IN THE HEARTS OF MEN

i can see bournival coming to camp bigger faster stronger and more fit. I'm sure he knows as well as the entire line up that this habs team is deep and getting a spot in the line up is not a gimmie. i think he'll be ready to play and force MB's hand on Moen who has essentially been replaced by Weise.

kids a fantastic talent has great vision. and thats were he sits in depth right now on the habs..... in my eyes...

Patch- DD -Parenteau galchenyuk- Eller- Gallagher Bourque- Plex- Weise Prust- Malholtra- Moen bournival sekac DeLaRose Andrighetto Reway*** kids fantastic sekac will have to earn his spot at 22 not just be handed it... Moen will get the benefit of the doubt to start the season over bournival and i can't see MT letting a veteran sit opening day if healthy and looking to rebound from a disastrous season...... Markov Subban Emelin Gilbert Tinordi Weaver Beaulieau Pateryn Tinordi ahead of Beaulieau simply because of special teams and his big big body on the PK!! Price Tokarski Budaj Thats my opening day line up barring any more moves this offseason....

on the eller topic... I must stress that I'm not putting him above plex merely trying to put them both in situations that can make us better and more balanced. i just think eller should be given a scoring role this season and let plex have the shutdown role..... eller is going into this season pretty much at the same age and time it took plex to show up at the NHL level. i think its his year to finally take the next step......

I'm clearly not undervaluing plex... simply saying were i would employ him to have optimum balance throughout our line up. come on an elite shut down centre in the league able to pot 20+ on the 3rd line??? thats fantastic and what cup teams are made of......technically saying to employ him in a role similar to guy carbonneau is a tribute and compliment to plex as Guy was one of my all time favourite habs growing up......

In the habs depth structure I don't think it's about who is #2 and #3C. I just think plex thrives more on the ice when put in a defensive role on a shut down line rather then an offensive on (please don't remind me of his breakout season back in 07 cause that was ages ago). I for one would like to see the EGG line re-united as an offense minded line. Last year they clicked early but were broken up to try and get patch and DD going... Hopefully paranteau can do that and the kids can take the next step as well

I don't see the rush to move galchenyuk to center and why plex needs to go... Plex needs to be used at 3rd line center on a very good habs team and play him as a shut down center with offensive upside. We should be employing him the same way we employed guy carboneau... He will flourish even more there with less pressure. Frankly, I don't think galchenyuk is ready for top 2 center role just yet... He's still a little soft on the puck and not nearly as responsible in his own end quite yet. Not to mention he can't take a face off.... If he can stay healthy all year and really break out this coming season next year will be his year to make the move. DD Eller Plex Malholtra Prust Bournival Center depth for next season

No no we need an identity, we need a captain right away. The more I think about it the more I believe max is in fact the guy. If you look at the situation more so you'll see max and gio are actually very very similar hockey players so to speak.... just one is younger bigger faster and stronger. But voice off the ice, good ol' American boy and all..... Plex has no letters right now and has been looked over in the past on a bunch of occasions it doesn't seem to bother him. Subban and marky can feel as equals and help dictate the play of our team

100%

i want us to have a number 1 pair on the defence period. markov subban they played fantastic together and at one point were arguably the best tandem in hockey. sure they had a few hiccups at a stage in the season where the whole team was slacking but these 2 together over an 82 game schedule would be fantastic. now with the re structured D core this will be possible. emelin gilbert similar foot speed, both have a decent first pass that they can now take on there forehand while heading up the ice. emelin will be back to throwing the body with his knee problems mentally behind him(hopefully) in year 2 post OP. gilbert has 2 years and something to prove on a winning team for once...... tinordi weaver eat up big minutes on the PK to keep marky and subban fresh for 5on5. and play major defensive roles for the team. special teams subban R, gilbert R 1 PP*** my thoughts here are to constantly have one defender ready for a cross body one timer. Leaving Marky on his left side to QB and sneak in off the point without constantly switching sides with PK so he can get his one timer off! markyL emelinL 2 PP*** weaver tinman 1PK markov emelin 2 PK

i just think markov is out of the equation.. he doesn't want it.... he'll keep his A Max with the C markov A Subban A The shift from the gorges/ gio era has allowed MB to hand this team over to the next generation in leadership. Its only natural that 2 letters will go to the new "younger" core and one will be the veteran presence. this i believe will leave plex as the odd man out!!

I don't see why we can't keep both on opening night but start using Eller on a scoring line at 2C and use plex the way he should of been used since he started in this league, 3rd line checking line center with scoring upside. Able to shut down the other teams top guys and be our #1 pk guy Patch DD Paranteau Galchenyuk Eller Gallagher Bourque Plex Bournival/Sekac/DeLaRose Prust Malholtra Weise

tiki taka didn't work not because of the system being founded but the players not executing.... casillas has been bouncing in and out of the line up due to form, pique is older and lost a step, they lost their captain and defensive anchor in the back in puyol, Xavi has dropped considerably just to name a few! even their golden ball'er ineista wasn't in form and hasn't been for close to 2 years... they have essentially had the same team since 2008 and failed to introduce new fresh players to their system which in turn has caused their demise. not their system. tiki taka or tic tac toe in soccer simply means "keep away" or possession soccer which never goes out of style when executed..... much like the counter attack or rope a dope.... is montreal trending to a possesion team like the bruins or kings? i don't think so... their moving to a high tempo transition speed game much like chicago or the teams of past glory... strong goaltending, shot blocking, crisp first pass transition from the defence and speed. while getting bigger they certainly aren't trading speed for size!

