Trade Hoffman gone, Petry and Casey DeSmith and picks in.

[DON]

39 minutes ago, Habsfan89 said:

I would take Xhekaj  full time over Petry all day long. 

 Why?

Cause he fights isnt a good enough reason (even though Petry is absent minded and bit scary in his own end)?

Xhekaj may not even be a good 3rd pairing d-man, we dont know yet. As he has only play 1/2 a season in the NHL as a total unknown, on a horrible team where Wins/Losses didnt matter.

Sheldon Souray looked good for awhile also, is closest  Hab d-man i can think of. He was big, could shoot and fight but was a pylon.

[huzer]

I don't see a chance of Reinbacher on the team. That makes 9. Also, it's pretty easy, waivers exempt guys will make room. That's 4 guys. No, not all will be sent down. If 2 of 4 waivers guys go down, that's 7 D, with Wideman as a scratch. None of the vets have played a full season in years (Matheson the only outlier with 2 years ago in Pitt). The situation at D isn't nearly the logjam it was at F, and that's not even considering what's going on with Petry.

[Habsfan89]

1 hour ago, DON said:

 Why?

Cause he fights isnt a good enough reason (even though Petry is absent minded and bit scary in his own end)?

Xhekaj may not even be a good 3rd pairing d-man, we dont know yet. As he has only play 1/2 a season in the NHL as a total unknown, on a horrible team where Wins/Losses didnt matter.

Sheldon Souray looked good for awhile also, is closest  Hab d-man i can think of. He was big, could shoot and fight but was a pylon.

Sorry but I disagree, 
Xhekaj was developing his game really good up until he got hurt.

 

He hits and plays physical especially in front of our net.

He has a hard shot that he hits the net with.

Blocks a lot of shots too. 

He's going to be a good two way Dman in this league. I see him as a Gill type of Dman.

 

Petry is past his usefulness and is too soft. I would much rather have Khekaj as a 6th or 7th D then Petry.

 

Petry is useful on the power play yes but not on a team that will probably be a lottery team again.  If we can get a 2nd or 3rd for him before the season starts take it and run. 

 

 

[GHT120]

17 minutes ago, Habsfan89 said:

...  I would much rather have Khekaj as a 6th or 7th D then Petry ...

 

I doubt WiFi or Petry are in the running for the 7D position ... Wideman is perfect for it.

[DON]

Did Xhekaj develop last year?

Was he playing better in game #51 than he was in game #1? I hope so, but I couldnt tell.

 

I hope the forced NHL experience has helped; but I am sure time in Laval will do nothing but help his game.

 

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

3 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

We don’t have to worry about waivers for Xhekaj, but wouldn’t Barron have to go through waivers now? I thought he was too old to be exempt? Isn’t this his 4th pro season?

He has one year left

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

4 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:

Sorry but I disagree, 
Xhekaj was developing his game really good up until he got hurt.

 

He hits and plays physical especially in front of our net.

He has a hard shot that he hits the net with.

Blocks a lot of shots too. 

He's going to be a good two way Dman in this league. I see him as a Gill type of Dman.

 

 

I agree 100%, I think what Xhekaj bring to the table is undervalued by many here and he will bring far more offense than Gill ever did.  (I assume you mean Hal not Todd LOL)

[DON]

1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

I agree 100%, I think what Xhekaj bring to the table is undervalued by many here and he will bring far more offense than Gill ever did.  (I assume you mean Hal not Todd LOL)

SKILLSY?

 

But, his offense i would love him to work on, but Matheson will be on PP1 for sure with Habs, so in Laval they can maybe give him more offensive opportunities and sadly doubt will be too long before injuries will open up a spot for recall anyways.

[Habsfan89]

3 hours ago, DON said:

SKILLSY?

 

But, his offense i would love him to work on, but Matheson will be on PP1 for sure with Habs, so in Laval they can maybe give him more offensive opportunities and sadly doubt will be too long before injuries will open up a spot for recall anyways.

I thought once he got more comfortable in the NHL his offense was coming around.  

 

 the petry we're getting isn't the petry of a few years ago in the playoffs. We're getting a run down towards the end of career petry. The only value his going to have is on a playoff team playing 10mins a game as a 5th or 6th Dman and 2nd unit power play guy. Just saying I would rather give those mins to Xhekaj and further develop him.

[hab29RETIRED]

15 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

He has one year left

Oh, ok. Thanks!

[tomh009]

8 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:

the petry we're getting isn't the petry of a few years ago in the playoffs. We're getting a run down towards the end of career petry. The only value his going to have is on a playoff team playing 10mins a game as a 5th or 6th Dman and 2nd unit power play guy.

I really don't think Petry has fallen off that big a cliff and is a 10-minute/game D-man now. But that's just my opinion.

[DON]

AHL seems a better option for working on his offense, dosent it?
And is no hurry to rush him any and do have 3 other LH d-men.

2023 Montreal Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #17 Arber Xhekaj (habseyesontheprize.com)

" There is legitimate offensive upside in Xhekaj's game, and unlocking more of that this season, while cutting down some of his time in the penalty box, is less a suggestion, and more a requisite for his NHL career."

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

WiFi can play, but it certainly wouldn't hurt him to spend more time in the A. It wouldn't hurt any of our young D to do so, frankly.

