What about Weber?

[CoRvInA]

SO what about him you ask?

I don't know, but I wager he now merits his own topic in "Habs talk"!

We keep him or we trade him? I like the kid.

Right shot Dmen are rare in Hockey (hehe I wish I had known to skate), and if we are bound to lose either Gill or Hammer or even Markov next season... we should keep right Dman Weber and not go through another adaptation phase of training a Dman to play on the right side again

On a positive note, with Markov and Spaceck out (maybe) Weber's ice time is on the rise!

[Habsfan]

I definitely don't want to see Weber leave. I think he needs to stick around and get some icetime in the NHL. Like you said, we will lose one or 2 d-men next year. We will need him then!

[BTH]

SO what about him you ask?

I don't know, but I wager he now merits his own topic in "Habs talk"!

We keep him or we trade him? I like the kid.

Right shot Dmen are rare in Hockey (hehe I wish I had known to skate), and if we are bound to lose either Gill or Hammer or even Markov next season... we should keep right Dman Weber and not go through another adaptation phase of training a Dman to play on the right side again

On a positive note, with Markov and Spaceck out (maybe) Weber's ice time is on the rise!

I really doubt he gets traded.

Just be happy the Habs have the depth to keep NHL calibre young players like Subban, Weber, Pacioretty, Boyd, Eller and Pouliot to limited or no icetime. Most teams with players like these have them in the line up not because their coaches are smart and Martin is dumb but because they don't have Montreal's depth.

[illWill]

I agree, I don't think he is going anywhere unless it's part of an upgrade trade package. But even then I don't see that happening. Hamrlik is probably gone next year unless he takes a big paycut and there are a bunch of RFA's that need to be resigned. Having Weber in the lineup full time next season will be benificial to the cap, let alone the intangibles that he brings as a player.

[CoRvInA]

Fine with next season....So what about this season?

Assuming Spacek comes back on Thursday, Gomez is healthy and Boyd is sent packing to Hamilton or somewhere else in the NHL. Can we still play Weber as a 7th dressed dman? And sit Pyatt, Darche or whomever out when needed.

Because knock on wood... I guarantee our D cannot last til the playoffs playing 20 min each without either burning up or getting more injuries!

In other words if we dont get another 25min+ Dman to take up Markov's minutes we are headed straight for disaster. As good as Hammer Spacek and co are.. (pardon for using a Gamers lingo here)...they simply cannot TANK it.. and we need A Solid D come playoffs.. Hell if status quo persists we'll be lucky if we have to trade for 2 new healthy Dmen come trade deadline.

Edited December 13, 2010 by CoRvInA

[illWill]

I was just saying that I don't believe he won't get traded and why not. As far as this season goes, who knows? A team can never have enough depth and everyone will get their chance to play. There will be more injuries and sickness etc. Here's a crazy thought that will probably get blasted, but what about Subban as a forward? I generally don't like the idea of a defenseman playing forward, but if anyone is going to do it why not the most offensively gifted d-man we have? I would love to see P.K be able to fly down the right wing and showcase his skills. He would have the size to battle in the corners and go to the net, yet still have the offensive awareness to play the position, and yet maintain his defensive responsibilities.

[CoRvInA]

I was just saying that I don't believe he won't get traded and why not. As far as this season goes, who knows? A team can never have enough depth and everyone will get their chance to play. There will be more injuries and sickness etc. Here's a crazy thought that will probably get blasted, but what about Subban as a forward? I generally don't like the idea of a defenseman playing forward, but if anyone is going to do it why not the most offensively gifted d-man we have? I would love to see P.K be able to fly down the right wing and showcase his skills. He would have the size to battle in the corners and go to the net, yet still have the offensive awareness to play the position, and yet maintain his defensive responsibilities.

I dont think its that crazy... PK and Weber both probably the best Dmen to play forward... Yet the point is we need to cut the average Dman's TOI to 15ish... Hammer Gorges and PK are probably the players that can rack up 20+ min on D, therefor putting PK on the wing will work against that.

