GDT Apr. 24, Habs vs Flames, 7 PM

[Commandant]

41 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

That's the only logical possibility based on the current injuries.  But do you want to take your number one goalie (in terms of usage, at least) out of the lineup for extra time than needed when you're trying to make the playoffs?  A week or so from now if he's not making any progress, then sure, it becomes more of a viable option (though it'd still burn the final recall) but I don't think the Habs are willing to ask Allen and Primeau to take the team the rest of the way through the season in order to afford Caufield's recall at this point in time.

 

Its not the final recall as you could get an emergency recall as the Byron injury took the Habs to 11 forwards, and Tatar takes them to 10.  You'd get one more emergency recall. If we assume Drouin is good by Monday we have one emergency recall (ie 11 fwds), or two if Drouin is not ready (10 fwds). 

 

The issue is a cap space one.  The injured (but not LTIR) players are counting against the cap and, without the LTIR to allow going over the cap more, there isn't the room to replace them. Emergency recalls still count on the cap. 

[Toronthab]

21 hours ago, revvvrob said:

I’m blaming the reverse retro jerseys!

 

ever since Feb 4 vs the Sens when our beloved bleu blanc rouge emphasized the BLEU! They conjured up the ghost of hated Maple Leafs past!

 

it was wrong to make blue the primary color. 
 

we must now offer a sacrifice. 

They are gross. And we actually had a Domi on the team. We're Montreal not Mississauga. And we're playing like Mississauga. I will invoke St Jean de Beliveau! 

[dlbalr]

2 minutes ago, Commandant said:

Its not the final recall as you could get an emergency recall as the Byron injury took the Habs to 11 forwards, and Tatar takes them to 10.  You'd get one more emergency recall (even if we assume Drouin is good by Monday, two if Drouin is not).

 

I was going with the scenario I presented of considering putting Price on LTIR a week or so from now if he hasn't improved. 

 

By then, Drouin's illness is fine, Byron's DTD injury has likely recovered, and with Evans up, that's 12 forwards even if Tatar's out still.  There's a wrinkle with emergency recalls that say you can't put yourself in an emergency situation so if they were to send Evans down at that time and recall Caufield with Price on LTIR at that time, I think that would still burn the fourth as it would be considered a voluntary move to drop to 11, not an emergency one.  If all three forwards have recovered by then, they'd be at 12 and any forward recall would burn the fourth.

[Commandant]

Just now, dlbalr said:

 

I was going with the scenario I presented of considering putting Price on LTIR a week or so from now if he hasn't improved. 

 

By then, Drouin's illness is fine, Byron's DTD injury has likely recovered, and with Evans up, that's 12 forwards even if Tatar's out still.  There's a wrinkle with emergency recalls that say you can't put yourself in an emergency situation so if they were to send Evans down at that time and recall Caufield with Price on LTIR at that time, I think that would still burn the fourth as it would be considered a voluntary move to drop to 11, not an emergency one.  If all three forwards have recovered by then, they'd be at 12 and any forward recall would burn the fourth.

 

You are right, they can't send Evans down to get below 12 in order to have an Emergency recall.  Unless Evans goes down first (as needed when they hit 13), and then they get a new injury to take them below again.

 

But I was working on the idea that Price has already been out a week, was sent home from the west coast and back to Montreal, for further tests and hasn't even started skating yet.  So if they think he's not going to play in the next two weeks, they could theoretically backdate his LTIR to Tuesday and have Caufield in the lineup on Monday without using the recall. 

 

 

[GHT120]

10 minutes ago, Commandant said:

Do you want Price in the playoffs with no more starts in the regular season?

No I don't want it ... but the risk of Price coming back too soon and re-injuring himself is just about as bad ... NOTHING ideal in this situation ... MB painted himself into a recall/cap corner ... forwards dropping like flies ... even when healthy the current 12 too often can't score ... the logical(?) final call-up is blocked because of cap issues ... it is a true robbing Peter to pay Paul scenario

[Commandant]

1 minute ago, GHT120 said:

No I don't want it ... but the risk of Price coming back too soon and re-injuring himself is just about as bad ... NOTHING ideal in this situation ... MB painted himself into a recall/cap corner ... forwards dropping like flies ... even when healthy the current 12 too often can't score ... the logical(?) final call-up is blocked because of cap issues ... it is a true robbing Peter to pay Paul scenario

 

Like I said in my edit. 

 

If you think Price is less than a 3 week injury, then you can't LTIR him. Your #1 goalie is more important than a rookie winger coming into the lineup. 

