The Chicoutimi Cucumber

Look, if you want to contend, you need quality depth. Two excellent D + Gorges does not cut it because it assumes that everything is going to go just right. But one serious injury to Subban or Markov and your season is shot (or else you pull another rabbit out of your ass by trading draft picks for a Wiz type yet again). Remember, Hammer of next year is not the Hammer of three years ago - he is seriously miscast as more than a 4th-5th defenceman at this point. So in terms of the structure of the team, you're basically substituting PK for the role Hammer played circa 2009. That is an upgrade, but not enough of an upgrade to elevate us permanently above 'bubble team' status. Rather than shrug and say the cap does not allow us to build a contender, we should be bound and determined to do WHATEVER it takes.

Habs29, there is a reason Moen and Darche get PP time. They are the ONLY guys who drive to the net during the regular season. That's a personnel issue, not a coaching issue. As for Malkin for Cammy, hey, I'd do that in a split second, but I'd also trade my Corolla for a Mercedes. Ain't gonna happen.

The choice is EITHER to re-sign Wiz OR sign another top-4 defenceman. Ever since Streit left, we have been left scrambling mid-season to try to shore up the power play. This has cost us picks and is also a gamble you cannot keep running year after year - sooner or later your luck will run out. Make the investment and be done with it.

I believe the perception around Muller was created by media reports last spring, identifying him as a huge factor in the playoff run. How well-founded those reports are is another question. It's also received wisdom that he is much-loved by the players. However, the idea that the sky will fall without him does seem pretty implausible. The Habs are a very solid organization with good management, a highly respected head coach (except among fans) and a bright future. They will be attractive to top candidates. And I trust the wily Martin and the intelligent Gauthier to make a strong choice. As for Gomez: the analogy with Price fails, because Price was a kid figuring things out, while Gomez is a veteran. The only consolation is that if you look at Gomez's history, he has hit peaks and valleys before. He went from 70 and 63 points in his first two seasons to 48 and 55; then he spiked up to 70 and 84; then he settled in at between 60-70 points per season for four years. There is, therefore, some precedent to him pulling his game out of the doldums and coming back strong after awful seasons. So what do we do? Well, he may be unmoveable, in which case we make a virtue of necessity and give him 'one more chance.' (The Habs seem to take a gentlemanly approach to their players, and Gomez is clearly good for team chemistry, so this may be the organization's preferred option in any case). He may in fact be moveable, but we might choose to keep him anyway for lack of any better option at the 2nd line C position. (Remember, you don't want to sign anyone to a contract of more than 1-2 years, given the likelihood of Eller's emergence in that window; so it would take a very specific player profile to replace Gomer). Or maybe Gauthier will move boldly and dump or deal Gomer with no plan B ready to hand. This isn't his typical pattern, though - except when events/contracts force his hand, as with Halak. The smart money has Gomez returning in the fall.

Interesting. But I think this team is built from the net out, and that changing that philosophy would be unwise. Beyond that, it has always been my belief that championships are most often won from the back end (c.f. Chicago last season) - the first thing I look at when assessing a team is the blueline. So my preference is to invest in the absolute best blueline we can; you're better off crossing your fingers on Pacioretty or Kostitsyn than on the patchy blueline you propose.

I think they've been remarkably consistent. Bruins don't get suspended. The end.

Fair enough. As you point out, I did moderate my original assertion somewhat; and in the end I waver on this. The problem is, by not having guys like this, you're basically conceding 1-2 injuries to the opposition in any given playoff run as a result of deliberate injuries. That's why it may not be as simple as saying 'we're above all that.' But I hear where you're coming from and 'sort of' agree.

I hate this 'we're stuck with him' logic. Not that the argument is unsound. But again, I look to the Chicagos and Philadelphias - teams that don't give a rat's ass about anything except winning. Worse comes to worst, you bury Gomer Pyle's contract in the minors and the Molson's bottom line be damned. However, I don't think he's completely unmoveable. There were rumours of Pheonix being interested at the deadline. Some cap-floor-challenged team might look at his speed and passing and think that, freed of JM's system, this guy could help. Gauthier should be turning every stone to see if it can be made to happen.

