REV-G

I think I'm speaking for many of you. I'm frustrated and getting fed up. I have followed the Habs for many many years. I remember Gump Worsley with no mask and the night Rogatien Vachon and Ken Dryden both made their first starts. So I have been surprised that lately my passion is waning, I'm losing interest, I'm not watching games that I would have other years. So here is some venting, some thoughts and questions about our team. Why are we sitting on millions of unspent dollars every year for the past few when there are obvious needs that should be filled? What are we waiting for? We're waiting for younger guys to develop but our older core, Carey Price and Shea Weber, are getting older. It appears to me that we need to add one or two defenceman and a good scoring forward at least but Bergevin hasn't done anything so far. Do we have to wait until we fall so far out of contention that there's no hope before he does something? I have to admit I have been on and off the bandwagon with Marc Bergevin over the past 3 years. Two years ago I thought he had to go but last year I was surprised, along with many others I'm sure, that the moves we made getting KK, Domi, Tatar and Suzuki turned out so well. This year it seems we're scoring goals and our PP has improved but our defence at times seems to go from being good to awful. Overall Carey Price has not played so great and I have always been a strong supporter of his. So we have to ask, why hasn't MB brought in help? He can't keep saying that it's too hard to find good defenceman who could help us. We have money and picks and some players that we could move, Byron [when he's healthy], Thompson, Reilly and some younger guys in the AHL that combined with some creativity could surely improve our current defence. Even one defenceman?? That has to be doable! Clearly Bergevin's plan is to keep adding young assets. I think we have 12 picks this year? And I understand that this draft is supposed to be very deep and the best in many years. But it's time to move some parts to get better now. For example, do we have enough pieces, I know we'd have to sell the farm, to get Alexis Lafreniere? Would it be worth trading anyone on our roster, plus multiple picks, plus, plus......to try to get a potential french superstar?? What would Sam Pollock do? He'd try something I'm sure. If we look at our roster this year and add Romanov next year or another young guy, will that make that much of a difference?? Are we going to be much of a different team next year or will it be the same again. Wouldn't the addition of two good forwards and two good defenceman make a pretty good difference. Shouldn't that have been done already. Aho was at least a plan, but probably flawed. But how would we look with him in our lineup? Why didn't we do something else? I'm sure Geoff Molson will give MB at least this year or maybe until we fall out of a playoff spot before he'll contemplate making a change but for me, I think the clock has to be ticking on MB's position. It's time for one of two people to make changes. Either Marc Bergevin or Geoff Molson. We can't keep stumbling along in the middle of the pack or a bit lower year after year. MB is in his 7th year. It's time for some major changes. What do you think?

Reading all of the above posts makes me think that maybe his medical condition is the issue. If there are no medical problems would not his agent be making that abundantly clear for all to hear. The fact that we haven't heard his agent make those kind of statements perhaps is an indication that there is a serious health concern....thus no signing yet. It's always hard to tell. I'm sure we'll find out at some point as someone is going to take a chance on him.

So I'm surprised that we haven't done more to try to lock up Gardiner....for a few reasons. We all have agreed that if our PP was even average last year, instead of the worst, or 2nd worse, we would have won at least 3-4 more games, if not more and would have made the playoffs. So improving our PP is a big deal. One of Gardiner's strengths is that he has the reputation of a being a PP quarterback. So if we can sign a defenceman who will fit into our top 4, top 2??, on the left side where we have a need, and help our PP wouldn't we make it a top priority to try to get this guy?? Am I overvaluing him? I know he's had some critical defensive gaffs at a bad time in the playoffs but from what I've heard, his former teammates wanted him back and thought he was a very good player. Unless the smoke and rumours I hear about a trade with Laine are actually true and MB is not spending the extra cash until he gets that settled. What do you think?

