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The longest article of the year, affectionately called the Beast, that I have been working on for two days is finally ready. Hope you enjoy. https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2022/07/09/2022-nhl-draft-grades/

Happy we signed the kid. As a side note, I keep reading media types saying the Habs should sever ties with Mailloux. This really bugs me. I understand that he is quite a promising prospect in hockey terms. Throwing that away because Bergevin was an insensitive jerk is **exactly** the sort of ego/PR-driven move that has hurt the Habs so many times over the years. Work with him, help him to become a worthy Hab, reap the rewards.

Height-wise yes ... but, per current roster data, Slafkovsky is 15 pounds heavier than Kaako (2019 draft) and 22 heavier than Lafreniere (2020 draft) ... IMO he is physically more prepared entering the NHL than were the other two ... but would like him to have at least a long-stint in Laval to acclimate to the NHL style of play and rink-size ... and to be dominating play for an extended period of time before a call-up is considered ... but I want his long-term development prioritized over satisfying the interest of some to watch him play with the Habs.

It’s a pretty dumb argument. Largely cantered on Dubois agent saying he wants to play for Montreal - which isn’t exactly what he said. If he REALLY wants to play in Montreal he will wait. the other faulty part of the argument is that Huberdeau signed now instead of waiting because he felt wanted, and liked the situation there. Two problems with that argument. He actually hasn’t played a a single game there yet. Has no idea how chemistry there will be with his teammates or Sutter (I think Sutter is the primary reason Gaudreau left. Yes he had his best year under Sutter, but Sutter specifically called out - during two of the flames playoffs losses saying he had chances and didn’t get the job done, and in two other games said his best players didn’t play as well as the other teams best players). Huberdeau signed in Calgary, because that is only team that was going to, or could give him $10.5m for EIGHT years and will pay him that amount until he is friggin 38 years old. Huberdeau just had a career season, that he is unlikely to match again. He wanted to cash in while he could, and Calgary was in a desperate situation after their two best players refused to resign. I’m sick and tired of all of these articles dreaming about and suggesting the habs chase every Francophone superstar - which there really aren’t a lot left. We made that mistake chasing after and giving too much money to a washed up Briere and than trading a stud D prospect for Drouin, and than signed him to a bloated contract he hadn’t earned. let’s just stay the course. Draft AND develop well, and not give up assets chasing the Francophone saviour. If Dubois really wants to play in Montreal, let him prove it by waiting two years and sign for a contract that isn’t going to stupid. No reason to give up picks or prospects, until we are in a position to contend.

Habs need to shit or get off the pot with Mailloux. Trade him or start pouring development resources into him. I think we should start doing everything we can to develop his game. The politics of it left with Bergevin.

Christian Dvorak is 1 goal and 3 points off of what KK has produced this year (and Dvorak has played 18 fewer games).

As an MD, I almost blew my lid reading this thread - especially these days. 100% this. Medicine is data and peer review driven. Anything else can be dangerous. Now go out and get your Covid -19 shots HW.

I don’t believe the Habs are intentionally icing the worst team they can in order to maximize their lottery odds. If that’s tanking, we’re not doing it. Just look at the forward unit, which is actually quite strong, overall. Why keep that unit intact if the goal is to lose as hard as possible? Chicago, by contrast, has shipped out young players who played a major role (Dach and DeBrincat) for no discernable reason other than to suck as hard as they can in order to get Bedard. Now that’s true tanking. People confuse tanking with rebuilding. Rebuilding involves setting a timeline for a team to become competitive, and tries to maximize the likelihood of successfully realizing that target. Yes, this often means moving out veterans in favour of picks and prospects. But since you need some veterans around to mentor and role-model for the kids, and since (as I keep saying) you want to create an environment in which the kids can succeed and grow, that’s not interchangeable with fire-bombing your roster in a determined effort to grab the #1 pick. The Habs will likely suck, not through a deliberate intent to suck, but as a consequence of their best players aging out and middle-aged players having been traded for prospects. Winning lots of games is not the goal; it’s a development year. But to say that losing is the goal? That’s a bridge too far IMHO.

https://theathletic.com/3510017/2022/08/22/nhl-pipeline-rankings-2022-prospects/ Nice to see this in anyones rankings. "Boston Bruins rank No. 32 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2022"

