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I hear a lot of ho-humming from emotional habs fans bemoaning the lack of changes made by the CH this year, like it wasn't apparent that there was going to be not many moves compared to last year.

I hear the same old rhetoric, "the habs barely made it into the playoffs with this team...and they didn't change much". Yet, these same fans are proclaiming Flyers playoff locks...the same Flyers who had to win in a shootout to advance.

I'm going to break the cardinal rule here, I'm going to use an excuse. Injuries last season robbed this team of their full potential. At one point there was close to $20m worth of players on the mend, I know all teams have injuries, I understand that. When you combine injuries, with what 14 roster changes, it doesn't give your team chances to gel. The habs lost a lot of close games last season, a few more chipped in goals here and there is the difference between 8th place and 4th place in the conference. Subban on the back end, will be given free reign early in the season due to Markovs injury, and I think that will help the team not give up 40+ shots a game, I really like the habs this season. I liked them last year, you can put me in the glass 3/4 full boat.

I beleive this team will contend for the NE title. Boston is the same team as last season, Ottawa got a puck moving D, Toronto needs scoring help, and Buffalo had his D gutted due to FA, the habs are in a good spot. A lot of teams were gutted by the salary cap, is Chicago still a safe bet for the cup favourites? I don't think so after they had to jettison 7 of their players, in the cap world you have to win with young players, keeping them is an issue, as they saw with Halak.

I had to make this post, due to all the negativity I keep seeing floating around peoples comments, I don't want everyone to love every move management makes, but it bugs me when people say "why wasn't so and so offered a contract" or "he signed there for less why didn't we get them", we as fans do not always know who was made offers, what peoples reasonings were.

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While I tend to agree with most of your points, I think the average Habs' fan will perceive our team as having regressed this offseason. With no significant (or proven) additions and the subtraction of what many people deemed the Habs' best player, it's hard to maintain a positive attitude... Especially when this is the time of the year when less keen hockey fans think themselves experts and make statements like "We got Gonchar, you got Boyd.... Our team is better". As silly as that may be, it's disappointing when we can't reply "We got Kovalchuk, you mouth-breathing imbecile!"

That all being said, I think we retain a solid core from last year... A core that WAS crippled by injuries and didn't have a chance to gel until the playoffs. I think we stand a chance at this point, but I also don't think that Gauthier is done at this point.

GO HABS!

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While I tend to agree with most of your points, I think the average Habs' fan will perceive our team as having regressed this offseason. With no significant (or proven) additions and the subtraction of what many people deemed the Habs' best player, it's hard to maintain a positive attitude... Especially when this is the time of the year when less keen hockey fans think themselves experts and make statements like "We got Gonchar, you got Boyd.... Our team is better". As silly as that may be, it's disappointing when we can't reply "We got Kovalchuk, you mouth-breathing imbecile!"

That all being said, I think we retain a solid core from last year... A core that WAS crippled by injuries and didn't have a chance to gel until the playoffs. I think we stand a chance at this point, but I also don't think that Gauthier is done at this point.

GO HABS!

I feel we are at least a year or two away from feeling warm and cozy about where this team is headed. I expect major changes yet, probably in that two year plus time frame.

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We have a very solid core. I like Gomez, Gionta, and Cammy - always have - and I like Pleks. Our back end is substantially improved with Subban. We are still short at least one top-6 forward - a weakness that plagued us all season long, except for a few weeks when Pouliot was on fire, and then came back to kill us against Philly. And this assessment generously lists Kostitsyn as a top-6er.

Our bottom 6 seems stronger than it was going into last season, but not necessarily stronger than it was at the end of last season (whether Eller can jump in and play effectively will make a significant difference). Our goaltending may be fine, but on paper is quite substantially weaker.

The real problems are that we've bet the rent on Carey Price without adequate justification, AND that we still haven't addressed the glaring lack of a #5-6 forward. The former is a high-risk gambit that could pay off. The latter is a 100% guaranteed weakness and it really is unseemly for Gauthier to make no serious attempt to fix it. They really need to move Hammer's contract and replace him with a cheaper defenceman, using the extra dough to sign a Frolov.

All that being said, I'd be cautiously enthusiastic that our regular season results will improve due to solidified chemistry and team character, if we weren't crossing our fingers in net. As it is, I'll be adopting a wait and see attitude for the entire season, not fully trusting Price not to have another one of his meltdowns.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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See CC, your comment here:

AND that we still haven't addressed the glaring lack of a #5-6 forward. The former is a high-risk gambit that could pay off. The latter is a 100% guaranteed weakness and it really is unseemly for Gauthier to make no serious attempt to fix it. They really need to move Hammer's contract and replace him with a cheaper defenceman, using the extra dough to sign a Frolov.

