2019-20 State Of The Habs

[ChiLla]

20 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

Lebrun says that Gally needs a CT scan but won't have to leave the bubble. 

Phew! Good news... we‘ll need him for sure.

[maas_art]

44 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

Lebrun says that Gally needs a CT scan but won't have to leave the bubble. 

Yes, Muller said that this morning.  But he also said that its possible he may have to leave the bubble if they need more tests beyond the CT. 

[kinot-2]

Just now, maas_art said:

Yes, Muller said that this morning.  But he also said that its possible he may have to leave the bubble if they need more tests beyond the CT. 

Thanks for clarifying.

[maas_art]

Just now, kinot-2 said:

Thanks for clarifying.

Hopefully it doesnt come to that. 

Im sure missing Gallagher would motivate the team but we need him in the lineup, not as a cheerleader. 

 

[electron58]

2 hours ago, maas_art said:

If its even remotely possible, i think he'll play.  Maybe one of those Pat Lafontaine broken jaw helmet things! 

Only way Gally sits is if the medical staff tells him he has to (or if he absolutely has to leave the bubble for tests/treatment).

Definitely.  I fully expect Gally to play.  No way he leaves for more tests. As long as he isn't experiencing any headaches (which we won't know about) and he can skate  =  he will play.  Nobody plays with more passion and has a bigger heart! & I think he will be productive.

[electron58]

2 hours ago, electron58 said:

Definitely.  I fully expect Gally to play.  No way he leaves for more tests. As long as he isn't experiencing any headaches (which we won't know about) and he can skate  =  he will play.  Nobody plays with more passion and has a bigger heart! & I think he will be productive.

So disappointed.  Brendan Gallagher has a confirmed broken jaw which unfortunately requires surgery rendering Gally unavailable for the rest of the series.

All this, with less than 1 minute to go, and the game technically over. Another case of a needless headshot.  Where is the respect? And now it gets tougher and tougher.

Albeit, they shouldn't have been in these playoffs, but it was the league that allowed all the teams to play in. This, after Montreal dumped all their UFA's. And then to put up with all the one sided penalty calls. I have to say, that I am very proud of this team! They are battling adversity every step of the way.  Wouldn't it be SWEET if they went all the way?

Go HABS!!!

[arpem-can]

On 20/08/2020 at 9:17 AM, CaptWelly said:

 

 

14 hours ago, electron58 said:

So disappointed.  Brendan Gallagher has a confirmed broken jaw which unfortunately requires surgery rendering Gally unavailable for the rest of the series.

All this, with less than 1 minute to go, and the game technically over. Another case of a needless headshot.  Where is the respect? And now it gets tougher and tougher.

Albeit, they shouldn't have been in these playoffs, but it was the league that allowed all the teams to play in. This, after Montreal dumped all their UFA's. And then to put up with all the one sided penalty calls. I have to say, that I am very proud of this team! They are battling adversity every step of the way.  Wouldn't it be SWEET if they went all the way?

Go HABS!!!

     The league blew this ....the  travesty that Niskanen can return for a 7th game with Gallagher out needing surgery is                       blatant and obvious favouritism ....nice job ...how many league officials in the head office actually coordinate  collectively to make such a poor decision ? Everybody else in hockey not named Vigneault seem to think the decision is a joke . In trying to keep the image of the league squeaky and sweeping it under the rug they further damaged their credibility  As if it wasn't already suspect   .

[Habberwacky]

5 hours ago, arpem-can said:

 

     The league blew this ....the  travesty that Niskanen can return for a 7th game with Gallagher out needing surgery is                       blatant and obvious favouritism ....nice job ...how many league officials in the head office actually coordinate  collectively to make such a poor decision ? Everybody else in hockey not named Vigneault seem to think the decision is a joke . In trying to keep the image of the league squeaky and sweeping it under the rug they further damaged their credibility  As if it wasn't already suspect   .

O'Neill on the radio in Edmonton said he cannot figure out how Kadri got 5 games and Niskanen only 1 game. He noted that when you hear a player has been crosschecked in the the face and suffered a broken jaw you should be starting with 4 games and going up from there. Parros may need to develop a better system for ranking and rating these hits. The NHLPA should also be worried about player safety of these actions are seen as negligible,

The true ruler of player safety may need to step in again. I think the players insurance companies played a significant role in having slashing penalties penalized after some fingers were badly damaged and they had to cover costs and salaries and the same may become a reality for some of these headshots as the league does not seem too interested in player wellness. You don't have to look too far for good examples of the problem having Shaw and Evan receiving multiple concussions that are making these players evaluate their careers. The league has not addressed these concerns since they put more punitive measures in to reduce fighting. Coincidentally the playoff injuries the are often involving top players (see Pacioretty, Price and now Gallagher). Player safety needs to stop making excuses for these infractions and deal with what is really going on. 

