Summer 2023 Off-season

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

6 hours ago, Neech said:

As there would be with Carey if he weren't on LTIR, which is probably the best option for Gally at some point soon.

 

See, Price is an example of guy that a fanbase and organization actually does owe something to. He carried us on his back for a decade and led us back to a Stanley Cup Final after 30 years. He was a franchise player. So yes, his contract would have been a brutal pill to swallow; many fans would have been agitating against him; and the organization would have needed to try to get out of it at some point. But that’s a case where at least you can argue that the contract was the price we paid for having had a great player on our team. Gally, God love him, was never in that league. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

3 hours ago, Plutarch said:

It's not a 19 old Roy that he's taking a spot from. It's 23 Ylonen or 24 RHP. RHP probably will start the season in the AHL because of Hoffman existing.

 

 

Agreed, Roy is much better off spending a year in the AHL.  Ylonen and RHP have paid their dues there, time to find out if they can become regular full time NHL'ers and they need ice time to do that. 

[DON]

7 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Agreed, Roy is much better off spending a year in the AHL.  Ylonen and RHP have paid their dues there, time to find out if they can become regular full time NHL'ers and they need ice time to do that. 

Heineman also will be turning 22 in the fall and how close will he look in pre-season i wonder?

Awesome shot but bit lost defending they say, so starting in Laval seem a given as he isnt really a 4th line checker.

[GHT120]

8 hours ago, Neech said:

As there would be with Carey if he weren't on LTIR, which is probably the best option for Gally at some point soon.

Unfortunately, from a cap perspective, Gallagher's injuries have not been comparable to Carey's ... Price's threaten his mobility in the coming decades ... unless you are a Leaf's fan trying to justify Murray's LTIR status(*), Carey"s LTIR staus is as legit as anyone across the league ...  Brendan's injuries have been legit reasons to miss games but none have really impaired him being capable of playing once he recovered, just perhaps no longer capable of playing to the level previously achieved ... that is not a legit LTIR reason.

[huzer]

5 hours ago, Plutarch said:

It's not a 19 old Roy that he's taking a spot from. It's 23 Ylonen or 24 RHP. RHP probably will start the season in the AHL because of Hoffman existing.

 

He'll need offensive minutes to boost value when one of these heading into their prime could prove themselves instead.

 

He doesn't really help his teammates produce.

He doesn't do anything on defense.

Plays with the intensity of a slug.

Basically just bad modelling for a player like Caufield who's best weapon is also his shot.

I knew someone would focus on the player I randomly chose. It’s ok to disagree. Simply put, I don’t view Hoffman as the roadblock and roster liability that most here seem to. Doesn’t mean I want to extend him. Just means I don’t think the Habs need to go above and beyond to trade him, nor do I think they should try to assign him to Laval. Waive Pitlick, sit Armia, heck, sit Hoffman. RHP is a cool story and all, but folks are acting like him starting in the AHL is a massive disservice to a potential superstar forward. No youth getting a chance? There are what, 9 players 23 and under that will be on the roster opening day.

[Plutarch]

2 hours ago, huzer said:

I knew someone would focus on the player I randomly chose. It’s ok to disagree. Simply put, I don’t view Hoffman as the roadblock and roster liability that most here seem to. Doesn’t mean I want to extend him. Just means I don’t think the Habs need to go above and beyond to trade him, nor do I think they should try to assign him to Laval. Waive Pitlick, sit Armia, heck, sit Hoffman. RHP is a cool story and all, but folks are acting like him starting in the AHL is a massive disservice to a potential superstar forward. No youth getting a chance? There are what, 9 players 23 and under that will be on the roster opening day.

You said you didn't understand why Hoffmann was targetted as much as he has. I just said some reasons people do.

 

Felt your comment was a tad hyperbolic going with the 19 year old 😛

[hab29RETIRED]

5 hours ago, DON said:

Heineman also will be turning 22 in the fall and how close will he look in pre-season i wonder?

Awesome shot but bit lost defending they say, so starting in Laval seem a given as he isnt really a 4th line checker.

I’d rather play a lost defending Heineman, and try and teach him to improve defending than a hopeless, useless bum like Hoffman. Still don’t get that signing!
 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I’d rather play a lost defending Heineman, and try and teach him to improve defending than a hopeless, useless bum like Hoffman. Still don’t get that signing!
 

