REV-G

Since Carolina has a week to decide, are we in limbo until then since we've committed that amount of money? Does that mean we cannot sign a Jake Gardiner and if Carolina matches we end up losing the opportunity to sign those players? Are we kind of on hold free agent wise until Carolina decides? I still really like this move.

I love this move! Question. Is Montreal allowed to offer something additional to Carolina, a prospect, to entice them not to match the offer sheet?

I just heard two TSN radio reporters, one from Montreal and the other Toronto, saying they wouldn't hesitate giving up a 1st rounder, Suzuki and Poehling for Sebastian Aho.....21 years old, 30 goals + 53 assists = 83 points last year. They both said what a great, immediate fit with a known commodity vs. players with great potential but haven't transitioned yet. I think I would do it as well. They said people have called and said, "no way do we give up prospects like that". But you'll giving up prospects to get back a prospect really. I hope MB is at least looking to see what he can for Aho.

I've been reading reports that MB has been talking with Carolina. IF that's true do you think Bergevin could be trying to do a Drouin for Aho trade? Would we need to add a pick?? What do you think?

Is not our greatest need a left top pairing defenceman who can quarterback out PP? therefore should not Jake Gardiner be our top priority??

Just a thought, I hear a lot of talk about getting Shayne Gostisbehere. My questions is, why is he available? Has he done something or is it a cap issue. Just curious.

I'm not sure where to put this question, so I've put it here...sorry if it's the wrong spot. Hypothetically, if a team wanted to make an offer sheet to a Mitch Marner type of player, I know the compensation is connected to the amount of $ offered to the player. So let's say for argument sake it's 4 first round picks plus..... Does the team then have to go out and somehow get 3 more first round picks, assuming they have their own this year? Do the picks have to all be for one year or can they be spread out over a few years? So could a team give the Leafs their own first round pick for the next 3 years after giving up their own this year? Can they be anywhere in the first round? So 4 late first round picks? Just curious as I was thinking about what it would cost a team if they did make an offer sheet to a Marner type of player. Depending on the answers to my questions, Marner would be a fabulous pickup, but what would it cost you to go out and get 4 picks if you had to versus just giving up your own first round picks this year and the next 3. Thanks.

I just heard Pat Hickey on a local Montreal sports program. Mitch Melnick asked him what he thought about the Habs 15th pick in this years draft. He said that if it was him, he would trade the pick for a hockey type deal. His reasoning was that anyone they pick this year will be at least 2-3 years away from helping them, if ever. Immediate help via a trade for the 15th pick and perhaps adding a piece, would guarantee help this year, which they need to help get them into the playoffs next season. He said it's time to get help now and not just plan for the future given the ages of Price and Weber. He was asked about the need for left handed defencemen and he said that he had been talking to Trevor Timmons the night before who stated that they are expecting Romanov to be here for the 2020-2021 season and for him to be ready to step in right away. He also added that Bergevin has made it pretty clear in the past that he was not willing to give up young assets so he didn't know if that was an option for MB. But maybe if its for a younger asset and not an older veteran MB would consider it. What do think? Keep the pick and wait, or package it with something else and get someone who will be around for a while but can also help us now. Any suggestions on who might be a good fit?

Just a comment and a question. I've been following Nick Suzuki's amazing run this season and especially what he's done in the playoffs. His playoff stats are similar to those of some current NHL superstars like Connor McDavid when they were at his current level. So the question I have is, what do you think his role in the NHL could be? Could he be a bit of a late bloomer in terms of his offensive output? Could he be better than what we thought even a year ago. I read a reporter say before Christmas that Suzuki will never pull people out of their seats with his offence. Could that have changed now? Has he exceeded where we thought he would be talent and skill wise? What do you think his NHL role will be?

Question. Eric Engels stated in his recent article that he thought Montreal had one of, not the top one, but one of the deepest pools of young drafted talent among NHL teams. He listed Kotkaniemi, Poehling, Josh Brook, Cale Fleury, Cayden Primeau and Nick Suzuki. I'm interested in what you think. Agree or disagree with his assessment? Are our prospects that good?

