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D-Men...Trades or AHL?


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From what we're hearing Joel Edmundson is getting close to returning to action and Mike Matheson is still about 4-6 weeks away. So the question for us is what do we do when these two veteran d-men return?

 

The pairings lately have been:

Savard - Guhle

Harris - Kovacevic

Xhekaj - Wideman

 

So the question is who goes?

I assume Wideman would be moved to the the 7th d-man as you don't want a rookie sitting in the press box, especially when they are waiver exempt. 

 

But what do you do for the final spot? Do you send Harris or Xhekaj down to the AHL when they seem to be doing fairly well in the NHL?

Do you trade a D-man? Personally I don't think that's something they want to do because of the injuries that will inevitably come.

I don't think they will send Guhle down. My guess is they begin a rotation, as long as everyone is healthy, with one of Harris and then Xhekaj being sent down and then rotate them with one being in the NHL and the other spending some time in Laval.

 

The other option is that if another d-man gets injured then the returning players will simply fill that spot.

 

Decision time is getting closer. 

 

Thoughts?  

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I’m not sure it’s much of a question really.

 

Edmundson - Matheson

Guhle - Savard

Xhekaj - Harris

Kovacevic

 

i think Wideman is the odd man out, Harris plays both LD and RD.  With Edmundson returning, you can manage Xhekaj’s minutes a little better, but I like what he brings to the team.

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In the near term I think it is the AHL ... one of Xhekaj or Harris, or a rotation as you suggest ... in the longer-term ... ***IF*** the youngsters continue to play this well, once Edmundson proves he is healthy I suspect HuGo may be willing to LISTEN to trade offers.

 

As for the 7D ... Wideman makes sense if Kovacevic continues to play well as he has more of a potential future ... in that case, Wideman may well be a classic trade deadline DEPTH defenceman, despite not being a pending UFA, as his contract is fully buriable if need be.

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2 minutes ago, TurdBurglar said:

I’m not sure it’s much of a question really.

 

Edmundson - Matheson

Guhle - Savard

Xhekaj - Harris

Kovacevic

 

i think Wideman is the odd man out, Harris plays both LD and RD.  With Edmundson returning, you can manage Xhekaj’s minutes a little better, but I like what he brings to the team.

 

If the Habs are willing to use Harris on the right-side that makes some sense ... although he has played RD they ***MAY*** want to keep it simpler for him in his rookie season.

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3 hours ago, TurdBurglar said:

I’m not sure it’s much of a question really.

 

Edmundson - Matheson

Guhle - Savard

Xhekaj - Harris

Kovacevic

 

i think Wideman is the odd man out, Harris plays both LD and RD.  With Edmundson returning, you can manage Xhekaj’s minutes a little better, but I like what he brings to the team.

 

that is also what I would do if everyone is healthy. For the sake of discussion, and development, I would do this:

 

(correcting mistake)

Edmundson-Savard

Matheson-Kovacevic

Guhle-Wideman

Schueneman

 

Kovacevic is a placeholder, like Kulak was. Both Harris and Xhekaj in Laval, until a trade or injury forces their call ups.

 

Habs need to walk the talk of developing the kids right. Harris and Xhekaj have done great with the Habs, but the Dallas game showed that they need more experience in all situation, playing top minutes.

 

Edited by alfredoh2009
correcting mistake on Matheson
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2 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said:

that is also what I would do if everyone is healthy. For the sake of discussion, and development, I would do this:

 

Edmundson-Matheson

Guhle-Savard

Schueneman-Wideman

Kovacevic

 

and both Harris and Xhekaj in Laval, until a trade or injury forces their call ups.

 

Habs need to walk the talk of developing the kids right. Harris and Xhekaj have done great with the Habs, but the Dallas game showed that they need more experience in all situation, playing top minutes.

Why would you give the ice time to Schueneman instead of Kovacevic? The latter is still developing and has potential, the former is not.

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8 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

Why would you give the ice time to Schueneman instead of Kovacevic? The latter is still developing and has potential, the former is not.

 

just a lefty/righty type of thing. I would prefer Schueneman - Kovacevic but that may be pushing it too much for the forum.

 

I do not want Kovacevic to e exposed by playing on his off-side with Wideman.

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2 hours ago, TurdBurglar said:

I’m not sure it’s much of a question really.

 

Edmundson - Matheson

Guhle - Savard

Xhekaj - Harris

Kovacevic

 

i think Wideman is the odd man out, Harris plays both LD and RD.  With Edmundson returning, you can manage Xhekaj’s minutes a little better, but I like what he brings to the team.

I think you play Edmondson, and if he plays well and you can get a Chiarot type return, you move him.

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32 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

 

just a lefty/righty type of thing. I would prefer Schueneman - Kovacevic but that may be pushing it too much for the forum.

 

I do not want Kovacevic to e exposed by playing on his off-side with Wideman.

 

If its a lefty-righty thing, why is matheson playing the wrong side?

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10 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

:bonk:

 

Love it

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Harris and Guhle are not going anywhere....

Clearly Scheuneman goes down for Edmundson and we will worry about Matheson in 6 weeks.

 

I'd think they are very pleased with Kovacevic play.... the only thing keeping Wideman in the lineup is powerplay TOI and they aren't even converting on the PP so...

 

Should be interesting 

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The numbers for the D-men are surprisingly even so far this season. Yes, Wideman's skewed to offensive-zone starts but much less than before. And TOI is fairly even beyond Savard and Harris. (The snip is from naturalstattrick.com)

 

image.png

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I’d be curious to read a serious, advanced-stats-informed analysis of Wifi’s performance. The “eye test” suggests a guy who has slotted into a bottom-6 NHL role without too much trouble. That said, as a bottom-pairing guy, he’s on the bubble by definition. I personally dislike the idea of holding a spot for Wideman when a kid like him has made what seems to be an outsized impact - but the problem seems to be positional. No way is there room on the left side for Xhekaj when Edmundson, Matheson, and Guhle are all there. 

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4 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I’d be curious to read a serious, advanced-stats-informed analysis of Wifi’s performance. The “eye test” suggests a guy who has slotted into a bottom-6 NHL role without too much trouble. That said, as a bottom-pairing guy, he’s on the bubble by definition. I personally dislike the idea of holding a spot for Wideman when a kid like him has made what seems to be an outsized impact - but the problem seems to be positional. No way is there room on the left side for Xhekaj when Edmundson, Matheson, and Guhle are all there. 

Does Matheson play Rd? I vaguely remember Edmonston has struggled at Rd in the past (maybe in Carolina?)

 

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I think there are a lot of factors in this decision, so the best answer may not be an easy or popular one.

 

Edmonson Harris ( Harris on his wrong side facing high end opposition)

Matheson Savard 

Ghule Wideman (might be unpopular but the horrible pp may end up worse with him out of the line up)

 

Schueneman waived first

Xhekaj waived second (As CC says, there are just too many left defense)

 

26 is not waiver exempt and seems to be to good to lose on waivers right now.

 

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9 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Xhekaj is already a fan favorite. I think he will stay up to sell jerseys and make fans happy while tanking. Might not be the right choice in hockeyterms but for business it is.

please NO.

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4 hours ago, Plutarch said:

Does Matheson play Rd? I vaguely remember Edmonston has struggled at Rd in the past (maybe in Carolina?)

 

I am certain he must have at some point but I don't recall any mention that was a serious option ... and given the Habs situation on the right-side I am fairly certain it would have been.

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14 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

Xhekaj is already a fan favorite. I think he will stay up to sell jerseys and make fans happy while tanking. Might not be the right choice in hockeyterms but for business it is.

 

If he stays up it won't be because he sells jerseys, it will be because he brings an element to the team that no one else can bring.  Plus he is turning into a much better player than 90% of the people here thought he would be. 

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4 hours ago, BCHabnut said:

I think there are a lot of factors in this decision, so the best answer may not be an easy or popular one.

 

Edmonson Harris ( Harris on his wrong side facing high end opposition)

Matheson Savard 

Ghule Wideman (might be unpopular but the horrible pp may end up worse with him out of the line up)

 

Schueneman waived first

Xhekaj waived second (As CC says, there are just too many left defense)

 

26 is not waiver exempt and seems to be to good to lose on waivers right now.

 

I think I might see Edmundson/Savard as the less than ideal but best option first pairing ... then, if they are willing to play Harris on the right-side, Matheson/Harris and Guhle/Kovacevic ... if the PP were to drop from 31st to 32nd because Wideman sits, I can live with that ... they are at 4.8% entering tonight, and 0/2 tonight (so down to 4.3%) ... if they want to keep Harris on the left-side, then Harris goes to Laval, Matheson, Wideman, JK26 and Guhle get paired up somehow and either Schueneman (still waiver exempt for a couple of weeks after clearing before the season started) or Xhekaj are the 7D.

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I don’t want to see any rookie D-man used consistently on the wrong side. That is bad development by definition IMHO. Better that a kid be sent down to hone his craft in the minors than that.

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