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REV-G

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Everything posted by REV-G

  1. Whoo. To me that's a huge overpayment. I wouldn't give up that much for Nylander and Kerfoot.
  2. Does anyone think that Toronto would be interested in bringing home another Domi. That might be a popular move. I think Toronto regrets letting Kadri go since he's the type of gritty hard working, skilled player they're lacking. Max is that kind of player. Would Max Domi + get it done for a Nylander? I think the two teams would make a trade like that if they were both getting value.
  3. At the end of the series with Pittsburgh in my mind Drouin was a total mess and a total loss. He didn't seem to be able to generate anything, kept losing puck battles and to me was almost totally ineffective, invisible except for his mistakes. I don't know what happened, maybe Suzuki happened, but in the Philly series I saw the first glimpse of his talent begin to emerge. In particular his vision and two passes to Suzuki who burried them seemed elite to me. HIs speed is undeniable and from I read each time a player gets put on his line they say they love playing with Drouin because of his amazing talent. Obviously they see it and enjoy playing with him. Just in these recent games both Domi and Suzuki said how excited they were to be able to play with Drouin. I guess for me, the conclusion is that he has great talent, but he has to be hungry and put in the work to come to the next camp in fabulous shape and ready to go. But he needs to play with talented players like Suzuki who know where to go and be and maybe, just maybe, we're seeing the beginning of what happened with Guy Lafleur after a few years....the emergence of a truly talented played who is ready to blossom! Surely it has to be his time after his years and experience in the league. We will see but if he does then suddenly with the emergence of Suzuki, KK, Evans and even Kulak, with Romanov coming, and with perhaps Danault having to move further down the lineup we can see some real hope before Price and Weber get too old.
  4. All great points and they all make perfect sense.
  5. Is anyone surprised that Ryan Poehling hasn't made it into the lineup yet? Jake Evans, a 7th round pick is in and playing. Alex Belzile, who I think was undrafted and played for a few AHL teams, had made it onto the 4th line in the playoffs. But Poehling, a first round pick hasn't played a game. Is there a problem? Just wondering, kinda surprised that a big body like his isn't needed against Philly.
  6. What a shock! Did something happen to him?
  7. Just a quick note and question regarding something I read today. This isn't a bash on the player just an observation regarding our team and future. A year ago I think a number of us were wanting, hoping that we could sign Jake Gardner to a long term contract. But I read today that he was a healthy scratch and is Carolina's 7th defenceman. For those who maybe follow Carolina closer than I do, has he been injured or has something happened to him or has he just played himself into that #7 position? Kind of shocking, in spite of his defensive gaffs at time, that a guy who had a lot of attention as a free agent and signed for pretty decent money and if I remember was in Toronto's top 4, that Carolina has him as a healthy scratch. If he's played himself into that spot then we should be really glad that he took less money than we offered and signed with them. That would have been very disappointing and someone would have had great criticism heaped on them for that signing. Was it Sam Pollock who coined that phrase, "The best deal is sometimes the one you don't make"? But perhaps there is another reason. Thoughts?
