Poll: Who will last

[BigTed3]

Something's got to give. Will the GM be fired? Will the coach go too? Will the Habs trade one of their stars? Is Galchenyuk the most likely to go because the coach/GM don't like him? Or will Galchenyuk last longest if the coach and GM go first?

Who will still be here when the dust settles? (and for bonus points, write in your post what order you think the 5 people mentioned will hit the road)...

[Regis22]

In order of likely leaving first

Alex

Max

Weber, MB and CJ - not going any where

[jwlk]

MB will be forever or until the french policy passes

[jeff33]

i think it might actually be weber.  

bergie has this year for sure. he will trade chuck 100%. he MIGHT trade max. 

I think we miss the playoffs this year and he gets canned. new gm likely trades max, possibly cans julien, but i think will be unable to trade weber. this is year 2. he is having serious injury troubles.  i think by next year the illusion is over and no one would take that contract for anything.

[Regis22]

8 minutes ago, jeff33 said:

I think we miss the playoffs this year and he gets canned.

You " think " we miss the playoffs . ???

[jeff33]

3 minutes ago, Regis22 said:

You " think " we miss the playoffs . ???

I predicted we miss the playoffs before the year started and logically it looks like we certainly will. Im terrified to be confident about it because these guys are gonna win 10 in a row to end the year, squeak in and nothing will change, like some murphy's law of doom

[jwlk]

atleast we are not as bad as ottawa, bet they wish they could take that trade back

[PuckPundit]

My predictions, in order of departure:

Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Bergevin, Julien, Weber.

[eldag]

2 hours ago, jeff33 said:

i think it might actually be weber.  

bergie has this year for sure. he will trade chuck 100%. he MIGHT trade max. 

I think we miss the playoffs this year and he gets canned. new gm likely trades max, possibly cans julien, but i think will be unable to trade weber. this is year 2. he is having serious injury troubles.  i think by next year the illusion is over and no one would take that contract for anything.

Same for Price .. recurring knee problem and some ineffective stretches plus no trade render him unmovable after this year. That’s $18m of cap space tied up for 8 years on two deteriorating veterans. Wow ? what a legacy for Bergevin! It will be interesting to see how long the fans continue to buy in by lining Molson’s pockets.  Not much to look forward to as long as the team is operated below cap like a small market franchise in order to max out profits ..

[jwlk]

why was price not an option, seeing as his contract is the worse, and hes playing poorly, maybe he will be 1st to go or last

[H_T_L]

15 minutes ago, jwlk said:

why was price not an option, seeing as his contract is the worse, and hes playing poorly, maybe he will be 1st to go or last

Took care of that for you.

[jeff33]

price is in the same boat as weber. it would have to be done asap, because the more time goes by the more untradeable that contract is going to be. 

e.g roberto luongo. 

I was listening to tsn 690 and Sean Gordon had the greatest line on his spot. He said this management would rather be right than maximize their assets...and he is so amazingly correct.

1. we cant/wont trade chuck because his value is so low at the moment. will we play him at center? top pp unit? pad his stats? boost his trade value? no. because that means we are doing it wrong right now, and we will not admit that. so we will marginalize him to prove we are right. that he cant play center, and that he will not get his icetime until he falls in line and does it the coach's way.

2. we won't trade max because we made him captain, and very possibly chose him over subban in some capacity.  he gets a leash 10 miles long because "thats our guy" and we would rather be right about backing him , rather than admit he's not worth a new contract at what hes gonna want and trade him for help we desperately need, but wont admit to needing.

you can say literally the exact same thing about weber. 

so lets all just close our eyes and imagine this is actually a potential cup winning team, we are in "win now" mode, and we are just a derek king and a steve ott away from making a serious run.

[kinot-2]

12 hours ago, Regis22 said:

In order of likely leaving first

Alex

Max

Weber, MB and CJ - not going any where

Now that Carey has been added, I believe that he will be here the longest. The first to go will be Alex. 