[maas_art]

2 minutes ago, Habberwacky said:

O'Neill on the radio in Edmonton said he cannot figure out how Kadri got 5 games and Niskanen only 1 game. He noted that when you hear a player has been crosschecked in the the face and suffered a broken jaw you should be starting with 4 games and going up from there. Parros may need to develop a better system for ranking and rating these hits. The NHLPA should also be worried about player safety of these actions are seen as negligible,

Easy:  Kadri is disliked by the refs and NHLPS board - as is gallagher.  In one case the guy is the perpetrator, the other the victim but in both cases they go against the guy they dont like vs. what should have been done.

Considering Niskanen laid a cross-check into Crosby's face a while back should make this a repeat offence. 

[arpem-can]

1 hour ago, maas_art said:

Easy:  Kadri is disliked by the refs and NHLPS board - as is gallagher.  In one case the guy is the perpetrator, the other the victim but in both cases they go against the guy they dont like vs. what should have been done.

Considering Niskanen laid a cross-check into Crosby's face a while back should make this a repeat offence. 

 Gallagher has been hacked around  in front of the net for years without getting legitimate calls and now this ....you got to give it to him he's one tough kid chirping away at the Flyers after the hit but unlike Kadri , Brendan has never been a diver so not sure why the refs don't give him the benefit at least occasionally .....I want this to go 7 so I can  watch Niskanen's head on a swivel every time he's on the ice ...

[BigTed3]

My opening chances of certain players being back next year:

- Drouin: 90% chance he's back, I think MB will give him another chance.

- Tatar: 70%. I think MB likes him but he is clearly not a playoff performer and he's in a contract year, which means there's a chance he's moved.

- Mete: 50%. Romanov is coming. I don't see MB moving Chiarot. He also needs an upgrade on left D and I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see him try to do something like swap Domi and Mete for Brodin (see below). Mete is a bit of the odd man out.

- Domi: 20%. I think MB will be shopping him for D help. Don't think  the Habs are happy with Domi.

- Poehling: 15%. After everyone else played in the post-season but him, you have to figure there's a reason the Habs don't like him. Rumor is he pouted in the AHL and that he didn't prepare for the re-start very well and showed up in bad shape. MB won't tolerate that. He's heading the way of Danny Kristo.

- Weal: 15%. Hopefully he's not back.

- Hudon: 2%. Likely done with the Habs and wouldn't be surprised if he's in the KHL next year (if he's not signed to a minor league deal by Tampa).

- Weise: 1%. He should be done, probably done in the NHL.

 

[habsisme]

It's too bad about Poehling, yet another first-round pick that doesn't play

[electron58]

9 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

My opening chances of certain players being back next year:

- Drouin: 90% chance he's back, I think MB will give him another chance.

- Tatar: 70%. I think MB likes him but he is clearly not a playoff performer and he's in a contract year, which means there's a chance he's moved.

- Mete: 50%. Romanov is coming. I don't see MB moving Chiarot. He also needs an upgrade on left D and I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see him try to do something like swap Domi and Mete for Brodin (see below). Mete is a bit of the odd man out.

- Domi: 20%. I think MB will be shopping him for D help. Don't think  the Habs are happy with Domi.

- Poehling: 15%. After everyone else played in the post-season but him, you have to figure there's a reason the Habs don't like him. Rumor is he pouted in the AHL and that he didn't prepare for the re-start very well and showed up in bad shape. MB won't tolerate that. He's heading the way of Danny Kristo.

- Weal: 15%. Hopefully he's not back.

- Hudon: 2%. Likely done with the Habs and wouldn't be surprised if he's in the KHL next year (if he's not signed to a minor league deal by Tampa).

- Weise: 1%. He should be done, probably done in the NHL.

 

- Drouin: 90% chance he's back,  -  I hope you're wrong (9 lives?)

- Tatar:   70%.                               -  should have been traded @ the deadline. (maybe next season's deadline?)

- Mete:   50%                                -  this would work

- Domi:   20%                               -  this would work, as above

- Poehling: 15%                           -  if what you hear is true.......Bergevin is always one to hold a grudge.  Bad trait in a general manager.

- Weal:       15%                           - inexpensive contract, signed for next year, fast, probably 75% he's back

- Hudon:      2%                           - in a normal year, maybe, but if he gets offered a contract, I think 75% he's back

- Weise:       1%                          - 0%.  Can only have so many experienced contracts in the AHL

I'll put paul Byron @ 50%, maybe in a package.

