H_T_L Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Are we making any moves at all, or standing pat? Lots of pieces in play this year, and rumoured to be a buyers market if a lot of these UFA's aren't resigned. Returns are likely to be small. Countdown is on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 imho we will only do some minor tweaking. I dont think we will trade for any UFA unless the price is really cheap. (ie like Vanek a few years back) I dont think we will move any of our own UFA unless the return is decent (I dont think we'll trade Benn for a 7th but if someone wants him bad enough we might for a 3rd) I dont think we will make any major moves or "hockey trades" unless it just happens leading up to the deadline. I do think MB is still in the hunt for a #1LD but i dont think he'll give up much to get one so its going to be interesting to see if that hole stays empty or if he does try to do something still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HabsAlways Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 57 minutes ago, maas_art said: imho we will only do some minor tweaking. I dont think we will trade for any UFA unless the price is really cheap. (ie like Vanek a few years back) I dont think we will move any of our own UFA unless the return is decent (I dont think we'll trade Benn for a 7th but if someone wants him bad enough we might for a 3rd) I dont think we will make any major moves or "hockey trades" unless it just happens leading up to the deadline. I do think MB is still in the hunt for a #1LD but i dont think he'll give up much to get one so its going to be interesting to see if that hole stays empty or if he does try to do something still. If anything I think MB is looking to get younger players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 31 minutes ago, HabsAlways said: If anything I think MB is looking to get younger players. Maybe. I think the draw of playoff $$ does entice him though. With Price playing as well as he has for the last 2 months and Weber coming back I could see MB thinking we could win a round or two in the post season, so why not thow a mid-level pick or a prospect we dont think is going anywhere at a bottom 10 team for a rental LHD. Im not saying its the right move but its one I could see him (MB) making if the price isnt too steep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennifer_rocket Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, maas_art said: Maybe. I think the draw of playoff $$ does entice him though. With Price playing as well as he has for the last 2 months and Weber coming back I could see MB thinking we could win a round or two in the post season, so why not thow a mid-level pick or a prospect we dont think is going anywhere at a bottom 10 team for a rental LHD. Im not saying its the right move but its one I could see him (MB) making if the price isnt too steep. Michael McCarron for rental D! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony5775 Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 If the chance comes up to get a real center who can win face offs we should go for that. Does not have to be a super star, even though Jason Spezza would be okay. He always played great against us and I believe has a 55% face off percentage. But anyone would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HabsAlways Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 2 minutes ago, tony5775 said: If the chance comes up to get a real center who can win face offs we should go for that. Does not have to be a super star, even though Jason Spezza would be okay. He always played great against us and I believe has a 55% face off percentage. But anyone would do. And why do we need a rental anything? This team is not going deep in the playoffs ... we should be sellers not buyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony5775 Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 hour ago, HabsAlways said: And why do we need a rental anything? This team is not going deep in the playoffs ... we should be sellers not buyers. Just the kind of guy who always plays to win not to lose. Not sure I would even know how to do that. Domi and Tatar have changed the team so much I think anything is possible. Not like Montreal hasn't won cups before with a hot goalie and a lesser team. If we do not think we can win Price is the guy to get rid of, As long as he is here and playing the way he is, we are going to make the playoffs. Might as well enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HabsAlways Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Just now, tony5775 said: Just the kind of guy who always plays to win not to lose. Not sure I would even know how to do that. Domi and Tatar have changed the team so much I think anything is possible. Not like Montreal hasn't won cups before with a hot goalie and a lesser team. If we do not think we can win Price is the guy to get rid of, As long as he is here and playing the way he is, we are going to make the playoffs. Might as well enjoy it. I think MB's plan is for the current group plus 2-3 prospects to compete deep into the playoffs in the next 2-3 years ... so Price is a part of that. As I said, we should be sellers (Alzner, Schlemko, Benn, one of Petry/Weber) aiming to get somebody 21-23 who will peak in 2-3 years and is a top talent guy ... not "win now" ... the win now mentality is what set us back as badly as it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptWelly Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 minute ago, tony5775 said: Just the kind of guy who always plays to win not to lose. Not sure I would even know how to do that. Domi and Tatar have changed the team so much I think anything is possible. Not like Montreal hasn't won cups before with a hot goalie and a lesser team. If we do not think we can win Price is the guy to get rid of, As long as he is here and playing the way he is, we are going to make the playoffs. Might as well enjoy it. I agree I remember the 93 run and no one thought we had a chance of even winning a round. Roy and some other heroics later and we're raising the cup! Price is starting to play with confidence and swagger again. Carey is getting older himself. He might himself have a monster playoff just to cement his won career. He hasn't won a cup or really have had a stellar playoff run. If we we're able to get a LHD even a pending free agent and the price was right a 2nd or lower tier prospect or both and a center like Spezza I think it would be worth it. Someone who can win the important face offs and Spezza I think would look good with this team. As long as it wasn't a top prospect or player or a #1 pick I'd definitely Listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HabsAlways Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 And who's spot does Spezza take? Domi's? Danaults? Kotkaniemi's? Obviously, if all you want is a C to take draws you just need a 4th line player who would come far cheaper than Spezza. Faceoff's are over rated I think anyways ... good defence and puck recovery will get you out of trouble. Chaput and Danault are both over 50%. So mortgage the next 3-4 years to get Spezza as a rental? This team will only go deep (if we even make it) in the playoffs by pure dumb luck. The 93 team was 6th overall with a 48-30-6 record. While we weren't THE favourite to win the cup (that was Pittsburgh and Mario) ... we were considered contenders. This team is nowhere near as good as the 93 team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 39 minutes ago, HabsAlways said: The 93 team was 6th overall with a 48-30-6 