2017-18 The Rumors Thread

[jennifer_rocket]

10 hours ago, jeff33 said:

should we expect incremental improvements from middling developing players? sure.

should we expect that to change the fact that best players for best players there is a good argument that we have the worst team in the league? not at all. This is a very bad team.

unless we make a big overhaul, which you know we wont....ill be amazed if mr.incompetence even manages to trade patchy.....your looking at the same pop gun offence and porous defence. could carey steal us a few more games? i guess, but as is this is still a lottery team even with some better luck.

I also think we over-value incremental improvements in young players. Mete and Juulsen could just as easily take a step back next season rather than forward. Fans always assume that "so and so" will always be improving until they hit that magical "prime" age. I don't really believe that to be true.

Are we expecting Scherbak and Hudon to score a bunch of goals next year? Both could end up in Laval for all we know.

You raise a good point. Our best players need to be better. They need to be way better.

[Regis22]

15 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

Why would Price re-sign here long-term?

Why would Subban have signed a long-term deal here when he was personally disrespected by Bergevin in negotiations twice?

Why would Alzner rush to sign here as his first choice?

A team offers you $10 M bucks you take it

Subban actually wanted to stay in Montreal - you get the long term deal and then deal with crap later

Alzer - maybe 'cause he knew no one else would have offered him that crazy deal

 

[jeff33]

3 hours ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I also think we over-value incremental improvements in young players. Mete and Juulsen could just as easily take a step back next season rather than forward. Fans always assume that "so and so" will always be improving until they hit that magical "prime" age. I don't really believe that to be true.

Are we expecting Scherbak and Hudon to score a bunch of goals next year? Both could end up in Laval for all we know.

You raise a good point. Our best players need to be better. They need to be way better.

Its also this, and I think this is even the bigger thing...

as fans, we live in a bubble to an extent because we dont closely follow other teams....but the fact is every team is composed very similarly, and for every prospect on our team that you wanna name, theres 30 other prospects on 30 other teams that their fans would name.

at the beginning of the year I was debating someone on here who was claiming our cupboards were STOCKED. and listed our ten best prospects. .....every team has a ten best prospects list. 

and as far as that goes...like yeah, mete is a very smooth skater, I like him....he got 7 assists last year. so what hes gonna improve to 15 points? 20? and thats gonna make us a legit team?  colorado has sam girard who got 23. and they have nathan mackinnon. and they got bounced easily in the 1st round. so you have to have some context.

i like hudon and lehkonen and scherbak. i like mete and juulsen. i think all of them should play the entire year. that being said none of them has done anything to indicate they are gonna turn into a star, and they appear to be decent depth players of the future. who cares, every team has depth players.

now you apply the same thinking to the star players. teams win on the back of their stars, and we dont have any. you can say we have x and y and z but the thing is every team has their best player list, and in almost every case its a better list than ours.

patchy and weber? I trade that straight up for literally anyone elses top F and D.....the only team in worse shape than us in that sense that I can think of off the top of my head would be detroit, but we are certainly bottom 5 in that regard and thats where we landed in the standings, and thats why it shouldnt have been a shock.

 

[maas_art]

1 hour ago, Regis22 said:

A team offers you $10 M bucks you take it

Subban actually wanted to stay in Montreal - you get the long term deal and then deal with crap later

Alzer - maybe 'cause he knew no one else would have offered him that crazy deal

 

Re: price, I think most GMs would have resigned him that summer. 

Re: Alzner, there were apparently several offers on the table with LA having a very close one to ours. 

[Habs=stanleycup]

17 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

Why would Price re-sign here long-term?

Why would Subban have signed a long-term deal here when he was personally disrespected by Bergevin in negotiations twice?

Why would Alzner rush to sign here as his first choice?

I don't know. But some players like playing here. Maybe they like the city, the team's history, the teammates they will have, the coach, the atmosphere at games. Some European players like the fact Montreal has more of a European feel than a lot of other NHL cities. Some Canadian players like playing in Canada in hockey-centric cities. So I agree, players likely aren't coming here because of Bergevin but they may well be coming here despite him.

With the current Management we have in place, it's a head scratcher for me to be sure. 

