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That's a fair analysis. Two consecutive 100+ point seasons, and now a deep playoff run - this team has a strong young core that is now showing itself to have a deepening understanding of how to win. Guys like Price, Patches and Subban, as well as other pieces like DD and Gallagher, have gone through the right growing pains. Not that the growth is finished for PK. We've also got quality veterans like Gorges and Plekanec who should also be able to help out for the medium term.

I think that, for many years now, Habs fans have thought in terms of a Single Great Run that would bring home the Cup (remember the nearly-religious certainty that 2009 was The Year?). But as anyone who remembers the 80s and early 90s knows, having a really strong team doesn't guarantee anything. If you win the Cup or two, that will occur in the midst of a number of years of highly competitive seasons and playoffs. Look at the Bruins: one Cup, one Finals loss, and two or three other deeply disappointing seasons. The season and playoff we are presently experiencing - including our current third-round disappointment - is what is "normal" for strong teams.

All that said, there are still holes in the system. We need wingers. People talk about letting Gio go, and I agree in principle, but who replaces him? (Maybe Bournival?). Vanek's gone, but then what? If MB goes into next year with a declining Gionta and no Vanek replacement, I dunno. That's pretty sketchy. So there are no sure things here, but the bottom line is that this is the most fundamentally strong Habs team since about 1996. With judicious management, we should indeed be looking at future runs.

yeah I agree and another compounding problem. I had a look at the avail UFA's and there just isn't much there. At least very little we can afford. Or would want to. Vanek is just about the best of the bunch. But MB is good at finding nuggets of talent so let's hope he can come up with something.

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yeah I agree and another compounding problem. I had a look at the avail UFA's and there just isn't much there. At least very little we can afford. Or would want to. Vanek is just about the best of the bunch. But MB is good at finding nuggets of talent so let's hope he can come up with something.

Well, it may help to avoid thinking in terms of top-line talent. If we see the Habs as built to roll 3-4 lines, all we really need is one or two RW who can reliably approach 20 goals and 45 points and who aren't shrimps...Chris Higgins types. If, further, we imagine guys like Bournival or even White possibly being used on the W - the feasibility of which I don't know - we may find the situation more easily fixed than we think. Just a notion.

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I can see this team looking to switch their center depth for wing depth in a trade. Desharnais/Plekanec/Eller/Briere/White with Galchenyuk looking to move center one day is a waste of depth if we don't turn someone into a winger.

I wonder what we could acquire packaging Plekanec/Eller, Moen and a draft pick. Maybe to a team that is desperate for defence and penalty killing in their forward ranks. Like say Edmonton and Jordan Eberle? I'm basically setting up a Seguin/Eriksson deal here. Pipe dream.

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Guest Stogey24

I can see this team looking to switch their center depth for wing depth in a trade. Desharnais/Plekanec/Eller/Briere/White with Galchenyuk looking to move center one day is a waste of depth if we don't turn someone into a winger.

I wonder what we could acquire packaging Plekanec/Eller, Moen and a draft pick. Maybe to a team that is desperate for defence and penalty killing in their forward ranks. Like say Edmonton and Jordan Eberle? I'm basically setting up a Seguin/Eriksson deal here. Pipe dream.

I honestly think Plek will be on the block next year. I know you guys all love him, but I've notice him game start to change slightly.
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Would Jussi Jokinen be of any interest as a UFA? He seems to fit the bill of a useful, 20-goal-ish winger who can move up-and-down the lineup. If he could be signed to a reasonable term, maybe he'd be a possibility? Although I guess he's more of a LW, and it's RW where we really need help...anyway, just throwing it out there.

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I honestly think Plek will be on the block next year. I know you guys all love him, but I've notice him game start to change slightly.

Sample size is an irritating beast. We saw in the regular season Lars Eller put together 10 good games and then flatline until the playoffs. Then you have Tomas Plekanec who has been great for us during the regular season and is truly one of the best shutdown players but in the playoffs he's disappeared quite a bit and if he doesn't have a good game winning faceoffs, he's hard to notice.

Do you trade Lars Eller when his value is inflated due to the playoffs or do you take confidence he can finally put together a decent 82 game season? Or do you trade Tomas Plekanec after a mediocre playoff run knowing he might be the kind of player who you are only going to get a solid top six center performance out of in the regular season?

It's a good problem to have.

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Let's see...positives. The Habs won yesterday and Robert Mayer was officially released. Does it get much better than that?

When I hear Murray is replacing Beaulieu and Subban/Emelin have undergone a mental healing session, I will be even more cheery!