record. While we weren't THE favourite to win the cup (that was Pittsburgh and Mario) ... we were considered contenders. This team is nowhere near as good as the 93 team. Yeah i dont know why the 93 team gets such a bad rap in hindsight. The Pens were the favourites, sure, and we didnt have to face them because of the Islanders but we beat the isles and we beat the Gretzky led kings. The team didnt have any superstars but plenty of stars. There's similarities to this year's team to that team (All world goalie, good scoring depth up front with no superstars) but we had a much stronger (overall) defense and we had some elite two way forwards in Damphousse, Muller, Carbo, Keane etc. This was a solid roster. We have some nice pieces this year but we're still a few years off from being at that caliber. Could we make the playoffs? Yes, looking more likely each month. Could we win a playoff round? Sure. Could we go deep? Highly unlikely, even if Price plays the best 2 months of his career, but you never know. I wouldnt lose future assets to accomplish any of those feats though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 I wouldn't be surprised if MB targets Bouwmeester or Muzzin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinot-2 Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 5 minutes ago, BigTed3 said: I wouldn't be surprised if MB targets Bouwmeester or Muzzin. I'd go with Muzzin, but not Bouwmeester, because of age difference. Muzzin is 29, Boumeester is 35. Muzzin is cheaper as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony5775 Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Never said it had to be Spezza. Just an experienced center who does not panic with 2 minutes left and shoot the puck over the glass. Yeah I know it could happen to anyone. Not to mention what he could teach Kotkaniemi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 minute ago, kinot-2 said: I'd go with Muzzin, but not Bouwmeester, because of age difference. Muzzin is 29, Boumeester is 35. Muzzin is cheaper as well. Both are going to cost too much to acquire though. Bouwmeester i have zero interest in but he also is UFA this summer so my guess is he'd be pretty cheap. Any team getting him is probably wanting him as insurance. Muzzin has one more year & would probably cost us a pick, a player like Hudon and maybe a spare part defensman like Kulak or Benn. Not interested in either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_T_L Posted January 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Am i the only one who thinks Mete has done a solid job as the #1 LD??? Is there anybody out there that's available that could come in and do a better job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, H_T_L said: Am i the only one who thinks Mete has done a solid job as the #1 LD??? Is there anybody out there that's available that could come in and do a better job? I actually think he's been awesome since he came back. I still feel like Weber is propping him up a little but thats ok, thats why Weber is our highest paid D, right? I dont know that anyone else - that is available - would necessarily be better. I think as long as our top 6 includes Weber, Petry, Mete, Reilly, Kulak and (ideally) Juulsen, there's probably not many players out there avaialble who would be an upgrade AND not cost us depth at another position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HabsAlways Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, H_T_L said: Am i the only one who thinks Mete has done a solid job as the #1 LD??? Is there anybody out there that's available that could come in and do a better job? Mete has done good ... but ... I think he's more a mid-pairing guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_T_L Posted January 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Just now, maas_art said: I actually think he's been awesome since he came back. I still feel like Weber is propping him up a little but thats ok, thats why Weber is our highest paid D, right? I dont know that anyone else - that is available - would necessarily be better. I think as long as our top 6 includes Weber, Petry, Mete, Reilly, Kulak and (ideally) Juulsen, there's probably not many players out there avaialble who would be an upgrade AND not cost us at another position. And that's a good point. Why chase down a # 1 LD when we have a guy already doing an adequate job. We're saying to try and acquire a young guy that will fit into that role. Doesn't Mete fit that description? We forget he's still a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_T_L Posted January 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Just now, HabsAlways said: Mete has done good ... but ... I think he's more a mid-pairing guy Personally,,,, i think he's carried Weber on a few shifts. His offense isn't there yet, but i would argue he's done a stellar job on the defensive side paired up against other teams best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 5 minutes ago, H_T_L said: We're saying to try and acquire a young guy that will fit into that role. Doesn't Mete fit that description? We forget he's still a kid. Im not sold he's going to ever be a top pairing guy (without the benefit of a Shea Weber next to him) but I do think he's as good as we're going to get without either drafting one, or, trading away important assets (ie Drouin, Petry, etc) to get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_T_L Posted January 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 2 minutes ago, maas_art said: Im not sold he's going to ever be a top pairing guy (without the benefit of a Shea Weber next to him) but I do think he's as good as we're going to get without either drafting one, or, trading away important assets (ie Drouin, Petry, etc) to get one. Possibly,,, but he still has one thing going for him,,,,youth with room to improve. He had a bad stretch there for awhile but he seems to have his head on straight now. I'm liking what i see. On another note,,, rumour is that Brassard is on the trade block with the Pens and the ask is something like a 3rd line center in return. I haven't watched much of the Pens this year. Is there interest there?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maas_art Posted January 16, 2019 Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 18 minutes ago, H_T_L said: On another note,,, rumour is that Brassard is on the trade block with the Pens and the ask is something like a 3rd line center in return. I haven't watched much of the Pens this year. Is there interest there?? IMHO Id have no interest whatsoever. He's old, he's had some injury troubles and he's scoring below what id want in our top 9. He'd be no improvement over Domi, JK or Danault and while he's technically better than Chaput right now, at 31 Im not interested. I mean if they want to give him to us for Alzner or Schlemko, fine but im not giving up any assets for him if im MB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_T_L Posted January 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 Just now, maas_art said: IMHO Id have no interest whatsoever. He's old, he's had some injury troubles and he's scoring below what id want in our top 9. He'd be no improvement over Domi, JK or Danault and while he's technically better than Chaput right now, at 31 Im not interested. I mean if they want to give him to us for Alzner or Schlemko, fine but im not giving up any assets for him if im MB. I was thinking more along the lines of a swap for Shaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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