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Finally, I like the plan and direction!


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16 minutes ago, BlueKross said:

Yeah! I would add this to the conversation. Does anyone here believe that MB's ears have been clipped a little bit? Would you be surprised if Mark Hunter showed up in the near future?  I have been after the Canadiens to address the center situation shortly after they won their last cup. At least now , they recognize the problem and are trying to do something about it.

I’m not trying to start a debate about it but here we are again saying things like we’ve been waiting since ‘93 to address a need. Less than a decade ago we acquired Scott Gomez for a steep price, because that was the price to pay for an apparent top line center. We saw a similar value being thrown at Buffalo this year for O’Reilly.

 

At the time, many were unhappy with the move even though the team was finally addressing what people had been begging for them to do “since our last cup”. 

 

This scenario is the opposite in that they seem to be “addressing” our 1st line center need through youth. With that being said, the outcome we had with Gomez could very well

be a similar outcome here. That of one who doesn’t actually develop into a legitimate top line center.  The main difference being that a worst case scenario seems to be that we’ll at least have a very good 2nd line center and not absolute garbage. We have addressed our center need in the recent past, people have just forgotten about it because it did not look like we did since it did not really work out. Here’s to hoping this time it will.

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1 hour ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

I’m not trying to start a debate about it but here we are again saying things like we’ve been waiting since ‘93 to address a need. Less than a decade ago we acquired Scott Gomez for a steep price, because that was the price to pay for an apparent top line center. We saw a similar value being thrown at Buffalo this year for O’Reilly.

 

At the time, many were unhappy with the move even though the team was finally addressing what people had been begging for them to do “since our last cup”. 

 

This scenario is the opposite in that they seem to be “addressing” our 1st line center need through youth. With that being said, the outcome we had with Gomez could very well

be a similar outcome here. That of one who doesn’t actually develop into a legitimate top line center.  The main difference being that a worst case scenario seems to be that we’ll at least have a very good 2nd line center and not absolute garbage. We have addressed our center need in the recent past, people have just forgotten about it because it did not look like we did since it did not really work out. Here’s to hoping this time it will.

We have been defense first as long as I can remember.  We still may be. I do believe however there is recognition in the importance of a true number one center in the game that is played today.

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I think that if we traded Pacioretty to address the LD need we may compete sooner instead of later.

 

We will get a top 6 center through draft and development; we can be a D first trap-team... but only if we can defend 

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2 hours ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

 

Trade Price, Weber, Gallagher, Petry, and Byron, collect the prospects and picks, get more from cap dumps, by summer of 2021 our future should be very bright. Then it should be a matter of what holes need filling. I truly believe if we land a Top 5 pick in 2019 and 2020 we will have an organization worth hoping for.

 

But of course none of this happens with current management. Then again Bergevin doesn't sign Jay Beagle for four years and we are celebrating a good free agency.

The only thing I don't want to see happen is an Edmonton situation. Where the team has no vets to atleast give a bit of advice to young players.

 

I'm not going to go all "Bergevin" here and say a dressing room is the be all end all, but I do think to an extent you need some players who can lead a team though a losing streak... 

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42 minutes ago, Habopotamus said:

The only thing I don't want to see happen is an Edmonton situation. Where the team has no vets to atleast give a bit of advice to young players.

 

I'm not going to go all "Bergevin" here and say a dressing room is the be all end all, but I do think to an extent you need some players who can lead a team though a losing streak... 

 

Nobody said you can't acquire veterans. Because the team is rebuilding you can bring guys in at the twilight of their career on inflated short term deals to guide the kids. Like Gilmour in the early 00s. Trade for Hossa, build him special glove and let him play easy minutes while being a mentor for the kids.

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43 minutes ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

 

Nobody said you can't acquire veterans. Because the team is rebuilding you can bring guys in at the twilight of their career on inflated short term deals to guide the kids. Like Gilmour in the early 00s. Trade for Hossa, build him special glove and let him play easy minutes while being a mentor for the kids.

 

At 1 mill in actual salary per season.   Hossa isn't getting off his couch to play for this shitshow... and i don't even blame him. 

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Andy Sutton

Ryan Smyth

Shawn Horcoff

Ales Hemsky 

Nikolai Khabibulin (age 39/Dubnyk played most of season)

 

or

 

Shea Weber

Brendan Gallagher 

Max Pacioretty

Jeff Petry (Rookie on that Edmonton team)

Carey Price 

 

The first 5 were the first wave of Vets during Edmonton’s transition to youth.  It didn’t work for them. I think ours are fine. Who are we replacing them with? 

 

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I don't want anyone who was comfortable with this Habs organization through Bergevin. That crosses out Pacioretty, Gallagher, and Price. Weber seems to not care where he plays so no need for that either. Petry I would be fine with keeping but if the offer is there he's gone.

