GHT120
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Posts posted by GHT120
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Challenge for this series, unlike Pens, might be the Flyers goaltending ... in the play-ins (minimum 2 games) Price had the best Sv% (.947) and 3rd best GAA (1.67) ... but in his three games in the round robin Carter Hart had a .960 Sv% and a 1.00 GAA ... would be a good time for Drouin and Tartar to break out
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21 minutes ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:
Belzile is already in the lineup with Domi. I want Poehling inserted over Weise. I also want him to play in the middle. Let's see what he can do against the guy as a veteran took his position in Nate Thompson...
Evan's is out
I'm not a Weise advocate, so to me it looks like Weal versus Poehling choice to join Domi and Belzile ... would love to have a perspective from someone who has seen the TC and practices to see it Poehling has shown anything to merit dressing.
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17 minutes ago, Commandant said:
I don't see Domi pouting at all. I see him making plays and his linemates just not being good enough to convert.
He did seem to have issues when moved to the wing earlier in the season but didn't see anything but 100% effort against Pens ... but hard to move him up at the moment ... would be ideal if Hudon hadn't seemed to wear out his welcome as he has better scoring skills than the alternatives ... but haven't read/heard that he is making it hard for the habs to not dress him by his play in TC/practice ... in slightly fewer games Belzile had twice the production Weise had in Laval this season, so I see him as a slightly better option ... Weal and Poehling a bit of a toss-up IMO ... the former is more experienced and the latter bigger and stronger (with perhaps more scoring potential) ... Weal hasn't produced with Domi so might be worth giving Ryan a shot ... as long as he hasn't just lolly-gagged his way through TC and practice
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13 minutes ago, Commandant said:
How do you sell off most of your best talent in one specific year, and rebuild that depth the following season. It usually doesn't work as a one-year thing.
Totally agree ... it is a 2/3 year process to target a draft and a multi-year process to build with the youth drafted and prospects acquired ... then selected veterans can be targeted in trades when the cupboards are full youth ... would never suggest a rebuild is a one year process ... but this season was a unique opportunity as the Habs had a shot at the #1 overall without having to intentionally tank or truly rebuild ... the team just had a horrible season
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2 hours ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:
... Domi Poehling Belzile for game 1 is what I want to see. Domi to me is a winger
Like the idea of seeing what Poehling can contribute ... also agree Max is a winger in the longer term ... just don't see Domi moving to wing on the 4th line ...
What I can't comment on is whether Poehling has shown enough in the "training camp" and practices to warrant the chance over Weal or belzile
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49 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:
Juulsen, Fleury, Brooks ?
Very much liked what Juulsen showed two years ago, it will be interesting to see what he can do in 20/21 ... Fleury showed great promise IMO this past season and could develop into a sold 2nd pairing RHD ... Josh Brooks seems to need another year in Laval to see if he has NHL potential ...*** if *** the Habs were to choose to move out any veterans RHD could be a target for prospects in return as well
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4 hours ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:
Actually, that’s what I was suggesting.
He and others were saying that we should do that this year as recently as 2 days ago. That was when we still had a chance at the playoffs. And then we made them.
It’s also in the post I quoted: “this year is reputed to be a good draft”. That means we should have done it this year. It also says “as is the next draft” which makes it sound as though we’re supposed to “strategic tank” next year as well, even though the season hasn’t started yet.
This year was a unique opportunity to get a #1 overall pick without cleaning out veterans to tank ... NEVER suggested the coach/team should "tank" against Pittsburgh, just expressed my preference that they not win because of the relatively unique opportunity that presented this season ... next season is not a practical tank target, it takes a couples of years IMO, especially with the extremely short off-season this year ... but if the team again has virtually no chance of making the playoffs as the deadline approaches I would again hope for the team to slide further ... but if they are in the hunt next January/February I would not ever hope for losses.
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34 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:
Measured tanking, seems like game fixing or throwing games on purpose against specific teams to affect drafting positioning
Hardly, it is what TO did ... move out veterans with value ... take back bad contracts for premium payoffs of picks/prospects and target to bottom out for a strong draft
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4 hours ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:
That’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read on here.
Thank you for again resorting to insultsSo simply because you were patient for awhile and then changed your mind, that means this method is the correct method?
Talk about twisting words ... I never said that ... NEITHER of us can KNOW for certain which approach is best ... we each have our own opinion ... I just favour doing something other than what hasn't worked for 26 seasons
A team needs to strive to get better every year. You don’t go “okay, this year the top 5 in the draft will be amazing so we will rest Price 10 more games than usual (as an example) for that reason.