[maas_art]

1 hour ago, kinot-2 said:

Now that Carey has been added, I believe that he will be here the longest. The first to go will be Alex. 

Agreed. I think Alex will go first (even though i think it *should* be Patches or Weber).   Bergevin will be one of the first unless this season miraculously turns around.    Price is here for the long haul imho. 

I do think there's a market for Price and i do think he'll be great for at least a portion of his new contract but I dont think the team will move him.  Management will forever look at Patrick Roy being traded as the main reason we went from perennial contender to basement dweller (even though it was only a small portion of the issue) and as such will never trade our star goalie again mmw. 

 

The real frustrating part is that right now you could get great value out of Pacioretty, Weber and Price.   You will get low value from a guy like Galchenyuk.  But we will sell low (trade AG) and wait it out until Patches & Weber have way less value.  We will probably hold on to price no matter what. 

 

So for me, in order they should go: Bergevin, Weber, Pacioretty, Price, Julien, Galchenyuk. 
In the order they probably will go:   Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Julien/Bergevin (together), Weber, Price

[H_T_L]

I think Weber will be here until he either runs out his contract or retires early.We already have tons of holes on D with no immediate prospects to fill any. Can't see us adding another. Now if we were to trade Price and get a couple top 4's in return,,, i'd rethink that.

[BigTed3]

I purposely did not include Price in the list because I thought too many people would opt for him as an "obvious" choice and I wanted to see who people would choose out of the rest. Even though I think the team should look at moving on from Price before his contract becomes too hard to trade, I don't think they will. I think too many people see him as the face of the franchise and as being untradeable.

I chose Weber of the rest, and this is how I see it playing out:

- I don't see Molson making any kind of a move with his GM or coach during the season. I think as long as the team is in the playoff hunt, GM will see how things play out.

- I think Bergevin at some point will get antsy to make a move, and as the trade deadline approaches, more teams become capable of being buyers (with the diminishing number of games left allowing them to take on bigger cap hits) and more teams will get desperate to grab the player that pushes them over the edge.

- I think the Habs will be in the battle to take the 3rd seed in the division and/or the 2nd wildcard. I don't know that they will end up in a position to confidently add on players and trade futures, in fact I'm almost certain Bergevin has left his cap space unused for too long and has missed the boat on this. So I don't see them being buyers, but I also doubt Bergevin views himself as a seller, at least when it comes to key parts. I think he will try to deal Plekanec. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to deal Benn and maybe even admits his mistake and shops Alzner around (though I don't see him finding a taker for Alzner). I'm not sure he'll make too many other moves around the deadline.

- I do think he is already actively shopping Galchenyuk but doesn't feel the urgency to trade him. I think he's trying to be patient like Joe Sakic and wants to make a hockey trade, not a trade for futures here. I actually believe he wants a top-pairing LHD out of this but hasn't found a dancing partner yet. If it doesn't happen in season, I think it'll happen at the draft, unless we find a new GM who loves AG more (see below).

- If the Habs miss the playoffs, I think Bergevin is done. Molson can defend him all he wants now and I don't think anything happens in season, but there's been a clear regression under Bergevin and I think this is his last kick at the can. I think the new GM (maybe Brisebois) will keep Claude Julien at Geoff Molson's request (so that they're not paying MT, CJ, and a new guy together). But Julien would be on a tight leash and that eventually, the new guy will want to bring in his own coach if there's not sustained and immediate success. So I see Julein lasting maybe 2 years under a new GM.

- I do think a GM will be more willing to re-build and will look at what deals are out there for any of his players. But again, I don't see them trading Price. I do think the new GM will look at the Weber and Price contracts and feel it would be hard to tie down 7-8M a year for Pacioretty long-term as well, so I think Pacioretty hits the trade market in the off-season and that we shouldn't have an issue trading him on his friendly contract.

- I think Weber is the guy who is hardest to move given his age and contract. There will be interested parties, but the Habs will either have to settle on the return or else eat some contract. But I think he's here at least 2 more years and thus likely the guy of the original list who lasts the longest.