 

Tuesday will be one week (and Price isn't even in Calgary, so we know he's out at least til then).  If his concussion is bad that he won't be back for 2 more weeks, then you can do it with backdating.

[dlbalr]

7 minutes ago, Commandant said:

But I was working on the idea that Price has already been out a week, was sent home from the west coast and back to Montreal, for further tests and hasn't even started skating yet.  So if they think he's not going to play in the next two weeks, they could theoretically backdate his LTIR to Tuesday and have Caufield in the lineup on Monday without using the recall.

 

Yes, they can backdate Price and place him on LTIR retroactive to Tuesday which would give them the cap space to recall Caufield and if some of those forwards can't return, create an emergency window to use.  But doing so ends Price's regular season; he wouldn't be eligible to be back until May 13th (24 days) and the last game is the 12th.  Are they prepared to end his season tomorrow to sneak Caufield onto the roster?  Unless his situation worsened over the last day or two, I don't think they're ready to do that.  By the time they're more comfortable making that call, the emergency window is probably over.

[Commandant]

Yeah if he's ready, he needs to play games before the playoffs.  The number 1 goalie has to be most important knowing that if you shelve him he's done for the season. 

 

[Sir_Boagalott]

 

All the confusing cap rules reminds me of this for some strange reason. 

 

 

What about his playoff eligibility?  I am aware that there is no cap in the playoffs but I don't know how that works exactly.  Does he need to play in a reg season game to be used in the playoffs?  Or is being on taxi squad good enough?  Or would somebody have to be injured?

 

The Habs current ECL's aren't doing enough so they desperately need Caufield to come in and instantly play like he's a $10-15 mil guy.  Thats a huge long shot, but he might be able to do it.  They just need to be able to play him to find out.

[dlbalr]

26 minutes ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

What about his playoff eligibility?  I am aware that there is no cap in the playoffs but I don't know how that works exactly.  Does he need to play in a reg season game to be used in the playoffs?  Or is being on taxi squad good enough?  Or would somebody have to be injured?

 

There is no cap which means the roster doesn't have to be under $81.5M.  Basically, if the player was on Montreal's reserve list at the trade deadline and on an NHL contract, they can play.  In other words, Caufield could play in the playoffs regardless of whether or not he gets into a game during the regular season. 

 

However, the four-recall rule is in effect until Laval's season comes to an end.  That's currently May 15th but would be extended if there are AHL playoffs after all.

[GHT120]

12 hours ago, Commandant said:

 

Like I said in my edit. 

 

If you think Price is less than a 3 week injury, then you can't LTIR him. Your #1 goalie is more important than a rookie winger coming into the lineup. 

 

Tuesday will be one week (and Price isn't even in Calgary, so we know he's out at least til then).  If his concussion is bad that he won't be back for 2 more weeks, then you can do it with backdating.

But ... as has been pointed out ... backdating does no good if there remains a need to address the current Drouin, Tartar and Byron injury/emergency re-call dilemma ... Gustaffson dressed when Drouin was out and Evans for Byron ... if all three are out tonight I'm not certain the Habs could even dress 20 players ... that tends to point to the need to rush at least one back when ideally they shouldn't play

 

Of course, all three could be healthy tonight and the issue disappears.

[Commandant]

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

But ... as has been pointed out ... backdating does no good if there remains a need to address the current Drouin, Tartar and Byron injury/emergency re-call dilemma ... Gustaffson dressed when Drouin was out and Evans for Byron ... if all three are out tonight I'm not certain the Habs could even dress 20 players ... that tends to point to the need to rush at least one back when ideally they shouldn't play

 

Of course, all three could be healthy tonight and the issue disappears.

 

Without anyone going to LTIR, and all three forwards out, they could get to 20 players with Gustafsson and Kulak both playing wing.   Not ideal obviously, but they would get 20.

[hab29RETIRED]

33 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

Without anyone going to LTIR, and all three forwards out, they could get to 20 players with Gustafsson and Kulak both playing wing.   Not ideal obviously, but they would get 20.

Having two dmen dress as forwards against a team that is chasing us is in the playoffs, that we haven’t played once again, and given how many points ahead of them were in a week ago, is a lot worse than not ideal.

 

MB’a managemt of this situation is probably more incompetent than when the hawks didn’t get their RFA offer sheets in on time under Talon.

[illWill]

On 4/25/2021 at 3:58 PM, illWill said:

Maybe the insertion of a certain prolific goal scorer into the lineup rejuvenates the whole squad and they go on a run?

 

On 4/25/2021 at 5:34 PM, dlbalr said:

 

What's the combination of roster moves that can make it work cap-wise though?  I don't see a viable one.

 

I'm not quite sure but here we go!