2019-20 State Of The Habs

[BigTed3]

Pat Hickey: "You've already said you're not interested in Patrik Laine..."
 

MB: "I never said that."

Hickey: "So are you interested in Patrik Laine?"
 

MB: "I can't comment on another team's player."

Hickey: "Is going after Laine like going after Aho last year?"

MB: "I can't comment on that. I want to help you but I can't."

Hickey: "Oh okay."

 

Odd couple of conversations there...

[maas_art]

2 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

- MB: "very comfortable with our defence... we have our Big 3 with Weber, Petry, and Chiarot and now we've added Edmundson to the mix, so I feel like we're set. Of course if there's an opportunity to make it better we will consider it but I don't feel like we have to." (faceplam. So Bergevin really thinks he's done enough here and he's viewing that without considering Romanov. He really thinks Edmundson is a key here.)

Exactly what I would expect him to say & exactly why - if we ever contend, it will be in spite of him not because of him. 

Calling those 3 our "big three" is an insult to the real "big three" from the 70s. No knock on Weber or Petry (or Chairot for that matter, he didnt ask to be named that) but unless you add a player who's better than them, you really cant say we have a "big three."

Im not saying we should be signing a guy like Tory Krug but if the plan is to contend now (which seems to be his ideal) then something like that would be a good step. 

[maas_art]

2 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

Arpon Basu: "Why is it that there's always a lot of talk about upgrading and then it seems like things kind of fall through and you just aren't able to make a big acquisition."

MB: "Flat cap."

Basu: "But that only explains this year."

MB: "Not really, it also explains coming years."

 

Not sure I understand that...

LMAO.  Someone needs to explain past, present and future to MB.  Or maybe he owns a DeLorean and its all the same thing to him. 

[BigTed3]

Richard Labbe: "Are you confident with your team as is?"

MB: "Confident in what?"

Labbe: "In making a jump, making the playoffs, and so on.."
 

MB: "Sure. There are some things we'd still like to improve, but if we can't, sure we're still confident."

[maas_art]

2 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

MB: "I can't comment on that. I want to help you but I can't."

"I can't really tell you why I had to make that trade."

[ChiLla]

This is all very odd. I'm guessing he'll sign Kovalchuk to a 1-year deal and thinks we're set.

Anything can happen once you make the playoffs, right? Rinse. Repeat.

 

[ramcharger440]

The PR department must want to hang themselves everytime he goes near a mic! it is like he is protecting government secrets! i don't think he understands this is an entertainment sport. if we are not entertained we will not spend our money!

[arpem-can]

19 minutes ago, ramcharger440 said:

The PR department must want to hang themselves everytime he goes near a mic! it is like he is protecting government secrets! i don't think he understands this is an entertainment sport. if we are not entertained we will not spend our money!

.....well let's say he's still in on Laine after all along with a couple of other teams ...he's not tipping his hand by saying one thing or another which could influence negotiations ....I don't think signing players or draft strategies are entertainment per say or that the organization owes us to be given a show at this time ...I've always liked it that management is  somewhat tight-lipped before things actually happen in deference to the players 

 

[maas_art]

47 minutes ago, ChiLla said:

This is all very odd. I'm guessing he'll sign Kovalchuk to a 1-year deal and thinks we're set.

Anything can happen once you make the playoffs, right? Rinse. Repeat.

 

I am pretty sure he plans on signing Kovalchuk - and thats ok, as long as its not plan A. I think adding Kovalchuk PLUS another RW would be ideal.  Still dont love our big gaping hole on defense, but that seems unlikely to be addressed.

 

45 minutes ago, ramcharger440 said:

The PR department must want to hang themselves everytime he goes near a mic! it is like he is protecting government secrets! i don't think he understands this is an entertainment sport. if we are not entertained we will not spend our money!

The problem is, as a very high profile team, someone will always pay....

[BigTed3]

From Mathieu Roy (Habs blogger) on twitter:

The moves he's made won't move the needle much if at all, and Edmundson could well move it in the wrong direction. At some point, Bergevin is going to have to decide if he's going for it or if he's rebuilding. Sitting on that fence has been one of the big problems of his tenure.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[HARBORSPORT]

6 hours ago, maas_art said:

LMAO.  Someone needs to explain past, present and future to MB.  Or maybe he owns a DeLorean and its all the same thing to him. 

ahahahahaaa ...and he feeds the energy bin on the DeLorean with left over Weal & Alzner bobbleheads

[electron58]

17 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

From Mathieu Roy (Habs blogger) on twitter:

The moves he's made won't move the needle much if at all, and Edmundson could well move it in the wrong direction. At some point, Bergevin is going to have to decide if he's going for it or if he's rebuilding. Sitting on that fence has been one of the big problems of his tenure.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

So true.  Is this the year that Bergy shocks the hockey world?  Makes that monster trade for our biggest need?  Gives us something positive to talk about in anticipation of the upcoming season, whenever that may be?

