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2012-13 Habs Lineup: the Forwards


hankhab

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BTW, Bergevin made it clear today that Gomez is part of the team.

Not exactly.

Bergevin made it clear that Gomez will not be bought out.

He said, "we'll wait and see what happens after he shows up to training camp"

That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement either.

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BTW, Bergevin made it clear today that Gomez is part of the team.

Okay, then I'd go with:

Forwards:

Pacioretty / Desharnais / Cole

Eller / Plekanec / Moen

Bourque / Gomez / Gionta

Prust / White / Armstrong

Extra's: Nokia / Blunden

Defense:

Markov / Gorges

Subban / Emelin

Kaberle / Bouillon

Extra: Diaz

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I've said it before, it makes most sense to demote Gomez, you never know, he might be a good influence on young players, or he could refuse and sign with a team in Europe, or he could retire.

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It kind of sounded like Bergevin was done yesterday, so it seems to me the forward group is set.

Patches-DD-Cole

Gionta-Pleks-Bourque

Moen-Eller-Armstrong

Prust-Nok-white

Training camp possibilities (mentioned by Bergevin)

Leblanc

Gallager

Our hope for future (if ready)

Galy

Extras

Blunden

Geoffreon

Demoted/etc

Gomez

I'd still like another top 6 forward, especially if Leblanc/Gallager are not ready for that role.

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It kind of sounded like Bergevin was done yesterday, so it seems to me the forward group is set.

Patches-DD-Cole

Gionta-Pleks-Bourque

Moen-Eller-Armstrong

Prust-Nok-white

Training camp possibilities (mentioned by Bergevin)

Leblanc

Gallager

Our hope for future (if ready)

Galy

Extras

Blunden

Geoffreon

Demoted/etc

Gomez

I'd still like another top 6 forward, especially if Leblanc/Gallager are not ready for that role.

I like this line up. I hope that Leblanc or one of the young fellers can make the top six.

In that case see Bourque 3rd Armstrong 4th and Noki sitting in the rafters.

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I think that the second line doesn't have enough sandpaper....plus Gionta and Plex are just not good together......would love to see a Evander Kane or Kyle Okoposo type there. I like LL too but there is just no Jam to his game.

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I'm really interested in seeing if Therrien decides to break up the top line during exhibition games. I really think we need to test them out on different lines to see the true value of everyone.

I'd love to see some interesting exhibition lines.

Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gionta

Leblanc - Plekanec - Cole

Bourque - Desharnais - Cole

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gionta

Leblanc - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Pacioretty - Eller - Gionta

etc.

Basically, if we're trying Bourque in the top six to see if he can rebound, I'd prefer to see this top six:

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gionta

Bourque - Desharnais - Cole

Keeps two big bodies around DD, gives Plek a better winger.

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On Gomez: the refusal to buy him out doesn't mean he's sticking around. It just forces the issue: either we trade him, or we demote him (or, I suppose, he becomes a useful player again). I think that's good news. It means either Bergy or Molson is refusing to take a cap hit on a departed Gomez, to pay him for playing for someone else. Now, whether Molson is willing to eat his full salary in the minors is another question, but demoting him is obviously the best option in hockey terms and I'm glad Option A is still on the table.

As for the roster, I still don't like our LW situation at all. Bourque showed absolutely nothing in his half-season with us, so pencilling him in there seems like wishful thinking. Whitney or even Hudler would have given us legitimate players there (even Lats would, at least, have brought top-6 longshot potential). Our top-6 is still, let's face it, cruddy. Indeed, without bothering to exhaustively compare, I'd speculate that it's definitely in the bottom third of the league. If he fails to land another top-6 FW I'm going to approach this season with dampened expectations at best. The only hope is that a stronger PK unit and grittier bottom-6 can lead to enhanced performances from the top-6. That's quite possible, but at some point, you need to have the talent.

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As for the roster, I still don't like our LW situation at all. Bourque showed absolutely nothing in his half-season with us, so pencilling him in there seems like wishful thinking. Whitney or even Hudler would have given us legitimate players there (even Lats would, at least, have brought top-6 longshot potential). Our top-6 is still, let's face it, cruddy. Indeed, without bothering to exhaustively compare, I'd speculate that it's definitely in the bottom third of the league. If he fails to land another top-6 FW I'm going to approach this season with dampened expectations at best. The only hope is that a stronger PK unit and grittier bottom-6 can lead to enhanced performances from the top-6. That's quite possible, but at some point, you need to have the talent.

John Lu on TSN pretty much hinted that Bergevin doesn't want to lock someone up and not force guys like Leblanc, Gallagher and Galchenyuk to have no chance to impress. As much as it'd be nice to build this team immediately for deep playoff contention, we're a 15th place team trying to show we're better. Some wiggle room isn't a bad thing. The most important comment from Bergevin is he wants the team to have character. If Bourque shows no character, he won't stay on the team. I'm not against leaving a hole and giving an opportunity at this point. Sometimes you have to temper expectations.

I agree that Bourque showed very little but it's only fair to give him another shot. I can't stand the guy and if I was MB I'd trade him for whatever draft pick I could get but I'm willing to give him the doubt. If not, would feel better to see Leblanc step up through the system than signing Hudler or Mueller.