I understand the risk of multiple inexperienced hires, but I’m happy with whoever MSL goes with. If he got his guy, and believes he’ll be the best fit I’m ok and here’s why: MSL seems to be a new iteration of coaching that I’ve been wanting for a long time i.e, a coach who doesn’t bend his players into his system, but bends his system around his players. In order to get the most out of your roster, you have to play off their strengths. It’s been too long that I’ve seen people stifled under strict systems that simply don’t fit the player. Put a Lamborghini in a rally car race and it probably gets stuck. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad vehicle, just gotta put it on the right track. Inherently, I believe this style of coaching is more adaptive/resilient to challenges. so despite the inexperience, the people in place are tailor-made to adapt and figure it out. On top of this, it’s a player development friendly style. I’m happy not to have another old boys club coach-fossil resurrected for the 10th time. But of course, I concede there’s a ton of risk because we don’t have much indication of just how good Robidas is at coaching

What possible rationale can there be for leaving these people in charge? Good for Sheldon Kennedy.

Doing the right thing in life rarely involves taking shortcuts or taking the easy way out. Paying settlement money is taking the easy way out. The article from Rick Westhead was disturbing.

You can nearly think of this guy as a 2023 draft eligible guy since he’s so young. If you think of a d-1 season, (rookie OHL season) 48 points in 64 games is quite good. easy to expect a fairly huge rise in production next year. Say if he had been born a few days later and a 2023 eligible guy, he could have been looked at as a first rounder if he scores say 80+ points next season I know that’s a little long winded but I just think age and the fact it was his rookie season is a huge factor here.

What are they supposed to do to develop his game, that they arent doing? He was suspended in the OHL til January and no other league in the world was going to bypass that suspension and take him in. The PR nightmare would have been a disaster for any league doing this. So they had him train off ice. Then he played on the team that has the best development in the CHL if not the world. Where else would you want him, if not London? Then he got hurt in a fight and his shoulder is messed up and he cant play. So what resources can you put in other than surgery and rehab which are being done? Heck given his injury, i will guess he is at development camp but not on the ice as he wont be ready yet. Shoulder injuries are usually 6 months.

The game is fast and reffing is way harder than the average fan thinks. And it just keeps getting faster

I hate them both. Still hate Kreider. That contributes to prices knee issues.

As a side-note, I don’t know why so many fans and media want us to dump Mailloux. That would be atrocious asset management, and the kid supposedly has significant hockey upside. Having drafted him, we should now continue to work with him to reap the benefits of that upside - PROVIDED he is showing he learned from his gruesome mistake and is willing to work on being a better man.

From my brother's collection. Obviously being a Habs fan runs in the family.

What? Hope the Canes go deep!!!!???? I hate them with every fibre of my being.... well, not quite, but i do despise them significantly. Why, oh why would you ever wish the Saku-almost blinding, KK offer-sheeting, Trolling, *(&^%$#@!!!! Hurricanes good fortune?! I hope that they roll into the play-offs and Anderson reverts to his Maple Leaf "glory" days. I hope that they never win a play-off series again. I want them to be that almost great team that just can't win it all. I wish them nothing but frustration and anguish until their great core ages out. Seriously, that's almost as bad as hoping that the Leafs win a round. In fact, I fervently hope that they do not meet the Leafs because two teams playing each other can't both lose.

First of all, Chiarot gave us his best years and did a very fine job. He left with a great amount of class. All respect to him. But I have no interest in locking him up until he’s 34 or whatever. It’s not the money so much as the term for a 30-year-old guy who isn’t the greatest skater on earth to begin with. If FLA goes on a deep run, as seems likely, they will probably want him back and he will want to stay where he has a real shot at a Cup. If they don’t, then he’ll probably hit the market, and I don’t think we should be banging down his door.

"Ben traded to Florida" That sucks, Commandant has been a really valuable member of Habsworld 😬

The funniest would be if Carolina's cap problems mean that Vincent Trochek signs with Montreal as a UFA.

Well, my turn to propose one. To Dallas: Joel Armia, RW, 28, three years left at $3.4M Small sweetener (fourth-round pick or equivalent prospect) To Montreal: Radek Faksa, C, 28, three years left at $3.25M Both players have struggled badly this year (Faksa has two goals and 11 assists in 51 games). Both players have shown flashes of offensive upside over the years (Faksa's career high in points is 33, Armia 30) but are basically just overpaid checkers. Faksa plays the more premium position and costs a tiny bit less on the cap hence the need for some sort of small sweetener from the Canadiens. Dallas has Seguin, Benn, Pavelski, and Hintz that all play down the middle (some full-time, some part-time) so they can afford to move out a centre. The Habs, meanwhile, have winger depth but less depth at centre. It's a basic change of scenery swap involving bottom six players with the hopes that the change sparks them.

