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The Challenges a new GM would face in cleaning up Marc Bergevin's Mess. http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/01/27/marc-bergevins-mess/

I think some people on here have ego problems. They forget this is a place hab fans can come an vent and/or voice there opinions on the team/players/organization/season freely. But the moment you disagree with them they feel the right to downvote you, kind of sad if you ask me.

I've noticed over the last week or so that certain posters are getting downvoted simply for who they are and not for the content of their post. This stops now. I've finally figured out how to make it so that the moderators can see who is up/downvoting posts so we can start to keep tabs on who the culprits are. I won't name names publicly (you know who you are) but to those who are doing so, be advised that if it continues, there will be suspensions forthcoming. This will be the only warning.

It seems like a reminder is needed regarding this...

Good article and upvote from me. I think it is obvious that he hasn't changed with the times. He hasn't seen the direction the NHL is going and has been going for some time. He has tried to build the teams of early 2000's and today's speed and mobility is killing us as we can't compete in this area. This is why Subban was dumb and Sergachev was only good if he kept Markov and Radu to compete for the cup right now. Our defense needs at least two pieces that are mobile and quality puck movers and we need at least one top centre. This is the bare minimum for us and these pieces will not be easy to get. The trading of Patches needs to be a home run and if we can get some good return for Plex and Byron that would be a bonus (will miss byron a lot and part of me wants to keep him depending on his salary demands). Some shrewd moves at the draft (and the small possibility of picking #1) and we could be in good shape in 3 years or so. I hope MB isn't the one to do this but I think he will be.

I get so frustrated for a number of reasons when I read a report/article chronicling the moves MB has made. Commandment your article is titled well. Marc Bergevin's Mess!! It's frustrating to see what he has managed to do to our team over the past 5 years! It's frustrating to see the results.....the on-ice product which sits near the bottom of the league in most categories which means the vast majority of the other GM's have been doing a much better job than our GM. It's frustrating to know that some of our players seem to have given up because they know they have pretty much zero chance of making the playoffs and morale and team spirit has to be pretty low. It's frustrating, in hindsight I admit that neither I nor probably most us anticipated this, that Geoff Molson and Serge Savard brought in an unproven GM, who had never run a team at any level before, to be the man in charge of what was the league's most storied franchise. Why didn't we see that coming? It's frustrating when you look at what the management of the Montreal Canadiens have done and the people they have put in place over the past 23 years. Over the past 23 years the GM's running our "most storied franchise" have been Rejean Houle, Andre Savard, Bob Gainey, Pierre Gauthier and now Marc Bergevin. Not one of those people have turned out to be very good or outstanding GM's, or today have a reputation or legacy that they were one of the best in the league. Why haven't we had leadership that went out and got the best person in hockey to run our team. Where is the "Sam Pollock" we desperately need? It's frustrating when you look at the list of our non-hockey presidents who have run our team since 1978, now 30 years running. Morgan McCammon, Ronald Correy, Pierre Boivin, Geoff Molson. Not one solid hockey man who today is remembered as a great leader or builder. It's frustrating that Geoff Molson has sat back and let this continue, missing the playoffs two years out of three. If this was in the private corporate world, with those results and decline, Geoff Molson would have made a change already and his own position would be in jeopardy. Is there any group or board who can pressure him to do something? So what can we do? What needs to happen to get Molson to put an end to this and let someone immensely more qualified to take over and begin putting in place a solid plan for the future to give the team and it's fans "a hope and a future"? Who's the best qualified to clean up "The Mess" and when will they be put in place?? At present, for all fans, it's very frustrating!

Bunch of babies.

My heart was beating out of my chest during that lottery. And I'm sure Crosby's was as well being a Habs fan. It would have been a match made in heaven

For me the kiss of death from commentators is when they prattle on about "pride" and "character" and the supposed absence of these on the Habs - a favourite them of idiots like Bergeron. As though "pride" is the causal explanation for the crap we're seeing out there, rather than, say, lack of talent. This sort of thing is non-analysis, a waste of everyone's time and of the broadcaster's money.

Edmonton needs to cut payroll for next season with McDavid's new contract kicking in. This is why Nugent-Hopkins is being tossed around in trade speculation despite how well he has played this year. This trade offer adds nearly $5 million in payroll for the Oilers. They'd then have to turn around and trade Nugent-Hopkins to make this work and all of a sudden, a team loaded in centre depth has McDavid and nothing else heading into next season. This does not remotely address what they need to do at all. Instead, it would make things a whole lot worse, especially when they get capped out of re-signing Pacioretty one year later and don't have that top prospect like Puljujarvi in the wings to replace him.

Can't sell if no one is buying. Best value for a selloff is usually at the deadline.

Yeah don't see that happening. Brett Howden would be nice, but again don't see that happening. Libor Hajcek would be nice too, but he seems to be a guy the Bolts will need. Maybe Anthony Cirelli would be expendable? That would be a good return on Plex. And I wouldn't ask for a pick.

The guy is still very good defensively. We've seen that recently against stamkos/kucherov We saw that tonight against MacKinnon. We saw that against Washington against Backstrom/Ovi. we saw that against Tavares (yes he had two goals, both with Plek off the ice, and did nothing with Plek on the ice). The more games like that, he's gonna just add to his deadline value.

I don't think this team is far off. That said, I think cashing in on Pacioretty and Byron and Benn... would be smart given their contract situations and the raises they will need in one years time. I believe in a lot of this team, but the influx of talent moving those three could bring, could make the team very good for a very long time. Especially if that gets them the young centre and young left D they need so badly.

This looks like the boston game where they laid an egg last week

Hudon Gallagher and we are tied.

And we're not tied

and 4-2

Benn I'm fine with. The two rookies? as much as they missed up, the kids gotta play to learn,

So all the defence are on the all star break.

At least one top 4 LHD unless Mete can get to be top 4 by next year, or you want to re-sign Jerabek and gamble on him being top 4.. you need 2. Even our best D prospects in the minors... Juulsen who is close to ready... and Brook who is a bit away... are Right D. Dahlin would be gigantic to this team.

Drouin has 8 points in his last 8 games. I'd leave him there for the rest of the season. No reason to give up now. Acquire young centres if you can at the deadline. Reevaluate Drouin in April.

Sell them to who? Who is trading for players at this point? Teams are waiting to the deadline to maximize their cap space, same as every year.

Scherbak has points in 20 of the 23 AHL games he's played this year.