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I'd sign someone to a one year deal. If they impress, they can always juggle the lineup to get a rookie into the top 9. Bump one of our newest signings to the fourth line, and one of Noke/White end up on waivers for the purposes of sending them to Hamilton... or you make a trade.

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I'd sign someone to a one year deal. If they impress, they can always juggle the lineup to get a rookie into the top 9. Bump one of our newest signings to the fourth line, and one of Noke/White end up on waivers for the purposes of sending them to Hamilton... or you make a trade.

It might be a new GM but Montreal always has a history with the December trade. If the LW hole is too deep in December, we'll see a trade to fill it.

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I'd sign someone to a one year deal. If they impress, they can always juggle the lineup to get a rookie into the top 9. Bump one of our newest signings to the fourth line, and one of Noke/White end up on waivers for the purposes of sending them to Hamilton... or you make a trade.

Yes. I never really suggested anything other than stop-gaps, which is why the 'leave room for young players' argument strikes me as a bit weak. They'll get their shot. Lats would have satisfied me that we had a reasonable shot at a platoon in the top-6 at LW, for instance. There are other cases where tolerably affordable two-year deals might have served: e.g., Whitney (if he had an interest), or Jokinen, moving DD to the LW if possible - something along those lines.

I understand that we're in a sort of short-term rebuild situation, but the problem is, we're quite close to becoming a solid playoff team again (back to where we were in 2010), and I just don't see why you wouldn't make that happen. As it stands, I don't think you can enter the season with a big fat hole in your top-4 defence corps, and another big fat hole in your top-6, and expect to be in the mix. Unless everything goes just right, we need to plug at least one of those holes.

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I for one like the idea of always leaving room for your young players. Having hope of making the big club is a good carrot for the young players. I do not favor a Steinbrenner approach of using all of your young talent to get aged/old players on the down side of their career for a short stay with the club.

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I for one like the idea of always leaving room for your young players. Having hope of making the big club is a good carrot for the young players. I do not favor a Steinbrenner approach of using all of your young talent to get aged/old players on the down side of their career for a short stay with the club.

No one is suggesting taking the Steinbrenner approach of trading our young talent for veterans, but the reality is while we have some nice prospects, I don't see any who will be 100% for sure NHL ready on October 1st

The idea of signing a stop gap in free agency for 1 year or 2 max, isn't going to hurt the guys we have.

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No one is suggesting taking the Steinbrenner approach of trading our young talent for veterans, but the reality is while we have some nice prospects, I don't see any who will be 100% for sure NHL ready on October 1st

The idea of signing a stop gap in free agency for 1 year or 2 max, isn't going to hurt the guys we have.

Exactly.

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If I remember correctly, Bourque is a RW that shoort left like Cole and Armstrong. So, if I follow that lead and fill the lineup, here is what it shows:

Pacioretty -Desharnais -Cole

Eller -Plekanec -Armstrong

Prust -Gomez -Gionta

Moen -White/Nokelainen -Bourque

---

With Bourque and Armstrong changing depending who is hot, and Gomez using Galchenyuk's spot.

Sending AHL elegible players to Hamilton could mean a lineup like this, which has good development potential:

Geoffrion -Leblanc -Paluja

Bournival -Holland -Gallagher

Berger -Nattinen -Avtsin

Quailer -Dumont -Schultz

+

Lefebvre,DeSimone

EDIT: deleted Trotter (Thans dlbalr)

Edited by alfredoh2009
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If I remember correctly, Bourque is a RW that shoort left like Cole and Armstrong. So, if I follow that lead and fill the lineup, here is what it shows:

Pacioretty -Desharnais -Cole

Eller -Plekanec -Armstrong

Prust -Gomez -Gionta

Moen -White/Nokelainen -Bourque

---

With Bourque and Armstrong changing depending who is hot, and Gomez using Galchenyuk's spot.

Sending AHL elegible players to Hamilton could mean a lineup like this, which has good development potential:

Geoffrion -Leblanc -Paluja

Bournival -Holland -Gallagher

Berger -Nattinen -Avtsin

Quailer -Dumont -Schultz

+

Lefebvre,DeSimone, Trotter

I like this lineup and agree that Leblanc and Geoffrion should start the year in Hamilton. No need to rush them at this point.

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You play armstrong above Gionta and put Eller at Wing?

No thanks

Commandant,

Gionta was on the third line, because he has no chemistry with Plekanec; and I remember hearing that he and Gomez had their best year when they played with a big rugged winger.

And IMHO Eller's days are numbered at center now that Galchenyuk was drafted, might as well play him with Pleks to build the chemistry and maybe to later swap with Pleks if he shows he can handle the load.

The Habs traded Trotter last season. He since has signed back in the KHL.

I wasn't sure about Trotter. Thanks!

Edited by alfredoh2009
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Gionta and Pleks had no chemistry last season. No doubt about that.

In 10-11 when Gomez was sucking... Pleks and Gionta had some chemistry.

Chemistry is this elusive thing it seems.... Sometimes a line that never worked before starts working, and sometimes a line that has been working stops. I don't even think coaches or players can explain it. With 10 months between their last game together, I'd try Pleks and Gio again.

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