If anyone was worried about the Habs making up too much ground on Arizona with the win today, the Coyotes pulled off the upset tonight against Dallas, winning 3-1.

Seems like a short-term thing. The problem is that the Habs were at 15 F/6 D on the roster so they needed to put Chiarot on IR if they don't want to send Caufield/Poehling down (waiver-exempt) or waive someone like Paquette/Dauphin. Next week is a light week for the Habs so Chiarot could only miss today's game and Thursday's.

Don't confuse a competitive game and a close game on the scoreboard. In any of the past three games, they were not competitive. The unexpected strong play of 3rd and 4th string goalies kept them in the game. On a side note, my son is a goalie, so my wife likes to pay particular attention to the goalies during warmup. She asked what was wrong with McNiven. "I hope he doesn't play. Why is he flinching and ducking?"

I edited my list to add Youppi to the “keep” list😎

I got to write about a win. I can't remember the last time that happened - I must have been on a double-digit losing streak going back to last season... http://www.habsworld.net/2021/11/habs-bounce-back-and-blank-detroit/

To summarize: Bergevin is a moron for his offer sheet that was laughably too low and Waddell is a genius for his offer sheet that was laughably too high. Got it.

The Power Play plan hasn't changed, they are trying to pass everything back to the point man to shoot instead of going cross seem to the wingers, or letting the guy in the bumper position shoot. It was an outdated power play when it had Shea Weber and his slap shot back there, now that Weber isn't there, it's an even stupider plan than it was last season (and it was still a stupid plan even with Weber).

Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield Drouin - Dvorak - Anderson Armia - Evans - Gallagher Lehkonen - Paquette - Perreault Kulak - Petry Chiarot - Savard Romanov - Wideman Allen Ritchie - Tavares - Marner Bunting - Kerfoot - Nylander Engvall - Kampf - Kase Amadio - Spezza - Simmonds Rielly - Brodie Muzzin - Holl Sandin - Dermott Campbell

If we're going to retire Saku Koivu number one day then we do the same to Price. I think those are the only 2 names I would retire that don't have cup's but have made a big impact in our team's history since the cap era has started. They both did everything they could to win.

The "contract year" is the best year is actually a myth. It happens sometimes, but is no more likely to be a career year than any other.

I liked the trade when we acquired Weber and like the trade now that we had to ship out. Thanks for your service Weber, I shall still wear my (your) jersey proudly.

OMG, I thought we'd have to give up assets to shed #6's contract. This rocks. Thanks you, Shea Weber, for distinguished and powerful service to the CH.

My list is up to 36 now. https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2022-nhl-entry-draft-headquarters/ I'd love to see the home run swings, a guy like Miroschinchenko to fall, or a Brad Lambert or Conor Geekie who seem to be falling to land to us. Another one I love who i see ranked later than I have him is Mateychuk. Position wise, Seamus Casey, Elias Salomonsson, Ty Nelson, Ryan Chesley would be good fits for us at Right D. I'd also love any of the 4 Djurgardens kids. I really like what they are doing in development. Its like drafting a kid from the London Knights or something. Leave the kid in Sweden for two more years with their development program and then bring him to North America at 20. You know that Djurgardens is going to do a good job developing their game.

My hatred of Boston has softened somewhat since attempted murderer Chara and gorilla Lucic left. Only Marchand is left from that loathsome bunch. Not that I have the warm and fuzzies for the Bruins. God no. More generally, I tend to see Boston in the way that Dryden did - as a great opponent who puts you on your mettle. I respect that franchise, even as I fervently want the Habs to put them in their rightful place, i.e., as eternal losers to the CH. By contrast, I just despise TO. I mean, I think the current lineup is a formidable squad, but toward the franchise I have pure contempt/loathing. No amount of suffering is too much for Leafs Nation. 😜 Hell, if they folded tomorrow I wouldn’t mind at all. Feel the same way about the Nordiques: let them stay dead, the scumbags. Carolina? They deserve whatever suffering they get. But that franchise is too much of a minor, penny-ante outfit for me to despise them with full-throated loathing. They’re more like an irritating mosquito than a murder hornet like Boston or a gross, puke-inducing centipede like TO.