Picard could play 20+, but lately other teams have exploited Picard's weaknesses (fast adequate judgement call) so JM is limiting his presence in these past games (18;46min vs Sens; 17,40 min vs Det; 16min vs TO) . And as much as I admire Gill as a PK killer... his speed limits his Ice time as well (unless you tell him never to cross his own blue line JOKE)

Edit... its mathematically impossible to cut the average Dman time under 20 min... lol what i should of said. is that certain players such as Spacek cannot go over 20 min and they should be around 15-16 min .. thus forcing other players to play 25min or more... (lol if 2 dmen play 60 min each and the other 4 are benched... the average Dman toi is still 20 min)

The only way to cut it down from 20 is adding another dman

Edited December 13, 2010 by CoRvInA

[saskhab]

Fine with next season....So what about this season?

Assuming Spacek comes back on Thursday, Gomez is healthy and Boyd is sent packing to Hamilton or somewhere else in the NHL. Can we still play Weber as a 7th dressed dman? And sit Pyatt, Darche or whomever out when needed.

Because knock on wood... I guarantee our D cannot last til the playoffs playing 20 min each without either burning up or getting more injuries!

In other words if we dont get another 25min+ Dman to take up Markov's minutes we are headed straight for disaster. As good as Hammer Spacek and co are.. (pardon for using a Gamers lingo here)...they simply cannot TANK it.. and we need A Solid D come playoffs.. Hell if status quo persists we'll be lucky if we have to trade for 2 new healthy Dmen come trade deadline.

Injuries will happen. I don't see how Gorges, Hamrlik, and Spacek can't at least play 20 minutes a night, though. They always have. Yes, they're aging, but not THAT quickly. They'll have some ups and downs, but again, that happens. Gill has to be limited at even strength, and that's where Subban and Picard can hopefully step up a bit.

I think we'll be okay on D for the most part. At the trade deadline, for sure we should look at a D, but unless a great offer lands on our feet, I don't think we need to act upon it until then, when more options will be available.

[huzer]

In other words if we dont get another 25min+ Dman to take up Markov's minutes we are headed straight for disaster. As good as Hammer Spacek and co are.. (pardon for using a Gamers lingo here)...they simply cannot TANK it.. and we need A Solid D come playoffs.. Hell if status quo persists we'll be lucky if we have to trade for 2 new healthy Dmen come trade deadline.

Considering they've played without Markov for a significant amount of games the past 2 seasons, what part of that has been a disaster?

[dlbalr]

Considering they've played without Markov for a significant amount of games the past 2 seasons, what part of that has been a disaster?

I don't think it's been a disaster myself but I'd be for looking at adding another d-man. There are a lot of question marks with the current D (age and inexperience particularly). I guess the question becomes to leave well enough alone or be proactive and make a move anticipating problems. There are pros and cons to each option.

[CoRvInA]

Considering they've played without Markov for a significant amount of games the past 2 seasons, what part of that has been a disaster?

disaster means NOT being healthy enough to make the finals... I've always said, had we played Philly in the first 2 rounds, we would have beaten them...

disaster means we have a D-core where less than half of them can and should be playing over 20 min a game. Not good

Edited December 14, 2010 by CoRvInA

[huzer]

While I appreciate the optimism, I wouldn't call missing the finals a disaster.

Do I think the Habs have a great group of backliners? No, but they are plenty serviceable. I do agree that potentially adding someone to the roster would help, but I don't think THAT is what will get the team into the finals. I'd also agree that it's something more likely to happen at the trade deadline when the additional salary will be more manageable.

[CoRvInA]

I am well aware that there a time for everything, a right time to trade and an opponents GM willing to barter...

my worry lies on the fact that even when the current D is healthy come playoffs, they wont have enough reserves to go through 4 playoff series.

82 games is way too much!

Hammer is rumored to have missed the training camp for that reason. Even at the Capitals, Alexander the great is also rumored to be keeping the foot off the accelerator for that reason... the Habs taught him that lesson

Our current D does not have that luxury, because they have to perform beyond their optimal level of play every game

Edited December 15, 2010 by CoRvInA

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

My own view is that, if the Habs want to be true contenders this season without Markov, they will have to add a top-4 defenceman somewhere between now and the deadline. I agree with CoRvInA to that extent.