2021-22 State of the Habs

[KRH]

I have stated my preference before.  I would clean house.  Anyone over 25 - 26 years of age is expendable.  Which players on this current roster over the age of 26 years is worth keeping? Let's go with youth.  

After watching that game tonight, along with most games this year, I don't see much worth keeping.  Suzuki, Anderson maybe, Lehkonen. Romanov maybe, and one or two others.  The overall performance of the team is painful to watch.

I don't see us being competitive with Tampa, Florida, Boston, Carolina for many years.  It is great to speak of top draft picks.  How many top draft picks do we have in our system now?  Where are our first round draft picks from the past ten years, past fifteen years?

It is going to take considerable time and patience to build this team into a playoff contender.  I'm a realist.

[ramcharger440]

30 minutes ago, KRH said:

I have stated my preference before.  I would clean house.  Anyone over 25 - 26 years of age is expendable.  Which players on this current roster over the age of 26 years is worth keeping? Let's go with youth.  

After watching that game tonight, along with most games this year, I don't see much worth keeping.  Suzuki, Anderson maybe, Lehkonen. Romanov maybe, and one or two others.  The overall performance of the team is painful to watch.

I don't see us being competitive with Tampa, Florida, Boston, Carolina for many years.  It is great to speak of top draft picks.  How many top draft picks do we have in our system now?  Where are our first round draft picks from the past ten years, past fifteen years?

It is going to take considerable time and patience to build this team into a playoff contender.  I'm a realist.

Meh.

[claremont]

10 hours ago, BigTed3 said:

We're not 5-7 years away. A good GM can turn around a team in 2-3 years. Why? The salary cap leads to more false parity. Teams that draft or trade well can't keep and pay everyone, so the talent gets redistributed across the league. And with the cap, more younger players end up playing key roles in the first few years of their careers, so you can re-tool 1/3 of your roster in 2-3 years just from prospects coming up. That said, they have a fair number of holes to address. They need a real 2C. They need another sniper. They need a goalie of the future. And they need two top 4 D men. It's a decent list. If they end up with a top 4 draft pick, they'll be able to address one of those holes that way.

As far as who we trade, this is my list of ideal departures:

- Savard

- Hoffman

- Gallagher

- Chiarot

- Armia

- Price

- Clague

- Perreault

- Paquette

I'd like to see what Dvorak and Drouin do under MSL before making a call on them, but they could both be shipped out too. I think if you were able to get rid of this bunch, you wouldn't need to dump Lehkonen, Edmundson, Petry, or Byron right away. But if you can't clean house, then you need to look at moving some others out for cap space.

I believe we can be top 8 competitive after 2 more years of corrections and development. I’m not sure any of our 2022 draft picks could jump to the roster next year as it’s very very difficult change of pace for a 19 year old. Possibly Wright, Slafkovsky or Nemec as the others lack the smarts to align with their smaller size. 
As far as departures, my belief is we may have to execute a couple of July1/23 buyouts as I don’t see anyone picking up Savard. Interesting to see MSL put out Hoffman in overtime as a showcase.

A number of talking heads rate our current prospect pool as top 10 so that is encouraging. These trade deadline moves could have significant acceleration impact if we are able to get a couple of more mature prospects vs. Draft picks. I’m preferring to see the glass as 40% full vs 20% empty 

[CaptWelly]

11 hours ago, KRH said:

I have stated my preference before.  I would clean house.  Anyone over 25 - 26 years of age is expendable.  Which players on this current roster over the age of 26 years is worth keeping? Let's go with youth.  

After watching that game tonight, along with most games this year, I don't see much worth keeping.  Suzuki, Anderson maybe, Lehkonen. Romanov maybe, and one or two others.  The overall performance of the team is painful to watch.

I don't see us being competitive with Tampa, Florida, Boston, Carolina for many years.  It is great to speak of top draft picks.  How many top draft picks do we have in our system now?  Where are our first round draft picks from the past ten years, past fifteen years?

It is going to take considerable time and patience to build this team into a playoff contender.  I'm a realist.

No difference with top draft picks or all youth niether has any sure thing. So we go all youth (which most competitve teams have a mixture) and that's not a sure thing by any stretch. Just because you go all youth doesn't mean that'll work. You also then run into everyone needing those big contracts at the same time to keep them together. 

[KRH]

My take is if you went entirely with youth, at least they would be exciting to watch, entertaining.