I didn't know Montembeault also drove the Zamboni

Canadiens' Petry energized by reunion with family in Columbus Well, isnt this just great news. I will be very energized when he is dealt to another team in 2 or 3 months (i pray) for younger and more focused individual or two.

Lots of nice things about Kids and Ylonen isnt even mentioned. Hes got four points in five games. Looks really, really close to NHL ready. That backcheck was big too. The fact hes been barely mentionned is a good thing as it just shows how many youngsters are impressing right now.

Pitlick had 11 points in 20 games with the Wild. Now he has 16 points in 23 games with us. If he is on a freak hot streak in terms of production, then it has been sustained over 43 games: more than Kotkaniemi ever did, for example. He is 24 and this is his first season where he has had a sustained shot in the bigs. Even if he drops off - and I doubt that he is going to continue at a 57-point pace - that should still be enough to make an NHL team think of him seriously as a candidate for a regular roster spot. What he is showing is that he has skills and has offensive upside. More than, say, Jake Evans or sure-fire #1C superstar Ryan Poehling. AND he is a 24-year-old C in an organization with a dearth of C with any sort of offensive upside. There is room for a 40-point C in this league and on this team.

Apparently according to Renaud Lavoie, Carey Price is doing very well right now. He was on the ice for 45 minutes in full gear and took some shots. Lavoie reported that Price and the team are planning on him playing in April. Both sides want him to play before this season finishes. Good news.

It beats me whether this is a good hire per se - the guy clearly has the credentials - but what’s even more important is that the Habs created this position in the first place. It’s kind of depressing to read how the organization atrophied under old-school thinking, even as other franchises were moving forward. Believe it or not, there was a time when the Montreal Canadiens were the cutting-edge organization, schooling all the plodders. That hasn’t been the case since Sam Pollock left, really; ever since then we’ve been the Hockey Old Guard left scrambling to catch up. I loved Serge Savard as GM, but he was way behind the curve when it came to scouting Europe. The only innovation Houle brought was to blaze new trails of incompetence. Gainey brought the franchise back to a high level of competence after it had been gutted, but he was a conservative guy, no forward-looking organizational innovator. Goat was Goat (although under him and Jacques Martin the organization actually did do some innovative things, like having no captain, and developing a unique shot-blocking defensive philosophy which actually set the tone around the league for a few years). I originally thought MB would be a progressive new NHL type, but he revealed himself over time to be even more reactionary than his predecessors. So, at least Hugh-Gort is committed to catching up to current best practice. 👍 Time will tell whether this will evolve into them being the ones doing the innovating, which is where I think the Montreal Canadiens should be.

I am happy to discuss next moves but not under a "Fire Hugh-Gort" thread.

But I don't think those are -- or should be -- the criteria for the keep/trade decision. I love Toffoli, I really do. And yet trading him makes sense, because he'll be 30 in the summer. Two years from now, when we maybe could possibly be starting to contend, he would already be 32, a UFA -- and looking for his final contract, likely with lots of dollars and lots of term. The kind we really should not sign if we're looking to be strong for a number of years. So, the only real alternative would have been to keep him for two years, and then trade him as a rental at the end of the contract. But trading him now significantly improves our cap flexibility as we go through our rebuild process.

In 37games, or 843minutes icetime, Petry has all of 6 points. If he didnt dress again this year, would it hurt any or he be missed? I bet even Gomez had more offense in his worst year, with much less icetime (yes he did; 11pts in 38gms).

In light of this being a New Year, I propose a resolution that POINTS in two straight games hereby be sufficient to break the KKcurse ... do I have a second?

Montreal Canadiens Hoffman - Suzuki - Toffoli Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher Lehkonen - Evans - Armia Pezzetta - Poehling - Belzile Chiarot - Petry Kulak - Savard Romanov - Wideman Montembeault Primeau Scratched: Brooks, Niku, Norlinder Injured: Allen (concussion), Drouin (headaches), Pacquette (undisclosed), Perrault (eye injury), Edmunson (undisclosed) Boston Bruins Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak Hall - Coyle - Foligno Blidh - Haula - Kuhlman DeBrusk - Nosek - Steen Forbort - McAvoy Grzelcyk - Carlo Zboril - Clifton Swayman Ullmark Scratched: Reilly, Smith Injured: Lazar (undisclosed), Frederic (upper body)

When Stephane Richer next plays in an old-timers game?

I was hoping the Habs would sign him since he already has chemistry with Suzuki and Caufield.