  8. I'm sure we've all heard the media clamour over MB's press conference following the close of the trade deadline. Many reporters said they were left totally confused over his comments and at the end they said they had no idea what his plan was. They said he looked very tired, had a sore back and wasn't putting his sentences together very well and ended up contradicting himself. So is he confused, was he just tired, or was he hiding his real plan which will be unfolded this June and July? So my question is, does it seem like MB has a plan.In the Gazette on Feb. 27 Claude Julian said MB does have a well thought out strategy but they're not going to tell everyone. So here are some observations. Draft: 1. Clearly he is putting a lot of emphasis on the draft, as he has each year for the past while. Unless we get lucky we probably won't get a generational player who will help turn this team around very quickly but we will add some very good prospects who will likely still be a few years developing. So it's unlikely immediate help will be coming from this years draft. 2. There are some former draft picks who may help us. Romanov will likely be with us next year but how much will a 20 year old first year defenceman be able to help us? I've heard two insiders, Craig Button last week was one, who said emphatically that Cole Caulfield is 18 months away and it will be a big mistake to bring him up sooner. He said CC needs to go back to school for at least another year. 3. Can we package a core piece with our 1st and something else to get nearer the 1st pick? Is it worth it this year? Our Core-forwards: 1. I like our players a lot but I'm beginning to wonder if I've jumped on the loyalty bandwagon and am overvaluing our players. I've heard many TV hockey insiders repeatedly say that we simply don't have enough talent or enough depth. They say we are flawed. 2. Injuries played a big role this year. We had more than our share, but other teams with may injuries still managed to have players step up. Our two long losing streaks seemed to highlight our lack of depth so we didn't have those who could step up. 3. With the core that we have we've missed the playoffs 3 out of the last 4 years. Can this core get us into the playoffs and win a round or two? Next year if we add one or two drafted players and perhaps a high profile free agent or two will that be enough? In the state that we're in can we attract a high profile free agent? Our Core-defence: 1. After Weber, Petry and Chariot do we have enough talent? I know we have injuries but when I look past those top 3 do we have a solid NHL defence? Goalies: 1. Carey Price has struggled for much of this year very possibly due to being overworked and not a strong enough defence. We have not had a solid backup and CP has played 4 more games than any other goalie in the league this year. This used to be a huge position of strength but that's not the case this year. Can he bounce back? Special teams: 1. The best power play on the road and the worst at home? One of the worst penalty killing in the league. Is this the players, the coach, the system? Coaches: 1. From my perspective we've got good coaches. I don't think this is a coaching problem either at the NHL or AHL level. So I wonder what MB's plan is? Does he have a solid plan. If it is to sign one or two free agents, what if like other years that doesn't happen? Plan B? Does he make some hockey trades. If he does can we get back pieces that are much better than what we have so we're improved? Does he believe we have enough prospects so he finally is willing to package some prospects and picks and combine that with a core piece or two and upgrade us significantly? So my question is, does a plan exist? What is the best plan? Is there a plan that can significantly improve us to get us out of no man's land where we laughed at the Leafs for so many years? What do you think?
  9. What I heard Pierre McQuire say on TSN radio a few months back was that was the best and deepest draft in years. He said this was the year to not trade away draft picks and the more picks you had the better positioned you would be. But from what some of you are saying, maybe that’s not the case.
  10. Brian Wilde on Global made some very good points on yesterdays lack of real action on the part of MB. In a nutshell this is what he said. He said MB missed a huge one time opportunity yesterday. He said that Petry and Tatar's values are probably at the max right now and MB could have gotten a first round pick for each of them plus some very good add-ons. In the 2020 draft, to have 3 first round picks, plus the 3 second round picks, added to the young guys we already have or are coming, Wilde said that would have been how to build for the future. We would have picked up some high, perhaps elite talent for the coming years. But we missed it. He said the current core has missed the playoffs 3 out for the past 4 years and if they improve next year, MAYBE we make the playoffs but do we win a round? If MB had of made the trades yesterday we would be much much better positioned for the next 10 years instead of holding onto to them to make the playoffs next year. What he said sounded like a very good plan. But we missed it. I've heard a few people say in the past 24 hours that MB can win a trade but he doesn't seem to know how to build a team. I think that may be true. We may have sunk a little bit deeper in the pat 24 hours. Ugh!
  11. He could go back to 17 and if we resign Kovalchuk he could get another watch to switch back! lol
  12. Does anyone have an update on Noah Juulsen. He seemed like a good up and coming defence man. Will he be able to make a comeback or is he headed for early retirement due to injuries?
  13. I think the way Bergevin works is that he wouldn't publicly say he is open to trading them. He is publicly doing what he should, saying that he is not open to trading them. So if someone did call kicking the tires, they probably know that a lowball offer isn't even going to be considered. I think he would listen, privately, and still be able to take a great deal if one came along, and the whole time still saying he's not trading them. Probably standard approach for players of Price and Weber's standing.