I agree teams need to strive to get better, we simply don't agree on how best to do that
Also, IMO tanking involves moving assets for picks prospects and young players and likley planning for it more than one season in advance.
What you are suggesting by “strategic tanking” guarantees lost seasons while promising no success.
Neither does year-by-year promise success ... witness the last 26 seasons
Sure if the team is out of the playoffs, there’s nothing wrong with playing the kids without fear of losing points in the standings. Wishing for our team to lose while they still have a chance at the playoffs? That’s a whole other level.
In my view the true value of the team, and where it stands in the long-term, was reflected by their regular season performance, not the randomness of the Covid-induced play-in/play-off structureI would focus more on having better off season acquisitions. It the Habs have a good season, there is always the trade deadline to improve the team and put them over the top in any given year.
UFAs have proven difficult to acquire without overpaying, and then it hasn't been for difference makers the team needs; overpaying makes cap management very difficult ... MB deserves some credit for having the gumption to go the RFA route with Aho, but it will always be difficult to get players that the team really needs as few teams are ever likely to not match the offer for that kind of player; unless the offer is ridiculously high, which leads back to the cap management issue ... trades are the logical approach but you can't get without giving ... generally it means giving up high picks and top prospects ... hard to take major steps forward unless you have exceptional depth at a position ... As for the trade deadline, not a big fan of deadline acquisitions ... Petry worked out because he re-signed AND continued to develop his game ... but there is never a guarantee that either will happen to help with future years, and few trade deadline acquisitions drive a team to a Cup or even a Cup Final.
Now my words will be twisted and I’ll be told that all I am doing is “hoping for the best.”
No .. we just have different visions for how to make the team a true Cup contenderNo, I would demand that we do a better job at continuing to improve our team each and every off season. As we continue to improve, become buyers at the deadline. This whole time our drafted prospects are also improving.
<addressed above>
This is versus losing on purpose for one single draft that “has a good reputation”. The thing is, one draft will never be enough with that strategy and as a result that strategy will never be correct.
But the rebuild approach I support involved moving veterans for picks in more than one draft and also seeks prospects and young players (essentially the flip side of the coin to making trades to improve the team now) to develop together ... again, no guarantees with either approach
Now ... since neither of us will ever convince the other to change our view, how about a new topic ... where do you stand on Bergevin ... see what happens until his contract is up, extend him or look for a replacement?
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Just now, alfredoh2009 said:
Ok then: explain it. What is this proper understanding you have
Think I have ... don't just randomly tank just to try to get the first overall pick, or do it every year until you get that pick (which could be Yakupov-ish) but rather look ahead for the next few drafts and plan the tank with that draft as the target
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7 hours ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:
Yes and the point is that had the Habs actually attempted to tank and been successful at doing so during that year, they would have done all that tanking work for Nail Yakupov. It’ll never make sense to me.
Which is why proper tanking is to be strategic strategic and target a draft with a couple of elite players at the top ... NOBODY with any proper understanding of the concept of tanking has ever suggested just tanking every year just because they want to tank ... despite what opponents claim
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If the Oilers win the second lottery ... do they want another top prospect or immediate help?
What do they need?
McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins all played 22-23 minutes per game in the play-in ... only those three and Yamamoto played more than 11 minutes per game 5-on-5 ... they may be looking for top 6 forward depth ... on defence, Adam Larson has one year left @ $4.167M but was 4th TOI and Russell one yr @ $4M at 5th place TOI ... not to mention James Neal with 3 yrs @ $5.75M ...
AND ... Oilers are tight-ish with the cap if they want to improve their roster
If MB thinks he can either live with Neal on the third line, or move him with some AAV retained, that could be one way to approach it ... say Domi for the first overall, Neal and Puljarvi as a starting point for talks? Have heard/read talk of Edmonton being hot for Gallagher
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Until the Habs opponent is decided, this seems like the most appropriate place ...
Stamkos not expected to play against Flyers today ... and is an unknown quantity going forward ... he is only 5 months removed from "core muscle surgery" ... wouldn;t be shocked if he is out until 20/21 season ... big plus for Habs if Bolts get past Flyers
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58 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:
... We should also be thinking about who is going to eventually replace Weber and Petry on RD. Those guys are playing unbelievable, but for how many more years - ?
Absolutely ... and while I do not predict it will happen, neither would I be shocked if Weber is traded next summer (maybe in some way related to the Seattle draft) ... but I do subscribe to the "move them one year too soon rather than one year too late" theory
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1 hour ago, alfredoh2009 said:
If Domi moves to the wing, wouldn’t it be to play top 9?