The exhibition I saw on the ice last night, against an equally incapable team, was horrible.  It was capped off with the amusing inability to score on many attempts in the shootout.

Professional hockey, it wasn't.  It is a dream to think we will be competitive with the top teams in the next few years.  I wish we were going to be, but we are not.

 

  

[KRH]

I'm going to present this post, and then I am outta here as I have other important things in life to take care of.

 

Price - horrible contract, playing status unknown.

Allen - trade him if any worthwhile return.

Montembeault - not sure he is a solution to our goalie predicament.

Primeau - hasn't shown me anything, may not be a NHL quality goalie.

Petry - may be as good as we have on defence, but 34 years of age, salary of 5 million bucks, trade him if the return is deemed to be good.

Chiarot - I like what he brings, but he is 30 years old, trade him only if the return is significant, otherwise try and sign him for 2 - 3 years.

Edmonson - may want to keep him as we have little else on defence, health issue is concerning.

Savard - age 31, 2.8 million dollars per year of wasted money.  Good luck in trading him.  Bringing him onboard was desperation galore.

Kulak - keep him as we need defencemen.

Romanov - keep him.

Wideman - age 32, trade him, not worthy of a roster spot.

Claque - not impressive so far.

Suzuki - keep him.

Caufield - keep him.

Poehling - keep him.

Anderson - keep him.

Lehkonen - keep him, the hardest worker on the team and one of the better overall players.

Gallagher - age 29, best before date is past due, trade him but good luck in doing so at 5 million per year.

Drouin - what we gave up to get him makes me weep.  And what we are paying him makes me weep even more.

Hoffman - age 32, a waste of a roster spot, at 3 1/2 million a year.  Bringing him onboard was silly.  Good luck in trading him.

Byron - I like him, but at age 32 years, and at 4 million a year, ridiculous.  We may be stuck with him for a while.

Armia - trade him if any takers, not providing us with much at the present time.

Dvorak - hasn't shown me much, grossly overpaid at 5 million a year, desperation signing.

Evans - okay, not paying him much, works hard, injury prone.

Perreault - age 34, why did we sign him.  Oh, I know.

Paquette - age 28, why did we sign him, times two.

Dauphin - one to help fill out a roster, not much else.

Pitlick - young, keep him around for a while to see what we have in him.

Pezzetta - his value to the team is better than a few of those listed above.

 

It is an unequivocal mess, and will take some time to clean up and rebuild into something respectable.

Have a good day.

 

 

 

 

[ramcharger440]

LOL!

 

[RCAF48]

4 minutes ago, ramcharger440 said:

LOL!

 

x 2

[campabee82]

On 3/11/2022 at 5:00 AM, electron58 said:

Top European, College and Junior free agents
Corey Pronman of The Athletic: Ranking that top European, College and Junior free agents.

Projected NHL Players

  1. Andrei Kuzmenko – LW – SKA KHL
  2. Ben Meyers – C –Minnesota Big Ten

A chance to play in the NHL

  3. Jake Livingstone – RHD – Minnesota State NCHA
  4. Bobby Trivigno – LW –UMass HE
  5 Sergei Tolchinsky-LW-Avangard  KHL
  6. Niko Ojamaki – RW – Podolsk  KHL
  7. Jordan Fransca – C – Kingston OHL                          signed = Pittsburg Penguins
  8. Max Veronneau-RW – Leksands SHL
  9. Bennett MacArthur – LW – Acadie-Bathurst QMJHL  signed = Tampa Bay Lightening
10. Brandon Bussi-G-W. Mich. NCHC
11. Riese Gaber-RW-N. Dakota NCHC
12. Daniil Vovchenko-LW-Severstal KHL
13. Taylor Gauthier-G-Portland WHL                                signed = Pittsburg Penguins
14. Strauss Mann – G – Skelleftea SHL
15. Ethen Frank-RW-W. Michigan NCHC
16. Marc McLaughlin – C – Western Michigan HE
17. Parker Ford-C-Providence HE

Players who could also be signed this offseason

Trenton Bliss-C-Michigan Tech WCHA
Corey Andonovski-RW-Princeton ECAC                      signed = Pittsburg Penguins
Jacob Bengtsson – LHD – Lake Superior State WCHA
Tye Kartye – C – Sault Ste. Marie OHL                         signed = Seattle Kraken
Henrik Rybinski – C – Seattle WHL                              signed = Washington Capitals
Nathan Staios – LHD – Hamilton OHL
Brandon Scanlin – D – Omaha – Some concerns about his skating.
Taylor Ward – RW – Omaha
Noah Philip – C – University of Alberta

Any diamonds?  💎  💎  💎 

Pittsburg seems to think so.