You're right...I forgot about Deslauriers. I found myself wondering during their last game if he has anything to give to a team like this. He would have fit better the past few years, not so much this year. I agree with what you said, give Sherbak a shot instead.

I know only 10 games into our season is a very small sampling but I thought we could evaluate every 10 games or so and see how we do for the entire season. The biggest question will likely be, can we keep up this speed, buy-in and work ethic for the whole season. The positives: - after 10 games we have had a much better start than last year with a 6-2-2 record for 14 out of a possible 20 points. - we are both a very fast and young team. We have seemingly very quickly become a team that successful NHL teams are made of. Young and very fast with some skill. - we have some good and exciting surprises with a number of our players: Max Domi, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, MIke Reilly, Victor Mette, Noah Juulsen...... - some veteran players who at this point are playing much better than last year. Jonathan Drouin, Thomas Tatar, Carey Price....... - the players seem, at this point, to have "bought all in" to the system the coaches have introduced. - the coaching staff: 1. the new additions of Dominique Ducharme & Luke Richardson seem very well received by the players and they have improved us [according to the players]. - the new system: we are much more fun to watch and we seem to be playing to our strengths.....speed, a strong forecheck, a good back check, paying attention to helping the "D". - young players not yet in the NHL. I'm thinking Suzuki, Ryan Poehling, Cale Fleury.....we should see a few more, one or two young guys at least, make the jump next year. - we seem to be accomplishing a "rebuild" on the fly without having to go years and years at the bottom of the league. - the two key trades we made, Max P and Alex G., at this point are very much in our favour. I know that can turn around quickly, but 10 games in we have to declare we have a big advantage at this point. We'll see after 20 games if that has changed. - we have done very well without Weber and Schlemko. The negatives: [this section may be small now but has the potential to grow as the season progresses. - if our play continues this way, more or less, we will not get a really high top 5 draft pick next June which most of us expected. - the disappointment and no games in for Nikita Scherbak. - maybe...Andrew Shaw? Too many penalties, undisciplined, possible trade material? He has been good with Kotkaniemi though. - what happens when Weber and Schlemko return? Who has to leave? Thoughts?

Rogers has a french package for $59 for anyone who lives west of Belleville that includes all of Montreals games excluding the playoffs.

Since Schlemko is injured again and Eric Engel's just wrote that we don't have the depth to fill his spot, my question is are any of the few remaining UFA's a better option than who we currently have in our 5-7 options on defence? From what I can tell there are 3 players not signed to NHL contracts yet. Kevin Bieksa, Paul Martin and Tobias Enstrom [he is playing overseas but might have an NHL out]. Are we better to just go with what we have or would one of these 3 be a better fit since we have lots of cap space? What do you think?

Yikes, I believe in miracles but not in this case. I'll repeat...at this point I personally have no doubt that MB and GM have a plan. For me it's like we're in two different realities. The previous past 5 years, poorly managed, little view to the future and bad decisions. But now it's like there's been some sort of transformation, like MB has awakened and sees what we've been seeing. I think their plan is obvious and I don't think they're just stumbling along these days making random decisions. I think the results of the past years have caused/forced Geoff Molson to sit down with MB and tell him there must be changes or else he'll make changes. And I think that meeting happened quite a while ago and I think GM wanted to see it on paper, so the plan was devised and it was carefully planned out. That' why I believe GM has stuck with MB. Molson can see a clear direction that he agrees with and that he has genuine hope in, with good people being put in place. That's why I think Molson said months ago, when he was under pressure to fire MB, that MB knows how to build a team. I think the plan was already on paper and Molson had already signed off on it. - It started with last years draft and then this years...very good prospects in our system now. Many years of needs seems to be on the verge of being filled.. - Based on the past two drafts we can see how they're filling in and developing what we need. - Hiring two very good coaches and surely developing them for the big team for the future. Good planning. - I think that the plan all along was not to do much of anything on July 1 because I believe they had agreed that they will suffer through one more year of futility and then begin the 2019-2020 season with a young team that can begin to grow into a genuine contender for years to come. - With the news that Weber will be out another 6 months, they likely knew this before the draft, which solidified their commitment to do little on July 1, and both Shaw and Byron not being ready to start the season, that will open the door for some young inexperienced guys like Noah Julesen and Mete to get needed experience with not a lot of heavy expectation. - We will almost be guaranteed a top three, even possibly the top draft pick next June to add to our young prospects, along with the many other 2019 draft picks we have . So I think what you decide to hope for next year will determine your peace of mind this hockey season. I see the glass half full and being filled higher not emptied. So my expectations for this season is that I will enjoy watching some games, and read about what's going on in the league, watch the Juniors around New Years, but I will not have any hope for the playoffs and therefore no disappointments or complaining about our team. I genuinely want them to get experience but finish very low, or the lowest. I truly believe there is a plan, with good young coaches and players right on the brink, and we have a bright future. I would prefer that kind of reset or rebuild versus going on the way we were....middle of the pack or lower for years, maybe making the playoffs with little hope of beating the top teams. Also, I think at this point I would perhaps sign Max to a long contract if they think there is good possibility that he can have a bounce back year.