  14. I think I'm speaking for many of you. I'm frustrated and getting fed up. I have followed the Habs for many many years. I remember Gump Worsley with no mask and the night Rogatien Vachon and Ken Dryden both made their first starts. So I have been surprised that lately my passion is waning, I'm losing interest, I'm not watching games that I would have other years. So here is some venting, some thoughts and questions about our team. Why are we sitting on millions of unspent dollars every year for the past few when there are obvious needs that should be filled? What are we waiting for? We're waiting for younger guys to develop but our older core, Carey Price and Shea Weber, are getting older. It appears to me that we need to add one or two defenceman and a good scoring forward at least but Bergevin hasn't done anything so far. Do we have to wait until we fall so far out of contention that there's no hope before he does something? I have to admit I have been on and off the bandwagon with Marc Bergevin over the past 3 years. Two years ago I thought he had to go but last year I was surprised, along with many others I'm sure, that the moves we made getting KK, Domi, Tatar and Suzuki turned out so well. This year it seems we're scoring goals and our PP has improved but our defence at times seems to go from being good to awful. Overall Carey Price has not played so great and I have always been a strong supporter of his. So we have to ask, why hasn't MB brought in help? He can't keep saying that it's too hard to find good defenceman who could help us. We have money and picks and some players that we could move, Byron [when he's healthy], Thompson, Reilly and some younger guys in the AHL that combined with some creativity could surely improve our current defence. Even one defenceman?? That has to be doable! Clearly Bergevin's plan is to keep adding young assets. I think we have 12 picks this year? And I understand that this draft is supposed to be very deep and the best in many years. But it's time to move some parts to get better now. For example, do we have enough pieces, I know we'd have to sell the farm, to get Alexis Lafreniere? Would it be worth trading anyone on our roster, plus multiple picks, plus, plus......to try to get a potential french superstar?? What would Sam Pollock do? He'd try something I'm sure. If we look at our roster this year and add Romanov next year or another young guy, will that make that much of a difference?? Are we going to be much of a different team next year or will it be the same again. Wouldn't the addition of two good forwards and two good defenceman make a pretty good difference. Shouldn't that have been done already. Aho was at least a plan, but probably flawed. But how would we look with him in our lineup? Why didn't we do something else? I'm sure Geoff Molson will give MB at least this year or maybe until we fall out of a playoff spot before he'll contemplate making a change but for me, I think the clock has to be ticking on MB's position. It's time for one of two people to make changes. Either Marc Bergevin or Geoff Molson. We can't keep stumbling along in the middle of the pack or a bit lower year after year. MB is in his 7th year. It's time for some major changes. What do you think?
  15. Reading all of the above posts makes me think that maybe his medical condition is the issue. If there are no medical problems would not his agent be making that abundantly clear for all to hear. The fact that we haven't heard his agent make those kind of statements perhaps is an indication that there is a serious health concern....thus no signing yet. It's always hard to tell. I'm sure we'll find out at some point as someone is going to take a chance on him.
  16. So I'm surprised that we haven't done more to try to lock up Gardiner....for a few reasons. We all have agreed that if our PP was even average last year, instead of the worst, or 2nd worse, we would have won at least 3-4 more games, if not more and would have made the playoffs. So improving our PP is a big deal. One of Gardiner's strengths is that he has the reputation of a being a PP quarterback. So if we can sign a defenceman who will fit into our top 4, top 2??, on the left side where we have a need, and help our PP wouldn't we make it a top priority to try to get this guy?? Am I overvaluing him? I know he's had some critical defensive gaffs at a bad time in the playoffs but from what I've heard, his former teammates wanted him back and thought he was a very good player. Unless the smoke and rumours I hear about a trade with Laine are actually true and MB is not spending the extra cash until he gets that settled. What do you think?
  17. I guess our discussion on this thread is probably going start to wind down but I'd like to add this. I was listening to a Toronto sports radio show earlier today, I can't remember who made this comment, but the guest on the show was asked about the possibility of an offer sheet to Mitch Marner by some rival team. This is what the guest said at one point about offer sheets. He said, Montreal did it exactly the way it's supposed to be done. They picked a player they really wanted, on a team that was vulnerable, with a reputation for not wanting to spend a lot, and Montreal structured the deal exactly the way it's intended to work. They heard that Carolin'a last offer was $7.5 million, so they offered a million above that per year and then heavily front loaded it hoping that Carolina might balk at having to give up that much money over the next 12 months. Montreal didn't set the compensation, that was already in place, but he said Montreal intentionally kept the offer within their own internal cap so that Aho wouldn't be making more than Carey Price and in the event Carolina didn't match Aho's contract wouldn't handcuff them and put them in cap trouble a year or two down the road. He said even though Carolina matched, he said Montreal's offer was well planned and was perfectly set up so that it suited them and the player perfectly. Bergevin has taken some heat and criticism, but from people whose agenda isn't just to bash Montreal, such as some commentators and players, I have heard nothing but praise for Bergevin's attempt. My final thoughts on this is that I think he did very well and if Carolina didn't match we'd all be singing his praises. It was a good move and might possibly change the future dealings of teams regarding UFA's. For me, I think he's done a very good job and that's a turnaround from what I thought and wrote a little over a year ago. We still have the rest of the summer to go, and his biggest trade last year was late in the summer, so let's wait and see what he does! We know, without a doubt, that his goal is not just to look good, but to make our team better.