Why isn't Yaniv Perets considered a college FA? He  was never drafted and has yet to sign a contract anywhere. Is it cause this is only his sophomore year?

[habsisme]

17 minutes ago, campabee82 said:

Why isn't Yaniv Perets considered a college FA? He  was never drafted and has yet to sign a contract anywhere. Is it cause this is only his sophomore year?

yeah it could be because if he signs with a team his collegiate career is over

[campabee82]

Just now, habsisme said:

yeah it could be because if he signs with a team his collegiate career is over

Makes sense, sort of but IMO that is stilla FA lol

[H_T_L]

So,,, R. Pitlick now with a dozen goals. I think the kid has earned a contract. 

[claremont]

Watching the Habs last several 5 games I’m probably stating the Captain Obvious here as follows:

1) MSL is motivating the team with his concepts of reads vs. systems - they have largely been “in” on most games, and I see improvement in other players like Evans and even Poehling who has been snake bit 

2) We have been largely outshooting or close to at least even against most teams but there is a severe lack of goal scoring finish after the Caufield, Suzuki, Anderson and Pitlick / Lehkonen there’s no exciting offensive thrusts. 
3) There’s little offense from the back end - miss a slapper from the point even though Weber was predictable last year

4) Power play suffers from the lack of offensive thrust, and the 7 round shoot out vs Seattle was further embarrassing without 1 goal

5) Hoffman, Byron, Armia Pezzetta , Dauphin - all positions we need to get much more out of at forward beyond our D - I miss that Stephane Richer player 

[ramcharger440]

5 minutes ago, claremont said:

Watching the Habs last several 5 games I’m probably stating the Captain Obvious here as follows:

1) MSL is motivating the team with his concepts of reads vs. systems - they have largely been “in” on most games, and I see improvement in other players like Evans and even Poehling who has been snake bit 

2) We have been largely outshooting or close to at least even against most teams but there is a severe lack of goal scoring finish after the Caufield, Suzuki, Anderson and Pitlick / Lehkonen there’s no exciting offensive thrusts. 
3) There’s little offense from the back end - miss a slapper from the point even though Weber was predictable last year

4) Power play suffers from the lack of offensive thrust, and the 7 round shoot out vs Seattle was further embarrassing without 1 goal

5) Hoffman, Byron, Armia Pezzetta , Dauphin - all positions we need to get much more out of at forward beyond our D - I miss that Stephane Richer player 

Dude Pezz is a fourth line walk on player what more could you possibly want from a guy in that role! he has scored a lot more than most NHL players in that role! I do agree with the rest though

[claremont]

10 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

So,,, R. Pitlick now with a dozen goals. I think the kid has earned a contract. 

I think so 6 goals 10 assists in 23 games 

[claremont]

2 minutes ago, ramcharger440 said:

Dude Pezz is a fourth line walk on player what more could you possibly want from a guy in that role! he has scored a lot more than most NHL players in that role! I do agree with the rest though

I like Pezz too and the grit he brings vs limited minutes and I’m being a bit harsh but to get into a higher compete level, we need more creativity out of players as a whole. 

[electron58]

1 hour ago, H_T_L said:

So,,, Rem Pitlick now with a dozen goals. I think the kid has earned a contract. 

So, to keep Rem Pitlick’s rights beyond this season, the Habs would have to have him play 20 more games this season. The Canadiens only play 23 more games this season, so Rem Pitlick is going to have stay healthy and suit up for pretty much every contest to avoid becoming a UFA.

2021-22  MIN    GP20    G6    A5    TP11    +1

2021-22 MON   GP23    G6    A10   TP16    -1

2021-22            GP43    G12  A15   TP27     0

CAREER          GP54    G12  A17   TP29   +3--------------------------->Needs 74 games total. to remain a restricted free agent. Otherwise, Group 6 UFA.

[habsisme]

39 minutes ago, electron58 said:

So, to keep Rem Pitlick’s rights beyond this season, the Habs would have to have him play 20 more games this season. The Canadiens only play 23 more games this season, so Rem Pitlick is going to have stay healthy and suit up for pretty much every contest to avoid becoming a UFA.

