Leaderboard

He’s not being sarcastic. Since it seems you didn’t understand, he’s saying that the team was a playoff capable team, whether or not they made the playoffs. This has happened before, and it will happen again. He wasn’t handing out a consolation trophy for effort, despite them having missed the playoffs. How many times do we see people saying negative things about the Habs when they do make the playoffs? But we’re not allowed to say positive things about the Habs when they miss the playoffs with the highest point total to miss of all time? Quite frankly, your post is more junk thank his. I think all this recent discussion is better fit for after actually losing our playoff series. Yes, we are definitely the underdogs. In any series before looking at names on a paper, any team has a 50% chance of losing a series, so of course no one can guarantee that we will beat the Leafs. With that being said, it happens all the time where players and teams play well above expectation. Let’s give the Habs a chance to perform in a week’s time, rather than have this useless conversation. Any decision about Bergevin should hinge on the team’s performance these playoffs, which we have still yet to see. If we lose in 4 or 5, I am completely fine with Bergevin being shown the door. At this point in time? One week before playoffs? It’s not even a topic on my mind.

I think what does matter though is that the 2019 team had the most points ever for a team that didn't make the playoffs. That certainly indicates that team was good enough to be a playoff team, as it would have been in every other year.

I am also hopeful for the playoffs, I am always hopeful but realistically they have a really tough go against the Leafs. In order to have any chance they have to win the goaltending battle and that means a healthy Carey Price on top of his game, not sure if that can happen given the time off he has had but stranger things have happened. I find it really difficult to judge the job Ducharme has done, the team has been OK since he has taken over but not sure if there was any big improvement. Obviously the injuries, Covid situation etc makes it more difficult to judge. Playing Caulfield was an obvious call for me, they needed to find out if he could help them as they had been struggling to score goals. Certainly all the pressure will be on the Leafs, they have gone all in this year and if the Habs can sneak game 1 then the pressure will really mount.

* playing Caufield in O/T for e team that lost 43 in a row in O/T was as much desperation as genius (and also a no-brainer IMO) * came back to Primeau in a game with absolutely no importance, when playing Allen would have been criminal and Lindgren certifiable * which veteran(s) did he sit other than in the last game? (too lazy to comb the boxscores but don't recall) You mean like letting Danault play when "something was bothering him" for a few days and it turned out he had a concussion? "forcing come veterans to sit and go on the IR ... sometimes coaches put pressure on players to take on for the team and to soldier through pain" ... those two seem contradictory ... fundamentally I fear DD doesn't have the cojones to stand up to vets unless absolutely forced to do so. While I often disagree with some of your points, and don't share your overall positive view of the team, I respect your unfettered optimism

Something pertinent and uplifting.

Dom has made good decisions in the end-of-season stretch: * played Caufield, even in OT * Played Primeau and came back to him even after a bad loss * gradually diminished player's ice time and was not afraid to scratch veterans from the lineup I am also impressed that he didn't panic by forcing come veterans to sit and go on the IR, it is a medical decision but sometimes coaches put pressure on players to take on for the team and to soldier through pain. I am hopeful for the playoffs!

Yes, if we ignore years that playoffs were made.... the number of straight years missing the playoffs goes up.

There is always room for a well worded quip from @Toronthab