PMAC

Mean is good when it is on your team and it is a “skill”that does not decline with age

True, but I was hoping Bergevin could turn at least one of the excess assets into at least a late pick. Oh well

What has Ouellet ever done to you? When we have injuries the more depth the better. I didn’t say I wanted him in a top six role in Montreal; I only said I hoped he wasn’t claimed so the team would have more depth in Laval

I think he will be claimed. Hope I am wrong, if not it will be the third player lost for nothing this season

I’m not saying that we should go all in, but if Mete for Muzzin accelerates the “re-set” it should be considered. Don’t get me wrong, the last thing I want the team to do is to make an ill-advised trade, but again it depends on where they see Mete’s ceiling, and most importantly— that their assessment is correct.

I think it depends on how you value Mete. If he develops into a top 4 d maybe you are right. If not, maybe you make the deal. My crystal ball is foggy on Mete’s potential but it doesn’t seem that he has the offensive chops for top 2. Does the rest of his game push him into the top 4? If not, we have a plethora of 5-6 D men and they are not difficult to acquire if you need one.

I stand corrected. I thought he had sat out

Michael Faber suggested on TSN that the Canadiens should explore a deal like Mete for Muzzin. Muzzin is 29 and not ufa this year so how about: to LA Mete, a 4th and a prospect ( not named Brook, or Suzuki) to Mtl Muzzin

Brodie was seriously out of favor with Calgary fans and was a healthy scratch earlier in the season. Has he worked his way back into the coaching staff’s good books?

I just would have liked to see him get a few games in the NHL. I would be happily surprised if he isn’t claimed.

Could we get a discount on Muzzin by taking Kovalchuvk back in a deal w/o LA retaining salary?

If we trade Mete and Tatar then we have a forward depth problem to replace the LD problem. Far better to develop Mete unless Bergevin can do a Petry type deal at the deadline

I agree that the d is not an area of strength but I don’t think that it will be the pitiful chaos that we have seen in recent weeks. Also, Schlemko is not our top left d and I am not sure that anyone other than Claude Julien thinks that he should get the first shot at playing with Weber. I would put Mete or Reilly there ahead of the Schlem, who, in the immortal words of noted Habs fan Shania Twain, “ don’t impress me much”.

A lot has been written about the Habs defense lately— most of it negative, and deservedly so. However, I disagree with the idea that Weber’s presence on its own will not fix many of the team’s problems on D. The knock-on effects are enormous. Think about it: Alzner exiled Benn out of the top 4 Petry out of the top pair The addition by subtraction is in itself a massive upgrade. Now, if only Mete or Reilly could consistently play well with Weber and move Sclemhco to the bottom 6 or press box and all will be well.

Apparently, Eric Engles and I both think waiving Alzner is the best of these options( as I said in a previous thread). https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/waiving-alzner-canadiens-make-room-weber-juulsen/

I think it could be an evaluation as they prepare for the time when they have to demote Mete Or trade Benn or Schlemko Or waive Alzner.

They would be far better off demoting Alzner, but unless Bergevin can work some trade magic again, I think it more likely that Mete goes to Laval and Alzner remains in the press box most nights

I will agree with this thread when the team is once again a contender for the Cup. Not sure if the Domi trade was genius or luck but, yes, it has certainly turned out well so far

I hope you have the same deal on the 19th??

Fellow Habs fans: I am in Ottawa on the 19 and thinking of travelling to Montreal for the game. Does anyone have a ticket they would like to sell? PM me please.

I see your point about d depth but they are not 6-7 but 8-9. Weber Reilly Petry Benn Juluson Mete Oulette Schelmko Alzner

I am eager to see how all of the positives you mentioned ( all of which I agree with, btw) do against Tampa Bay, Washington and, to a lesser extent, Dallas this week. I think/hope Alzner will be waived and Schelmko traded when all of d is healthy. I would like to keep Shelmko for depth, but I can’t see him clearing waivers. You left Deslauriers off your list of negatives. I would like to see one of him or Shaw gone and Scherbak given a real shot

If so, it is an encouraging sign because it means that the management team is getting smarter ?

Let’s wait a few more games before anointing all of these moves as unqualified successes. People scoff at small sample sizes for a reason: they tend to produce anomalies or simply misleading results. If the Canadiens keep playing with such vim and vigour— not necessarily winning at this pace- for most of the season, I will be the first to admit that Bergevin is not as much of a moron as I thought.

Yes, I know they traded for him so that they had the Laval option but I thought-and still think— that Bitten will exceed expectations at the NHL level. That is why I was questioning the trade- that and a rebuilding team trading a wavier exempt 20 year old for a 23 year old. Maybe—hopefully— I’m wrong and Bergevin is right?