 

 

[CaptWelly]

9 hours ago, habsisme said:

It's too bad about Poehling, yet another first-round pick that doesn't play

He has size and I think he is going to be a player . I think it's a big mistake if they give up so quickly. That said where what source was these "rumors' from. I have heard none of this at all?

[jennifer_rocket]

I don't think Poehling will be expended so quickly, but... with that said, I also don't think we need him. He's a bottom-six player in the NHL, IMO. I don't think he's going to turn into a top-six forward like Kotkaniemi and Suzuki. Could Jake Evans be passing him on the depth chart as well?

[arpem-can]

1 hour ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I don't think Poehling will be expended so quickly, but... with that said, I also don't think we need him. He's a bottom-six player in the NHL, IMO. I don't think he's going to turn into a top-six forward like Kotkaniemi and Suzuki. Could Jake Evans be passing him on the depth chart as well?

 ...definitely Evans showed he belongs and will be back and is ahead on the depth chart ...as well I don't think Poehling will be gone so quickly either ..firstly what do you get in return for an unproven young player that wasn't even in the play-offs ?...he's got next year to prove himself if the rumours about him are true (  unfair to label him at this point ) On Drouin ...he stays but only because he showed Chemistry with Suzuki and Armia .Domi will be cheaper now on a 2 or 3 year bridge after a so-so year and unremarkable play-off so I say sign him .I think we need to let Tatar go as much as I like him . He'll  be wanting at least $6 mill and term and could perhaps fetch a significant LHD in a package  or free up money for a guy like Hall ( I can dream ) .Bergy has to get creative .I think this is his last kick at the can as well . The team showed it has heart and can bring for 60 minutes with speed .How many crossbars and bad deflections on Price

? shoulda , woulda , coulda 

[pcharnish]

The sate of the habs in my opinion looks great at c with Suzuki probably being the #1 c  and then you put kk at c eith dandaut at c and the Jake Evan's I think we need wingers and maybe a d man I would like a backup for price but I think we have to many goalies signed so one would have to go

[arpem-can]

1 hour ago, pcharnish said:

The sate of the habs in my opinion looks great at c with Suzuki probably being the #1 c  and then you put kk at c eith dandaut at c and the Jake Evan's I think we need wingers and maybe a d man I would like a backup for price but I think we have to many goalies signed so one would have to go

 the Pacioretty trade so far is the best trade made by Bergevin in his tenure  given the quality and volume of players coming back ...not only will Suzuki be productive for years but Tatar  has put up numbers almost on a par with Pacioretty in the regular season ..then we have Mattias Norlinder and the part I'm most interested in is what player and /or draft pick Timmins can turn Tatar into either before the season starts or at deadline ...if you could have looked into the future you would have probably taken a future star and centre  Suzuki straight up for Max , I know I would have .

[BigTed3]

Find it hard to believe MB and others who say this season for the Habs was a success. This team still made a 1st-round playoff exit and they did it after being gifted a playoff spot after finishing 8th-worst in the entire NHL. Sure, there was some promise from younger players and others coming, but every team has younger players developing and going into next year, I don't see this being a top 4 team in the division unless significant roster changes are made. TB, Tor, and Bos will likely all still be better, as will Florida in all likelihood and watch out for Ottawa, who will add two top 5 picks to a young core.

At the end of the day, the Habs still lack elite talent and they still rely on a core that is old and that has repeatedly worn down as the year goes on. Until they get a younger core or until the older D men/goalie are insulated by some type of relief, we will still struggle.

[ramcharger440]

27 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

Find it hard to believe MB and others who say this season for the Habs was a success. This team still made a 1st-round playoff exit and they did it after being gifted a playoff spot after finishing 8th-worst in the entire NHL. Sure, there was some promise from younger players and others coming, but every team has younger players developing and going into next year, I don't see this being a top 4 team in the division unless significant roster changes are made. TB, Tor, and Bos will likely all still be better, as will Florida in all likelihood and watch out for Ottawa, who will add two top 5 picks to a young core.

At the end of the day, the Habs still lack elite talent and they still rely on a core that is old and that has repeatedly worn down as the year goes on. Until they get a younger core or until the older D men/goalie are insulated by some type of relief, we will still struggle.

The season was not a success at all but the playoffs we were gifted with were interesting. if you look at the team right now we are good at center and probably going to be stronger next year too with more growth for our young guns. i would argue that our core is getting younger Price and Webber are two players important ones yes but they are only part of the core.we have some young defencemen who are slowly taking shape i think of Kulak who i thought was great in the postseason and the potential that Romanov should bring add to that Webber and your favorite Chiarot and really we still need that #1 LHD and we would have a respectable Dcorps i see a need for a winger or two and an LHD for the first pairing and the skaters are in good shape. i don't know what the plan is for a backup yet but we will need one for sure if we can take care of those issues we will be a solid team. For me the players we may need to move to get what we really need are Domi Tatar Mete  the players we have to get away from are Weal Weise and company if we play the kids and get a couple of key players we will be a much better team for sure.