  18. I agree with what you said totally. I started a thread a year ago that basically said Bergevin had to go. But I really like his work over the past year and a bit. We all see that we've improved, fast and fun to watch, new coaches that have brought some fresh ideas, a very improved group of prospects and many more on the way over the next two years. At this point it seems a much better team in Laval, even with todays pickup of Phil Varone. I firmly believe the offer sheet was well thought out, especially considering the salary cap implications over the next 5 years and I think he offered what would fit for his team, short and long term. So for me, I am giving him credit for trying and not being afraid of being criticized if it didn't work. He knew, we all could predict, what people would say if it worked and what they would say if it didn't and he went for it! Kudos to him. Two questions. Is it possible that because Carolina said they will match, is it a done deal or is it possible they are negotiating for Montreal to sweeten the pot? My gut says it's done and they're just making Montreal wait, kind of a bit of payback. What do you think? Second, I heard Pierre Mcguire on radio say that he thought Gardiner was a second pairing, not a first, and that if you slotted him correctly he would be a very good defenceman, a good quarterback on the pp, but if you slot him into the first pairing he might have some trouble. Thoughts??
  19. I think this was a very good and thought out move by Bergevin and his team. I think he has learned/decided that he doesn't like nor want to massively overpay for players on July 1. Maybe the Alzner contract brought him to that place. I think they looked at what Aho was worth in terms of salary cap considerations over the next few years and draft picks and I think they figured that their offer was going to make it very difficult for Carolina's owner to pay out that much cash in the next year. So this becomes what CC just stated.....a brilliant move/steal or something that just didn't work. But I won't look down on Bergevin if Carolina matches. I think its a bold gutsy move. He's not thinking of his job or reputation, I think he's genuinely trying to do the right and best thing for his team. I like MB's work and I think we should give him some time to see what else happens. He's swinging for not just a single but a triple or a homer. Good for him. No matter what he did he would be criticized. I'm glad we didn't get Duchene. I hope we get Gardiner. But I love what he's trying to do here. Even Aho's agent said that this is a very difficult position for Carolina to be in. Whatever the outcome, I really like his plan and work. Well done MB.
  20. I think this was a carefully thought out plan and they offered what they thought was reasonable for this player. If they offered more people would criticize. We'll wait to see what happens. We may still be surprised at how this could go. There are still paths to us getting Aho. Has anyone heard anything about Gardiner??
  21. Eklund just wrote that now Montreal and Carolina can talk trade. Is that true? Once Montreal makes and gets a signed offer sheet back can Carolina now approach Montreal and try to work out a trade? Eklund says that's what will happen now?? Thoughts??
  22. Since Carolina has a week to decide, are we in limbo until then since we've committed that amount of money? Does that mean we cannot sign a Jake Gardiner and if Carolina matches we end up losing the opportunity to sign those players? Are we kind of on hold free agent wise until Carolina decides? I still really like this move.
  23. I love this move! Question. Is Montreal allowed to offer something additional to Carolina, a prospect, to entice them not to match the offer sheet?
  24. I just heard two TSN radio reporters, one from Montreal and the other Toronto, saying they wouldn't hesitate giving up a 1st rounder, Suzuki and Poehling for Sebastian Aho.....21 years old, 30 goals + 53 assists = 83 points last year. They both said what a great, immediate fit with a known commodity vs. players with great potential but haven't transitioned yet. I think I would do it as well. They said people have called and said, "no way do we give up prospects like that". But you'll giving up prospects to get back a prospect really. I hope MB is at least looking to see what he can for Aho.
  25. I've been reading reports that MB has been talking with Carolina. IF that's true do you think Bergevin could be trying to do a Drouin for Aho trade? Would we need to add a pick?? What do you think?
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