 

I still think Xhekaj could become a Kevin Bieksa type, i.e., a bona-fide #4 with a booming shot, a hard, physical presence, and enough hockey tools that he can take significant minutes.

 

But I don't buy that he "makes everyone play bigger" because of the "intimidation" factor. That argument was used for years to defend the role of goons. It was nonsense. And it's probably nonsense here. I won't deny that toughness has value, though - assuming WiFi really can bring that element in a sustained way at this level. It bothers me that he got seriously hurt in a fight; that raises the possibility that his vaunted toughness is overstated, like Komisarek's was before Lucic broke his face. And realistically, as an undrafted kid, he has already exceeded expectations just by playing some games in the NHL.

 

The "Bieksa" scenario is a best-case scenario. I would guess that Alexei Emelin is the likeliest comparable for this kid.

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

25 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

It bothers me that he got seriously hurt in a fight; that raises the possibility that his vaunted toughness is overstated, like Komisarek's was before Lucic broke his face.

 

 

The fact he hurt his shoulder in a fight was more a fluke than anything, but when you fight these things can happen. He is way tougher and twice the fighter than Komisarek ever was. Lucic toyed with Komisarek, he won't toy with Xhekaj. 

[BCHabnut]

1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

The fact he hurt his shoulder in a fight was more a fluke than anything, but when you fight these things can happen. He is way tougher and twice the fighter than Komisarek ever was. Lucic toyed with Komisarek, he won't toy with Xhekaj. 

Lucic would probably crush wifi. He needs to learn to defend. He doesn't protect himself at all.

[Commandant]

11 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:

I thought once he got more comfortable in the NHL his offense was coming around.  

 

 the petry we're getting isn't the petry of a few years ago in the playoffs. We're getting a run down towards the end of career petry. The only value his going to have is on a playoff team playing 10mins a game as a 5th or 6th Dman and 2nd unit power play guy. Just saying I would rather give those mins to Xhekaj and further develop him.

 

He may not be the elite defenceman he was in 2020 and earlier but hes not a 10 minute guy either.  

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

3 hours ago, BCHabnut said:

Lucic would probably crush wifi. He needs to learn to defend. He doesn't protect himself at all.

 

He may, he may not, anything can happen in one fight as I remember Lucic getting crushed by Colton Orr in one fight. 

 

I actually hope Arber doesn't waste a lot of time fighting goons like Reaves or Lucic who are there for only 1 thing. Arber can be a much more complete hockey player. Just need him to stand up when his teammates need it. 

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

15 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:

I thought once he got more comfortable in the NHL his offense was coming around.  

 

 the petry we're getting isn't the petry of a few years ago in the playoffs. We're getting a run down towards the end of career petry. The only value his going to have is on a playoff team playing 10mins a game as a 5th or 6th Dman and 2nd unit power play guy. Just saying I would rather give those mins to Xhekaj and further develop him.

Didn't he average 22 minutes a game last year and score more then 30 in just over 60 games?

 

Did you even watch him play?

[BCHabnut]

1 hour ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

Didn't he average 22 minutes a game last year and score more then 30 in just over 60 games?

 

Did you even watch him play?

Agree. He's the best rd option. There is a tonne of development happening throughout the line up. If he's into it, I'd rather have him on the top pair than any other rd.

[Plutarch]

In my mind... we really got a 2nd for Hoffmann unretained before the season even started! That is a huge win.

 

Everything else is just gravy on top...

 

Petry will get a return of some kind. Win there.

DeSmith will either outplay Allen or get claimed on waivers.

Pitlick was likely just going to sit in the A or get claimed off waivers too.

[DON]

3 hours ago, Plutarch said:

In my mind... we really got a 2nd for Hoffmann unretained before the season even started! That is a huge win.

 

Everything else is just gravy on top...

too.

Seems that way, cant see any downside and Hoffman gone love it, big surprise.

Not a big Petry fan at all and hope he is just in between trades at moment, but if he plays, might fit in well with a Guhle/Xhekaj/Harris...?

[alfredoh2009]

3 hours ago, DON said:

Seems that way, cant see any downside and Hoffman gone love it, big surprise.

Not a big Petry fan at all and hope he is just in between trades at moment, but if he plays, might fit in well with a Guhle/Xhekaj/Harris...?

Yes, second pair RD like he was when he was playing well for the Habs

[DON]

Nothing new, just Engels said he did contact Petry.

Dallas as landing spot for Petry?...them or hopefully someone else.

Canadiens' Petry and family trying to make best of surprise Montreal move | Offside (dailyhive.com)

 

 " “I touched base with the family just to check in and see how everybody’s doing. Everybody’s doing all right,” Engels said. “Whatever happens, they’re going to roll with it.”

Neither Petry nor Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes have spoken to the media yet about that trade, which means another deal could be on the horizon. But if the price isn’t right, the blueliner may have to stay put with his former team for a bit."

[DON]

Petry options.

How Much Should the Habs Retain to Move Jeff Petry? – HabsWorld.net

[GHT120]

5 minutes ago, DON said:

Petry options.

How Much Should the Habs Retain to Move Jeff Petry? – HabsWorld.net

If I had to guess ... I suspect HuGo really don't want to retain much salary against next season's cap ... the "lesser bad contract" as a cap offset rather than salary retention makes a lot of sense to me.