 

While it doesn't seem to be the HuGo philosophy, I still believe in letting players marinade, learning how to be pros, rather than throwing them into a regular NHL role when they are not ready. So if the choice is between playing a useless bum like Hoffman OR throwing a rookie in before he's ready, I'd rather do the former.

 

Whether Heineman is indeed ready is a whole other question. If he is, then hell, better to play him than futilely try to pump up Hoffman's value.

[GHT120]

6 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I’d rather play a lost defending Heineman, and try and teach him to improve defending than a hopeless, useless bum like Hoffman. Still don’t get that signing!
 

DESPERATE attempt by Bergevin to prove the '21 Cup Final wasn't just a "perfect storm"

[hab29RETIRED]

4 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

While it doesn't seem to be the HuGo philosophy, I still believe in letting players marinade, learning how to be pros, rather than throwing them into a regular NHL role when they are not ready. So if the choice is between playing a useless bum like Hoffman OR throwing a rookie in before he's ready, I'd rather do the former.

 

Whether Heineman is indeed ready is a whole other question. If he is, then hell, better to play him than futilely try to pump up Hoffman's value.

Oh, I’d rather let Heineman, marinate as well. I’m just saying that if he is at least productive offensively, I’d play him over Hoffman - and I don’t even think he is close to be the most likely of our prospects that will be ready to play.
 

I don’t think it’s an either or with Hoffman and Heineman, we have more than enough wingers and I think between Caufield, Dach/Monohan/Newhook (at least one of which will be on the wing), Anderson, Slafkovsky (I think he will be given every chance to stay with the Habs, even though I think he’d benefit from playing in Laval), harvey-pinard, Gallagher, Ylonen, Armia (who is untradeable, but has another year left), Andersson, pitlick, and pezatta.

[hab29RETIRED]

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

DESPERATE attempt by Bergevin to prove the '21 Cup Final wasn't just a "perfect storm"

Even if Price and Weber were still playing, it would have been a lousy signing).

[tomh009]

10 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Oh, I’d rather let Heineman, marinate as well. I’m just saying that if he is at least productive offensively, I’d play him over Hoffman - and I don’t even think he is close to be the most likely of our prospects that will be ready to play.

I'm no Hoffman fan, but I'll point out that he scored 0.79 goals/60 last season, sixth-best on the team, behind only Caufield, Gallagher, Belzile, RHP and Anderson.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

11 hours ago, GHT120 said:

DESPERATE attempt by Bergevin to prove the '21 Cup Final wasn't just a "perfect storm"

 

I’d rephrase this slightly. Like the Savard signing and the Dvorak trade, it was part of a suite of moves during a summer that amounted to a desperate patch-up job to keep the team competitive after losing Danault, Perry, Weber, and Price - i.e., much of the nucleus that got us to the Finals. Plus KK. (In Hoffman’s case, I believe the specific idea was that he would help the PP).

 

After an absolutely brilliant summer in 2020, MB in 2021 made the classic mistake that teams make after a contender ages out: trying to cling desperately to competitiveness rather than just accept the need for a rebuild. In MB’s case - as befits his drama-heavy tenure as GM - everything was ultra-compressed. A process that normally takes years (rising to contender status, making a run, aging out, then shifting to rebuild mode) was compressed within a matter of months. Like so much of what’s happened in Habsland since 1995, it was both dramatic and bizarre.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

10 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Oh, I’d rather let Heineman, marinate as well. I’m just saying that if he is at least productive offensively, I’d play him over Hoffman - and I don’t even think he is close to be the most likely of our prospects that will be ready to play.
 

I don’t think it’s an either or with Hoffman and Heineman, we have more than enough wingers and I think between Caufield, Dach/Monohan/Newhook (at least one of which will be on the wing), Anderson, Slafkovsky (I think he will be given every chance to stay with the Habs, even though I think he’d benefit from playing in Laval), harvey-pinard, Gallagher, Ylonen, Armia (who is untradeable, but has another year left), Andersson, pitlick, and pezatta.

 

If Heineman is not ready, then I would not play him, period. That’s why you have guys like Hoffman on a rebuilding team; they are placeholders that occupy NHL roster space while your young players to properly develop in the minors.

