GHT120
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Posts posted by GHT120
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New GM in Buffalo ... Sabres don't get a TOP pick ... what would it take to get their 8th overall selection?
As I am a "re-@#$%&" (the word that MB shall not speak) advocate I'd start with Domi and Mete as an opening offer and see how talks go.
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6 minutes ago, Habsfan89 said:
Then they should of had the play in round first then the lottery draft after.
Assuming you mean rank the playoff losers into a regular lottery, doubt the bottom 8 "playoff teams" would have accepted that ... we would they rick losing their playoff spot in return for almost no chance at a top pick ... and those votes might/would have been enough to deadlock BoG discussions ... . -
It is only one video clip, and it is always dangerous to put too much faith in highlights, but nice to see a LHD with "hands" in the pipeline
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14 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:
Not as much as it would none playoff team's. . None playoff team's would have more ping-pong balls than playoff teams. So odds for none playoff team's would be greater to get the number one pick. Which would make it fare.
This just doesn't seem right, Your handed a playoff spot and now also you could be handed the first pick too. None playoff team's getting the short end of the stick.
As Commandant said, play-in losers are not in the playoffs ... no matter what tale MB may spin.In my opinion any process that gives the Cup winner a chance (no matter how small) at #1 is seriously flawed ... at least in 2005 there was no Cup winner to possibly benefit from drafting Sydney Crosby (BTW in no way comparing Lafreniere to Crosby)
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On 6/25/2020 at 3:36 PM, dlbalr said:
If Price doesn't wind up playing, then you can basically scrap our X-Factor article on the main site and replace it with 'Cayden Primeau'.
Given the post-lottery reality ... if Price doesn't play (I expect he will play) the Habs should give Keith Kinkaid a chance to redeem himself going into free agency (LOL)
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34 minutes ago, DON said:
Great to hear he is healthy again.
Agreed ... just hope their decision for 20/21 on whether to play KK in the NHL or Laval is based on what is best for the development of his full potential and not that sending him back to Laval to start the season would make their drafting look bad.
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1 hour ago, Habsfan89 said:
I understand that but you can still use the same format, just give the none playoff team's a higher amount of ping-pong balls than the team's in the playoffs. This way the odds of a none playoff team would be higher than a team in the playoffs.
Would that not give the Stanley Cup winner a chance at #1?
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24 minutes ago, Commandant said:
Oh nothing is guaranteed, I agree.
I think the NHL will choose Vegas and a week or so ago, I agreed with that. Looking now, I just think Toronto and Edmonton have much lower numbers than any of the suggested American alternatives.
Nevada set new records today with over 1000 new cases. The seem to be trending the way Florida and Texas are, but just a week or so behind.With them opening casinos, that isn't a huge surprise.
I've heard it said that Vegas will be a true "bubble" as the hotels are attached (immediately adjacent) to the arena ... so outside contact will be minimzed.
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44 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:
I would be ok if we lose in 1st or 2nd round if our 2nd round draft picks from other teams remain high picks
otherwise, I would prefer we “tank”
most of what I've heard from the "experts is that the top 10-12 picks are very strong ... so I don't want another "OK" first rounder ... I would love a top 10 pick (and even another next season) ... both for the prospects for the "rebuild" and because another playoff miss might just be enough to push MB out the door ... decent-ish recent moves doesn't undo the first five years and his refusal to acknowledge a "window" when Price and Weber were 30&32 at the start of the "reset" two years ago.
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16 hours ago, dlbalr said:
Kotkaniemi has been cleared to play. Good news for him, bad news for me as I have go re-jig an article that in part was based on the assumption that he wouldn't be available. Back to the drawing board for that one...
Since I do not want them to win ... make KK the 1C or 2C ... even if "his game had gone up more than a notch" in Laval I doubt he could handle Crosby or Malkin ...
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13 hours ago, sbhatt said:
The thought of the Habs losing playoff games has always been painful for me....until now. I'd be thrilled if the Pens swept us via three blowouts in exchange for Lafreneiere
Edit: didn't realize it was only 12.5% chance until after original post...not as enthusiastic about a tournament tank now.
These ***ARE NOT*** playoff games.
