GHT120 Posted April 6 Author Share Posted April 6 15 minutes ago, tomh009 said: Not going to ask you to like Armia, but there is more to it than that. We say that goaltending is 50% mental and the rest is in your head; much of the same applies to many other pro athletes. Armia wanted to play well, but until he started working with the Habs' mental performance coach, Francois Menard, he could not make it work. He's nominated because he didn't give up or sulk after being demoted, but worked with Menard to get to the point where he is able to consistently (at least for now) use his skills. I am not a fan and was deliberately hyperbolic ... but because of the "perseverance" aspect, which is always taken/applied as meaning overcame something this season compared to last season (or multiple seasons), there really wasn't anyone else on the Habs who could have qualified. But unless he repeats it next season, be it with the Habs or elsewhere, I take this as a blip on the EKG of his career. It will be interesting to see if any other teams try to trade for him this summer ... if so, how low/demanding they think they can go with their offer ... and how these last couple of months impact what HuGo decide to do with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 1 hour ago, GHT120 said: It will be interesting to see if any other teams try to trade for him this summer ... if so, how low/demanding they think they can go with their offer ... and how these last couple of months impact what HuGo decide to do with him. Most likely we will only know if there is an actual deal that is consummated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted April 6 Author Share Posted April 6 11 hours ago, tomh009 said: Most likely we will only know if there is an actual deal that is consummated. I take CERTAIN "insider reports" as worthy of serious consideration ... on the other end of the spectrum, ClickBait30 should be entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 RHP He scored a bunch of goals last season but this year he simply stinks. 1 lousy point in 40 games and many of those 40 games RHP doesn’t register a shot. Is RHP done as an NHLer or can he bounce back? I’m not sure there is a roster spot for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 42 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said: I’m not sure there is a roster spot for him. Don't forget the 13th forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 50 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said: RHP He scored a bunch of goals last season but this year he simply stinks. 1 lousy point in 40 games and many of those 40 games RHP doesn’t register a shot. Is RHP done as an NHLer or can he bounce back? I’m not sure there is a roster spot for him. After 14 goals in 34 games last year the expectations were definitely higher. Expectations can weigh on a player. He is 25 now so he has had some time. I like his attitude, but he has to produce more (obviously). Perhaps 13th forward is about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Great interview with Kent Hughes, gives a little clue about the draft at 25:20, said if the best player available was a LD, then they would look at trading up or back. Kent Hughes - Canadiens GM [Full Interview] | Frankly Speaking Podcast (youtube.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 2 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said: RHP He scored a bunch of goals last season but this year he simply stinks. 1 lousy point in 40 games and many of those 40 games RHP doesn’t register a shot. Is RHP done as an NHLer or can he bounce back? I’m not sure there is a roster spot for him. He scored a bunch of goals playing with Suzuki on the first line when Caufield was hurt and he was shooting at an insane shooting percentage. I said at the time that it was never sustainable. He's not a first line player and was merely on a hot streak aided by luck and teammates. Is he an NHLer? Yes he's a fourth liner/13th forward. He's been very good on the penalty kill and helps the fourth line. I just don't think he was ever going to keep his pace, much like Poehling was never going to be the guy who got a hattrick in his first game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 2 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said: After 14 goals in 34 games last year the expectations were definitely higher. Expectations can weigh on a player. He is 25 now so he has had some time. I like his attitude, but he has to produce more (obviously). Perhaps 13th forward is about it. And that's okay from a seventh-round pick. If he's a reserve forward who comes in when injuries arise and can kill penalties and play on the fourth line, there's nothing really wrong with that outcome. That said, his price point can't go much higher than it is now if he wants to stick around. Fortunately, management saw this as a possibility and slightly front-loaded his contract so he'll only be owed a $1M qualifying offer next summer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 1 hour ago, Commandant said: He scored a bunch of goals playing with Suzuki on the first line when Caufield was hurt and he was shooting at an