How do you know there isn't talks going on, or there wasn't offers. It's easy to say 'lets trade hammer', it takes two people to dance. The other option is to bury in the minors, that sends a terrible message to future UFAs. Those are the type of comments that frustrate me, unless you have inside information that none of the rest of us are privy to, it's a baseless statement.

As to the Price issue, I'd put my trust into Price, vs. Ellis, who lost HIS job in Nashville, to Rinne.

Edited by bar
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See CC, your comment here:

How do you know there isn't talks going on, or there wasn't offers. It's easy to say 'lets trade hammer', it takes two people to dance. The other option is to bury in the minors, that sends a terrible message to future UFAs. Those are the type of comments that frustrate me, unless you have inside information that none of the rest of us are privy to, it's a baseless statement.

?

What's 'baseless' about saying that we need another top-6 forward and that the only obvious place the money can come from is Hammer's swollen and expiring contract? Hey, if we can sign that forward while keeping Hammer, I'm all for it.

I'm pretty confident that Gauthier wants to fix the hole in the top 6. He's not an idiot. However, after a while it starts to be like the habs' ongoing problems at centre over the entire Gainey era: a glaring, ridiculously obvious weakness that the team somehow fails at address year after year. Eventually excuses pall; you need solutions. Yes, it's far too soon to attack Gauthier for not solving it. But if we head into the playoffs next year with this roster of forwards, then it will become reasonable to bitch about it.

Anyway, your thread asked for our 'expectations' based on the team as is. And what I say is, I will temper my expectations until Price has put together a compelling full season and playoff, AND until we have at least 5 quality, reliable forwards in the top 6.

EDIT: That Ellis lost his job to Rhinne (sp?) proves he's a #1A, which is what we need.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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I'm sorry I'm not following your logic here, it doesn't matter I guess.

You're right that it doesn't matter :lol: Nothing we say on here does, in the big scheme of things. But you may be confused because you think I'm saying Ellis is better than Price. No. I'm saying I'd feel comfortable with Price and Ellis because Ellis is a quality starter who can carry the ball for extended stretches if Price immolates. Auld is more of a classic backup. In short, better to have two #1As who can spell each other off than one #1A and a backup.

As for the wider theme of this thread, we have a signficiant question mark in goal and an ongoing hole in the top-6. Our bottom 6 is probably comparable to what it was at the end of last year, and our D is improved due to Subban. I won't relax until the question mark in goal has been definitively answered.

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I can respect that...but I'm gambler, I find the risk exciting :)

I forget who said it last season, but they kept saying goaltending wasn't the issue with the habs, it was goalscoring. I would love to see Frolov/Afinganov/Gagne in bleu, blanc et rouge. The time of constantly relying on goalies is over, they need to score goals. To do that add a top 6 forward and light a fire under AKs ass!

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iam pretty happy with the team so far...we need a young guy to brig his A game or bring in another top 6 foward..i think D is good, i also like to bring in one fighter..

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I expect us to sit pretty much with where we are now.

I would like to add a tough winger like everyone else but barring a trade we don't have the cap space. We will however have some cap room next season. Hopefully O'Byrne can grow some more this season and take Hamrlik's minutes. I see PG waiting until then to address any issues. We would have the space to sign a quality winger or heaven forbid a #1 goalie if Price flops.

I agree with bar regarding the injury problems last season. We have a pretty good team.

I expect us to make the playoffs but not be a contender yet.

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My expectations for this season are to get off to a hot start to the season like the last few years. The fans will be pumped going into the season based on the playoff run and the Bell Center will be rocking. Then we'll slowly start losing games as Markov's presence is missed. But upon return, he'll give us that spark that we need on the powerplay and it will be a difference maker and we start winning games.

Price will play good like he does most of the time but never gets credit for, thus resulting in a decent win total over an entire season as number 1. I'd like to think that he will get FULL support from people for a change, as everyone shudders at the thought of Auld being "the man".

There will be injuries to key players for different amounts of time, but other players will step up and fill their roles like always. Fans will call for Martin to get fired after any 3 game losing streak, but hail him when we win 3 in a row.

I think that we will score more goals this year than last but also give up more. I think that we will lose more games in OT/shootout than last year but win more in regulation. I think special teams will be around the same as last year.

I think Subban will be the highest scoring rookie defenseman in the league despite Martin having a tight leash on his offensive creativity. Cammy and Gionta will have 60 goals between them.

I expect to get tickets to the winter classic in Calgary and wear my Habs road jersey with pride.