Molson gets another gate and any letdown to do with Price being gone hasn't happened, lots of good stuff. :thumbs_up:

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Let's see...positives. The Habs won yesterday and Robert Mayer was officially released. Does it get much better than that?

:lol:

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Guest Stogey24

Sample size is an irritating beast. We saw in the regular season Lars Eller put together 10 good games and then flatline until the playoffs. Then you have Tomas Plekanec who has been great for us during the regular season and is truly one of the best shutdown players but in the playoffs he's disappeared quite a bit and if he doesn't have a good game winning faceoffs, he's hard to notice.

Do you trade Lars Eller when his value is inflated due to the playoffs or do you take confidence he can finally put together a decent 82 game season? Or do you trade Tomas Plekanec after a mediocre playoff run knowing he might be the kind of player who you are only going to get a solid top six center performance out of in the regular season?

It's a good problem to have.

Eller is one of the hardest players to put a finger on. I really have no idea what his future holds.
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Eller is one of the hardest players to put a finger on. I really have no idea what his future holds.

Hear hear. I have been baffled by him since his arrival. Right now he looks like a core piece. From December to April he looked like a dog. How is a GM supposed to make decisions based on that body of work? If we trade Pleks and give his role to Eller, and Eller proceeds to be the Lars Eller we saw for 60 games this season, good luck making the playoffs...

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Hear hear. I have been baffled by him since his arrival. Right now he looks like a core piece. From December to April he looked like a dog. How is a GM supposed to make decisions based on that body of work? If we trade Pleks and give his role to Eller, and Eller proceeds to be the Lars Eller we saw for 60 games this season, good luck making the playoffs...

With Galchenyuk and and DD on the team, you have to move either Pleks or Eller. Both are two good to be a #4 centre.

At some point you have to show confidence in a player and go with him. If as a coach/GM you doubt him, he is going to doubt himself and will never reach his potential with your organization. Those type of players always end up succeeding elsewhere. With DD and Galchenyuk slotted to be our top 2 centres, I'm willing to move Pleks and risk that Eller doesn't show the same consistency, than risk moving Eller and watch him become Alex Steen or John Leclair with another organization.

We also have to consider our hole we have with our top 6 wingers. Moving Pleks can fill that hole.

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With Galchenyuk and and DD on the team, you have to move either Pleks or Eller. Both are two good to be a #4 centre.

At some point you have to show confidence in a player and go with him. If as a coach/GM you doubt him, he is going to doubt himself and will never reach his potential with your organization. Those type of players always end up succeeding elsewhere. With DD and Galchenyuk slotted to be our top 2 centres, I'm willing to move Pleks and risk that Eller doesn't show the same consistency, than risk moving Eller and watch him become Alex Steen or John Leclair with another organization.

We also have to consider our hole we have with our top 6 wingers. Moving Pleks can fill that hole.

Good post sir!

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Love that de la Rose seems committed to playing pro in North America at the request of Habs, nice big centre who can skate and even though only 19 hopefully big enough to handle NHL/AHL.

SO likely add him, Hudon, Bozon (rehab could be very lengthy but who knows), Thrower, Bennett to the Dogs in the fall.

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With Galchenyuk and and DD on the team, you have to move either Pleks or Eller. Both are two good to be a #4 centre.

At some point you have to show confidence in a player and go with him. If as a coach/GM you doubt him, he is going to doubt himself and will never reach his potential with your organization. Those type of players always end up succeeding elsewhere. With DD and Galchenyuk slotted to be our top 2 centres, I'm willing to move Pleks and risk that Eller doesn't show the same consistency, than risk moving Eller and watch him become Alex Steen or John Leclair with another organization.

We also have to consider our hole we have with our top 6 wingers. Moving Pleks can fill that hole.

Well said. I completely agree. As much as I do like Plex, I think he's the odd man out. We NEED to make room for Chucky at centre!

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  • 4 months later...

Two road wins to start the campaign, against some of the worst refereeing ever, and Bourque has looked like a top power forward!

Oh yeah, and Therrien may very well be a genius!

:1banana: Yeah Baby!

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  • 1 month later...

Two road wins to start the campaign, against some of the worst refereeing ever, and Bourque has looked like a top power forward!

Oh yeah, and Therrien may very well be a genius!

:1banana: Yeah Baby!

Not much has changed in over a month...cept Bourque, but am quite sure waiving him is a positive for team future.

Too many other positives to pick best, Price is almost a given All-Star performances from him......so go with Pacioretty maybe taking the 'A' to heart with consistent solid play and effort.

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