[eldag]

16 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

I purposely did not include Price in the list because I thought too many people would opt for him as an "obvious" choice and I wanted to see who people would choose out of the rest. Even though I think the team should look at moving on from Price before his contract becomes too hard to trade, I don't think they will. I think too many people see him as the face of the franchise and as being untradeable.

I chose Weber of the rest, and this is how I see it playing out:

- I don't see Molson making any kind of a move with his GM or coach during the season. I think as long as the team is in the playoff hunt, GM will see how things play out.

- I think Bergevin at some point will get antsy to make a move, and as the trade deadline approaches, more teams become capable of being buyers (with the diminishing number of games left allowing them to take on bigger cap hits) and more teams will get desperate to grab the player that pushes them over the edge.

- I think the Habs will be in the battle to take the 3rd seed in the division and/or the 2nd wildcard. I don't know that they will end up in a position to confidently add on players and trade futures, in fact I'm almost certain Bergevin has left his cap space unused for too long and has missed the boat on this. So I don't see them being buyers, but I also doubt Bergevin views himself as a seller, at least when it comes to key parts. I think he will try to deal Plekanec. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to deal Benn and maybe even admits his mistake and shops Alzner around (though I don't see him finding a taker for Alzner). I'm not sure he'll make too many other moves around the deadline.

- I do think he is already actively shopping Galchenyuk but doesn't feel the urgency to trade him. I think he's trying to be patient like Joe Sakic and wants to make a hockey trade, not a trade for futures here. I actually believe he wants a top-pairing LHD out of this but hasn't found a dancing partner yet. If it doesn't happen in season, I think it'll happen at the draft, unless we find a new GM who loves AG more (see below).

- If the Habs miss the playoffs, I think Bergevin is done. Molson can defend him all he wants now and I don't think anything happens in season, but there's been a clear regression under Bergevin and I think this is his last kick at the can. I think the new GM (maybe Brisebois) will keep Claude Julien at Geoff Molson's request (so that they're not paying MT, CJ, and a new guy together). But Julien would be on a tight leash and that eventually, the new guy will want to bring in his own coach if there's not sustained and immediate success. So I see Julein lasting maybe 2 years under a new GM.

- I do think a GM will be more willing to re-build and will look at what deals are out there for any of his players. But again, I don't see them trading Price. I do think the new GM will look at the Weber and Price contracts and feel it would be hard to tie down 7-8M a year for Pacioretty long-term as well, so I think Pacioretty hits the trade market in the off-season and that we shouldn't have an issue trading him on his friendly contract.

- I think Weber is the guy who is hardest to move given his age and contract. There will be interested parties, but the Habs will either have to settle on the return or else eat some contract. But I think he's here at least 2 more years and thus likely the guy of the original list who lasts the longest.

If Montreal sees no value at $7-8M/season for Patches why would anyone else? If an asset is only locked up under a favourable contract for one more year then what is he worth in the trade market? Answer: Not nearly as much as he would be worth with a season and a half left. Unfortunately .... Patches has been pretty much mailing it in all year so he probably isn't worth what we are paying him now. I believe we are screwed with him either way because of his play.

Re: Weber ... if he is still on the roster 2 years from now ... I do not believe there is anyone in the league who would take him on at that cap hit ... even if Bergevin was the General Manager of the other team looking at acquiring him .....

[H_T_L]

42 minutes ago, eldag said:

If Montreal sees no value at $7-8M/season for Patches why would anyone else? If an asset is only locked up under a favourable contract for one more year then what is he worth in the trade market? Answer: Not nearly as much as he would be worth with a season and a half left. Unfortunately .... Patches has been pretty much mailing it in all year so he probably isn't worth what we are paying him now. I believe we are screwed with him either way because of his play.

Re: Weber ... if he is still on the roster 2 years from now ... I do not believe there is anyone in the league who would take him on at that cap hit ... even if Bergevin was the General Manager of the other team looking at acquiring him .....