 

On your second paragraph, I agree that we have significantly improved our depth up front, although there still seems to be a dearth of impact talent there. It’s going to be interesting to see how MSL manages the FW unit in particular, who rises and who sinks.

[DON]

 

Hope he looks good next month.

Seeing past the strobe glasses: The philosophy of Juraj Slafkovský's summer training (habseyesontheprize.com)

 

[GHT120]

13 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Oh, I’d rather let Heineman, marinate as well. I’m just saying that if he is at least productive offensively, I’d play him over Hoffman - and I don’t even think he is close to be the most likely of our prospects that will be ready to play.

 

 

3 hours ago, tomh009 said:

I'm no Hoffman fan, but I'll point out that he scored 0.79 goals/60 last season, sixth-best on the team, behind only Caufield, Gallagher, Belzile, RHP and Anderson.

 

 

These posts seem like such "old news".

😉 😁

So nice to no longer have to discuss "the Hoff".

[GHT120]

3 hours ago, DON said:

Hope he looks good next month.

Seeing past the strobe glasses: The philosophy of Juraj Slafkovský's summer training (habseyesontheprize.com)

 

 

I like the use of innovative methods ... time will tell if they did anything good.

[DON]

Folks opinions on Slaf;

 

Writers Weigh In: Slafkovsky’s Sophomore Season – HabsWorld.net

[Sir_Boagalott]

On 8/5/2023 at 1:41 PM, huzer said:

Simply put, I don’t view Hoffman as the roadblock and roster liability that most here seem to. Doesn’t mean I want to extend him. Just means I don’t think the Habs need to go above and beyond to trade him, nor do I think they should try to assign him to Laval.

 

I tend to agree that Hoff isn't as bad as most people seem to suggest.  Sure, he isn't great, but he isn't all bad either.  

 

7 hours ago, tomh009 said:

I'm no Hoffman fan, but I'll point out that he scored 0.79 goals/60 last season, sixth-best on the team, behind only Caufield, Gallagher, Belzile, RHP and Anderson.

 

Hoff definitely has a really good shot.  

 

4 hours ago, GHT120 said:

So nice to no longer have to discuss "the Hoff".

 

 

Yes, and now a prospect will get more playing time.  Now we get to argue which 1 gets his spot.  

 

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

5 hours ago, DON said:

Folks opinions on Slaf;

 

Writers Weigh In: Slafkovsky’s Sophomore Season – HabsWorld.net

Lots of Laval comments there. 
 

I don’t think Slafkovsky hits Laval unless he has major struggles. I advocated for the AHL for Slafkovsky all last season and I think he should spend the majority of the season there this season too. 
 

However, I don’t think it’s in the plans
 

 

[alfredoh2009]

29 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Lots of Laval comments there. 
 

I don’t think Slafkovsky hits Laval unless he has major struggles. I advocated for the AHL for Slafkovsky all last season and I think he should spend the majority of the season there this season too. 
 

However, I don’t think it’s in the plans
 

 

 

same here, we agree on this

[DON]

With Hoffman gone, give Ylonen bit more hope for a spot.

2023 Montreal Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #20 Jesse Ylönen (habseyesontheprize.com)

[Neech]

Some analysts are saying that the Karlsson trade was a logjam holding up other moves around the league, so maybe we're in for an active month of August.

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, Neech said:

Some analysts are saying that the Karlsson trade was a logjam holding up other moves around the league, so maybe we're in for an active month of August.

 

Dumba was one domino that fell quickly as expected.  I'm not sure that there were a whole bunch of things on hold but there could be a few moves that stem from this one.

[DON]

MM, how will this season go?

15g 60pts is my hope? Or 10&40? and that he can stay healthy, am looking forward to seeing his smooth skating again.

 

Fantasy Focus: Mike Matheson – HabsWorld.net

This writers pegs him at 41pts.

 

Petry used to be fun to watch at times, pretty smooth skater also and would for sure be an upgrade on right side, over Wideman.

 

A Case for the Defense – Cheering The Logo

"The starting six could look like this on opening night.

PlayerExperience

Jeff Petry864

David Savard735

Mike Matheson465

Jonathan Kovacevic77

Jordan Harris75

Kaiden Guhle44

Total2260

Waiting in the wings would be Arber Xhekaj with 51 NHL games played and Justin Barron ready for recall from Laval with 46 NHL games played."