Willey101
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Posts posted by Willey101
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I disagree with you Willey. Subban has been the habs best D man on both ends. The only reason Gorges is having success is the opposing teams are over committing to Subban freeing up his partner. I personally do not want to see Gill as more than a third pairing anymore, I feel like he is hurting the team (as much as you can analyze last nights game), on offense. Gill is great on the PK, but he just seems to be a Debbie Downer on offense killing any chance of scoring chances.
I see it as the opposite. Gorges has helped out PK tremendously. Remember that PK was a -4 or 5 before being united with Gorges and now he is a plus player. Gorges was a +6 I beleive before they were united and is now something like #3 in the NHL in the +/-. Gorges is perhaps the key to our D-core. Look what he did for Gill, for Subban, he even played extremely well with Campoli in the pres-season.
Ideally I would like to have Gill as a 3rd pairing as well with limited minutes and ultimately I am guessing PK and Gorges stay as a tandem which I do like. I just want to see PK take a back seat for a bit and learn to somewhat simplify his game.
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Call me crazy but when Markov returns I would actually like to see PK step a little step back. I would love to see Emelin alongside Markov and I would consider re-uniting Gorges-Gill as our shut down unit. This would effectively leave Subban on the 3rd pairing playing alongside either Spacek or Campoli. This would effectively mean 3 pairings that may be able to play against any line in the NHL.
On a side note did anyone see the shit that happened between Darche and Subban last night?
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We won last night so there is much to rejoice but there was so much with that game that I didn't like.
1)Palushaj has to be sent back down to Hamilton because he is just not getting an opportunity to play. Send him down and recall a guy like Willsie or Blunden or even Conboy for that 4th line. It's not like they are playing much anyway so let's just bring someone who can provide a different element.
2) Eller is seriously in the JM doghouse. I thought he had a very strong game last night but until Gomez was injured Eller was reduced to 4th line ice duty. Not used in OT as far as I saw and of course not one of the shooters in the SO. Let's play this kid with some offensive talent to see what he can do.
3) DD is struggling. He did well in the faceoff circle but he was invisible. I think it's time to drop him to the 3rd line and let him go against 3rd defense pairings instead of the oppositions best. Eller as the 2nd line center? Imagine the difficulty trying to contain a Pacioretty-Eller-Cole line.
4) I really hate the Cammalleri-Plekanec-Gionta line. 3 offensive talent but unable to cycle and contain players because of a general like of size. I have a feeling JM will stick with this trio but we definitely need some size on this line. Injury to Gomez and a lack of AK46 complicates things but something has to switch up.
5) Weber frustrates me beyond belief. He struggles passing, he struggles containing players in his own zone, he struggles with his vision in the offensive zone. He is a younger,right handed version of Bergeron. I think he has the abilities but given the fact that we are extremely small on D, he has to be moved.
Apart from that I am glad Emelin is progressing. he has more confidence now, is making much better passes, is reading his defensive responsibilities "better". I am glad to see he is slowly becoming where most of us were hoping he'd be.
Moen has been great. So responsible defensively, seems to be in the right position offensively, and is a big body out there to at least keep some players honest.
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I'm really not liking that Cammalleri-Pleks-Gio line. Gio has scored in the past couple of games only when paired with Gomez. I would have paired them together. Here's hoping to a win, I am really fed up of being outside of a playoff position.
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You've also got money from Gill and Campoli that could be available, plus 500K coming off the books for Laraque's buyout.
These should cover raises to Eller, Subban, Price, Emelin, Diaz, all the RFAs.
As a UFA Gorges would be a higher priority than AK and Moen for me. I'm not convinced we have the money for AK and Moen, but I'd love to see both back if its workable.
I think we are fine money wise. With the salaries coming to an end we have about $14 million plus you know the cap is going up with the additional revenues of Winnipeg instead of Atlanta. Subban is looking at about a $2.5 million raise and Price I am guessing will get a $2.25-$2.75 raise and Gorges will get about a $1 million raise. Still leaves plenty of money to spread around.
