are a far superior team to Doan’s howlin’ boyz from the hood. The Preds totally dominated game one of the series and if not for the courage of net minder Smith in the coyote crease, game two would have seen the Coyotes holding their sticks a little tighter.

Instead, game two flipped the tables. It was the Predators that deked instead of shooting. Taking wrist shots when they should have been eluding. By right – in their little hockey minds, the Preds won the series before it commenced. The Coyotes but little pucks on the hides of the mighty Preds. Little black specks on the yellow sweaters of the Nashville six.

As the series returns to the land of Loretta Lynn, a raucous home crowd will attempt to raise their team from the aphotic abyss into which the Predators have fallen.

The Predators will be in their dressing room previous to game three and they will wonder. They will tape their sticks and tie their skates and they will wonder. What fate awaits them as they take to the ice down two games to none?

They will wonder;

Are you howlin’ yet … ?

——————

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by Rick Keene on April 30, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Rick Keene on April 30, 2012

http://laforumdemontreal.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/monday-q-tip/

Russian Roulette with Roy


I’ve seen the future, baby:

it is murder

Leonard Cohen

These are the vowels and syllables the next General Manager and coach of the Montreal Canadiens will have to deal with when they take the wheel of the storied club’s agenda.

Never mind the real context of these words …

There are so many possibilities and names being bandied about ; a longing for the simpler daze of Jacques Martin somehow seems appealing. Serge Savard is heading a consortium of himself and Molson to discover the ideal man to lead the Habs . The qualifications of the chosen man , ideally , would have an instinct which would bring the proper coach to Montreal as well . Given Serge Savard ‘s place in the mix , an edge to Patrick Roy as coach is the bet that a betting man would place.

There is no – one with the exception of Roy’s teammates , that are aware of Patrick’s will to win better than Savard. Aside from that ;

  • Serge Savard built a winner as G. M in this city and  has the vision to build another. There are two Russians available in the upcoming draft – one of which ( Mikhail Grigorenko ) , is currently playing for Roy’s Remparts in the QMJHL. Roy knows his player more than anyone and this will give the Habs’ brass an inside take on the Russian’s ability and give insight to Grigorenko ‘s weaknesses. If Roy says no – a Doug Wickenheiser may be avoided in lieu of a Denis Savard ( Nail Yakupov).
  • Patrick Roy also coached Alexander Radulov beginning in 2004. Radulov is currently playing in Nashville and has made no secret that he wants out of the land of country music. Under Roy’s tutelage – Radulov was named the most valuable player in the 2006 Memorial Cup, a season in which he had 207 points in 85 QMJHL games, including playoffs. Radulov will be available this summer – before the draft in which the Habs are guaranteed a top five pick. Patrick Roy could easily entice Radulov to Montreal. Roy could entice him if  Roy was working for the Canadiens.

Radulov

This is where Serge Savard steps in …
M. Savard’s experience as a G.M and successful business man , will allow him the savvy to swing some deals before the draft. If the Habs are relegated to the number four pick – an experienced Savard could somehow fan dangle a move. A trade  which may send Gomez and Kaberle to better places for Canadiens’ fans and in turn – send a Russian draft pick to Montreal. Add Radulov from Nashville – a team that appears to enjoy dealing with the Habs    -  a one – two punch of Russians could be the compliment to a Desharnais – Cole – Pacioretty line.

Yakupov

Suddenly , Montreal will legitimately have six top six forwards to throw at the opposition. The Habs’ scoring would jump a goal a game and given the number of games the team lost by one goal this season – that one goal a game would inevitably send them to the playoffs . Add a healthy Markov and Gionta , a better – coached team , stability and communication from above to a solid defence corps already in place – the Stanley Cup appears closer.
Carey Price would be happier and presumably a fire would be lit in his belly from Roy. Tough guys Staubitz and White have already made opponents realize that this is not Jacques Martin’s father’s team . Travis Moen is no slouch with a stick and his fists and Rene Bourque is the same as Moen with more talent in the stick.
Jared Tinordi , with his  6’7″ mean streak , has a good shot of making the defence corps next season and Emelin will only get stronger at knocking players on their rear ends in his sophomore season .

Roy with Grigorenko - Explosive combination ?

There’ll be phantomsThere’ll be fires on the road

and the white man dancing

Leonard Cohen

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2 Comments
by Rick Keene on April 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Habs, sports
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Rick Keene on April 1, 2012

http://laforumdemontreal.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/russian-roulette-with-roy/

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