Agreed ... on the 4th line Max plays centre ... although they could assign Evans the defensive responsibilities to free up Domi to push some offence
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15 hours ago, Commandant said:
Lehkonen brings soooooo much defensively, they will want him against one of the Lightning/Philly top lines.
Don't disagree ... but then Domi stays at 4C ... Drouin and tartar aren't moving to the 4th line
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16 hours ago, Commandant said:
I still say you target the Blues who have major cap issues and go for Jake Allen and Vince Dunn. .... maybe give them Poehling and Lindgren in return.
I'd do that deal
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47 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:
To be honest. I am more concerned of getting late second round picks than the late first round pick. Usually, that is where TT has been successful
that being said, I am really happy with making the playoffs and having hope of a solid D crew next season
I'll agree to disagree about the relative merits of sacrificing the shot at #1 (guaranteed #9) for "making the 2020 playoffs" (despite MB's carefully constructed team having an abysmal season) ... I'll be cheering unabashedly now, because it is now what is best for the team ... and that is what both sides of the "tank" issue really want ...
But totally agree with optimism for the future of defence corps ... eager to see Romanov, Juulsen and Fleury next season ... with Norlinder, Harris, Stuble in 21/22 and beyond ... even Fairbrother is somewhat intriguing
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1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:
What's the difference between getting the #3 pick because you suck, versus getting it because you've engineered it? Either way, the result is the same. The Habs have had two picks under MB which were the equivalent of 'tanking.' Team Tank tends to forget that.
Team Tank as you call it doesn't want to tank every season, it wants strategic planning to tank in seasons with 2-3 elite players available ... like 2016 (Matthews, Laine, Dubois), 2015 (McDavid, Eichel, Marner), 2010 (Hall, Seguin), 2009 (Tavares, Hedman) ... no reason to suck if the reward is Yakupov/Murray/Galchenyuk ... this season is reputed to be another "good" draft ... as is the 2021 draft.
Sure, there is no guarantee that you get the top players, but it isn't like the last 26 seasons been a rousing success with the "hope to make the playoffs and see" approach ... with an occasional glimpse at a chance for the Cup Finals (twice) ... I was good with that for a long time but finally lost faith ... even with a decent collection of prospects for the first time in many, many years I don't see the Habs becoming any more than "a playoff favourite and see" team ... I can advocate for a rebuild while cheering for the players/team if management is happy with the hamster wheel they are on.
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4 hours ago, hockeyrealist said:
... I pity these fools ...
And rational discussion is precluded when it falls to third grade name calling
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14 hours ago, Sir_Boagalott said:
... It sort of reminds me of Nicklas Lidström who was incredible at knocking the puck out of the air when people tried to go around him near the blue line. It seems like Romanov has the same sort of stick skills with passing lanes and being able to interrupt saucer and flip passes.
Wouldn't that be WONDERFUL
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1 hour ago, tomh009 said:
With the $81M cap, the Blues are now down to $2M left. Pietrangelo is currently at $6.5M, and they need to fill three more roster spots, too. Even before Dunn, they will need to dump salary.
Dunn and Scandella for Hudon and Ouellette? 🤣
Dunn is very tempting ... but with Chiarot in place, Kulak playing well with Petry, Romanov and Norlinder in the pipeline and Mete as a 6/7 LHD is Dunn a good investment of picks and cap space? The variables are of course how well Romanov and Norlinder pan out and where the Habs see Chiarot after his contract expires after 21/22
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11 hours ago, Sir_Boagalott said:
... Same with Kovulchuk too, he improved the pp ...
Ilya had 2 PP points (1g, 1a) in his 22 games with the Habs ... their PP was at 14.5% in that time, vs 17.7% overall ... not certain he added much to the PP
I think his first 15 games (5g, 6a) were so impressive that we didn't notice that he delivered little on the PP and had somewhat cooled off in his last 7 games (5-on-5, 1g, 1a ... PP nothing)
THAT SAID ... I was a big supporter of signing him and if the 20/21 was very impressed by his effort and attitude.
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1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:
Well...if TO wins, at least they're out of the Lafrenierre lottery; but I am much more worried about that impressively-talented team getting on a roll in the playoffs ('learning how to win') than I am about the abstract possibilities of a draft pick. Go Columbus!!!
Much like '93 when Laffs fans shyte all over the Habs Cup because "other teams took out the real eastern contenders" and "the leafs would have beaten them if Fraser hadn't blown that call" ... this wouldn't be a REAL Stanley Cup victory
Aug. 7 - Game Four - Habs v.s. PITS -4 PM
in Habs & Hockey Talk
Posted
Respond however you wish ... I've made my views clear ... I accept that you don't accept them ... also accept that you feel there is a right and wrong choice between our views ... so be it