[CaptWelly]

1 hour ago, jeff33 said:

Its also this, and I think this is even the bigger thing...

as fans, we live in a bubble to an extent because we dont closely follow other teams....but the fact is every team is composed very similarly, and for every prospect on our team that you wanna name, theres 30 other prospects on 30 other teams that their fans would name.

at the beginning of the year I was debating someone on here who was claiming our cupboards were STOCKED. and listed our ten best prospects. .....every team has a ten best prospects list. 

and as far as that goes...like yeah, mete is a very smooth skater, I like him....he got 7 assists last year. so what hes gonna improve to 15 points? 20? and thats gonna make us a legit team?  colorado has sam girard who got 23. and they have nathan mackinnon. and they got bounced easily in the 1st round. so you have to have some context.

i like hudon and lehkonen and scherbak. i like mete and juulsen. i think all of them should play the entire year. that being said none of them has done anything to indicate they are gonna turn into a star, and they appear to be decent depth players of the future. who cares, every team has depth players.

now you apply the same thinking to the star players. teams win on the back of their stars, and we dont have any. you can say we have x and y and z but the thing is every team has their best player list, and in almost every case its a better list than ours.

patchy and weber? I trade that straight up for literally anyone elses top F and D.....the only team in worse shape than us in that sense that I can think of off the top of my head would be detroit, but we are certainly bottom 5 in that regard and thats where we landed in the standings, and thats why it shouldnt have been a shock.

 

That same sentiment though Vegas has shown we actually don't need for players to turn into 'stars" just good solid players. Which I think we will have a few of. The old having to have a 1,2,3,4 lines system isn't as needed in todays game. Gallant has said he rolls lines rarely trys to match and doesn't like to be seen as a #1 line a second or third ect.as much as the next line. That is where the modern game is going which could be good because it wouldn't be as needed to have a few stars at 10 + instead have a team of 3-7/8 guys.

[jeff33]

8 minutes ago, CaptWelly said:

That same sentiment though Vegas has shown we actually don't need for players to turn into 'stars" just good solid players. Which I think we will have a few of. The old having to have a 1,2,3,4 lines system isn't as needed in todays game. Gallant has said he rolls lines rarely trys to match and doesn't like to be seen as a #1 line a second or third ect.as much as the next line. That is where the modern game is going which could be good because it wouldn't be as needed to have a few stars at 10 + instead have a team of 3-7/8 guys.

they also had 6 guys finish with more points than our leading scorer, including 2 guys with 70 plus. yeah they have a more balanced attack without really big names, but they have had no name guys PRODUCE like big name guys. 

and if guys like david perron dont step up and have a 66 pt year, they are right where youd expect, an average team. 

the habs can have a 4 line balanced team, sure, but everyone has to score. we cant have a team where we get shut out 15 times and our highest scorer barely cracks 50 pts and say "look at vegas"

[jeff33]

anyway , rumours

ek

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Poll-Kane-Deal-GoodBad--Jack-JohnsonHabsSabres-Buzzcast-at-1pm/1/93057

jack johnson. these are the types of deals I have faith in bergy to make. I give this an e4

[maas_art]

30 minutes ago, jeff33 said:

anyway , rumours

ek

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Poll-Kane-Deal-GoodBad--Jack-JohnsonHabsSabres-Buzzcast-at-1pm/1/93057

jack johnson. these are the types of deals I have faith in bergy to make. I give this an e4

Yeah, I fully expect MB to be looking at Johnson hard. I also dont think its unlikely he trades a player like Galchenyuk for Toews.   

Im an optimist so I hope im wrong but i cant help but think its going to get even uglier before it gets better.

 

 

[Habs=stanleycup]

36 minutes ago, maas_art said:

Yeah, I fully expect MB to be looking at Johnson hard. I also dont think its unlikely he trades a player like Galchenyuk for Toews.   

Im an optimist so I hope im wrong but i cant help but think its going to get even uglier before it gets better.

 

 

Hopefully uglier unfortunately, so that MB gets fired. He has no business running an NHL team as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps he'll surprise us but I rather doubt it.

[jeff33]

1 hour ago, maas_art said:

Yeah, I fully expect MB to be looking at Johnson hard. I also dont think its unlikely he trades a player like Galchenyuk for Toews.   

Im an optimist so I hope im wrong but i cant help but think its going to get even uglier before it gets better.

 

 

You got it. IF......IF he makes any kind of move for a center it'll be for Toews. I feel it.  We arent getting tavares , we arent getting stastny, hes not gonna trade patch, hes not gonna do anything any of us want 

toews and weber, team canada 2010. so fitting

[maas_art]

25 minutes ago, Habs=stanleycup said:

Perhaps he'll surprise us but I rather doubt it.