It may boil down to how you choose to look at things. Fact- the past 7 years we have had highs and lows but the past 3-4 years have been lows. The result was that pretty much all of us were calling for MB's head. Let's put the past few years aside for a moment and just look at today and the next 5 years. 1. We have and are stockpiling draft picks and the result has been very good drafts in 2017 and 2018 and at the moment we have 7 picks for 2019, which will likely increase. Our talent pool has dramatically improved with a bright future. 2. MB did not trade away our future assets or present ones on July 1 for a short term fix. He refused to overpay and give up our future. He walked away from mortgaging our future. 3. Whatever words people choose to use we are obviously in a rebuild of sort and building a young team with very good prospects on the near horizon, maybe a year away, but with more coming. And we didn't try to add an expensive piece or two just to make the playoffs in 2019. 4. Instead of spinning our tires and staying where we have been for the past 2-3 years there is a genuine plan in place to change this team and build a team that will be strong down the middle for many years. 5. When Toronto went through their rebuild they said there would be many years of pain. It wasn't as long as they thought. Granted they had multiple high picks for quite a few years. If we are willing to live through next year when we will likely be at the bottom of the league, I think there is a very good plan in place because we will get a very good player in the next draft and possibly have a shot at the top pick. 6. We have added two young french speaking coaches who are very good at working with young players. 7. With our cap space we will likely be able to pick up players or picks if we use it wisely. MB has done that already with Winnipeg. So I don't think we should complain and fight about next season. We should see it as it is. We're likely going to have a losing season but I think it will be worth it when we see what we likely will have a year from now. We're clearly stockpiling younger players and draft picks and I think our future is bright. There is a breath of fresh air blowing through our team and its future for the first time in a long time. Our march to 25 has probably just started and I like the plan. So for a moment look forward and not back. What do you think?

Personally, other than signing Tavares, which I think most of us suspected he wasn't coming to Montreal given the position we're in right now, I'm glad we didn't sign Stastny and his 15 or 16 goals. I am quite happy that we're not locking in long term to players that in 2-3 years may be decline. I'm also ok with having a bad team and missing the playoffs next year mainly because of the 2017 and 2018 draft results. I think with what we have now in a young team and what we've drafted this year and last we are going to start to turn the corner with a young exciting team in the 2019-2020 season. If we miss the playoffs next year and are close to the bottom of the league we'll get another very good draft pick and depending on what we get if we trade Max, likely another 1st round pick, we should be positioned to be able to compete and not just make the playoffs. I would have been disappointed if we had given up draft picks to get 32 [?] year old Stastney. When MB made the trade with Winnipeg I wondered if he was helping Winnipeg out to resign Stastney. I have been very critical of MB this year and thought he should have been fired. But "if" he has a plan to rebuild this team through the draft with our mostly young team now, I'm willing to go through another bad year to build a team that should contend for many years. Maybe there's a chance we get a shot at the first overall pick next year!! It is possible!!

TSN reporting that Montreal is among many teams courting Paul Stastney. 32 years old, last year 16 goals and 32 assists and now a year older. A few months back I thought he might be a decent 1 or 2 year fill in but now I'm wondering. At his age he's going to want term and $. This could be his last contract. 16 goals. Yikes. I'm not sure what other options there are but this is looking less appealing to me. Knowing what we've drafted and the youth that we have, I'd be willing to let this year slide , get a real good draft pick next year and not sign guys like Stastney long term. What do you think?

