DON

i see he and Eller as future top six guys, but 3rd line this coming year is where will be. I think Leblanc will come into camp and easily outshine Armstrong for 3rd line winger role. I expect both his skating and strength to be improved and he actually will have a training camp this year (as will Eller who also was rehabbing same surgery last summer/fall).

OK, i will slag him for ya, he was a overpaid cull and cancer on team, wont miss the little egomaniac one bit and Bourque produces more goals at 1/2 the price + Holland is a good bottom six prospect + Calgary should finish out of playoffs and Habs 2nd pick should be fairly high one. I am not a fan of Cammalleri, so not quite unbiased.

And Ladoucer did very well with Subban, i was sorry to see him fired. I thought PK at end of year was much better defensively and making better decisions than under Pinhead. For playing 24+minutes and having a +9 on a shit team he did very well and will only get better.

Sorry i just dont have any sympathy. The sooner there is contraction the better, i could do without about 10 teams. Then each team would have 5 or 6 all stars instead of 1-3 and the AHL/KHL/SEL would all have higher quality players also. The owners group are the ones who make the rules and run this business, both crap and big market teams i thik have "fairly equal" say when creating CBA, so again if cant compete or arrange some kind of revenue sharing to somewhat level playing field, too bad. If a team wants to put an offer on a RFA and is a high paid guy, you do get a sweet return and if that aint working/fair a new CBA is being written as we speak, let the whiners have their say. If it happens to a Hab, so be it, can also go the other way and it is not that common at all, so not a big deal anyways.

I really thought Collberg sure looked good at world juniors and U18s and will see him again (in a bigger role) at world juniors come new year. I guess i am one who has "reservations" about Kristo, but i do about most NCAA guys (as i did with Pacioretty when he had a slow start to career). Geoffrion was the #1 player in NCAA in 2010 and cant crack NHL lineup, and Kristo would not even be that close to being considered #1 (top ten maybe), if he can tear up NCAA this year and get 25+ goals i would be much more excited. I think ND will be a very strong team this year, where Kristo may show he is the top six kid I hope he is. But look forward to see if he and MacMillan both have improved strength after another summer of training.

I say let them sign as long a contract as they want, most bust and turn out to be dumb and are hard contracts to off-load when go sideways (a la Luongo, Lacavalier), so let the owners dig own "Gomez-like" holes if they want, they are always good for a laugh when a DePietro happens and sinks a team for a decade or more.

He was only the most productive becasue Plekanec took on all top opposition line match-ups, if switched roles Tomas (or Lars) would easily have racked up more points than they did. And also you can move him to wing because he is a very smart player and likely would adapt better than others (like Eller who seems to struggle on the wing). Or you could even move him to 3rd line centre and he might do great with Leblanc and Moan/Gallagher? Or anyone might do well with DD because he is such a good playmaker? Also, can you succeed with 2 small centres at #1 and #2? Eller might light it up if given 2 big wingers?? Who knows.

Pribyl could be a Avtsin II Holland is bottom 6 checker and almost an english clone of Bournival, can skate very well, hard worker, defensively very smart, handles the puck fine, but if ever tops 20 goals in NHL it will be a surprise. As they say with Collberg, a good 1st line winger or very good 2nd liner. He reminds me of Jeff Skinner, smallish but quick/shifty, great with puck and with quick release in the slot.

Yes of course hard to predict a couple years out, but some of these veterans are going to be gone in next couple years. Markov/Kaberle/Gionta only 2 years left, Bouillon is 1 year fill-in and Weber, Nokalainen will be gone. and likely 3-5 others also. Subban is almost the #1 d-man now, Gorges/Yemelin will be top 4 two years from now; and 1 of Beaulieu/Ellis/Diaz/Tinordi should be ready for 20minutes/game. With Thrower/Nygren/Dietz/Bennett likely turning pro next fall, i have no worry about whom will replace Markov. Even if 1/2 of d-men bust or take a while to develop (worst case scenario) there will still be more than enough quality offensive and defensive d-men to stick in front of Price for next few years. But with all the d-men in the system, for sure Bergevin will need to use some as trade bait, so who will go and who wont is a wild guess. How Gallagher fits in shouldnt be an issue and if he can just fill Gionta's role that would be a bonus, not sure why he would need to be an upgrade on a hard working 30 goal scorer? If Cole reverts to a 20-25 goal scorer that will be fine and what should be expected from him anyways. This was a career year for Cole and he may even be forced to 3rd line duty in a couple years, which shouldnt be a shock nor that bad a thing as DD, if still around, may be his 3rd line centre behind Galchenyuk/Eller.

Tom Pyatt had only 2 goals for Habs each year, but last year with Tampa he was given more ice and much better linemates and had 12 goals. So getting on the good side of coaching staff can play a huge role in production/development. Similar to Palushaj, who has seen very limited minutes on checking lines, which is a killer for a smaller offensive player. I am not sure why he wasnt played more at end of last year and on the PP to see what he could really do if given 16-18 minutes.