The personnel moves he's made this summer have been spot on so I feel like there's a glimmer of hope but then you look back at his end of season presser where he basically blames everyone but himself and have to think "nah, he hasnt learned anything."

I mean GMs can change. They can realize they were building a team the wrong way or whatever. People call David Poile the best GM in the game but they forget he's been with the preds since day one. Took him 21 years to build a really great team (well 18-19 years because they've been good for a while).  He had his share of mistakes and miscues along the way. (Vasicek for  Walker?  P Forsberg for Upshall, Parent, 1st and 3rd rounders.  Even kostitsyn for 2 high picks wasnt great.)

That said I am NOT for one minute saying i think MB will change, just that it is possible. 

22 minutes ago, jeff33 said:

You got it. IF......IF he makes any kind of move for a center it'll be for Toews. I feel it.  We arent getting tavares , we arent getting stastny, hes not gonna trade patch, hes not gonna do anything any of us want 

toews and weber, team canada 2010. so fitting

I think our Chances of getting a "JT" as our #1 centre this october are high.  Unfortunately i think they may be in this order:

J. Toews
J. Thornton
J Tootoo
J Tlekanec

J Tavares

 

:P

[habs1952]

It's gonna take longer to fill the hole MB has put the Habs in than it took to dig it. 6 Years?

[Regis22]

http://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/simmons-says-tavares-free-agency-might-be-another-nhl-mirage

As half the teams in National Hockey League, maybe more, are planning on preparing free agent offers for centre John Tavares, there is no certainty he will even be available for any team other than the New York Islanders on July 1.

Tavares may, in fact, be signed prior to that.

The Tavares camp is not doing the regular free agent thing yet right now – telling everyone and anyone they will be available in just over a month from now. The word being used is “if” as in “if we’re available.”

If they have a process to deal with offers and work with the Islanders, they are certainly not sharing that information. And new Islanders boss Lou Lamoriello changes the landscape in two ways, bringing credibility to the gas fire that has been this franchise and bringing a professional silence to any kind of negotiation that will take place.

High level hockey players rarely leave the nest in free agency. Steven Stamkos remained in Tampa. The Sedin twins stayed in Vancouver. Almost every time there has been anticipation of a high-end free agent coming out, the player stays with his team.

Lamoriello has lost free agents before – Scott Niedermayer and Zach Parise were prominent losses in New Jersey – and the sense here is he will convince Tavares to stay on Long Island. Tavares, as usual, is saying little. But in a lot of NHL front offices, there are lineups being drawn up with his name on them – just to see what the club would like on paper.

The dreaming season – what if we had Tavares – has already begun. Reality begins late next month

[kinot-2]

FWIW, 

 It looks like the Penguins will be trying throughout the summer to move Kessel and his $6.8million cap hit. 

Mark Madden of Pittsburgh's 105.9FM said recently that the Penguins are trying to move him and that "Kessel is OK with that". 

Kessel has been labeled as hard to coach at times, and throughout the last season Kessel has wanted to play with Evgeni Malkin however Penguins coach Mike Sullivan refuses to do so. 

Madden states there's a strong disconnect and riff between Sullivan and Kessel. Former assistant coach Rick Tocchet was the bridge between Kessel and Sullivan however he's no longer there. 

[kinot-2]

From GHG. 

Various analysts including Grant McCagg are simply in love with Jesperi Kotkaniemi , who is labelled as possibly the best center in the draft.

Kotkaniemi began to turn heads last December when he had an excellent world junior tournament with Finland, having collected 19 points in 17 games.

The 6'2 and 188-lb lefty also made a good impression in the SM-liiga with 29 points in 57 games against grown men, despite that some experts do not even have him in the top 10 for the draft.

It would be quite surprising to see the Canadiens ignore a possible 40-goal scorer like Zadina, but do not be surprised if Jesperi Kotkaniemi's name continues to be talked about in Montreal.

[maas_art]

7 hours ago, kinot-2 said:

From GHG. 

Various analysts including Grant McCagg are simply in love with Jesperi Kotkaniemi , who is labelled as possibly the best center in the draft.

Kotkaniemi began to turn heads last December when he had an excellent world junior tournament with Finland, having collected 19 points in 17 games.

The 6'2 and 188-lb lefty also made a good impression in the SM-liiga with 29 points in 57 games against grown men, despite that some experts do not even have him in the top 10 for the draft.