[maas_art]

1 hour ago, electron58 said:

So true.  Is this the year that Bergy shocks the hockey world?  Makes that monster trade for our biggest need?  Gives us something positive to talk about in anticipation of the upcoming season, whenever that may be?

Or... he just gets a new tattoo. 

[BigTed3]

So barring further movement, you have to figure we're out on Laine/Ehlers for now and we're out on Dumba (given MB clearly not moving Petry or Weber and having dealt the asset they were interested in). So would guess that the plan would be to place Anderson next to Drouin and Suzuki and give two of his skill players a big winger, kind of like when Pacioretty and DD (both of whom played a more perimeter game) had success with Erik Cole. That would give us lines of

 

Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson

Tatar-Center 2-Gallagher

Lehkonen-Center 3-Armia

Byron-Evans-Winger X

 

The two big questions left in that line-up card are whether the Habs default back to Danault as the 2nd line pivot or promote JK there permanently after his playoff success (i.e. which guy is Center 2 and which is 3?) and who the 4th line RW is going to be. It could still be Armia if they sign, for example, Kovalchuk to be the 3RW. Or it could be Simmonds. Or Poehling. Or someone else. Hopefully it's not Weal.

[arpem-can]

15 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

So barring further movement, you have to figure we're out on Laine/Ehlers for now and we're out on Dumba (given MB clearly not moving Petry or Weber and having dealt the asset they were interested in). So would guess that the plan would be to place Anderson next to Drouin and Suzuki and give two of his skill players a big winger, kind of like when Pacioretty and DD (both of whom played a more perimeter game) had success with Erik Cole. That would give us lines of

 

Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson

Tatar-Center 2-Gallagher

Lehkonen-Center 3-Armia

Byron-Evans-Winger X

 

The two big questions left in that line-up card are whether the Habs default back to Danault as the 2nd line pivot or promote JK there permanently after his playoff success (i.e. which guy is Center 2 and which is 3?) and who the 4th line RW is going to be. It could still be Armia if they sign, for example, Kovalchuk to be the 3RW. Or it could be Simmonds. Or Poehling. Or someone else. Hopefully it's not Weal.

I don't think Bergevin is finished ...but I agree Laine is out ...everyone expected if there was a deal Domi would be a key piece from Montreal's perspective but Winnipeg probably wanted Suzuki or KK ....I'm guessing that's why Bergevin went ahead with this deal ...Ehlers might still be available but would be expensive too ....I keep thinking Hoffman or Hall are still in play for Montreal ...

[maas_art]

52 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

So barring further movement, you have to figure we're out on Laine/Ehlers for now and we're out on Dumba (given MB clearly not moving Petry or Weber and having dealt the asset they were interested in). So would guess that the plan would be to place Anderson next to Drouin and Suzuki and give two of his skill players a big winger, kind of like when Pacioretty and DD (both of whom played a more perimeter game) had success with Erik Cole. That would give us lines of

 

Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson

Tatar-Center 2-Gallagher

Lehkonen-Center 3-Armia

Byron-Evans-Winger X

 

The two big questions left in that line-up card are whether the Habs default back to Danault as the 2nd line pivot or promote JK there permanently after his playoff success (i.e. which guy is Center 2 and which is 3?) and who the 4th line RW is going to be. It could still be Armia if they sign, for example, Kovalchuk to be the 3RW. Or it could be Simmonds. Or Poehling. Or someone else. Hopefully it's not Weal.

Not the worst.  Better than we've seen in a while - but - we need Suzuki and JK to be able to not only maintain their playoff performances but also to improve on them.  If that happens, we may be ok. If either falters... could be tricky. 

 

31 minutes ago, arpem-can said:

I don't think Bergevin is finished ...but I agree Laine is out ...e

Unless we acquired Anderson to flip over to winnipeg? 

[arpem-can]

1 hour ago, maas_art said:

Not the worst.  Better than we've seen in a while - but - we need Suzuki and JK to be able to not only maintain their playoff performances but also to improve on them.  If that happens, we may be ok. If either falters... could be tricky. 

 

Unless we acquired Anderson to flip over to winnipeg? 

hmm...lol

[ramcharger440]

Overall i think we are a better team today than we were a couple of weeks ago. it is not like we have added a ton of talent but the tweaks were i think the right ones. we added a very solid back up goalie we added a large NHL level d man and we moved a disgruntled center who we no longer really had a spot for for a large power winger for our right wing which is a spot we were short at. i think it makes us a playoff team i don't see us winning any cups yet but we are a much more balanced team than before Romanov should be fine as we don't have to push him too quick now that we have more depth on D and with our big new winger i think Suzuki and Drouin will feel a bit safer and have someone to drive to the net. it is all kind of short term as Webber Price and Petry are getting up there but we may have 2-3 good years out of this lineup with a couple of additions one thing is for sure it won't be a cakewalk to skate into our zone anymore! our D has grown!