 

Justin Williams is a guy I've always wanted. He's probably retiring a Hurricane but a guy like that, well traveled, Stanley Cup, knows how to keep the pressure up in the playoffs, still some skill, that is the guy I would want in my locker room over anyone who has grown up in the Habs organization save for Markov, but he's too old at this point. Would love him back as a D coach when he retires though, even in Laval.

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Make a list of teams that did not make the playoffs year before last but did this year.  It's huge. To say montreal will not make the playoffs for 4 years is  bit premature I think.  One or two surprises by prospects or sophomores can change the entire look of a team.  

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6 hours ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

I don't want anyone who was comfortable with this Habs organization through Bergevin. That crosses out Pacioretty, Gallagher, and Price. Weber seems to not care where he plays so no need for that either. Petry I would be fine with keeping but if the offer is there he's gone.

 

Justin Williams is a guy I've always wanted. He's probably retiring a Hurricane but a guy like that, well traveled, Stanley Cup, knows how to keep the pressure up in the playoffs, still some skill, that is the guy I would want in my locker room over anyone who has grown up in the Habs organization save for Markov, but he's too old at this point. Would love him back as a D coach when he retires though, even in Laval.

I agree with the first paragraph.  I think we need to clean house - problem is MB is not the one to do it, but we are stuck with him.  As for Williams.  I hate that puke.  Never forgive him for Koivu.  He should have been kicked out of that game for what he did to Koivu and instead the puke scored the game winner.  Typical BS NHL officiating.

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6 hours ago, BCHabnut said:

Make a list of teams that did not make the playoffs year before last but did this year.  It's huge. To say montreal will not make the playoffs for 4 years is  bit premature I think.  One or two surprises by prospects or sophomores can change the entire look of a team.  

Florida out because of soap opera with team management - that's been sorted out.  TBL were out before because of major injuries, but were still a stacked team.  Teams that were out and than got back in have a lot of good YOUNG talent and DOMINANT centres, or a game breaker (NJD - Taylor Hall).  We have Price and that's it.  If Price is hurt we're out.  If price is bad, we're out. If Price is human we're out.  Only way we get in is if Price is the Hart/Lindsey winner.  We have more holes than any team that was out and got back in.

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5 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Florida out because of soap opera with team management - that's been sorted out.  TBL were out before because of major injuries, but were still a stacked team.  Teams that were out and than got back in have a lot of good YOUNG talent and DOMINANT centres, or a game breaker (NJD - Taylor Hall).  We have Price and that's it.  If Price is hurt we're out.  If price is bad, we're out. If Price is human we're out.  Only way we get in is if Price is the Hart/Lindsey winner.  We have more holes than any team that was out and got back in.

There is always the "Jacques Martin effect" : he did miracles in Pittsburgh

Something like that could happen in Montreal and it would put us in the playoffs 

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I really believe that Price will be strong this year. Unlike last season, he knows well in advance that he's backstopping one of the league's worst rosters - there won't be that early-season crash that everyone seems to think ran through the dressing room last year. He should also be highly motivated, knowing that another crapola season will create a narrative that Carey Price is Washed Up, which is the last thing he wants, I'm sure.

 

This plus the 'youthful enthusiasm' that comes with the 'new direction' likely won't bring us to the dance, but my prediction is that we'll be close enough to the bubble to create excitement and praise for our bright future, etc., etc.. :rolleyes:

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2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I really believe that Price will be strong this year. Unlike last season, he knows well in advance that he's backstopping one of the league's worst rosters - there won't be that early-season crash that everyone seems to think ran through the dressing room last year. He should also be highly motivated, knowing that another crapola season will create a narrative that Carey Price is Washed Up, which is the last thing he wants, I'm sure.

 

This plus the 'youthful enthusiasm' that comes with the 'new direction' likely won't bring us to the dance, but my prediction is that we'll be close enough to the bubble to create excitement and praise for our bright future, etc., etc.. :rolleyes:

 

Best case scenario: strong Price, bad Habs offence, still bottom 5, Price demands a summer trade with his value high.

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Here’s to hoping Price is a lifer on the Habs ?

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5 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I really believe that Price will be strong this year. Unlike last season, he knows well in advance that he's backstopping one of the league's worst rosters - there won't be that early-season crash that everyone seems to think ran through the dressing room last year. He should also be highly motivated, knowing that another crapola season will create a narrative that Carey Price is Washed Up, which is the last thing he wants, I'm sure.

 

This plus the 'youthful enthusiasm' that comes with the 'new direction' likely won't bring us to the dance, but my prediction is that we'll be close enough to the bubble to create excitement and praise for our bright future, etc., etc.. :rolleyes:

Thank You CC  :)  I was feeling summer optimism today as well, I was thinking that just maybe CP31 will take the role of Captain that, he seemed to leave to the guy with the C last year and will lead through the upcomming season. Kinda how we know he can. 

