Next years line up.

[ch_nl]

Credits to the Montreal Canadiens for this season.

Some are UFAs and some will retire. And will there be a lock-out?

Some prospects made an impact while some didn't blossom.

Ron Hainsey scored the first goal of the season and I was dreaming about a new Chris Chelios. But he did fade.

Ryder came out of nowhere and will place second in the Calder trophy voting. They say the second season is the hardest. Ryder couldn't keep up his play in the postseason but I think he is here to stay. I hope he will play with Koivu and Kovalev on the first line next season.

Komisarek. Developed fine. I think he is ready for a full season.

Dagenais is a bit like Perreault. Scores and then he is invisible for long time, and then scores a clutch. But he is still young. Could have a place on the third or second line. After all he has some chemistry with Ribs.

Ribeiro is still the second center after Koivu. If Zednik could play with him and Dagenais on the second our two first line will have a lot in common. And that sounds good to me.

Dowd came in, looked good and I hope he will stay. Is righthanded and center, something Gainey was looking for. Bulis is a great two-way player. The third spot on this line is the hardest to fill. Sign Perreault. Play Ward or use a prospect like Perezhogin (if he won't be behind bars) or Plekanek.

Begin and Lagdon is perfect to have on the fourth. Juneau has retired. Dackell will probably head back to Sweden and so will Sundström.

Use a prospect or Ward here?

So... This would give

Kovalev - Koivu - Ryder

Dagenais - Ribeiro - Zednik

Perreault - Dowd - Bulis

Langdon - Begin - Ward

[habsfan88]

I actually hope we make some additions, without taking out koivu,kovalev,zednik,ribeiro,ryder out of the lineup.

[Dalhabs]

If we resign Kovalev Im very happy with that addition.

Then if we could get another good Dman it wouldnt hurt.

Otherwise Im kind of happy with our team.

[Habscrue]

From what i understand Dagenais is as good as gone. Gainey has had his fill of Dagenais' underacheiving.

I like that train of thought. No more free rides as long as you are wearing a Habs uniform!

[TheAussiePosse]

ch_nl, your lineup is correct except for the 2nd and 3rd LWs, both will not be back next year.

I expect Dagenais to be let go, and Perreault not to return, unless he's asking 1 million or less. In fact, watch for Perreault to play for the Quebec team in the WHA.

Lines will be (hopefully)

Ryder-Koivu-Kovalev

?-Ribeiro-Zednik

Bulis-Dowd-Ward

Gratton/Higgins-Dowd-Langdon

Ryder could work well on the 1st line, but I would prefer a UFA LW instead. Unless Perezhogin gets off in time for the season, we won't really have any offensive-concentrated forwards who can play LW. Plekanec is 2-way, he could probably try 4th line LW with Begin and Langdon, and move on up if Ward pulls a Kilger.

Dackell, Sundstrom, Juneau are a full line *gone*

Just depends on available LWs through UFA or trade

[PMAC]

I think BG will wait until he has some idea of what the labour market will be and what will be available before making any decisions. What happens to AP will also be a factor.

I'm sure his focus right now is deciding what to do with the restricted free agents and making decisions on option players such as Dags. I wouldn't be so quick to dump PD, an offseason of skating school and hard training could work wonders and he could come back to haunt us.

That said, I think that Yannic Perrault and Sundstrum are useful players if they can be re-signed relatively cheaply.

Whatever happens I am confident in Gainey's judgement.

:hlogo: Pmac

:ghg:

[Leafs Suck]

Dagenais has to go. He was INVISABLE in the playoffs. His 17 goals was nice, but he skates like robocop and doesn't play with a chip on his shoulder. With his size, he could be a second-tier power-forward if he'd throw his weight around and learn how to skate.

But thats not good happen.

I wondered all year "Why the hell would Jersey and Florida give up on this guy?"

Now I realize.

[jl.roberts]

These guys are as good as gone.

Perreault - Good Playoffs, but time has come to move on. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly from this guy. If he brings the good, than he's welcome back around 1 million for a year.

Juneau - Retired at the right time.

Dackell - Likely return to Sweden.

Sundstrom - Won't qualify him at 2.2 million, but is possibly resigned if let go, and then brought back around 1-1.3 million.

Quintal - Let his mouth get the better of him lately, but unfortunately he can't play the game at a high enough level to merit a return.

Dagenais - Possible filler, but we can do much, much better.

I'd be hoping that these two are surely brought back.

Kovalev - Elite talent that greatly improves the team. Have no problem making him our highest paid guy.

Dowd - Should come cheap. Loved playing here.

As of now, I'd say these guys are on the bubble.

Hainsey - Has to play next season in the NHL to avoid passing waivers. Talent is there, but the confidence and perhaps the the maturity is not. Has played very well for us at times, should be given a good shot at it next year.