[arpem-can]

1 hour ago, ramcharger440 said:

1 hour ago, ramcharger440 said:

one thing is for sure it won't be a cakewalk to skate into our zone anymore! our D has grown!

 Juusen and Fleury can hit too ...and down the road Guhle for sure and possibly Brook ...don't know about Norlinder but Struble and Romanov like to dish it  ....the D has shaped up for the future with maybe the only  missing commodity being another quality rushing D-man and maybe that will turn out to be Romanov 

 

[maas_art]

2 hours ago, ramcharger440 said:

Overall i think we are a better team today than we were a couple of weeks ago. it is not like we have added a ton of talent but the tweaks were i think the right ones. we added a very solid back up goalie we added a large NHL level d man and we moved a disgruntled center who we no longer really had a spot for for a large power winger for our right wing which is a spot we were short at. i think it makes us a playoff team i don't see us winning any cups yet but we are a much more balanced team than before Romanov should be fine as we don't have to push him too quick now that we have more depth on D and with our big new winger i think Suzuki and Drouin will feel a bit safer and have someone to drive to the net. it is all kind of short term as Webber Price and Petry are getting up there but we may have 2-3 good years out of this lineup with a couple of additions one thing is for sure it won't be a cakewalk to skate into our zone anymore! our D has grown!

I agree we're better than we were at the end of the playoffs.  

Just how good we are is totally going to depend on Suzuki, JK and Romanov's developments though, imho.  And thats a bit scary because those are very young guys to take on those sorts of expectations.

 

[ramcharger440]

3 hours ago, maas_art said:

I agree we're better than we were at the end of the playoffs.  

Just how good we are is totally going to depend on Suzuki, JK and Romanov's developments though, imho.  And thats a bit scary because those are very young guys to take on those sorts of expectations.

 

it does not scare me at all, KK is going into his third year Suzuki is one of those players that just has the it factor he seems to know how to play and he has the best part of a year under his belt too as for Romanov i think we can shelter him till he is up to speed with the pick ups we have now and we may well make other teaks as time goes on. i am fairly happy so far it will of course take more than this to be a real threat for a cup but this is the closest we have been to a real fully equipped team is quite some time.

[campabee82]

26 minutes ago, ramcharger440 said:

it does not scare me at all, KK is going into his third year Suzuki is one of those players that just has the it factor he seems to know how to play and he has the best part of a year under his belt too as for Romanov i think we can shelter him till he is up to speed with the pick ups we have now and we may well make other teaks as time goes on. i am fairly happy so far it will of course take more than this to be a real threat for a cup but this is the closest we have been to a real fully equipped team is quite some time.

I largely agree with your statement only thing I would add is that IMO Romanov will surpass both Chiarot and Edmondson buy about the 20 game Mark. I just think he carries himself well and had the maturity and skill to take over games. He already has pro experience and while it is not the NHLand is on larger ice the KHL is more of a defense first league so he already has that side of the game going for him. He also has speed and puck moving skills we saw in the WJR's so I think he is going to hit the ice running so to speak and we will all be looking back in about late March (assuming the Jan 1 start) saying why did we doubt the kid.

[kinot-2]

1 hour ago, campabee82 said:

I largely agree with your statement only thing I would add is that IMO Romanov will surpass both Chiarot and Edmondson buy about the 20 game Mark. I just think he carries himself well and had the maturity and skill to take over games. He already has pro experience and while it is not the NHLand is on larger ice the KHL is more of a defense first league so he already has that side of the game going for him. He also has speed and puck moving skills we saw in the WJR's so I think he is going to hit the ice running so to speak and we will all be looking back in about late March (assuming the Jan 1 start) saying why did we doubt the kid.

That may be, but, IMO, CJ will have him on the 3rd pairing and he won't give him the ice time that Romanov would need to surpass the of the other 2. 

[ramcharger440]

3 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

That may be, but, IMO, CJ will have him on the 3rd pairing and he won't give him the ice time that Romanov would need to surpass the of the other 2. 

I don't know about that he had no issue giving Suzuki ice and once KK came back in shape ready to play he got ice too. i think if Romanov has what it takes he will get all the time he needs if he is in over his head he won't.

[H_T_L]

Juulsen signed for 700K one year two way deal

https://www.tsn.ca/montreal-canadiens-sign-d-noah-juulsen-to-a-one-year-two-way-contract-1.1536030