I guess our discussion on this thread is probably going start to wind down but I'd like to add this. I was listening to a Toronto sports radio show earlier today, I can't remember who made this comment, but the guest on the show was asked about the possibility of an offer sheet to Mitch Marner by some rival team. This is what the guest said at one point about offer sheets. He said, Montreal did it exactly the way it's supposed to be done. They picked a player they really wanted, on a team that was vulnerable, with a reputation for not wanting to spend a lot, and Montreal structured the deal exactly the way it's intended to work. They heard that Carolin'a last offer was $7.5 million, so they offered a million above that per year and then heavily front loaded it hoping that Carolina might balk at having to give up that much money over the next 12 months. Montreal didn't set the compensation, that was already in place, but he said Montreal intentionally kept the offer within their own internal cap so that Aho wouldn't be making more than Carey Price and in the event Carolina didn't match Aho's contract wouldn't handcuff them and put them in cap trouble a year or two down the road. He said even though Carolina matched, he said Montreal's offer was well planned and was perfectly set up so that it suited them and the player perfectly. Bergevin has taken some heat and criticism, but from people whose agenda isn't just to bash Montreal, such as some commentators and players, I have heard nothing but praise for Bergevin's attempt. My final thoughts on this is that I think he did very well and if Carolina didn't match we'd all be singing his praises. It was a good move and might possibly change the future dealings of teams regarding UFA's. For me, I think he's done a very good job and that's a turnaround from what I thought and wrote a little over a year ago. We still have the rest of the summer to go, and his biggest trade last year was late in the summer, so let's wait and see what he does! We know, without a doubt, that his goal is not just to look good, but to make our team better.

I agree with what you said totally. I started a thread a year ago that basically said Bergevin had to go. But I really like his work over the past year and a bit. We all see that we've improved, fast and fun to watch, new coaches that have brought some fresh ideas, a very improved group of prospects and many more on the way over the next two years. At this point it seems a much better team in Laval, even with todays pickup of Phil Varone. I firmly believe the offer sheet was well thought out, especially considering the salary cap implications over the next 5 years and I think he offered what would fit for his team, short and long term. So for me, I am giving him credit for trying and not being afraid of being criticized if it didn't work. He knew, we all could predict, what people would say if it worked and what they would say if it didn't and he went for it! Kudos to him. Two questions. Is it possible that because Carolina said they will match, is it a done deal or is it possible they are negotiating for Montreal to sweeten the pot? My gut says it's done and they're just making Montreal wait, kind of a bit of payback. What do you think? Second, I heard Pierre Mcguire on radio say that he thought Gardiner was a second pairing, not a first, and that if you slotted him correctly he would be a very good defenceman, a good quarterback on the pp, but if you slot him into the first pairing he might have some trouble. Thoughts??

I think this was a very good and thought out move by Bergevin and his team. I think he has learned/decided that he doesn't like nor want to massively overpay for players on July 1. Maybe the Alzner contract brought him to that place. I think they looked at what Aho was worth in terms of salary cap considerations over the next few years and draft picks and I think they figured that their offer was going to make it very difficult for Carolina's owner to pay out that much cash in the next year. So this becomes what CC just stated.....a brilliant move/steal or something that just didn't work. But I won't look down on Bergevin if Carolina matches. I think its a bold gutsy move. He's not thinking of his job or reputation, I think he's genuinely trying to do the right and best thing for his team. I like MB's work and I think we should give him some time to see what else happens. He's swinging for not just a single but a triple or a homer. Good for him. No matter what he did he would be criticized. I'm glad we didn't get Duchene. I hope we get Gardiner. But I love what he's trying to do here. Even Aho's agent said that this is a very difficult position for Carolina to be in. Whatever the outcome, I really like his plan and work. Well done MB.

I think this was a carefully thought out plan and they offered what they thought was reasonable for this player. If they offered more people would criticize. We'll wait to see what happens. We may still be surprised at how this could go. There are still paths to us getting Aho. Has anyone heard anything about Gardiner??

Eklund just wrote that now Montreal and Carolina can talk trade. Is that true? Once Montreal makes and gets a signed offer sheet back can Carolina now approach Montreal and try to work out a trade? Eklund says that's what will happen now?? Thoughts??

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!!