2013-2014 State Of The Habs

[kinot-1]

I guess we have a difference of opinion of what constitutes " size "

There's 5 or 6 guys over 6 ft and maybe 2 of them play like it but I'm sure they all have " character "

But, we're getting there,,,, it might be a slow process, but it's coming.

[NewfoundlandHab]

While I'd love for this team to get bigger, I'd much rather wait and find guys who can help us long term and actually play hockey rather than throw the bank at guys simply because they are big. If we take our time and find the right players, we will have a better team in the long run. Make a couple of key moves now, but the big key is patience.

[FirstStar]

While I'd love for this team to get bigger, I'd much rather wait and find guys who can help us long term and actually play hockey rather than throw the bank at guys simply because they are big. If we take our time and find the right players, we will have a better team in the long run. Make a couple of key moves now, but the big key is patience.

That seems to be MB's thinking, I don't think he's in the "burke" mind frame where he has to build his team in one off season. All speculation, but I get the feeling that MB is a patient GM, won't jump on a guy simply to sign a FA.

[KeepsItReal]

That seems to be MB's thinking, I don't think he's in the "burke" mind frame where he has to build his team in one off season. All speculation, but I get the feeling that MB is a patient GM, won't jump on a guy simply to sign a FA.

With the cap dropping it makes things a little more narrow for lots of teams too...next Summer it will probably go up some, and if nothign else they'll have some indication where the cap might go in the coming years.

Several potentially solid UFA's next Summer as well, and in many situations it looks like guys will definitely be moving onto another team due to cap constraints and just overall need for change.

When there's not much out there, the UFA market becomes that much worse of a tool to build through.

Next Summer PK, Emelinator, and Larry will have re-signed (hopefully) and they can figure out how much room they have and who is available.

[roy_133]

State of the 2013/2014 Habs...........

http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/roster.htm

I know it's July but that's an awfully small roster ............in size

And the " new " division next year, should be interesting

Division C has four Original Six franchises: the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning are also in the division.

Now that Horton is leaving I read Boston only has 1 player in their top 9 that has more mass than Plekanec. It's such a worn down narrative. People keep bringing up that being the reason we lost in the playoffs and it didn't help but Ottawa is every bit the team we are with Karlsson and Anderson healthy and our goaltending was abysmal.

[BigTed3]

Now that Horton is leaving I read Boston only has 1 player in their top 9 that has more mass than Plekanec. It's such a worn down narrative. People keep bringing up that being the reason we lost in the playoffs and it didn't help but Ottawa is every bit the team we are with Karlsson and Anderson healthy and our goaltending was abysmal.

Boston is not overly big as a team, but there are two factors that give them a physical advantage:

1. Most teams don't have a single player who can match up physically with Lucic or Chara

2. The Bruins are willing to play dirty and make cheapshots.

So unless the opposition is willing to do the same and play Bruins-style hockey or unless the refs do their jobs and call all the cheapshots (which they just flat out don't), then the Bruins gain an intimidation factor over the other team. Really not much to do with size and more to do with a team being unsportsmanlike and bullying their opposition by taking advantage of lax officiating.

[weepingminotaur]

Boston is not overly big as a team, but there are two factors that give them a physical advantage:

1. Most teams don't have a single player who can match up physically with Lucic or Chara

Chicago didn't and they didn't have much trouble exposing Chara en route to winning a Cup. Seriously, the size factor is so incredibly overplayed. Chara is 36, he's not a spring chicken, and in a four-round playoff series, he will wear down if you outskate him and force him into areas of the ice where he's less effective.

[KeepsItReal]

Chicago didn't and they didn't have much trouble exposing Chara en route to winning a Cup. Seriously, the size factor is so incredibly overplayed. Chara is 36, he's not a spring chicken, and in a four-round playoff series, he will wear down if you outskate him and force him into areas of the ice where he's less effective.

Agreed, even in his prime Chara was able to be beat with speed now and again.

Focus on having 3 lines with speed, and some guys who won't shy away from Chara...The Canadiens have actually for the most part fared well against the Bruins over the last few years, I don't fear the Bruins at all.

The thing I fear is trying to play "tough" with them, because their nonsense goonery will be on full display then, and they'll usually win those battles.

[weepingminotaur]

We've just hired a goalie coach: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/Montreal+Canadiens+hire+St%C3%A9phane/8616058/story.html

Coach is Stéphane Waite. Pedigree is good, but I'm beginning to wonder about Bergevin's obsession with hiring staff that he already knows / has already worked with.

[KeepsItReal]

We've just hired a goalie coach: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/Montreal+Canadiens+hire+St%C3%A9phane/8616058/story.html

Coach is Stéphane Waite. Pedigree is good, but I'm beginning to wonder about Bergevin's obsession with hiring staff that he already knows / has already worked with.

If Bergevin eliminated everyone he "already knows" along with those he already worked with he woudln't have many people left to choose from....

[weepingminotaur]

Waite seems to have done good work with Crawford and Niemi, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with Carey.

[Manatee-X]

We've just hired a goalie coach: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/Montreal+Canadiens+hire+St%C3%A9phane/8616058/story.html

Coach is Stéphane Waite. Pedigree is good, but I'm beginning to wonder about Bergevin's obsession with hiring staff that he already knows / has already worked with.

I do see your point, but on the bright side there are worse teams that we could be constantly poaching from than Chicago

[weepingminotaur]

I do see your point, but on the bright side there are worse teams that we could be constantly poaching from than Chicago

It's not a huge deal (especially if the hire is good and as you said, we're poaching from a good org), but it's a tiny red flag for me with respect to Bergevin's evaluation of both players and hockey ops.