They are the "Let's be fair to the teams that had a chance to make the playoffs (NYI, NYR, FLA, Van, Min) and find a way to include the Montreal and Chicago TV markets"
play-IN games ... Habs have to beat the Pens to be in the playoffs ... so it is really only like cheering for losses in the three of the last five regular season games to optimize draft position.As for 12.5% ... those are better odds than anyone but Detroit and Ottawa had last night ... slightly more than twice the odds the Habs would have had normally ... 12.5% chance at #1 or pick 9th ... in the regular lottery the Habs odds of picking 9th were 36%, and could even have picked 10th (7.8%) or even 11th (0.4%) ... overall, as long as the Habs lose to the Pens they have come out ahead (IMO).
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48 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:
Umm, I think the pens are better. Quite a bit better. Having said that they were the better team in 2010 as well, but with our D, I just can’t see a repeat of that run.
Agree ... and hope "anything" won't happen ... while a hard fought 5 game series would be entertaining, it would also validate MB's "we are close" mantra ... "hurry hard" Pens, "hurry hard"
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17 minutes ago, Habsfan84 said:
Let's say hypothetically the Sens end up picking 5 & 6 tonight and the slots 1, 2 & 3 are all play-in teams. Do you throw your play-in knowing you have a 37.5% chance at a top three pick? I know players don't throw games but teams could maybe not put their best line-up out there. This scenario would be worst case for the NHL as I think it would make teams ponder.
I would, if I could ... because I don't see the Habs as anywhere near a Cup contender and want a MAJOR re-set (since "rebuild" is apparently a dirty word around the Bell Centre)BUT, a full tank would (for example) mean playing Lindgren, sitting Weber, Petry, Gallagher, Drouin, Domi, Suzuki and Tartar ... the NHL might then take away the Habs first rounder as a penalty for obviously tanking ... more subtly, I suppose they could do things like:
- "force feed" KK as the 2C ... but getting eaten up by Crosby or Malkin may regress his development
- sit Domi for health reasons, or move him to LW (which seemed to make Max sulk when last done) to make room for Poehling as 3C ... but that could screw the relationship going forward)
- play Peca, Barber and Weise as the 4th line
- manage Weber and Petry's minutes ("because of" the layoff followed by inadequate training camp) and play Folin and Alzner as the 3rd pairing 18 minutes per game
But even that would be a fairly obvious tank (if not perhaps punishable by the NHL) and annoy the players (if they are going to play they want to try to win)
Sadly ... I think they have to count on the Pens just being better-
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1 hour ago, DON said:
I dunno, just not as down on Sens as most are...granted, owner is a jack ass; but would still pull for them to beat any of leafs-sabres-bruins-TB-Fla-Wings
I live in Ottawa and have to put up with Sens fans ... so I hope the process somehow goes crazy and they pick 14th and 15th (LOL)
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1 hour ago, Commandant said:
Kane earlier in his career sure.
Recent seasons while he still has the points his defensive game is horrible. He cheats too much in his own end to keep from falling off offensively and now hes basically giving up the same number and quality of chances against as he generates
Hall is a better player cause he plays in both ends.
Hall recently won a Hart Trophy. Gallagher as much as i love him isnt doing that. Hall is elite. Hes a top 10 winger in the NHL.
My only question on him is staying healthy.
Totally agree about health being a question, especially when considering term ... but that Hart season was (IMO) an aberration ... 50% more goals and 25% more assists than his 82 gm averages throughout the rest of his career ... since then he certainly has had injury issues and has only produced slightly below his career averages ... might he have carried the momentum of his spike year forward sans injury, and established himself as an elite player? ... we will never know ... ALL THAT SAID ... on the right deal I could see the Habs signing him ... perhaps overpaying whatever the market becomes this "summer" but for 2-3 years only ... and I could accept it as a "now" move (overall, I my preference is going more strongly "reset") .
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15 minutes ago, Commandant said:
... Taylor Hall is an elite player. No questions on that one ...
IMO that is in part related to his having been a #1 overall ... he is a without a single doubt in my mind a top 6 winger, and almost certainly a first line winger, but at 26 goals per 82 (sans one spike season) he is not (IMO) elite ... that matches Gallagher's "per 82" average and much as I love Brendan don't consider him elite ... I reserve my use of the term for a very small number of players (e.g., McDavid, Crosby, Kane) ... but it is a matter of semantics when discussing adjectives
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Does Price REALLY want to play this summer?
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On 1/30/2020 at 3:29 PM, JoeLassister said:
James Wilder Jr. is now with Montréal.