I actually think Weber becomes more tradable a couple years down the road. I seem to remember that his actual salary nosedives in the later years which makes him more viable for teams looking to reach the cap floor. 

[BigTed3]

1 hour ago, eldag said:

If Montreal sees no value at $7-8M/season for Patches why would anyone else? If an asset is only locked up under a favourable contract for one more year then what is he worth in the trade market? Answer: Not nearly as much as he would be worth with a season and a half left. Unfortunately .... Patches has been pretty much mailing it in all year so he probably isn't worth what we are paying him now. I believe we are screwed with him either way because of his play.

Re: Weber ... if he is still on the roster 2 years from now ... I do not believe there is anyone in the league who would take him on at that cap hit ... even if Bergevin was the General Manager of the other team looking at acquiring him .....

Sure, Pacioretty has value now. I'm just not sure Bergevin is willing to throw the towel in on the season yet. Pacioretty will continue to have value in the off-season. Even if he's an impending UFA, other teams could at that point negotiate an extension at the time of the trade. I think you will find a line-up of teams more than happy to have a perennial 30-goal scorer on a 4.5M contract, and those teams who are not already shelling out long-term deals to aging veterans like Price and Weber might be more willing to pay Pacioretty what he deserves. Right now, I think you're worrying too much about Pacioretty's level of play. He's a streaky player, he will almost invariably go on a hot streak at some point, and I think he'll get to at least 25 goals this season, maybe even 30 again. He is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the league over the past 5 years, so there will be interest, just as there would be interest if players like Kessel or Couture or Van Riemsdyk or Simmonds or Hoffman hit the market. The question for me is not whether someone will want Pacioretty and it's not even whether someone will be willing to pay (because I think we can demand and get something akin to what Colorado got for Duchene), but rather whether Bergevin is willing to admit he built the team poorly and cut his losses by trading away players who don't have futures here and will eat up too much cap going forward.

[habs1952]

9 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

Sure, Pacioretty has value now. I'm just not sure Bergevin is willing to throw the towel in on the season yet. Pacioretty will continue to have value in the off-season. Even if he's an impending UFA, other teams could at that point negotiate an extension at the time of the trade. I think you will find a line-up of teams more than happy to have a perennial 30-goal scorer on a 4.5M contract, and those teams who are not already shelling out long-term deals to aging veterans like Price and Weber might be more willing to pay Pacioretty what he deserves. Right now, I think you're worrying too much about Pacioretty's level of play. He's a streaky player, he will almost invariably go on a hot streak at some point, and I think he'll get to at least 25 goals this season, maybe even 30 again. He is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the league over the past 5 years, so there will be interest, just as there would be interest if players like Kessel or Couture or Van Riemsdyk or Simmonds or Hoffman hit the market. The question for me is not whether someone will want Pacioretty and it's not even whether someone will be willing to pay (because I think we can demand and get something akin to what Colorado got for Duchene), but rather whether Bergevin is willing to admit he built the team poorly and cut his losses by trading away players who don't have futures here and will eat up too much cap going forward.

Those goals will be meaningless after the ship has sunk.

[jwlk]

11 hours ago, H_T_L said:

Took care of that for you.

ty

[Regis22]

2 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

- I think the Habs will be in the battle to take the 3rd seed in the division and/or the 2nd wildcard.

 

Cant see that happening . Its either the third see or nothing . They need to go on an extended winning streak and at the same time hope the teams they need to overtake go on extended losing streaks .

[CaptWelly]

30 minutes ago, Regis22 said:

 

Cant see that happening . Its either the third see or nothing . They need to go on an extended winning streak and at the same time hope the teams they need to overtake go on extended losing streaks .

The one thing that has helped the team is that most of the loses have come to the western conference. What they do in the East and especially in our own division can make a huge difference where we end up. Along with the other teams. I'm not sold on the Rangers staying there and their are probably others that will have issues.

[fivethej]

Bergevin will be here for all the times. He's never leaving. Molson is clown that doesn't care about winning. Only making $$.

[habs_93]

Weber. No way we're moving that contract.