[KeepsItReal]

This Boston trade scares me.

Eriksson might not be as prolific offensively, but he's leaps and bounds better as a 2 way player.

They also managed to move out Peverley.

The Bruins now have 9 million in cap space, and that doesn't include Marc Savards' 4 million salary which will be placed on LTIR at the start of the season. So for all intents and purposes they have 13 million in space.

I really hope thye don't use some of their young assets to add a primetime defenceman...that's a terrifying thought.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

This Boston trade scares me.

Eriksson might not be as prolific offensively, but he's leaps and bounds better as a 2 way player.

They also managed to move out Peverley.

The Bruins now have 9 million in cap space, and that doesn't include Marc Savards' 4 million salary which will be placed on LTIR at the start of the season. So for all intents and purposes they have 13 million in space.

I really hope thye don't use some of their young assets to add a primetime defenceman...that's a terrifying thought.

They lost Seguin and Horton, got Eriksson, and got rid of Peverley. I'm not scared at all.

[KeepsItReal]

They lost Seguin and Horton, got Eriksson, and got rid of Peverley. I'm not scared at all.

They have 13 million in cap space...they're not even close to being done.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

They have 13 million in cap space...they're not even close to being done.

They'll need to resign Rask. After that they have enough cap to add a big name player. So replacing Seguin and Horton with Eriksson and a UFA. They're not adding anything.

[Manatee-X]

They'll need to resign Rask. After that they have enough cap to add a big name player. So replacing Seguin and Horton with Eriksson and a UFA. They're not adding anything.

Peverly's no slouch either, although he was often overshadowed in Boston. It really depends on what they can do with the cap space.

[KeepsItReal]

They'll need to resign Rask. After that they have enough cap to add a big name player. So replacing Seguin and Horton with Eriksson and a UFA. They're not adding anything.

Rask will cost them 7, that still leaves them 6 million in space if they so desire it. We'll have to wait and see waht they do, I'm guessing they have a big name coming in.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

Rask will cost them 7, that still leaves them 6 million in space if they so desire it. We'll have to wait and see waht they do, I'm guessing they have a big name coming in.

Exactly. The big name and Eriksson will replace Horton and Seguin. Like I said before, they're not adding anything.

[KeepsItReal]

Exactly. The big name and Eriksson will replace Horton and Seguin. Like I said before, they're not adding anything.

How can you say that before knowing who they add?

At this point in their respective careers I'd take Eriksson over Seguin. Eriksson is a significantly better 2 way player.

Eriksson-Bergeron-Marchand might be the best 2 way line in the league.

Horton is an okay player, but on the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line he was the worst player of the 3 for sure. So depending on who they add there, that line could be just as good, if not even better.

Or it might be they have a young guy in mind, and decide to add to the defence.

That's the possibility which scares me most, is that they decide to add another top 4 d-man.

Either way though, this morning the Bruins were very strapped for cap space...now they've got some serious freedom to add a big name, or a couple of smaller name depth guys.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

How can you say that before knowing who they add?

At this point in their respective careers I'd take Eriksson over Seguin. Eriksson is a significantly better 2 way player.

Eriksson-Bergeron-Marchand might be the best 2 way line in the league.

Horton is an okay player, but on the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line he was the worst player of the 3 for sure. So depending on who they add there, that line could be just as good, if not even better.

Or it might be they have a young guy in mind, and decide to add to the defence.

That's the possibility which scares me most, is that they decide to add another top 4 d-man.

Either way though, this morning the Bruins were very strapped for cap space...now they've got some serious freedom to add a big name, or a couple of smaller name depth guys.

I can say that because nobody on the UFA market is better than Horton or Seguin.

[BigTed3]

Chicago didn't and they didn't have much trouble exposing Chara en route to winning a Cup. Seriously, the size factor is so incredibly overplayed. Chara is 36, he's not a spring chicken, and in a four-round playoff series, he will wear down if you outskate him and force him into areas of the ice where he's less effective.

Oh I agree with you that being big is overrated. What's important is having big guys who have skill, and I think most of us would take the bigger player if skill was equal between two players. That said, I'd have no problem choosing the smaller player if he was clearly a more skilled guy than the larger player. The issue is that it's very hard to build a team when your top 9 features Gionta, Gallagher, Briere, AND Desharnais. Those are 4 guys who not only aren't big, they're also quite small. To boot, none of them (perhaps Gallagher) is such an exceptional player that they warrant cramming all 4 of those guys into the same top 9. I'm not saying we need to go out and find a Lucic or anything like that, but I can see how certain teams are intimidated by lining up opposite Lucic when a guy looks around and sees his linemates are Desharnais and Briere. When you're 30 lbs lighter than the guy you're playing against and you're considered the big guy on the line, you really need to be head and shoulders better in talent.

With respect to Waite, I like the hiring. A positive move from Bergevin, in my opinion, where he's getting a guy with experience and a guy who's had success with goalies who aren't really thought to be big stars. Hopefully he can bring a different mindset to the job for Carey and Budaj.

[KeepsItReal]

I can say that because nobody on the UFA market is better than Horton or Seguin.

By all accounts they've improved in the Seguin/Eriksson trade off, so thye don't need to improve over Horton.

[roy_133]

By all accounts they've improved in the Seguin/Eriksson trade off, so thye don't need to improve over Horton.

Eriksson is a bit better in the short term for sure but Seguin is a big price. The other thing is that Boston cleared a fair bit of cap space in that deal including Peverely + the difference between Seguin and Eriksson. They'll likely make another move.