I agree with you. However, we should note that Tampa and Boston are also teams with considerable young talent, not to mention Crosby-Malkin and a Washington team that may be good for years. We have a 'Cup window' opening but that is not even remotely close to a guarantee of even making the semi-finals. (I feel the need to sound notes of caution on this front, because the last two times I bought into this sort of narrative - 1996 and 2008 - all we got was ashes). Optimism is appropriate, but we'll still need a great deal to go right. As for Gomez: I haven't read a single defence of him over the last few months and I've been as vocal as anyone in condemning his crapulence. But Wamsley, what would you do? Would you bury him in the minors or deal him this summer? If so, what do you do for a 2nd-line C? Try a platoon approach with Eller, Desharnais, and maybe a Halpern-type? Go out and sign an Arnott as a stop-gap? Just asking, because it's time we move beyond the 'dump Gomez' argument, which is convincing, but will only be truly realistic if we have some clue about how to fill his roster spot.

Two things I'm surprised about: 1. A number of Bruins fans have posted on various Habs' sites expressing great respect for the heart and character of our team. That shows some class. They're not ALL crass turds like Ference. A series like this really should end with a deep mutual respect underneath all the surface animosity. Notwithstanding Bruins' disgusting cheap shots on Spacek and Halpern, these two teams brought the best out of each other, and that's what sport is about. 2. A number of commentators - most prominently Boone - have expressed the view that the Bruins are crap. I can't accept that, partly because it suggests that the Habs are even worse, but also because I think it's an injustice to what is in fact an all-around strong hockey club. They really miss Marc Savard, but still, they are a team with good depth, effective team D, physical toughness, big, scoring forwards - a very fine opponent who showed real mental resiliency in this series (they could easily have wilted when confronted with the Habs' never-say-die ferocity). I agree that Philly has a more impressive roster, but goaltending counts. Myself, I believe that Washington will destroy all comers regardless. But credit where due. We got beat by a genuinely good team. I'm not so sure that our future is way brighter than theirs, either. Bergeron, Kreiji, Lucic, Marchand, Horton, Rask, and let's not forget Seguin, are all under 25 and likely to get better. (Thank God they wasted their extra first-round pick on Kaberle, who did not impress me this round.) We could be looking at another 7-8 years of chasing each other as powers in the east.

Well, I wasn't asking for a goon. I was asking for a Matt Cooke type: the dirty bastard who can take a regular shift and occasionally take someone's head off. However, on reflection this may have been sour grapes...I just waver on this question. On the one hand, I'm tired of other teams (specifically but not exclusively Boston) doing it and getting away with it. We were just lucky that Spacek and Halpern weren't more seriously damaged, and Chara's attempted murder arguably made a difference in this series. And this leads to the logical conclusion that WE need to be doing it, too. They take out Patches? Fine, Cook/Torres/whoever takes out Bergeron. If we'd done that, we'd quite possibly be the team heading off to the second round. Injuring the opponent works because the NHL wants it to work. Beyond that, we had a lot of success with guys like Corson, Ludwig and Chelios in the late '80s. The Habs team of my youth was just as likely to be the aggressor as the victim. On the other hand, there's the case that the Habs have stood and continue to stand for something better than that, just as we stood for something better than goonery in the 1970s (see toward the end): http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com/2011/04/aftermath-over.html I'll settle for adding a bit of physical robustness, I suppose. A Hartnell type would be great. I know that Gauthier wants to add size; whether he can manage to add quality size is another question.

One thing I'll add is I would like to see us add at least one physically dangerous player to our roster - a Ference/Torres/Cooke type who can be relied upon to injure opposing players. It is clear that the NHL has no interest in protecting players, and we cannot be the only team to meekly accept being on the losing end of cheap-shots all season/playoff long. It's not that I think these type of guys have much of a deterrent effect; it's that we might have won the series had, say, someone put out a Bruin in the way that Chara put out Pacioretty. In short, we are at a competitive disadvantage because we do not have a player or two of this type, as we can rely on the opposition to deliberately try to injure us.

There can be no question that Price and Subban are the nucleus of the next 5-10 years (assuming we can lock 'em up), and that they are an elite nucleus. It's been 15 years since we saw a rookie of PK's calibre (the pre-injury Koivu). I'm with you - this team is much, much closer than all the 'experts' who will predict a 10th place finish for us next season think. A lot hinges on whether Patches can come back strong, come to think of it. If he does, and if we can re-sign or replace Wiz, then look out. Could be a memorable season ahead.