why are people saying we replaced gorges with gilbert? when its weaver who is replacing gorges and his shot blocking, chip/ dump the puck, Penalty killing, def oriented game . gilbert is a 4th defender who moves the puck quickly up the boards and looks for the pass. markov subban emelin gilbert tinordi weaver beaulieau pateryn

gorges is a warrior no doubt. but this move is great any way you look at it. -4 million over 4 years gone off the cap for a 5/6 defencemen and yes that is over payment on both term and dollars for a one dimensional player.... please don't tell me he earns his money off the ice and in the dressing room! -weaver signed to replace gorges character on the ice at 1.75 for only a single season (giving tinordi a chance to round into form) -emelin replaces gorges spot in the line up on the left side allowing him to flourish in his 2nd year post op (almost all athletes need a full year post op before they really start to play like there former selves. he will also be able to open up and force players outside without having to open up with his right leg..... that is huge in his recovery mentally from his ACL. - gilbert replaces emelin on the right side!! -we are definitely a more balanced defensive group all that remains is the leadership in the dressing room from gorges..... markov weaver will lead by example on the ice and subban is showing how mature he can be saying all the right things at all the right times.... plus we get a 2nd round pick..... win win situation

-i could be wrong but I'm pretty sure we went 10-0 with gorges out of the line up this season and actually struggled upon his return. -subban and markov were actually one of the best tandems in the league before MT broke them up to create more balance in the line up. - subban struggled without gorges? you mean when he through bouillon into top pairing minutes? - your captain needs to be one of your best players and gorges is not that. brave yes, vocal yes, but he is soft on the puck can't make plays or clear the net. sure he'll dive head first to block a shot but..... he is not a top pair defender!! -the new captain will be either markov, subban, patches or plex!!

just being realistic here. do we really need more 3rd and 4th liners? i dont think so unless were trading some of all our signed ones. what we do need is top end talent for our top 6 especially when plex and gionta( if signed) are moving down the line up . we still have the inside track with vanek so just saying....( and why is he guaranteed full term, full dollars and a no clause guaranteed? like i said i would attempt to sign him and would even give him term but would stress no clauses. id take greene to but with gorges and emelin signed and with markov needed for the PP can we really bring him on? i want to move gorges but MB called him one of our leaders so fat chance that happens. our only hope is tinordi plays his way up the line up and gorges moves down to the 3rd pairing.

do we really want someone who is commanding 4 million after 2 horrible off seasons? seems to me the high scoring season was a one off and this is who kulimen is... not a 4 million player but a 2 million guy. my wants... pacioretty DD VANEK (signed to 5/6 years with no clauses what so ever) a very tradeable asset who was had for nothing. we should not let him go and could always trade him . galchenyuk eller gallagher bourque plex bournival prust briere weise (a little bit of muscle for briere) moen gionta de la Rose (could be ready?) white tinordi(l)subban® ©markov(l) weaver(r) gorges(l)pateryn® quietly outplayed both tinordi and beaulieau in hamilton all season) beaulieau(l) boullion(l)admireable depth defencemen at 1million) price budaj tokarski i left all signed players on the team even if some need to be moved. opening day line up?

i think moving forward plex can and should slot in as our #3 checking centre, a position he should have occupied each of the last 5 seasons. he is our best PK'er and has the ability to shut down the competition. add 15-20 goals a year and you got one of the best 3rd line centre's in hockey. i understand he's making 5 million per but on a team sitting 6th in cap space isn't much of an issue (with 7 players to sign i think?). not to mention the new rogers tv deal pushing the cap even higher the season after next!

and his heart has always belonged to Montreal. he's a hab through and through

how many players in this final four played in the olympics? my guess is a minimum of 25/30? i don't think that is a reason as much as an excuse.

I've seen our PP blossom over the years with Markov feeding lefties on the right streit, souray schneids etc. etc. now subban has a great shot and if you notice he is always stopping the puck before shooting because the natural one timer isn't there unless he and marky switch making pk's shot more effective but taking away marky's ability to distribute. i can't stress this out enough.

iv'e said it once, ill say it a million times. MT NEEDS to put a left handed shot on the right point with markov (either emelin or bouillon or beaulieu). he NEEDS to move Subban to the left boards and keep patches and DD on the right interchanging on the right boards and down low. 1st unit subban DD patch markov (boullionbeaulieauemelin) in no particular order this will create one timers all over the ice fed in large part from markov to subban or patches off the boards , beaulieau(bouillion) without having to flip sides on the point . Also adds a cross ice feed for the one timer down low from patches and subban to each other or on rotation of the players while cycling. this Left and left def combo i believe is key as all the NYR players are doing is taking away the points and we haven't adjusted. markov is our QB and he can't pass the puck efficiently if he's always having to rotate position to give PK his shot. PK's sublime stick handling can only make him that much more effective dangling on the side boards while not taking away his slapper, as well as giving him one on ones in a safer spot on the ice. if MT makes this change the sky is the limit for this PP

i would sign vanek in a heart beat and anyone saying no for this guy is crazy. watch the highlights of galchenyuk's OT winner and see Vanek's face.... he is overjoyed!!! i believe he was hurt on the play early in the Boston series when subban threw a thunderous hit and laid out vanek instead... i think he's almost over the injury as he did lean on NY players a little more in game 3 and I'm hoping he will explode before this series is over! again i hope! www.thescore.com/news/506206

like seriously?? 1230pm start on a saturday! that is pure bull$$$$!