ChiLla

As it stands, I don't see how this team is good enough to win the Cup. I'm not saying we should blow it all up, but I'd consider none of our veterans/established guys untouchable really. Closest to untouchable for me: Domi, Gallagher, Danault, Kotkaniemi, Caufield, Suzuki, Poehling. And quite frankly, even those guys are available if someone is willing to overpay. I like how they played last season but I'm not going to be all excited about a team that hasn't really improved in the offseason after not even qualifying for the playoffs . I think we're trending in the right direction but it's still a long way until we're in a position to truly compete with the top teams.

Yeah, no way I'm giving up 4 firsts for Aho (or any other RFA this year). I think the criticism was based on Bergevin not being willing to go up another compensation tier (2 firsts, 1 second, and 1 third rounder I believe), but the difference in signing bonuses due within the first 12 months would have been negligible anyway. The whole offer sheet was based on the idea of Dundon not being willing or able to match from a financial perspective, he was though and that's that. Another 2 million wouldn't have tipped the scales.

True, I'd much rather give one of Juulsen, Brook, or Fleury a real shot at that roster spot.

It's nice but still the same old story I think. The local boys tend to miraculously be willing to come home and play another couple of years in Montreal before retirement, yet they prefer to spend their prime years elsewhere. It would be nice for a change if one of those guys came out saying that while they're actually valuable assets and could contribute to building a strong hometown team.

I wouldn't mind adding him, we're a little thin at RW after trading Shaw and his experience wouldn't hurt I think.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think he'd move the needle and he certainly wouldn't replace Weber or Petry in our top 4. I'd also rather give Juulsen a shot and see what we have in the kid.

Shattenkirk was bought out by the Rangers, so we couldn't offer-sheet him. I guess he wanted to join a contender and was willing to take a discount for a shot at the cup.

I don't think the plan is to move Domi back to wing, at least I hope it isn't. The situation may be a little different had we managed to sign Duchene but 2018/2019 Domi is hands-down the most offensively-gifted center on the team. This could change eventually, depending on Koktaniemi's progress and Poehling's and Suzuki's development, but all that remains to be seen and none of them is ready for No1 center duty.

Yeah, the Markov and Radulov debacle was the nail in the coffin for me. We had a good team back then and both guys were important pieces. I don't have an issue with overpaying for talent or trading assets to fill holes because ultimately, it'll actually make us better and more competitive. Instead, Bergevin overpays for marginal guys like Alzner or Chiarot who aren't going to move the needle. Smart cap management is as important as ever nowadays, but what we're doing isn't smart. It just leads to maintaining the status quo of a middling team that may or may not make the playoffs. As jeff said, it's a loser mentality. The goal shouldn't be trying to sign a big-ticket UFA or make the playoffs, the goal is to have a strong team that can go deep and compete with anyone in a seven game series. You can't plan a cup win, there are too many variables involved, but you can strategically increase your chances to win it. For many years, the team has been void of actual top-end talent while accumulating an army of 2nd and 3rd tier players that can be replaced rather easily. That's not how you build a cup winner.

I love Markov but at this stage of his career, he's just not the answer to our LHD problem.

Exactly. I'm not sure about the difference to our winning percentage but Weber missed 24 games last season, so a little less than 1/3 of the regular season. There's no doubt to my mind that we're a much better team with him in the lineup, but I also don't think it's reasonable to expect him to keep carrying the load on the first pairing. He'll be 34 years old on opening night, I think it's time he gets some help. Everybody wins, so let's find that #1 LHD.

Yeah, maybe. It's just a lot of maybes with our current roster. Sure, Cousins could score 20 all of a sudden, Drouin could live up to his draft position, Chiarot could potentially play a top 4 role, Juulsen could be back at 100% after his injury, Mete could start finding the back of the net in his 3rd pro season, Poehling and Suzuki could be ready for the big league etc. Meanwhile, other teams in the East actually got better, not only in theory but they added valuable assets. I would have preferred signing Ferland instead of taking yet another low-risk gamble on a guy like Cousins. I really hope I'm wrong but chances are he's not going to make much of a difference. Ferland is just ~15 months older and has played ~60 more games in the NHL, and yet he's doubled Cousins goal output. Also, with the 6 power play goals he's scored last season, he would've been #1 on our team. After missing the playoffs for the 3rd time in the last 4 years, I'd much rather we take the known commodity instead of another project. Maybe I'm just too frustrated but I just don't see any progress with MB at the helm, quite the contrary actually.

Seeing as Ferland just signed a 4-year deal worth 14M with the Canucks, I think he would've been a nice addition to our team. He turned 27 in April and certainly would be able to replace some of the offense and physicality we've lost when we traded Shaw. Maybe he wasn't interested in playing here but he would've been a nice addition I believe.

Bergevin said he offered him the same deal in April but Benn declined.

He‘s also 28 so it‘s safe to say what you see is what you‘ll get. I don’t think the idea is to give him Weber as a partner but what do I know. If he‘s an upgrade on Benn it may turn out to be a good move.