Commandant

You do realize that being in the 7th and 8th percentile for his defensive game is adjusted for the level of teammates and level of competition? The defensive game is bad. I dont even know why we are arguing this. The numbers are there. But its not just the numbers. Every insider who has talked about him being available, Dreger, Seravelli, Freidman, etc... they all say the same thing, hes available cause the Ducks dont like his two-way game. As has been said, game breaking forwards under 23 just dont come available very often. He has, so that necessitates the question of why. Also a list of top 10-15 forwards under 23, and a list of top 10-15 that could be dealt to us are two different things. Guys like Jack Hughes and Connor Bedard would top one list but certainly dont qualify as guys who could be dealt.

Agree on if the price is reasonable. I'm just not overpaying and some here are treating him as some elite player in the making. I compared him to Drouin, but I always thought Drouin had a place if the contract was right and you weren't asking him to be your number 1 forward. The price on the trade is the big one. We can't be paying as if Zegras is this gamebreaker who is going to transform the team. He's an above average forward overall, where his offence does slightly more than his defence, but the lack of elite offence, and the terrible defence, means that while he's a net positive, the ceiling will be limited unless one of those changes.

I think Newhook is a winger. Not been impressed with him at centre. Hes been much better on the wing.

It has nothing to do with his contract, and everything to do with his play on the ice. I don't know where you are getting him as top 10, unless its just pure points... cause his overall impact on the ice is not there, cause the defense drags it down. His defensive game is attrocious, and yes 60 points is good, but is he going to take that next step. It takes a leap of faith to believe he's going to improve significantly at both ends of the ice, otherwise your offers are overpays for a 60 point guy with bad defence. Could he improve? sure, but its not a sure thing. That 8th percentile in EV Defence (over 3 years) and 7th percentile (last season) is the issue. And 60 points isn't enough to overcome it. Overall, with his offence factored in, his WAR percentile is 64%. That's good, and yes I'd take him. But I just wouldn't overpay for him, he's slightly above average as an NHL player. He needs to either become a 90+ point guy or massively improve the defence (or some combo of both) to really take the next step into an excellent forward and gamebreaker that is worth the overpayment.

Scherbak, Juulsen, Poehling, Brook.... they were 1st and 2nds too.

Right now Zegras is the 60 point guy with a very poor defensive game which is why Anaheim wants to move him Do you think he takes the next step and becomes an 80-90 point per season game breaker? Do you think he improves his defensive game so that 60 points is enough and hes not a liability. The risk is that if one of the two above things doesn't happen, you are going through the Drouin experience all over again. He'll be flashy, put up some points, but not enough given his defensive deficiency erases most of his good things. If you could get him cheap it might be worth the try but if its really expensive I'd steer clear.

Grant has always been too overconfident though. Hes developped a clown reputation over the years

I don't know that its a coaching issue. I think its two things.... 1 lots of young players who need to learn to be consistent in the league. Inconsistency is the hallmark of the young player. 2. This roster is just not that good, its not close to a playoff team as some have claimed. The fact they are so close is a bit of luck and a bit of a credit to the coaching staff right now. I just think the team lacks depth, there is one line and a bunch of third and fourth liners and youngsters.

We look like garbage tonight

Oh completely.... they are a stain on the league.

13-2 in shots and 2-0 in goals. I stand by what i said last night, not close to a playoff team. Too inconsistent.

I hate this shitstain franchise (the senaturds)

MIGHT is doing a lot of work here. Like CC has, when you have too many if this happens and if that happens we can make the playoffs, you aren't likely to make the playoffs. The reality is that we are a bottom five team in regulation wins, there is lots of work to do to improve that. One goal games can go either way, and we see teams with great records in close games have poor records in future years and vice versa. The goal is to be a team that can win enough games comfortably, that when you add in the close games, we have enough points to make the playoffs and we aren't there yet. Looking at the analytics we are also not there yet in xG% to be a consistently good team. We are getting closer, but next year seems a bridge too far without a significant acquisition this offseason.

Yes, they count, but the issue is can they be repeated?

Were the OT points from 2021 repeatable in 2022 and 2023? No, they are an anomaly so counting on them again next year is a fools errand.

And next year there will likely be other injuries too. Maybe not as bad but there will be something that comes up. Its a contact sport and depth will be important and we don't have enough yet (at least not enough that is NHL ready). And the OT points will be likely be down too. They are not normal. This is a bottom five team in regulation wins and thats more predictable to future results than repeating all these OT points. Even with Dach and Newhook back, they need a game breaking talent up front to take the next step. There is certainly progress being made, and thats good. But its slow and steady right now, i dont see a big jump without adding talent.

I mean the Habs have had a great week and thats fun to watch. Dont let two games make you forget that the team is inconsistent. Last week they stole a game they didnt deserve against Philly, and laid an absolute stinker against the worst team in the league in San Jose. Dont fool yourself into thinking the rebuild is done and the team as currently constructed can make the playoffs. Need some big talent added at forward before that can happen.

The team played great the last two games, montembault is a true #1, and Slaf is really maturing. But lets not get crazy with the playoff talk yet. This team's record is inflated by OT/SO pts, both wins and losses. Even after tonight their amongst the NHL's worst in regulation wins. They also have bad analytics as a team The rebuild isnt done. Forward talent is needed even with Dach and Newhook back.

Yeah they need to fix it. Its messed up to display like that.

The standings js weird. A game that goes to OT is counted as both a win and OT win... or a loss and OT loss. So (wins - Ot wins)= the number of 3 point regulation wins

So we give Harris, a 1st round pick (the one we got from taking Monahan in the first place) and Monahan for Holloway HELL TO THE NO.... This is awful.

The person to target in Tampa is Gauthier

Not bad but Beaudin has no value if he cant beat out Norlinder in Montreal and already failed in Chicago. Hes 24 years old and often a healthy scratch in the AHL. I know defencemen take time but they are usually able to be top 4 in the AHL if rhey are ever gonna make it. I hoped hed find his game after chicago but he hasnt. Norlinder is a year younger, actually playing in the AHL and on his first organization. He had more value imo.

He's 30, it is just a hot-streak... he was an inconsistent player before Covid and the injuries and those may have contributed to making his scoring drought be longer than it normally is but teams around the NHL know that he is a streaky player, and was a streaky player even before COVID, and will likely not shake that in his 30s now. I don't see teams interested unless we eat half that salary.

Agree on the defence. This is why Barron has played so much. Its tough for defenders to play their off-side.