2022-23 NHL Discussion Thread

[DON]

Still think Edmundson has sucked all year, partially injured (back?) may be part of it, but he seems pretty weak in own end every game.

And I dont even see him even as LH-d depth for next season, unless somehow his back heals and he has good off-season training.

 

[dlbalr]

Something to keep an eye on tonight:

 

* The Panthers will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Maple Leafs in regulation or overtime AND the Islanders lose to the Capitals in regulation.

• For clarity: Florida cannot clinch today if they win in a shootout.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:54 AM, DON said:

https://montrealhockeynow.com/2023/04/08/canadiens-by-the-numbers-smaller-players-taking-charge-habs-analysis-harvey-pinard-gallagher/

 

"We should also note both Jordan Harris and Jonathan Kovacevic make an appearance on the top 5 list, leading all defencemen that have graced the blueline for the Canadiens this season.

There’s been very little consistency this season, which has led to a bevy of defensive pairings, but once things normalize next season, the Canadiens should probably try to avoid breaking up Harris and Kovacevic.

They’re what we call a unicorn pairing.

Smart, effective, and a significant boon whenever it’s on the ice"

 

Funny, I haven’t thought much of Kovacevic - he’s struck me as one of those forgettable Karl Dykhuis types who gets big minutes on a garbage team and then slowly gets phased out. Harris, on the other hand, I could see as a puck-possession asset, a skating, if small, D-man who can move the puck. Maybe I should rethink this view of Kovacevic?

 

20 hours ago, tomh009 said:

... but generally playing against the toughest match-ups, so you need to allow for that when comparing.

 

Wouldn’t there be an advanced stat that factors this in?

 

I have only been watching very sporadically these past few, wasted, injury-ravaged weeks, but I do notice that the extravagant praise Guhle was getting early in the season seemed to dry up after he returned from injury (only to be injured again). That may be a mistaken impression on my part, or else, like many players, he struggled to recover his a rhythm after returning.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

50 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Funny, I haven’t thought much of Kovacevic - he’s struck me as one of those forgettable Karl Dykhuis types who gets big minutes on a garbage team and then slowly gets phased out. Harris, on the other hand, I could see as a puck-possession asset, a skating, if small, D-man who can move the puck. Maybe I should rethink this view of Kovacevic?

 

 

Wouldn’t there be an advanced stat that factors this in?

 

I have only been watching very sporadically these past few, wasted, injury-ravaged weeks, but I do notice that the extravagant praise Guhle was getting early in the season seemed to dry up after he returned from injury (only to be injured again). That may be a mistaken impression on my part, or else, like many players, he struggled to recover his a rhythm after returning.

 

In Guhle’s case I think Savard is a poor partner for him. Guhle needs a Barron or Harris type of puck mover to complement his game. Guhle to me looks like he will be a Weber type of Dman - does everything very well, mobile, good shot etc…but isn’t great at zone breakout. 
 

I hope Marty breaks them up next season but who knows if Savard will even be here but if he is, play him with Matheson and Barron with Guhle 

[hab29RETIRED]

4 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

 

In Guhle’s case I think Savard is a poor partner for him. Guhle needs a Barron or Harris type of puck mover to complement his game. Guhle to me looks like he will be a Weber type of Dman - does everything very well, mobile, good shot etc…but isn’t great at zone breakout. 
 

I hope Marty breaks them up next season but who knows if Savard will even be here but if he is, play him with Matheson and Barron with Guhle 

Savard had no business being out against top lines, and until he is on the bottom pairing, with spot duty on the middle pairing, we have major holes to fill. The probable is we don’t really have anyone else who is. In Guhle’s case, he shouldn’t be expected to be a top pairing dman the year after junior.

[Commandant]

On 4/9/2023 at 12:48 PM, Prime Minister Koivu said:

I keep saying that Harris is our second best Dman!

 

On the other side of that coin is Guhle Savard who are among the worst in the league. I don’t remember the actual stat but that pair is top 3 for most goals allowed and their metrics are very poor. 

 

I remember earlier in the year i said Harris could develop into a top 4 dman and deserved to stay in the NHL and not be sent to laval when Edmundson and Matheson came back from injury.  I got eaten alive for that by many on here.

 

Id say Harris is our third best this season... matheson, guhle, harris in that order.

 

Guhle has been hurt by his partner (savard) and his matchups but he is a really good player and will be a top pair for us in time.  Id love if we could play Guhle and Matheson together.  That would be a great pair if they werent both LD.  

 

Hopefully one of Barron/Mailloux develops into the ideal partner for him.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

43 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Savard had no business being out against top lines, and until he is on the bottom pairing, with spot duty on the middle pairing, we have major holes to fill. The probable is we don’t really have anyone else who is. In Guhle’s case, he shouldn’t be expected to be a top pairing dman the year after junior.

Yeah Savard is a competent Dman that does everything at a medium level. He rarely makes mistakes or puts the team in danger but he excels at nothing. He is a solid bottom pairing guy

 

 

28 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

I remember earlier in the year i said Harris could develop into a top 4 dman and deserved to stay in the NHL and not be sent to laval when Edmundson and Matheson came back from injury.  I got eaten alive for that by many on here.

 

Id say Harris is our third best this season... matheson, guhle, harris in that order.

 

Guhle has been hurt by his partner (savard) and his matchups but he is a really good player and will be a top pair for us in time.  Id love if we could play Guhle and Matheson together.  That would be a great pair if they werent both LD.  

 

Hopefully one of Barron/Mailloux develops into the ideal partner for him.

Im curious how HuGo handles our RD problem. So strong on the left side but we need both Barron and Mailloux to turn out to be very strong and there is not much else. 