Hossa - Ditto Hainsey.

Beauchemin - Unheralded guy. Not as talented as RH, but maybe more reliable and a darkhorse of sorts.

Langdon - Should be resigned, but may look elsewhere, or to retirement.

Bouillon - Plays his heart out, and will surely be back at Training Camp. However, stellar play from Hainsey or Beauch, or both, could slide him to the 7th spot at some point.

Gratton - Has the heart, but numbers game will likely keep him off of the Habs.

Lines, assuming no transactions...

Zednik - Koivu - Kovalev

Hossa - Ribeiro - Ryder

Bulis - Begin - Ward

Higgins - Dowd - Plekanec/?

--------

Langdon - ?

- We seem to be in need of another vet forward. If Perreault or Sundstrom comes cheap enough... Maybe Benoit Gratton? I'd like to see someone a la Steve Thomas. Perez spends a year in the A with Kast(maybe? hopefully?)

Markov - Rivet

Souray - Komisarek

Hainsey - Brisebois

-----

Bouillon

- The third pairing may scare some, but they played well together early in the year. As is usual, Hainsey will have a good camp. He just needs to hold things together.

Sleeper Roster Pick : Duncan Milroy

[Edited on 2004/5/4 by jl.roberts]

[Fanpuck33_]

jl.roberts, your top 2 lines look a lot similar to what I am hoping for, but I don't like having Higgins on the 4th. He either needs some more ice time, by playing with Bulis and Ward on the 3rd line, or should be back in Hamilton. Getting no ice time on the 4th line will only hurt him. Then on the 4th line I like:

Langdon-Dowd-Begin

On D, I want to bring in at least 1 UFA, preferably Richard Matvichuk or Mathieu Schneider. That way, Hainsey won't be forced to stay up if he falters, and if he doesn't, allows us to move the overpaid Rivet/Brisebois.

Another guy I would like is Barnaby on the 3rd line, then let Ward play on the 4th. I would love to have Glen Murray, but I don't see it happening. I would stay away from Palfy. He is quality, but he is small and injury prone. We have plenty of that already.

[jl.roberts]

I think handing Higgins the third line centre spot would be a step backwards, at least for the time being. Dowd is a great guy for that role and bringing him back will be key.

As habitual_hab said, Higgins can earn his ice time a la Ryder. They're similiar in the sense that they both seem like hard working guys (we know that Ryder is), and so it's not out of the question to think that Higgins could be seeing a lot of ice time by the end of his rookie year.

Hossa is a wildcard IMO. If he comes to play with some intensity, the job should be his. As long as CJ sticks with him, the confidence will come and his game will too!

[Fanpuck33_]

I didn't know any sites with god depth charts, and I was pretty busy early on in the season, so I didn't realize how Ryder worked his way up like that.

Hossa has to be this year's Ribeiro. He makes it or he is gone.

[Ribeiro]

Dagenais is a bit like Perreault. Scores and then he is invisible for long time, and then scores a clutch. But he is still young. Could have a place on the third or second line. After all he has some chemistry with Ribs.  

 

Dagenais is nothing like Perreault. Dagenais never passes and can't skate. He's useless.

He scored...in regular season. In playoffs he stunk, his shots were off and he didn't pass.

Kovalev - Koivu - Ryder  

Dagenais - Ribeiro - Zednik  

Perreault - Dowd - Bulis  

Langdon - Begin - Ward

My top 2 lines:

Kovalev - Koivu - Zednik

Ribeiro - Perreault - Ryder

1st line - Best players. Put them there and you have one of the deadliest lines in the NHL.

Perreault has to play a scoring line. Ryder and Ribeiro are obvious 2nd liners for the Habs.

Perreault - Good Playoffs, but time has come to move on. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly from this guy. If he brings the good, than he's welcome back around 1 million for a year.  

Perreault has always had good playoffs. And time hasn't come to move on, why would you even say that? It's up to the GM to say that, nobody else.

Where was the ugly again?

If you expect him to bring his "good" consistently, he's worth way more than what you suggest.

He's proved his value.

[jl.roberts]

Obviously that choice is made by the GM, Ribeiro :eyes:. But the whole purpose of the thread is to throw up our own opinions, no?

Perreault was very bad, to put it nicely, often times during the year. He is replaceable in my opinion, but still holds value to a hockey team. However, with the youngsters floating around in the A (and, I realize you can't stock a team full of three or four rookies), he clogs up valuable learning spots, and may not be offering (aside from faceoffs, a nice shot, and a long-gone mullet) much more than a guy like Plekanec.

[Zowpeb]

There are a lot of things I'd like to see happen with the team.