I am hoping that the plan is something like, Zadina will replace Galchenyuk and MB will package a player/prospect and whatever else is needed to get another 1st round pick to draft a centre we need. I feel confident for the fact that MB knows his beloved job and reputation is definitely on the line here. If he fails and makes poor decisions and poor trades I think he will be gone sometime this fall and he knows it. Molson has made that pretty clear, things must improve. If MB does poorly Molson will not be able to hold out any longer without replacing MB. That is why I feel confident that we are going to see very good results and a much better team this fall. Plus the new coaches and their input gives me added confidence. After listening to Shane Don's comments I feel like there is a genuine possibility that Max Domi could be a much better player than what he has shown so far. Numbers don't show that just yet but Domi's work ethic at both ends of the ice has the possibility of making us a better team overall. I know thats "glass half full thinking" but I honestly think it's a fair possibility.

I read in the Gazette today that Pat Hickey suggested that a player we might be interested in further down in the draft, perhaps where our 4 second round picks might begin to come into play, would be Liam Foudy, a centre who plays for the London Knights and is currently ranked around 19th in the draft order. What do you guys think of him? Would he be a good pick? Would he be within reach of us or are there other centre's available later who would be just as good? Who are some of the players that we would be interested in with our 4 second round picks?

Interesting to note that some of the recent top few draft picks haven't turned out very well. Nail Yakupov was maybe the biggest bust in the past 8 years or so. When Edmonton drafted Jesse P. after he fell to 4th it seems like they thought he was a steal. But compared to Matthews, Laine, and Dubois Jesse has had trouble staying in the NHL. Granted he's still young and has lots of skill and time to develop. My point is that maybe who we think should be #3 and #4 in the draft may not be the best player available. Maybe another player further down the list is the one to draft. Just a thought. Two examples of pre-draft inaccuracies are perhaps Carey Price, supposed to be lower and arguable the best of his draft class. Anse Kopitar, drafted 11 I think, and other than Sidney Crosby was the best in his draft class. If someone had drafted him 2 or 3 they probably would have been criticized. So maybe one of the centres currently rated lower could be great picks. Question: for those of you who follow the junior players and the draft eligible players, do you think there are any Pierre-Luc Dubois players in any of the lower ranked centres this year?

I think you've made some very good points. I think it's at the very least a waste of time, if not a touch immature [sorry], to make up potential ridiculous moves he might make and ridicule him for those. That's not fair. I have written previously about what I think were the bad moves, PK, Radulov, Markov, losing both Emelin and Beaulieu, Eller [when we were so weak in the middle]. Then signing Alzner, slow and to such a long term, Hemsky, Streit. When I look at PK, Sergachev and Emelin, they would look pretty good on our back end with the young guys we have. Hiring friends and keeping them in positions for way too long. Sticking with people [AHL coaches] that simply weren't succeeding. I think it's fair to criticize those moves. Of course there have been some good moves, Byron, Danault, I personally [in hindsight] wouldn't have made the Drouin trade, but I think what MB was trying to do at the time was correct. It just hasn't turned out very good for us so far. When I add it all up, I have to give MB a low to failing grade compared to what he inherited when he first came. I think CC is right. MB is a very good talker and probably fun to be around. But his body of work up to now is not good. If there are pockets of the old boys club they need to be cleaned out and I think we're seeing that beginning to happen. I think the NHL has moved beyond that and we need to catch up. I think the moves MB made in the past month adding two very good younger coaches is a very good move. But I agree with the above statement. As painful as it might be I think we have to wait and evaluate his moves in late July or August and then we shall see things as they truly are.

If Friedman and McKenzie are right then 2 second round picks plus a little makes sense and may do it if they don't want to add any salary. This would be a very good addition for us.

For those who follow the junior ranks closer, would Zadina be anywhere close the Laine prior to his draft? Just wondering with all the talk of whether we should trade our #3.

Could Stasney fill in for year as a #1 centre while we waited for Kotkaniemi, if we dropped down and drafted him lower?