I mean assuming Gorges re-signs then our top 3 are already under contract with Weber still there Mayb Emelin and Diaz both of which won;t be receiving increases. Eller will sign for the same $1.3 he is making now I am guessing because he has not warranted an increase. Still leaves money for Moen and either AK46 or a replacement 2nd/3rd liner.
I think we're fine.
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That's the big issue, which way do you go at center?
There is another player IMO the habs have to resign, that's Moen, he does everything for this and is big and physical. I don't know a player in the system who could replace him.
Also, they need an actual 4th line, Moen Nokelinen White is fine. But they need to resign Moen. Or do you keep him with Eller?
Although I love what Moen does for this team I think his role can very easily be replaced. I mean look at this off season when guys like Rupp, Bradley, Winchest all became available. It won't be hard to sign one or 2 of these guys and likely for less money than what Moen is making. So sure I would love to keep him but if he walks then he can be replaced.
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Obviously, a business doesn't want to spend money when they don't have to. But there was also the fact that waiving Boyd and stashing him in the AHL meant that the team could never recall him. He'd most certainly be claimed on re-entry waivers as he'd be a depth player at below minimum wage with NHL experience. Having Boyd was great for Hamilton because he was too good for the AHL and was never getting recalled, but Gauthier's job isn't what's best for Hamilton.
Gillett was willing to bury millionaires in the AHL, and to be honest if the terms of the CBA aren't changed regarding buyouts, it is definitely a conversation that Gauthier and Molson will have to have regarding Gomez.
Remember that Gillett paid very little for the team and was paying himself dividends in excess of $80 million per year so burying a million contract was not the end of the world. Molson however paid $600 million and will have to go a long way before he is back in the black. Harder to agree to bury $8.0 million knowig you are still paying off loans.
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Emelin certainly ventures out to the right side plenty to make hits if need be (the Tlusty one, for example).
He does venture there but I'd like to see him play where he is comfortable. If it is on the left side then play on the left. if it's on the right then play him on the right.
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The organization is going to have to make a decision. Are we going with youth or Veterans. If we are going to make a cup run then are we happy with DD and Eller as our 2nd and 3rd centers or do we really need to keep Gomez? Like you said if he continues to commit himself then let's see what he has and then worry about the contract in the off-season (i.e. trade/keep/buy-out/bury).
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I am on the fence with Campoli. Sure we can flip him because it is an easy contract for another team to absorb but given his age, his ability offensively I actually wouldn't mind seeing him here past this season. I was really impressed with his play in the playoffs with Chicago and at this stage he will help us alot more on the PP than can Diaz.
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I too would like to see Palushaj with some better players, but it seems obvious the coaching staff doesn't trust him enough to give him that kind of ice time at this point.
He's still young though, and I agree he could be a third line guy down the line.
As much as we don't really like Moen in the top 9 he's been productive though, so far. But i still think when AK is back, Moen is a 4th liner, and Palushaj can hopefully be a point per game guy in Hamilton.
DOn't get me wrong right now I am fine with Moen in the top 9 because he knows his job, protects the puck well and is actually producing, what else can you ask for right. Just saying I want to see him on the 4th so hopefully JM doesn't go with 4th line LW Gomez in his place. I am really looking foward to seeing what Moen-Nokelainen-White can do as a line. Has alot of potential as an energy line capable of playing a defensive role.
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If Diaz goes down to Hamilton, it will mean that we are very strong on defense.
Strong or just healthy? Hnestly on the depth chart Diaz is behind Markov, Gorges, Subban, Gill, Spacek, Campoli and Weber. I think it's just a matter of between Emelin and Diaz and given the fact we have 5''11 Spacek and Weber I hope Martin sees Emelin as a different dimension to this team.
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Emelin did play alot on the right side in the KHL and has spent some time on the right side with Montreal. Alot like Gorges really. Maybe he is actually more comfortable on that side of the ice????