It would be quite surprising to see the Canadiens ignore a possible 40-goal scorer like Zadina, but do not be surprised if Jesperi Kotkaniemi's name continues to be talked about in Montreal.

Zadina (or Svechnikov if for some reason Carolina decides to draft Necas' old linemate) look like near sure-thing top line wingers. I just dont think you can pass one of those up, regardless of how much you like Kotkaniemi.

Having said that, I would be very happy if MB swung a deal that got us another top 10 pick.  Pacioretty to the oil or the isles for their pick + young dman maybe.  

Then you snag Zadina/Svech and Kotkaniemi and possibly have both in the starting lineup this fall. 

[Habs=stanleycup]

Montreal Canadiens sign defencemen Michal Moravčík and David Sklenička

https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/latest-news/2018/5/28/17401992/montreal-canadiens-sign-michal-moravcik-david-sklenicka-world-championships-hc-skoda-plzen-habs

[jennifer_rocket]

31 minutes ago, Habs=stanleycup said:

Montreal Canadiens sign defencemen Michal Moravčík and David Sklenička

https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/latest-news/2018/5/28/17401992/montreal-canadiens-sign-michal-moravcik-david-sklenicka-world-championships-hc-skoda-plzen-habs

I don't believe we have many young defensive prospects in Laval this season, so... could be a good no-risk pick-up for the farm team. Who knows, perhaps one of them turns into a good player someday?

[maas_art]

1 hour ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I don't believe we have many young defensive prospects in Laval this season, so... could be a good no-risk pick-up for the farm team. Who knows, perhaps one of them turns into a good player someday?

Ya. Both young Left-shooting defensemen.    Hopefully this is not just coincidence and we have actually identified a need, noting that Alzner and Schlemko are not good enough. 

[Habs=stanleycup]

1 hour ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I don't believe we have many young defensive prospects in Laval this season, so... could be a good no-risk pick-up for the farm team. Who knows, perhaps one of them turns into a good player someday?

Once again MB goes shopping outside the NHL for prospects. If these acquisitions go in our favor, let's hope he doesn't squander it the way he did with Radulov.

[maas_art]

45 minutes ago, Habs=stanleycup said:

Once again MB goes shopping outside the NHL for prospects. If these acquisitions go in our favor, let's hope he doesn't squander it the way he did with Radulov.

And there seems to have been, in the past, a disconnect between our scouting and our development departments.  Hopefully with Bouchard and co in Laval now, some of these guys will come over and be developed properly.   Im not saying Sekac or Jerabek or others were ever going to be elite players but it sure seems like we could have gotten more out of them than what we did, had we been able to help them adapt their skillsets to the north american game. 

[East_Coast_Juggalo_13]

10 minutes ago, maas_art said:

And there seems to have been, in the past, a disconnect between our scouting and our development departments.  Hopefully with Bouchard and co in Laval now, some of these guys will come over and be developed properly.   Im not saying Sekac or Jerabek or others were ever going to be elite players but it sure seems like we could have gotten more out of them than what we did, had we been able to help them adapt their skillsets to the north american game. 

My biggest fear is these young men will be squandered.

[ChiLla]

3 hours ago, Habs=stanleycup said:

Montreal Canadiens sign defencemen Michal Moravčík and David Sklenička

https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/latest-news/2018/5/28/17401992/montreal-canadiens-sign-michal-moravcik-david-sklenicka-world-championships-hc-skoda-plzen-habs

Interesting, I’ve never seen either of those guys play I believe but we definitely need all the help we can get. Laval is not exactly stacked either in terms of talent, so there‘s nothing to lose I guess.

[BigTed3]

4 hours ago, Habs=stanleycup said:

Once again MB goes shopping outside the NHL for prospects. If these acquisitions go in our favor, let's hope he doesn't squander it the way he did with Radulov.

 

3 hours ago, maas_art said:

And there seems to have been, in the past, a disconnect between our scouting and our development departments.  Hopefully with Bouchard and co in Laval now, some of these guys will come over and be developed properly.   Im not saying Sekac or Jerabek or others were ever going to be elite players but it sure seems like we could have gotten more out of them than what we did, had we been able to help them adapt their skillsets to the north american game. 

Was going to say, the signing reminds me more of Sekac/Jerabek than Radulov, since Radulov was more of a known quantity to the NHL. We'll see if these new guys adjust or if they get kicked to the curb quickly like the other two. As was said, low risk signings with potential upside... the more horses you have in the race, the better your odds.