Line 1: Zednik - Koivu - Kovalev

Obviously based on Kovalev re-signing and that's not guaranteed. Might as well put 1 really good scoring line together. It's got grit, speed and the wingers are strong on the puck. Loads of talent on this line...something we haven't had in years.

Line 2: UFA/Hossa/Kastsitsyn - Ribeiro - Ryder

Ryder played well with both lines but I think he fits well with Ribeiro. He brings a good shot to match Ribs playmaking. He's strong, plays okay in his own end which Ribs needs help on. The LW on this line is the issue...it wouldn't surprise me at all if Kastsitsyn could make the team...he's got that much talent. To be honest I don't think Hossa is going to pan out...and I hope we can deal him for something decent on draft day. Maybe Hossa and a pick to move us into a real good draft position in round 1. If the organization doesn't think Kastsitsyn, or even Higgins, can make it then sign a decent LWer for the line...

Line 3: Bulis - Dowd - Ward/UFA

Ward could make this line potentially. I think Bulis and Dowd form the foundation of a great checking line that has some offensive ability. Ward can bring some grit but is inconsistent with that facet IMO. We know he has some decent offensive talent but we haven't seen it yet in the NHL. Personally, I'd lean towards signing someone here as well. The line needs a physical checking line player...Ward could be that guy but he'd have to show he can do it.

Line 4: Begin - Plekanec - Ward/UFA

If Ward doesn't make the 3rd line then he's definitely got a home here. If he does make the 3rd line then this is probably best filled via UFA. Just an energy line that is capable defensively. I think Plekanec is ready. He could be our future 3rd line C and I think he's learned a lot in the AHL. Begin is a perfect 4th line, and sometimes 3rd line, type guy. Pesky, energy, good D.

I think Higgins, Perezhogin and possibly Kastsitsyn will be the first call-ups. I think Milroy is very underrated...hopefully he breaks out in Hamilton next year. I'd like to see Locke in Hamilton as well...he certainly deserves it. Ferland is another guy who could surprise in Hamilton.

I'm a big fan of letting the good prospects get their minutes in the AHL and giving them a real good shot when they're ready. I don't like putting them on the 4th line for 8 minutes a game where they aren't learning much...it just doesn't make sense IMO. Let those guys learn to dominate the AHL, and when they can't learn anything else there they should be able to jump to decent minutes in the NHL without too much of a drop-off.

So basically, re-sign Kovalev, get a decent LWer for the 2nd line and a grinder for the 3rd/4th line. All that shouldn't cost too much. With some of our UFA's leaving we should be able to do that and re-sign our key RFA's.

Our defense needs some work IMO. Markov needs a better partner. Rivet is a 3rd pairing guy and overpaid IMO. Brisebois is okay if he's on the 2nd pairing and doesn't have a lot of pressure. Quintal should retire. Komisarek looks like he deserves a full year. Souray is living off his scoring against Pitt, he needs to be more physical, concentrate on D and his role on offense is just to shoot.

Markov - Rivet

Souray - Brisebois

?? - Komisarek

Those pairing leave a lot to be desired. Hainsey doesn't fit well with any of those guys except maybe Komisarek and I don't see us having a rookie pairing. A Markov-Komi pairing might work...and that would leave Hainsey-Rivet. It's the best we could set up with the players we have...we probably need to sign a decent d-man too.

I think if GG is willing to let Gainey have some payroll flexibility we could re-sign Kovalev, get the LWer we need, get a solid left side d-man and get a physical checker type. If it even increased payroll at all it would only be by a few million.

[simonus]

not to say that the signings you meantion are impossible, but some of our rfa's will cost more next year such as ribeiro, ryder, and garon.

[Zowpeb]

I realise that the RFA's will cost more but we've got probably 11 million coming of the books this off-season. So signing Kovalev, a 2nd line LWer, a grinder and a d-man won't cost much more then that. Hence the comment that for a few million more then our current payroll we could do all that and re-sign our RFA's. The RFA's won't get ridiculous raises...

Say Kovalev signs for 5.5mill, LWer for around 3.5mill, d-man for 2-3mill, grinder for .5 mill, a few million in raises to RFA's. That's about 14 million.

With Perreault(2.8), Dagenais(.5), Langdon(.5), Dackell(1.4), Juneau(2), Sundstrom(2) and Quintal(1.8)all likely off the books there's some $$$ there. That's 11 million right there...and Kilgers money came off too(that's .8). So you can see that for a few million or so more we could sign those types of players and our RFA's.

Of course I don't have a UFA list to say gauge who is available for what $$$. Anyone have a link?

[Fanpuck33_]

Sure, Ribs and Ryder will get pay raises, but neither will be too large IMO. Ribs had a breakout year, but he still only has this year under his belt with respect to getting a raise. He hasn't proven himself enough to deserve a major raise. Let him get another solid year or two before he deserves big money. Similar story with Ryder I think.