[DON]

[tomh009]

3 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Im curious how HuGo handles our RD problem. So strong on the left side but we need both Barron and Mailloux to turn out to be very strong and there is not much else. 

Trade. We will have surplus players elsewhere that can be swapped for RD. And then there is the UFA option.

 

In addition, we also have Kovacevic, who might yet work out well enough to be a regular on the right side for the longer term. He's certainly been credible this year.

[Commandant]

Ufa options are Matt Dumba and Damon Severson.  Thats about it for a top 4 RHD.  There are of course lower tier guys too.

 

I dont think we go big on RD in UFA this summer.  Too few options means they will get overpaid.

 

 

[tomh009]

Agree on that. If we pursue a RD UFA, I think it'll be 2024 or 2025, depending on the development of our prospects (including Kovacevic) and/or trades.

[DON]

I dont care really, but this guy does.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/its-horseshit-its-not-fantasy-hockey-the-ato-goalie-trend-is-an-insult-to-players-on-the-nhl-bubble

 

If I was in charge of an NHL team, I probably would, too. But unlike the Leafs, I wouldn’t be calling down to the bench and instructing my head coach to put the ATO goalie in the game. Because according to Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe, that’s exactly what happened on April 8 when Toronto gave ATO goaltender Jett Alexander the final minute of play in a 7-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

I wonder what NHL team will be cheering really hard for the Habs tomorrow night.  Actually there will be two of them cheering for the Habs, one a little harder than the other. 

[GHT120]

 

 

Clickbait site Hockey30 has (hardly alone, not crediting them with a "scoop") has been touting Hextall's firing for weeks/months ... in their case it was mostly in order to link Marc Bergevin to the job because of his friendship with Mario Lemieux ... of course Fenway Sports Group are the majority owners ... not certain what percentage Lemieux owns (Mario's partner in "Lemieux Group LC" also retains some share) or what role "66" will have in the search process ... but interesting that they decided to clean out the management suite but retain Mike Sullivan ... so a new GM doesn't get to pick their own coach ... ,ay cut down the candidate pool.

 

I am cheering for Bergie for every GM job that opens up ... Hughes should then make the first congratulatory call ... after all MB's love of Gallagher might be the only chance to move that contract.

[DON]

[Prime Minister Koivu]

The Petry trade was brutal for them. 
 

I wonder if they fire sale or retool and try again 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

4 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

The Petry trade was brutal for them. 
 

I wonder if they fire sale or retool and try again 

 

Taking over this job will be tough for anyone given the aging core. I think it has to be someone with the cahones to do a complete rebuild. 

[GHT120]

48 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Taking over this job will be tough for anyone given the aging core. I think it has to be someone with the cahones to do a complete rebuild. 

 

That would be someone who has the cahoonas and ability to convince Fenway Sports Group to go the complete rebuild route ... Crosby has two more years on his contract ... I can't see them going for a rebuild, even if they should ... unless Crosby asks for a trade.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

21 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

That would be someone who has the cahoonas and ability to convince Fenway Sports Group to go the complete rebuild route ... Crosby has two more years on his contract ... I can't see them going for a rebuild, even if they should ... unless Crosby asks for a trade.

 

True, ownership would have to be onside and I would think Crosby will have a big say in his future. 

[hab29RETIRED]

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

That would be someone who has the cahoonas and ability to convince Fenway Sports Group to go the complete rebuild route ... Crosby has two more years on his contract ... I can't see them going for a rebuild, even if they should ... unless Crosby asks for a trade.

Given what happened with Chicago, with Toews going for nothing (assmuming he will be healthy), and not much of a return for Kane, the smart thing is to start blowing up the team now, and either have Crosby and Letang in a mentoring role if they want to stay, or trade them to rebuild. If they tell Crosby they are starting the rebuild, they could ask him if he wants to be part of it. If he wants a shot at another cup, he’s one old guy that could still bring a huge return.

 

Having said that, given that Crosby has gotten 1500 points this year as a Penguin, I think he’d probably want to be one team as part of his legacy. 
 

I think Hextall really Fxcked them over by bringing in too many expensive old farts, when the big three were already old. He got fleeced on the Petry trade. Resigned Carter to a bad deal. Gave Rust too much term AND $. The league is getting younger and they have been signing, resigning and trading for old men.
 

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

Maybe this is just me but I see all these commercials for sports gambling sites and I ask myself.  Do Gretzky and McDavid really need the money that they would promote gambling?  I know many people including myself might gamble once in a while but it's a real problem for some people. 

[hab29RETIRED]

10 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Maybe this is just me but I see all these commercials for sports gambling sites and I ask myself.  Do Gretzky and McDavid really need the money that they would promote gambling?  I know many people including myself might gamble once in a while but it's a real problem for some people. 

I agree. I think it sends particularly a bad message to kids who are watching games when these commercials are airing.

[DON]

Just now, hab29RETIRED said:

I agree. I think it sends particularly a bad message to kids who are watching games when these commercials are airing.

Arnt governments basically the biggest promoters of lotteries?

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

7 minutes ago, DON said:

Arnt governments basically the biggest promoters of lotteries?

 

Sure they are but governments are always running deficits and need money so I understand why they want a piece of the action. I would think Gretzky and McDavid have the financial clout to pick and choose who they support. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Sure they are but governments are always running deficits and need money so I understand why they want a piece of the action. I would think Gretzky and McDavid have the financial clout to pick and choose who they support. 

 

It’s really a very valid point. Unfortunately, gambling is a huge part of NHL culture (like drinking, or at least like drinking used to be), so for guys like them it’s probably just a normal, fun part of everyday life - so normalized they likely don’t even consider the ethical issues in advertising for it. Plus the NHL has been heavily supportive of it for business reasons, so they might even think they’re doing it ‘for the good of the game’ as well as their wallets.