I think that we battle into the playoffs as almost every team that makes it does. Then we play our first round matchup and we will buckle our seatbelts and get ready for a potential ride.

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You're right that it doesn't matter :lol: Nothing we say on here does, in the big scheme of things. But you may be confused because you think I'm saying Ellis is better than Price. No. I'm saying I'd feel comfortable with Price and Ellis because Ellis is a quality starter who can carry the ball for extended stretches if Price immolates. Auld is more of a classic backup. In short, better to have two #1As who can spell each other off than one #1A and a backup.

As for the wider theme of this thread, we have a signficiant question mark in goal and an ongoing hole in the top-6. Our bottom 6 is probably comparable to what it was at the end of last year, and our D is improved due to Subban. I won't relax until the question mark in goal has been definitively answered.

I don't think our bottom 6 is comparable to last year. Moore and Metro were great. But hopefully Boyd at least hits. We brought in Moen for that and he thinks he's Jean Beliveau. As far as needs on the top 6, thye are pretty apparent. The only hope is that AK is better without his brother. The team lost an OT game to back into the playoffs, and Halak got us through two rounds. "They were perimeter shots!" "We played team defense!" Ya well 50 and 60 perimeter shots per game is no good. I've said this a million times and it's pretty redundant. Unless this team is passing perfect, they play rope a dope game and score when they get oportunities. But when there is a tough defense, the team looks pathetic. They can't do anything. I think we are two players short on the top 6 and I still say the Plek contract is two years too long. I hope I'm proven wrong, but I'm not happy with this offseason.

I just don't think the team got better.

PS, I was shopping yesterday and saw a t shirt with the Halak stop sign. I'm pretty sure that means something.

Edited by BCHabnut
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PS, I was shopping yesterday and saw a t shirt with the Halak stop sign. I'm pretty sure that means something.

It means a clothing company get ######ed ! :lol:

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I don't think our bottom 6 is comparable to last year. Moore and Metro were great. But hopefully Boyd at least hits. We brought in Moen for that and he thinks he's Jean Beliveau. As far as needs on the top 6, thye are pretty apparent. The only hope is that AK is better without his brother. The team lost an OT game to back into the playoffs, and Halak got us through two rounds. "They were perimeter shots!" "We played team defense!" Ya well 50 and 60 perimeter shots per game is no good. I've said this a million times and it's pretty redundant. Unless this team is passing perfect, they play rope a dope game and score when they get oportunities. But when there is a tough defense, the team looks pathetic. They can't do anything. I think we are two players short on the top 6 and I still say the Plek contract is two years too long. I hope I'm proven wrong, but I'm not happy with this offseason.

I just don't think the team got better.

PS, I was shopping yesterday and saw a t shirt with the Halak stop sign. I'm pretty sure that means something.

I addressed how having PK up with the big club this year will reduce the amount of shots against the habs in an earlier thread (or maybe this one...I dunno..its too hot out to think), but I'll restate it here, with another puck moving D to compliment Markov, the habs will have less turnovers, more puck possession and less time for the opposing team to fire pucks on the habs goalie.

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I addressed how having PK up with the big club this year will reduce the amount of shots against the habs in an earlier thread (or maybe this one...I dunno..its too hot out to think), but I'll restate it here, with another puck moving D to compliment Markov, the habs will have less turnovers, more puck possession and less time for the opposing team to fire pucks on the habs goalie.

I agree with that. I hope that the chemistry will be crazy strong next year and we look really good. We saw that when Boston took us to game seven, but developed chemistry. The following year they were injury free and had a hell of a season.

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I can't answer this until we're done assembling our team. I expect more to happen.

And what I say is, I will temper my expectations until Price has put together a compelling full season and playoff, AND until we have at least 5 quality, reliable forwards in the top 6.

So what you're saying is that you'll hold off making predictions for the season until after the season is over? :lol:

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I can't answer this until we're done assembling our team. I expect more to happen.

So what you're saying is that you'll hold off making predictions for the season until after the season is over? :lol:

Correct on both points! ^_^

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Eastern Conference

1. Philly - improved - really should have been challenging for #1 last year.

2. Pittsburgh - improved

3. Washington - no change

4. Boston - Improved as scoring was there issue - Horton should add some scoring, will also depend on if Sequin is a factor

5. New Jersey - don't know what to make - lost Martin but did pickup some new D men

6. TB - improved - best young coach and Kubina added, Stamkos/Hedman have another year of experience

Bubble for last two spots:

7. Ottawa - hard to say - lost some D and gained Gonchar

8. Montreal - D added Subban, but Hamrlik/Spacek are another year older, Markov out for start, forwards no change, no 1-2 goalie punch anymore

9. Carolina - came on at the end of the year

10. Buffalo - Lost some key dmen but have one of the top coaches in the league that gets the most from his players

I see the top 3 teams battling it out for #1 and see the last 4 teams listed battling for two positions (minus Atlanta and add TB from last year)

I'm not overly optimistic for the following reasons:

GOALTENDING:

1. Unless Price comes in with his head screwed on right, is CONISTENT and we don't have to rely on Auld we are screwed!! There is no safety net this year.