Well written sir. I find it hard to even evaluate or try and compare play, when watching a Kristo or Bennett play i am always trying to equate to say a Gallagher or Dietz and which level of competition si strionger. CHL has 16 year olds and NCAA has big 22-24 year olds. Also a good example of hitting the wall was Brandon Nash in his 1st year pro eh. Quailer/Pateryn will likley struggle some after new year in Hamilton also. ON what level do you suppose is the SEL? somewhere between the NCAA and AHL?

An ol time cowboy from out west, looking for a championship ring, dosent relocate near end of career and sign to a 28th place team on east coast. Not a chance in hell and i say better odds of trading for Crosby.

I dont think it would matter who is between Cole-Pacioretty. I would bet Plekanec or Eller would do very well centering these guys? Also i bet Desharnais would do well even centering a 3rd line of Leblanc and Moan, he is just a smart shifty playmaker? But just have to remember Plekanec took on the opposition's best and the sooner Galchenyuk can develop into a NHL centreman the better! Til then, i would stand pat on the back end and still try and upgrade at centre somehow, even if pushs Desharnais to the wing. There has to be some digruntled top 2 centre loking for new scenery out there isnt there?

Stamkos would look good with the Habs also, but Doan aint ever coming to Quebec.

Yes, every year in every league he has been in, he has always improved or been promoted, so who knows if he is another Marc Savard type and racks up 20 goals and 55 assists this year (but i would be happy with exact same as last year from him)?? Whatever you say about him, he seems to always work hard and has already overcome long odds from ECHL, to 60 points in his 1st full year in the big club.

Dont see the Swede as a big upgrade nor needed (but i never even noticed his play before) and still say Yemelin will do fine as partner for Markov or Subban. But even Chicago was crying for a top 4 guy last year, so i doubt the Swede is that good at ll. But Bergevin should know i suppose.

nice signing, seems a nice smart player and should only get better

No problem at all, keep him, a top offensive puck-moving d-man (albeit a soft 3rd pairing guy) can be very usefull for a team that has had little offense for years. But what to do with the 2 swiss guys if Kaberle cant be moved?? they both cant sit in press box can they?

yes i totally agree and many smaller forwards still end up on their ass and unless blatent x-check, or 2-hander to ankles, all usually is allowed and i dont think much different around the net. But, the blue paint now is irrelevant and means zero, way too much goalie interferance and shoving of a covered puck under goalie, or actually shoving goalie into net or too the side and still count goal?? But again the refs have little (no?) integrity and are total puppets of owners via puppetmaster Bettman telling them what to call more or less of.

I know, i mentioned earlier that Moan-White-Prust were some of first to get signed, and i also said i am happy with the group of 8 and love Bouillon's grit. But to say this isnt a soft group is a bit off and what i was disagreeing with. Subban and Yemelin might be feared hitters, but that is it, if Price is run over a forward will need to answer the bell and stick up for Price, which may be fine, but a bigger guy like Nash/Pateryn/Tinordi/Ellis will be a bonus soon. Which is why many were for signing Allen, me included, but Bouillon will suffice for 1 more year till bigger reinforcements develop. If Bergevin can trade Kaberle, that might be super to free up a 3rd pairing spot for Diaz and would only ask for need to ask for picks/prospects back. But i am fine with Kaberle staying, he is a top scoring d-man at a reasonable cost.

so could be bottom six of; Prust-Eller-Moan White-Nok-Armstrong Poor Eller, he needs or deserves at least 1 skilled winger, such as Leblanc/Gallagher, dosent he?

Markov/Yemelin/Gorges/Kaberle/Subban are too small/soft to stand up for Price and drop the gloves if need be. Subban is almost outmatched by a small lightweight in Marchand and Gorges will try but too small, Yemelin had his face crushed in Russia, so neither he, Kaberle nor Markov will ever drop the gloves (which aint their job,they know it and is fine with me also). Bouillon is game and will fight above his weight class, but he is not a big hitter/crease clearer. So no way you cant say they arnt a soft group, if not the weakest in the league, but they make up for it in other ways.

But physical also generally equates to slower, evidenced by Plekanec and Desharnais normally making Chara look like a pylon every game, they just chip puck by him and they are gone. So always are pros and cons to size, big or small.

Yes i totally agree, a very soft group, with Bouillion the only grit if push came to shove. But i guess why Prust/White/Moan were some of first to get signed. And there is size in AHL which cant develop fast enough, but next year should see promotion of one or more of them and there are always injuries on d. But on other hand, they are smaller but quicker than most d-cores and Markov/Subban and Kaberle all move the puck well, so i aint too displeased at all with group.

So as it sit today, this is how the forward group should roll out eh? Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta Armstrong-Eller-Moan White-Nokalenin-Prust Gomez