2021-22  MIN    GP20    G6    A5    TP11    +1

2021-22 MON   GP23    G6    A10   TP16    -1

2021-22            GP43    G12  A15   TP27     0

CAREER          GP54    G12  A17   TP29   +3--------------------------->Needs 74 games total. to remain a restricted free agent. Otherwise, Group 6 UFA.

for that reason alone he's going to play, we just have to hope he doesn't get hurt. Did we get really lucky on waivers again? I think we found a solid middle 6 player

[electron58]

7 minutes ago, habsisme said:

For that reason alone he's going to play, we just have to hope he doesn't get hurt. Did we get really lucky on waivers again? I think we found a solid middle 6 player

For sure, we have to have Rem Pitlick get his required games in. If he keeps playing like this, and doesn't get his games in, can you imagine his value as a UFA? Somebody will pay for this type of dependable player that can also play center. Plus, we don't want to overpay to keep him.  Better all around, that he keeps his status as RFA. & if Rem indeed stays a RFA, then yes, we certainly did get lucky.

[campabee82]

7 hours ago, electron58 said:

For sure, we have to have Rem Pitlick get his required games in. If he keeps playing like this, and doesn't get his games in, can you imagine his value as a UFA? Somebody will pay for this type of dependable player that can also play center. Plus, we don't want to overpay to keep him.  Better all around, that he keeps his status as RFA. & if Rem indeed stays a RFA, then yes, we certainly did get lucky.

Let's just avoid the all the BS and extend him before the end of the season, let's not have another KK situation, just offer him 1.25 x 3 years right now.

[jennifer_rocket]

I don't quite understand why we would lose Rem's rights if he doesn't pay 20 more games?

[maas_art]

26 minutes ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I don't quite understand why we would lose Rem's rights if he doesn't pay 20 more games?

Required NHL accrued games at the age of 25 or older. Niku is the other guy who falls into this category but i think he only needs 5 or 6 more games and is certainly not as likely to have a future with this team as Pitlick.

For those worried though, I think:

1) its pretty likely Pitlick suits up for ever game to finish the year.

2) he'd probably want to stay anyway - St Louis is giving him a ton of responsibility he never had in minnesota

3) He has not one but two brothers in our system. I suspect he'd like to play with them, so, again, probably pretty likely he stays even if he doesnt get the games required to stay RFA.

Its going to be interesting to see what sort of contract we give him.  I feel like MB would have given him a stupid (both cap and term) contract to show how great his waiver pickup was.  Hughes... no idea how he'll value a middle size player like RP.  

[habsisme]

8 minutes ago, maas_art said:

Required NHL accrued games at the age of 25 or older. Niku is the other guy who falls into this category but i think he only needs 5 or 6 more games and is certainly not as likely to have a future with this team as Pitlick.

For those worried though, I think:

1) its pretty likely Pitlick suits up for ever game to finish the year.

2) he'd probably want to stay anyway - St Louis is giving him a ton of responsibility he never had in minnesota

3) He has not one but two brothers in our system. I suspect he'd like to play with them, so, again, probably pretty likely he stays even if he doesnt get the games required to stay RFA.

Its going to be interesting to see what sort of contract we give him.  I feel like MB would have given him a stupid (both cap and term) contract to show how great his waiver pickup was.  Hughes... no idea how he'll value a middle size player like RP.  

I mean its gotta be a short term contract close to league minimum. Its way to short a time to give him a long-term deal, even though I think we got a solid player. His RFA status will effect how much he gets paid, but like you, I don't think he's going anywhere

[claremont]

3 minutes ago, habsisme said:

I mean its gotta be a short term contract close to league minimum. Its way to short a time to give him a long-term deal, even though I think we got a solid player. His RFA status will effect how much he gets paid, but like you, I don't think he's going anywhere

You would have to think Pitlick would want some degree of financial security - A 2 year deal at AAV of $1.25M - $1.5M would seem to be the maximum range - if he regressed, then burying $1.125M in the minors is a small price if he cleared waivers

[AH64]

46 minutes ago, maas_art said:

 

3) He has not one but two brothers in our system. I suspect he'd like to play with them, so, again, probably pretty likely he stays even if he doesnt get the games required to stay RFA.

 

Tyler is his cousin