DEFENCE:

2. Even with Subban being penciled in, I really don't think we improved our D.

a) Hamrlik is a year older and is not worth the cap hit. To me that was the one move that Gauthier HAD to make.

b) With Gill are we going to get the shot blocking/PK specialist of the playoffs or the pylon we saw during the regular season.

c) Is Martin going to give O'Byrne a real chance, or will he be the new whipping boy now that SK is gone???

d) Are we going to pick up another Dman, or is someone from Hamilton going to crack the lineup??

FORWARDS:

3. Forwards - up front this is still the same team that couldn't get anything going against a big Philly team to take advantage of them having really no goaltending.

a) Is AK46 going to start playing like a top 6??

b) Are we still going to pay Gomez like a top 10 scorer and still get less then 60 points?

c) Which is the real Pouliot - the guy who came out strong from Hamilton or the guy who disappeared down the stretch and in the playoffs.

So once again, I see another habs team trying to squeak into the playoffs, just as they have for the past ten years (with the exception of the 1st place finish a few years back). Great progress :blink::wacko:

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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Eastern Conference

1. Philly - improved - really should have been challenging for #1 last year.

2. Pittsburgh - improved

3. Washington - no change

4. Boston - Improved as scoring was there issue - Horton should add some scoring, will also depend on if Sequin is a factor

5. New Jersey - don't know what to make - lost Martin but did pickup some new D men

6. TB - improved - best young coach and Kubina added, Stamkos/Hedman have another year of experience

Bubble for last two spots:

7. Ottawa - hard to say - lost some D and gained Gonchar

8. Montreal - D added Subban, but Hamrlik/Spacek are another year older, Markov out for start, forwards no change, no 1-2 goalie punch anymore

9. Carolina - came on at the end of the year

10. Buffalo - Lost some key dmen but have one of the top coaches in the league that gets the most from his players

I see the top 3 teams battling it out for #1 and see the last 4 teams listed battling for two positions (minus Atlanta and add TB from last year)

I'm not overly optimistic for the following reasons:

GOALTENDING:

1. Unless Price comes in with his head screwed on right, is CONISTENT and we don't have to rely on Auld we are screwed!! There is no safety net this year.

DEFENCE:

2. Even with Subban being penciled in, I really don't think we improved our D.

a) Hamrlik is a year older and is not worth the cap hit. To me that was the one move that Gauthier HAD to make.

b) With Gill are we going to get the shot blocking/PK specialist of the playoffs or the pylon we saw during the regular season.

c) Is Martin going to give O'Byrne a real chance, or will he be the new whipping boy now that SK is gone???

d) Are we going to pick up another Dman, or is someone from Hamilton going to crack the lineup??

FORWARDS:

3. Forwards - up front this is still the same team that couldn't get anything going against a big Philly team to take advantage of them having really no goaltending.

a) Is AK46 going to start playing like a top 6??

b) Are we still going to pay Gomez like a top 10 scorer and still get less then 60 points?

c) Which is the real Pouliot - the guy who came out strong from Hamilton or the guy who disappeared down the stretch and in the playoffs.

So once again, I see another habs team trying to squeak into the playoffs, just as they have for the past ten years (with the exception of the 1st place finish a few years back). Great progress :blink::wacko:

Thank you for a great assesment on the state of the habs from last year to this year. We all need to be reminded that if it wasn't for Halak stealing 16 points last season we wouldn't have made the playoffs in fact we would have finshed 13th or last in the eastern conference. Hamrlik was slow and looked old. Pouliot and Andrei K played braindead. Predicting the habs this year is easy I predict the habs to finish 14th in the east. I also predict that Price will have a poor season and I also predict that all hell will break loose.

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Thank you for a great assesment on the state of the habs from last year to this year. We all need to be reminded that if it wasn't for Halak stealing 16 points last season we wouldn't have made the playoffs in fact we would have finshed 13th or last in the eastern conference. Hamrlik was slow and looked old. Pouliot and Andrei K played braindead. Predicting the habs this year is easy I predict the habs to finish 14th in the east. I also predict that Price will have a poor season and I also predict that all hell will break loose.

You forgot to write that the Habs will be moved to New Mexico and be called New Mexice Amigos in 2011-2012.

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