I think CP31 is that 'attitute' guy MB keeps talking about and I think he can pull it out of team mates. I ain't saying he the Moose (M. Messier)or anything like that but he a Deer or something (in my book) maybe he was just stuck in the head lights of that next contract and once the paycheck starts rolling in all will be good, :) well with him and the Team will play like they in the Show and give us fans a Game to watch every other or so night :)

Ohh child it Hot Here in MountReal!!! I almost thought for a sec we might make the playoffs! :o   

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22 hours ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

 

Best case scenario: strong Price, bad Habs offence, still bottom 5, Price demands a summer trade with his value high.

Best case scenario is not bottom 5.

Its winning the cup, a bunch of prospects with Kotkaniemi as the new Kopitar prove to be so much more than we all expected and Domi plays like in a trance getting 50+ assists and 70+ points.

Price dominates the league again and Weber wins Norris trophy.

I know its very unlikely but its not totally impossible.

Not after what happened in Vegas last season.

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2 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Best case scenario is not bottom 5.

Its winning the cup, a bunch of prospects with Kotkaniemi as the new Kopitar prove to be so much more than we all expected and Domi plays like in a trance getting 50+ assists and 70+ points.

Price dominates the league again and Weber wins Norris trophy.

I know its very unlikely but its not totally impossible.

Not after what happened in Vegas last season.

 

No I'll go ahead and call that impossible. 

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2 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Best case scenario is not bottom 5.

Its winning the cup, a bunch of prospects with Kotkaniemi as the new Kopitar prove to be so much more than we all expected and Domi plays like in a trance getting 50+ assists and 70+ points.

Price dominates the league again and Weber wins Norris trophy.

I know its very unlikely but its not totally impossible.

Not after what happened in Vegas last season.

Weed isn’t legal until October, so wait to get high until than. We 

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2 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Best case scenario is not bottom 5.

Its winning the cup, a bunch of prospects with Kotkaniemi as the new Kopitar prove to be so much more than we all expected and Domi plays like in a trance getting 50+ assists and 70+ points.

Price dominates the league again and Weber wins Norris trophy.

I know its very unlikely but its not totally impossible.

Not after what happened in Vegas last season.

 

Jesus man, I almost spit out my Timmies reading this, and we all know, that's not cool..not cool.

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3 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Best case scenario is not bottom 5.

Its winning the cup, a bunch of prospects with Kotkaniemi as the new Kopitar prove to be so much more than we all expected and Domi plays like in a trance getting 50+ assists and 70+ points.

Price dominates the league again and Weber wins Norris trophy.

I know its very unlikely but its not totally impossible.

Not after what happened in Vegas last season.

Yikes, I believe in miracles but not in this case.

 

I'll repeat...at this point I personally have no doubt that MB and GM have a plan. For me it's like we're in two different realities. The previous past 5 years, poorly managed, little view to the future and bad decisions. But now it's like there's been some sort of transformation, like MB has awakened and sees what we've been seeing.  

I think their plan is obvious and I don't think they're just stumbling along these days making random decisions.  I think the results of the past years have caused/forced Geoff Molson to sit down with MB and tell him there must be changes or else he'll make changes. And I think that meeting happened quite a while ago and I think GM wanted to see it on paper, so the plan was devised and it was carefully planned out. That' why I believe GM has stuck with MB. Molson can see a clear direction that he agrees with and that he has genuine hope in, with good people being put in place. That's why I think Molson said months ago, when he was under pressure to fire MB, that MB knows how to build a team. I think the plan was already on paper and Molson had already signed off on it. 

 

- It started with last years draft and then this years...very good prospects in our system now. Many years of needs seems to be on the verge of being filled..

- Based on the past two drafts we can see how they're filling in and developing what we need. 

- Hiring two very good coaches and surely developing them for the big team for the future. Good planning.

- I think that the plan all along was not to do much of anything on July 1 because I believe they had agreed that they will suffer through one more year of futility and then begin the 2019-2020 season with a young team that can begin to grow into a genuine contender for years to come.

- With the news that Weber will be out another 6 months, they likely knew this before the draft, which solidified their commitment to do little on July 1, and both Shaw and Byron not being ready to start the season, that will open the door for some young inexperienced guys like Noah Julesen and Mete to get needed experience with not a lot of heavy expectation. 

- We will almost be guaranteed a top three, even possibly the top draft pick next June to add to our young prospects, along with the many other 2019 draft picks we have .

 

So I think what you decide to hope for next year will determine your peace of mind this hockey season.

I see the glass half full and being filled higher not emptied.

So my expectations for this season is that I will enjoy watching some games, and read about what's going on in the league, watch the Juniors around New Years, but I will not have any hope for the playoffs and therefore no disappointments or complaining about our team. I genuinely want them to get experience but finish very low, or the lowest. 

I truly believe there is a plan, with good young coaches and players right on the brink, and we have a bright future.

I would prefer that kind of reset or rebuild versus going on the way we were....middle of the pack or lower for years, maybe making the playoffs with little hope of beating the top teams.

 

Also, I think at this point I would perhaps sign Max to a long contract if they think there is good possibility that he can have a bounce back year. 

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