Some erraticism but Kosty's given me reason for cautious, muted hope that the best may be yet to come. As some will recall, though, I don't trust him ever to become more than he's been. But he did seem to hit another level at times down the stretch. He doesn't have to be a superstar, but if he can become more reliable, it'd really help. Having trouble going off-line...it's only 8:30 in vancouver and I don't feel like letting the season go! (Also, other Habs boards seem to be full of angry people spouting off about JM and god knows what else. This seems to be the only sane place).

I too will be more coherent tomorrow, but what the hell... Yes, standing basically pat is a viable option and one I wouldn't necessarily oppose. My overriding concern is that we re-sign Wiz or replace him with a comparable player (otherwise we would not be 'standing pat,' we'd be regressing). We will also need to add depth defencemen, because Hammer's minutes will not be easy to replace. More size up front would obviously be nice too, although Patches represents that to a degree and it's easier said than done. We need a backup who can actually play in the NHL IMHO. One injury to Price and we might not have even made the playoffs, with that piece of crap Auld. The elephant in the room is of course Gomez. If you could liberate the team of his salary *and* replace him with a middling-quality C, you might have some loose change to further strengthen the club. Although he wasn't incredible this series, I thought he did at least look like a legitimate #2 C, so it's become at least possible to imagine the Habs as contenders with him on the club. I do hope, however, that management turns over every stone investigating possible upgrades. It occurs to me that Mario Tremblay has a track record as an assistant coach with conservative head coaches. Dare I speculate on him as a possible Muller replacement - ?

On Eller, yeah...I didn't realize he had it in him to play that kind of physical hockey. Brobin makes a good point, though. Keep him protected, let him evolve.

Just felt compelled to start a sentimental thread acknowledging the TRUE character and grit of this year's team. I've seen better and more talented Habs teams, but I'm not sure I've seen one with as much determination and guts. These guys gave everything they had and more and were fully worthy of the . Thanks, boys.

We'll never agree on this, but Jesus, JM coaches us to the semi-finals last season and this season gets everything you could possibly hope to get from an injury-decimated roster, all the while bringing along Subban, MaxPac, DD and Eller in exemplary fashion. Surely the body of evidence supports giving him the benefit of the doubt.

100%. That D is a little shaky in its own end, but all told pretty impressive. Remember, though, Bieksa could also be available. I agree that we should try to re-sign Wiz - then again, I have a recurring bias in favour of re-signing players - but we should keep in mind that other options will be in play too. My main concern is that we not go into next season without a legitimate top-4 guy in Wiz's slot.

Management MUST proceed with boldness and intelligence. This team is not that far away: a shrewd summer with one or two key moves might put us into the elite echelon, assuming continued progression from PK, Price and MaxPac, and no dramatic regression from aging vets like Markov and Gionta. Everyone is optimistic about our future, but I've heard that song before (e.g., 2008, 1996). It takes real managerial skill to fully realize that potential. Nothing is guaranteed. I for one have great faith in our coach, though. Another sub-plot for another thread: the impending departure of Muller and, conceivably, Pearn.

This is really a discussion for another thread, but I'll say that we may have to keep Gomer around just long enough to shelter Eller so he can continue to develop. The alternative is either to sign some other veteran UFA - likely to a too-long deal, considering that he'll be a stopgap until we have confidence in Eller - or else throw Eller/Desharnais into the breach, a dangerous approach. Of our veteran D, Gill was CLEARLY the most valuable in this series. I'd re-sign him. Hammer is touch and go, depending on his demands. Brobin: the message of this season is that headhunting and deliberate attempts to injure are sound strategy, especially against conference rivals.

A crushing defeat. But you have to be proud of our boys. They played with all the heart imaginable and then some. Far be it from me to express sour grapes, but in a series that came down to one goal, d'you think MaxPac might have made a difference? Chara got EXACTLY what he wanted, and now he has been fully rewarded. Thanks, NHL.

Cammy Lucic But damn, did you see that shift by Eller in the third? This kid has it in him to be a dominant C...eventually.

UNBELIEVABLE bullet by Subban. NOBODY stops that shot. I cannot believe this team. These guys simply refuse to stop battling. They are true

Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted...