2022/2023 End of season discussion and polls

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

13 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Drouin is a bum. Let him walk, like all bums should from this organization, and if some team is desperate for a soft, injury-prone, one-dimensional passing winger who can’t even be bothered to make it to practice, then they are welcome to waste cap space on that turd. Give his slot to a young player and finally move on from that debacle of a trade and that sour joke of a career.

 

 

 

I wish you would make your feeling clear about Drouin rather than beating around the bush. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, hab29RETIRED said:

 

ita just too damn early to tell. I’m more optimistic than I’ve been in a LONG time, but still am making sure I remain cautiously optimistic!  Been burned too many times on hoping guys like Higgins, Kostitsyn, Komisarik, and Zednik we’re going to be stars.

 

I’m with you. As long-suffering Habs fans, we just have too long a history of hyped-up prospects turning into pumpkins. As I say, what this season showed is that the Habs have a lot of prospects who can play in the NHL in some capacity. But that is a long way from our being able to pencil them in as sure-fire **impact** NHLers on a regular basis. So: yes, we should be optimistic, but it should be a cautious optimism, tempered by an awareness that promise, all too often, doesn’t become reality in the NHL - especially, it seems, when it’s wearing the CH.

[tomh009]

Indeed there are no guarantees. But Dach is pretty high probability to be top-six by now, as I think is Barron (for top-two pairs) by now. It seems that Hughes is not worried about Slafkovsky, so let's hope he's right and he's on track to be a top forward.

 

In goal, I think next year will tell us whether Montembeault can really be our starter, or whether this year was just a flash in the pan. The second goalie? Way too early to even guess.

[TurdBurglar]

1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

Indeed there are no guarantees. But Dach is pretty high probability to be top-six by now, as I think is Barron (for top-two pairs) by now. It seems that Hughes is not worried about Slafkovsky, so let's hope he's right and he's on track to be a top forward.

 

In goal, I think next year will tell us whether Montembeault can really be our starter, or whether this year was just a flash in the pan. The second goalie? Way too early to even guess.

Dach, in his first year, has worked out better than expected.  Depending on what happens with the lottery, Dach has a valuable position as a 2C or LW with Suzuki and Caufield with the chemistry he's shown with them.  The only real knock on him playing with Suzuki and Caufield is they all shoot right, would like to see a lefty with Suzuki and Caufield to give them some different looks and angles.  Overall, it's a great problem to have with a young player.

 

I've been high on Montembeault all season.  I think he's a good Allen-type goalie.  He can be a starter, but shouldn't be THE starter.  Barring regression, he will be adequate as a starter until the team is in a serious playoff state.   He will make an above average backup, but I doubt he will progress to the point of not needing a true starter. 

[tomh009]

35 minutes ago, TurdBurglar said:

I've been high on Montembeault all season.  I think he's a good Allen-type goalie.  He can be a starter, but shouldn't be THE starter.  Barring regression, he will be adequate as a starter until the team is in a serious playoff state.   He will make an above average backup, but I doubt he will progress to the point of not needing a true starter. 

12th in the league in GSAx/60 is pretty good. The real question is whether he'll be better yet next year, or whether he will regress. As with so many young players, we don't yet know what they will ultimately amount to.

[DON]

20 hours ago, tomh009 said:

Indeed there are no guarantees. But Dach is pretty high probability to be top-six by now, as I think is Barron (for top-two pairs) by now.

Barron has you convinced already?

I like his play as well; but seems very early to make any call on him and he is still very much a work in progress i think, same as Guhle/Xhekaj/Harris/Kovavevic.

 

Guhle being a top 4 seems safest bet of those guys... if he can stay healthy. 

[GHT120]

17 minutes ago, DON said:

Barron has you convinced already?

I like his play as well; but seems very early to make any call on him and he is still very much a work in progress i think, same as Guhle/Xhekaj/Harris/Kovavevic.

 

Guhle being a top 4 seems safest bet of those guys... if he can stay healthy. 

Agreed ... that anybody played Top 4 on defence or Top 6 (maybe even 9) up front THIS SEASON doesn't mean that is the role the Habs/fans can expect of them in 2-3 years when the team (hopefully) will be serious playoff contenders ... but neither is to say they won't be ... next season will be a HUGE test for several youngsters.

[tomh009]

28 minutes ago, DON said:

Barron has you convinced already?

Very few young players are certain to succeed, and Barron is no sure thing, either. But I said that I think he has a high probability of becoming a top-four D-man.

[DON]

8 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

Agreed ... that anybody played Top 4 on defence or Top 6 (maybe even 9) up front THIS SEASON doesn't mean that is the role the Habs/fans can expect of them in 2-3 years when the team (hopefully) will be serious playoff contenders ... but neither is to say they won't be ... next season will be a HUGE test for several youngsters.

Kovavecvic-Harris, as well as Barron-Matheson seemed like might be 2 good pairings though.

[GHT120]

7 minutes ago, DON said:

Kovavecvic-Harris, as well as Barron-Matheson seemed like might be 2 good pairings though.

For the second time in row ... AGREED ... I expect next season may well see them given the chance to develop and show "what they got" ... leaves Savard and Guhle together ... likely as a 2A/2B with Barron-Matheson (don't think either are legit first pairings, at least yet).

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

42 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

For the second time in row ... AGREED ... I expect next season may well see them given the chance to develop and show "what they got" ... leaves Savard and Guhle together ... likely as a 2A/2B with Barron-Matheson (don't think either are legit first pairings, at least yet).

 

Don't forget about Arber.  It seems like a lot of people still underestimate him. He brings an element to the team that no one else does. 

[DON]

43 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Don't forget about Arber.  It seems like a lot of people still underestimate him. He brings an element to the team that no one else does. 

I dont know, i think he has played sheltered minutes and match-ups this year and crushed expectations. But, how would he do defending 20+minutes vs top lines on a competitive team?

But, seems a goon is still necessary in the NHL and he can fill that role again once his shoulder heals from the fighting injury 2 months ago.

 

[GHT120]

1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Don't forget about Arber.  It seems like a lot of people still underestimate him. He brings an element to the team that no one else does. 

He does ... but does he merit playing ahead of Matheson, Guhle or Harris (on a regular basis)?

[tomh009]

16 minutes ago, DON said:

I dont know, i think he has played sheltered minutes and match-ups this year and crushed expectations. But, how would he do defending 20+minutes vs top lines on a competitive team?

But, seems a goon is still necessary in the NHL and he can fill that role again once his shoulder heals from the fighting injury 2 months ago.

He's learning to be more than a goon. I'm not expecting him to be a first-pair defender, but at the moment it looks like he might be able to carve himself a spot on the second or third pair. Still a pretty small sample size, though.

 

At the moment the Habs have four veterans (Matheson, Edmundson, Savard, Wideman) and five credible youngsters (Guhle, Barron, Harris, Kovacevic, Xhekaj) on D. Clearly not all can fit, even in the short term, so some moves will likely happen this summer.

[tomh009]

34 minutes ago, DON said:

I dont know, i think he has played sheltered minutes and match-ups this year and crushed expectations.

And, yes, to confirm the sheltered minutes, here it is in one chart. You can see Guhle is well above the other rookie D-men in terms of strength of opposition.

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

Arber is far more than a goon, he is hardly that, I think that term is a little insulting to him. He was actually leading rookie defensemen in goals until he got hurt. This is a guy who is also more than willing to stand up for his teammates. That value is hard to measure. 

 

I am not talking about him playing 20 minutes against the other team's top line.  I am talking a guy that can be the perfect 3rd pairing defensemen who can play up on occasion. 

[DON]

26 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Arber is far more than a goon, he is hardly that,

He fills the "role of" a goon, i didnt say he was he had hands of stone and cant skate or shoot well. Same as Anderson, not a goon, but also 'pretty eager' to stand up for teammates, as well as score 15-20g.

He blew away expectations this year and is a fan favourite already, that is for sure.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

2 hours ago, DON said:

He fills the "role of" a goon, i didnt say he was he had hands of stone and cant skate or shoot well. Same as Anderson, not a goon, but also 'pretty eager' to stand up for teammates, as well as score 15-20g.

He blew away expectations this year and is a fan favourite already, that is for sure.

 

I guess when I think of the term "goon" I think of someone that can only do one thing and that's fight/bully/intimidate. I think he fills the role of "policeman" on the Habs.  Perhaps we look at the term "goon" differently. Certainly in junior he did some things that were "goonish" but he has been much more disciplined in the NHL. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

3 hours ago, tomh009 said:

He's learning to be more than a goon. I'm not expecting him to be a first-pair defender, but at the moment it looks like he might be able to carve himself a spot on the second or third pair. Still a pretty small sample size, though.

 

At the moment the Habs have four veterans (Matheson, Edmundson, Savard, Wideman) and five credible youngsters (Guhle, Barron, Harris, Kovacevic, Xhekaj) on D. Clearly not all can fit, even in the short term, so some moves will likely happen this summer.

 

3 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Arber is far more than a goon, he is hardly that, I think that term is a little insulting to him. He was actually leading rookie defensemen in goals until he got hurt. This is a guy who is also more than willing to stand up for his teammates. That value is hard to measure. 

 

I am not talking about him playing 20 minutes against the other team's top line.  I am talking a guy that can be the perfect 3rd pairing defensemen who can play up on occasion. 

It’s Xhekaj’s shot and offensive ability that is interesting. He has a hard THUD of a shot and if he can develop his scoring abilities then he is set. 
 

If Xhekaj can’t keep scoring then I think he is toast. 
 

Pie in the sky possibly is Arber turning into 50 point, lots of PP goals that can hit and fight too. 
 

IMO

 

but it’s only been one injury riddled season so far!

[DON]

https://www.habsworld.net/2023/05/are-the-habs-facing-a-contract-crunch-next-season/

 

50 contract limit.

[Sir_Boagalott]

Saw this and thought it was interesting.  I wasn't sure where I should post it so I put it here.

 

Apparently, Dach has really good advanced stats for defense.  

 

https://montrealhockeynow.com/2023/06/26/montreal-canadiens-kirby-dach-stands-out-as-top-nhl-defensive-centre-habs-nhl-bergeron-selke/?fbclid=IwAR252js-Gct5OpxB1C3jEBKqTDgX1epiVQYLmlVUiX5diNjklyBDgPxD-2g