They will probably bring at least another proven RB to the training camp and create a competition.James Wilder is now retired ... might be. little hard to recruit another RB or two until the details of whether or not there will be a season are resolved
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Back to the line-up ... there seems to be some talk of Jesse Ylonen joining Evans and Lehkonen on the 4th line ... Poehling might have a shot at elbowing his way in ... I like the logic of the "surprise" factor of the Scottsdale Speedster ... even though I am seriously hoping for an embarrassing Pens sweep ... anything to further destabilize MB's position.
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1 hour ago, tomh009 said:
I'd rather give it to Lindgren (or Demchenko) than another rent-a-goalie. This is the last two seasons:
Primeau looks great but only two games. (Even the Lindgren and Kinkaid sample sizes are pretty small.)
Agree, on the rent-a-goalie aspect.
IMO Primeau should be in Laval playing 45-50 of the 76 game season ... he could get some pre-scheduled NHL starts but shouldn't be sitting on the bench ... Lindgren has the incumbent's edge but have a hunch that Demchenko will win the backup job
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1 hour ago, alfredoh2009 said:
yeah, the list of UFA LDs is slim.
Looking at the top-25 UFA list:
https://www.tsn.ca/uncertainty-the-story-for-2020-nhl-s-free-agent-frenzy-class-1.1466523
I think Holtby and Toffoli are my favourite targets for the CH.
IMO Holtby makes no sense unless they are going to move Price ... which is OK by me ... doubt he will sign as a backup, or at least not at anywhere near a reasonable salary ... Crawford (or maybe another Keith Kinkaid-like bargain basement option) ... I am curious to see Demchenko ... think he is better than his last season's stats show.
Toffoli is a nice player but, other than one 31 goal season, he is a 21 goal per 82 games player ... not the top 6 scorer the habs need ... unless (for example only) they were going to trade Domi for a #1-LHD ... Taylor Hall is closer to what the Habs need but even then, other than his one standout season, he is a 26g/82gm ... Mike Hoffman matches that and would likely be cheaper ... Dadonov has been slightly better since returning from the KHL (29g/82gm) and might be a good option, using the down market to keep the term and salary down ... an under-the-radar RFA option might be Oskar Lindbom (who pro-rated to 82 games had a 30 goal season).
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The ones I would really want (Markstrom, Lehner and Holtby) won't want to be a backups, so no use talking unless MB does the UNEXPECTED and trades Price
If Crawford accepts being a backup he might be the best option of the four.
However, I don't expect MB to "challenge" Price with a backup capable of playing 30 games so it will likely end up being a minor UFA, Lindgren or Demchenko as Carey's backup ... I would love to give McNiven a full year as Primeau's only backup in Laval to see how he develops but I fear he has been crowded out.
I have a gut feeling that Demchenko will surprise. -
2 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said:
This article mentions a few UFAs the CH should target.
https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens-free-agent-defense-targets-2020/
I think TJ Brodie is the better fit. I would also consider Edmundson out of CAR, he may be a surprise like Chiarot was. Finally, Dermott (RFA) in Toronto may be a younger target, maybe in a trade given TOR's cap problems
Krug is ideal (IMO) ... but I worry about the contract ... given a likely flat market I might offer 3 years at a reasonable salary (maybe $7 million) ... solves an immediate con Ernies and gives him a second shot at UFA.Brodie just turned 30 ... and his (from what I could find) mysterious on-ice collapse at practice last November that kept him out for two weeks concerns me ... if he was willing to go short-term (2 years) it might be worth the risk
Edmundson seems to me to be another #4 (at BEST) but likely 5/6/7 defenceman ... similarly Dermott (he will cost draft picks as an RFA or assets in a trade) doesn't strike me as a top 4 defenceman.
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On 5/26/2020 at 8:19 PM, Commandant said:
I think a rested, not overworked Price is something to be feared, especially in a 3 out of 5.
We've seen him be a lot better when he even gets one or two games off.
He was also darn good from January 1st to the end of the season.
Problem is that the restart is more like the beginning of the season, when he hasn't been all that good in recent years
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Agreed on the play-in ... from there, a "no AHL season" obviously answers the question ... hopefully by Fall there will be more clarity and overall improvement ... but I would consider loaning him to an overseas team if there is no AHL team and it would be best for his long-term development ... I'm always concerned about young players with high-end upside getting bottom six minutes ... eventually worked for Sean Couturier but took seven seasons before SC broke 20 goals or even 40 points ... he was Phil Danault for quite some time ... and much as I like and respect Danault, that is not what one hopes for form a 3rd overall pick.