insane shooting percentage. I said at the time that it was never sustainable. He's not a first line player and was merely on a hot streak aided by luck and teammates. Is he an NHLer? Yes he's a fourth liner/13th forward. He's been very good on the penalty kill and helps the fourth line. I just don't think he was ever going to keep his pace, much like Poehling was never going to be the guy who got a hattrick in his first game. I do remember you talking about his shooting percentage last year. What excited me was that his production was on a regular basis and not just a little hot streak but having such a high shooting percentage ( outside of his normal) isn’t sustainable. Playing with Suzuki is a whole lot better than playing with White that’s for sure. 36 minutes ago, dlbalr said: And that's okay from a seventh-round pick. If he's a reserve forward who comes in when injuries arise and can kill penalties and play on the fourth line, there's nothing really wrong with that outcome. That said, his price point can't go much higher than it is now if he wants to stick around. Fortunately, management saw this as a possibility and slightly front-loaded his contract so he'll only be owed a $1M qualifying offer next summer. This seems to be the truth for RHP and you are right that it isn’t a terrible outcome but man I thought we had a solid third liner. Roster competition is coming RHP, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 In fairness his shooting percentage this year is well below what should be expected too. This year we should expect him to have 3-4 goals and 9-10 assists for 12-15 points... considering he's played half the season that would be 6 goals and 24-30 points over 82 games, which isn't bad for a fourth liner. He got lucky with his finishing in 2023 He's been unlucky this year, both his own finishing and his linemates. So the truth is likely in the middle of the two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 28 minutes ago, Commandant said: In fairness his shooting percentage this year is well below what should be expected too. This year we should expect him to have 3-4 goals and 9-10 assists for 12-15 points... considering he's played half the season that would be 6 goals and 24-30 points over 82 games, which isn't bad for a fourth liner. He got lucky with his finishing in 2023 He's been unlucky this year, both his own finishing and his linemates. So the truth is likely in the middle of the two years. Good analysis, thanks. I certainly supported riding him while he was hot last season, but never thought of him as a core piece in the rebuild. Might be nice to keep him around longer term as depth/4th liner, given that he's francophone - as long as the price is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Have a look at the 3rd goal from Slaf yesterday and tell me RHP doesn't deserve an assist. This goal was all because of him. Point is, RHP does enough to be in the conversation for 4th line/13th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 The emergence of 1. Slaf (by a bullet) 2. Suzuki as a legitimate #1C 3. Newhook as a speedy, dangerous 2nd line type 4. Primeau are really the good news stories of this season. They're kind of 2024's equivalent to last season's realization that we had legit young players on D. And 5. the second-half surge by Caufield offers some reassurance that maybe his shoulder surgery really did deflate his production, such that he is closer to a 40-goal guy than a 30-goal guy. (Not that there's anything wrong with being a 30-goal guy, but safe to say most of us harboured hopes that he might be an elite goal scorer. That hope remains credible, and next season will tell the tale). You know me, though - I'm a fretful sort. One thing that worries me a bit about all this is that much of the good news has occurred during "garbage time," with the Habs safely out of the playoffs and all pressure off. The Galchenyuk precedent reminds us to be cautious about reading too much into second-half surges by young players on terrible teams. I think, though, that our hopes in these five factors are well-founded. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 3 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: The emergence of 1. Slaf (by a bullet) 2. Suzuki as a legitimate #1C 3. Newhook as a speedy, dangerous 2nd line type 4. Primeau are really the good news stories of this season. They're kind of 2024's equivalent to last season's realization that we had legit young players on D. And 5. the second-half surge by Caufield offers some reassurance that maybe his shoulder surgery really did deflate his production, such that he is closer to a 40-goal guy than a 30-goal guy. (Not that there's anything wrong with being a 30-goal guy, but safe to say most of us harboured hopes that he might be an elite goal scorer. That hope remains credible, and next season will tell the tale). You know me, though - I'm a fretful sort. One thing that worries me a bit about all this is that much of the good news has occurred during "garbage time," with the Habs safely out of the playoffs and all pressure off. The Galchenyuk precedent reminds us to be cautious about reading too much into second-half