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Diaz is waiver exempt for this season only. Emelin is also waiver exempt, but his issue is the out clause, like you say.
Diaz has to be the odd man out. He has the worst +/- on the team I believe, is doing very little offensively, is having a hard team competing physically with alot of teams. Looks like Weber is trusted more at this point. I would like to see Diaz go down to Hamilton and not only learn the NA game but perhaps rebuild some of that confidence that comes with offensive production,.
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I hope the team ultimately goes the cautious route like the Pens did with Crosby. I'd rather wait an extra 2-3 weeks and see that knee 100% healthy and back to normal then to watch a 90% knee and risk injury. My pet peeve is to hear the "we should have signed Wisniewski" because he is less injury prone, has a big shot, etc....
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I like those lines.
Really can't wait to see Moen back on the 4th however where he belongs. I am fed up of seeing a mish-mash of players and almost a waste of ice time. Palushaj on the 4th line is counter productive. I mean if they are going to play only a few shifts with guys who can't score then just bring in a 4th line type you will throw the body around and try to crate momentum with physicality.
I think Palushaj has a future in the NHL as a 3rd liner but let's play with with some guys who can actually score to see what he has in him.
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I'm pretty sure he's had 2 and Moen has 2 as well. Unless Noko had one in Phoenix.
No both have 2. I didn't remember the McCormick fight. Montreal then has a total of 6 for the year? Blunden and Subban...anyone else?
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Seriously drop off after that though. Do you know who has the most fights on this team this year? I have not looked but I think it's Nokaleinen.
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I like Gomez. Love his sense of humour and apparently he is extremely well liked in that locker room......I thought he would have a big bounce back year and he looked great in the pre-season. Play him next game against Carolina as a reward for what he did. Perform well and keep him there, if he flounders them drop him back to the 3rd.
I really don't like Gio playing with Plekanec anyway.
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I'm with you on Gomez. The guy has hustled his ass off the past 2 games. It is time to reward him to see if he can produce. Question is to we reward him by putting him with Gio on the 3rd line or we we re-shuffle all the lines again. I personally wan tto see some flow some wouldn't mess up that 2 and a half men line. But if DD doesn't produce then I am swapping him and Eller.
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Interesting stat....
Emelin has 43 hits so far this year in just 13 games. Over an 82 game schedule this would equate to 271 hits.
Cole has 58 hits in 21 games. Over an 82 game schedule this would equate to 226 hits.
Last season our most physical player was Andrei Kostitsyn with 140 hits and PK was out most physical D-man with 110.
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To be honest, I don't really care where it leaves him. Completely overrated player, IMO. Good vision, terrible defensively, easy to knock off the puck, and a bit of a turnover machine. If he has to be in the lineup, insulate him with bigger, defensively responsible guys. Eller and Moen, I suppose. Unfortunately, DD is a coach favourite somehow, so him getting demoted probably isn't going to happen anytime soon.
I agree but he also puts up huge points. I mean he is 4th on the team in points, 2nd in assists, and hovers around 50% in the faceoff circle. I would still love to see what Eller can do with elite players but none the less cannot argue Desharnais is productive. Still not sure what to make of the guy yet.
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Loving this debate.....would you trade Subban and Price to acquire Staal and Ward? Finance wise there is absolutely no way but if you tweaked the deal adding a guy like Gomez, taking a low paid player then would you make this deal?
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I guess it depends whether Gorges and Spacek and Emelin go to the right side or if they ultimately keep Weber or Diaz because of that right handed shot. Gorges has looked extremely good playing on the left so I am hesitant to move him back to the right. Some guys are going to be unhappy or just playing out of position.
Max Pac
in Habs & Hockey Talk
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I like those lines.Palushaj and DD played alot together in the AHL. With the injury to Gomez for sure he has to stay as well because he does have more offensive talent then anyone in the hammer. Weber as the 4th winger is what makes sense to me right now although by doing so it means someone else is playing on the wrong side on D. Chance to try Emelin perhaps?