 

[habsisme]

From watching MB's press conference and having a look at cap friendly, I don't think we will see any offer sheets or UFAs (Krug) come to Montreal. Next year the following will be UFAs; Gallager, Petry, Danault, Tatar, Armia and RFAs; Kotkaniemi and Lehkonen. At which point we will surely be a team close to the cap. Even if we do nothing this year, I suspect someone like Tatar is likely going to be gone. 

Given all this, I'm hoping we can take on a one-year bad contract for 1st like Carolina got. I would love ot have Krug, but taking a closer look, I'm not sure we can realistically afford him.

[arpem-can]

  I think Montreal to has shake things up now . If you keep most of the same players and don't open the vault and add via UFA the only solution is by trading bodies and /or draft assets to get bodies . Otherwise we'll be looking at the same kind of year as last with a smallish cast of players again . Gallagher is the exception 

 .Price's value probably has never been higher than now . He still has 3 or 4 decent years left . I love Carey Price make no mistake about it but if you want to really change the club then start prepping Primeau and add a decent back-up .....Bergy will be gone within a year if this doesn't happen .

[BigTed3]

2 hours ago, ramcharger440 said:

The season was not a success at all but the playoffs we were gifted with were interesting. if you look at the team right now we are good at center and probably going to be stronger next year too with more growth for our young guns. i would argue that our core is getting younger Price and Webber are two players important ones yes but they are only part of the core.we have some young defencemen who are slowly taking shape i think of Kulak who i thought was great in the postseason and the potential that Romanov should bring add to that Webber and your favorite Chiarot and really we still need that #1 LHD and we would have a respectable Dcorps i see a need for a winger or two and an LHD for the first pairing and the skaters are in good shape. i don't know what the plan is for a backup yet but we will need one for sure if we can take care of those issues we will be a solid team. For me the players we may need to move to get what we really need are Domi Tatar Mete  the players we have to get away from are Weal Weise and company if we play the kids and get a couple of key players we will be a much better team for sure.

 

We do have good young players. The problem is that I don't see enough of them being ready to make this team a winner before Weber/Price/Petry are not effective. We already saw that Weber pooped out after 7-8 games this post-season. He was playing like a #1 for the first 6 or so and then just seemed to hit a wall, and he's done the same thing during the regular seasons the past few years. He starts well but down the line, he turns into a PP specialist of sorts because he can't keep up with the minutes we play him.

I don't think we should be counting on Romanov to be an impact player next year. If it happens, then pleasant surprise, but what if he's no better than Emelin or even worse than Emelin? And while Kulak held his own and Chiarot can be an effective 3rd-pairing guy, I don't see a single top 4 LHD on the team right now that I'd feel confident with for 82 games and the playoffs. We need to make trade to fix some holes. I certainly think we can be a playoff team next year, but I don't see us challenging for a Cup in the next season or two and I would still advocate for trading guys like Weber or Tatar or maybe even Petry before they lose value even further.

[Larry-Launstein-Jr]

16 hours ago, arpem-can said:

  I think Montreal to has shake things up now . If you keep most of the same players and don't open the vault and add via UFA the only solution is by trading bodies and /or draft assets to get bodies . Otherwise we'll be looking at the same kind of year as last with a smallish cast of players again . Gallagher is the exception 

 .Price's value probably has never been higher than now . He still has 3 or 4 decent years left . I love Carey Price make no mistake about it but if you want to really change the club then start prepping Primeau and add a decent back-up .....Bergy will be gone within a year if this doesn't happen .

Price's contract is hanging over this team's head like an albatross. I hate to say it, but they are going to have to dump his salary just to be able to get more players and make a few more trades.

[H_T_L]

IMO Price's contract is only an issue when we need the cap room. MB has been well below the max for a couple years now and has carried a lot of dead weight that can be shed to make even more space. I'm OK with moving Price for the right deal assuming there's a plan to replace him,,,,  however,,,, we couldn't even find a decent backup this season, so how much harder would it be to find a starter? We say Primeau but he's untested. Until we get that situation sorted out, moving Price only adds to our issues rather then solves them. Not a big believer in making a hole to fill another. Now if we were to move him for another decent starter and a top pairing D that's different. Anybody have confidence that MB is capable of that type of move or is even willing to entertain the idea? He's more likely to move Primeau and watch him possibly develop into the player we actually could use.