surges by young players on terrible teams. I think, though, that our hopes in these five factors are well-founded. Agree with your points but you forgot about the emergence of Joel Armia. Is he ready to blossom? Has he turned the corner? OK, let's not get too excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 4 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said: Agree with your points but you forgot about the emergence of Joel Armia. Is he ready to blossom? Has he turned the corner? OK, let's not get too excited. A late bloomer at age 30! Just goes to show, patient development pays off 🤪 No joke, though, he has played like an absolute stud top-9 forward over the second half. If he continues it into next season, we might be able to move that contract and maybe even get something back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 3 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: A late bloomer at age 30! Just goes to show, patient development pays off 🤪 No joke, though, he has played like an absolute stud top-9 forward over the second half. If he continues it into next season, we might be able to move that contract and maybe even get something back. He has had a terrific 2nd half, don't know what caused the turnaround (time in the AHL, Marty's magic?) but he has always had the skills, just couldn't put it together for any length of time. Hopefully it continues although I am OK if the next 2 games are mediocre for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted April 14 Author Share Posted April 14 1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: One thing that worries me a bit about all this is that much of the good news has occurred during "garbage time," with the Habs safely out of the playoffs and all pressure off. The Galchenyuk precedent reminds us to be cautious about reading too much into second-half surges by young players on terrible teams. Always a good point to consider ... better to hope than build expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted April 14 Author Share Posted April 14 1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: A late bloomer at age 30! Just goes to show, patient development pays off 🤪 No joke, though, he has played like an absolute stud top-9 forward over the second half. If he continues it into next season, we might be able to move that contract and maybe even get something back. Is it worth risking that he regresses to his norm and becomes difficult to trade, or should they strike while the iron is hot even if the return is "modest". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 If there is a summer trade available... and you dont have to retain salary. Do it. Same goes for Savard. The retention slot may be needed for Dvorak or Gallagher or Anderson at some point in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 32 minutes ago, GHT120 said: Is it worth risking that he regresses to his norm and becomes difficult to trade, or should they strike while the iron is hot even if the return is "modest". Agree 100%. No one will take him now, but IF he can continue into, say, December, then a team might be willing to go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 Just now, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: Agree 100%. No one will take him now, but IF he can continue into, say, December, then a team might be willing to go for it. 17 goals, good defensive play. 1 year rental. Rising cap and not many FAs. Someone might bite if they dont have to give much in assets, and struck out on the UFA market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 41 minutes ago, Commandant said: 17 goals, good defensive play. 1 year rental. Rising cap and not many FAs. Someone might bite if they dont have to give much in assets, and struck out on the UFA market Ever better 👍 Hell, I could see Salt Lake City Beauts/Salt Lickers taking a flyer on him - they'll want to compete off the hop, and will have oodles of cap space and gobs of assets to send back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 37 minutes ago, Commandant said: 17 goals, good defensive play. 1 year rental. Rising cap and not many FAs. Someone might bite if they dont have to give much in assets, and struck out on the UFA market Need some additional PK skill on the roster, though. We don't have much beyond Armia, Evans and Suzuki now, and the gap will get bigger yet if we trade Armia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted April 14 Author Share Posted April 14 58 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: Agree 100%. No one will take him now, but IF he can continue into, say, December, then a team might be willing to go for it. 56 minutes ago, Commandant said: 17 goals, good defensive play. 1 year rental. Rising cap and not many FAs. Someone might bite if they dont have to give much in assets, and struck out on the UFA market I tend to agree with @Commandant on this ... Armia has played well enough since the New Year to have value to some other teams, especially if "July 1st" doesn't address their needs that he fills ... not likely to require retention or garner much return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.