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2023-24 Montreal Canadiens Discussion Thread


GHT120

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2 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Perhaps we dress 7 D and shift work the three centres on the 4th?

 

That seems like the way they might be leaning.  Pezzetta played centre once upon a time in junior and for part of a game here and there, he could shift over.  But yeah, 3 C with an extra D to get Kovacevic back in seems like something they'd lean toward.

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1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Someone needs to play on their off side. 

Assuming he dresses ... Harris is better on the right side than Guhle, I think. (No comparison on the left, though.)

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4 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Xhekaj - Guhle is what I would try

 

3 hours ago, GHT120 said:

Guhle on the right?

 

1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Someone needs to play on their off side. 

 

27 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

Assuming he dresses ... Harris is better on the right side than Guhle, I think. (No comparison on the left, though.)

MY question about Guhle was specifically related to the Xhekaj-Guhle pairing suggested by PMK.

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A head scratcher:

 

image.gif

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I think the Habs should send Xhekaj back down to play with Mailloux. Keep him away from this mess and let him develop for the season. 
 

Call a centre up, Stephens would be fine. 
 

Why push our three centres like this? Not to mention the lack of continuity it brings. 
 

Unless there is an imminent trade coming why risk an injury, especially to Monahan?

 

Kind of baffled by the Habs thinking on this. 

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I really hope HughGort continues steadfast with the rebuild, it is the first one Geoff Molson has green lit and it is needed.

 

But I also hope they are open to adjust where needed and learn from any mistakes they may make

 

Go Habs Go!

 

 

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Yes, well - I always said that many of the same people howling for a rebuild will the same people fuming over a team that is crappy over a number of seasons. Fortunately this board has very few such characters, but they’re a common hockey type: the fan who calls fervently for a tank/rebuild, but assumes that means 1-2 bad seasons and you draft McDavid/Draisaitl and then contend in like, year three. Nope.

 

All a smart fan really cares about this stage is development, and whether the team is on track to be a truly strong club in about two years.

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9 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Yes, well - I always said that many of the same people howling for a rebuild will the same people fuming over a team that is crappy over a number of seasons. Fortunately this board has very few such characters, but they’re a common hockey type: the fan who calls fervently for a tank/rebuild, but assumes that means 1-2 bad seasons and you draft McDavid/Draisaitl and then contend in like, year three. Nope.

 

All a smart fan really cares about this stage is development, and whether the team is on track to be a truly strong club in about two years.

 

yes, absolutely

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6 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Yes, well - I always said that many of the same people howling for a rebuild will the same people fuming over a team that is crappy over a number of seasons. Fortunately this board has very few such characters, but they’re a common hockey type: the fan who calls fervently for a tank/rebuild, but assumes that means 1-2 bad seasons and you draft McDavid/Draisaitl and then contend in like, year three. Nope.

 

All a smart fan really cares about this stage is development, and whether the team is on track to be a truly strong club in about two years.

 

Agreed, I am absolutely OK with where they are at right now.  They are making progress, have a good prospect pool (need more forwards though), seemed to have found a #1 goalie. We lose 3 in a row and there seems to be an over reaction in the media. 

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40 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Agreed, I am absolutely OK with where they are at right now.  They are making progress, have a good prospect pool (need more forwards though), seemed to have found a #1 goalie. We lose 3 in a row and there seems to be an over reaction in the media. 

 

Agreed

 

As I've said before, I think some (too many?) in the fanbase and media, not so much here, have bought into the Habs (as currently constituted) really being the team that "plays up" to the better opponents, ignoring that those teams may also be "playing down" to the Habs, which allows Montreal to look better ... impatience and rose-coloured glasses are common amongst sports fans.

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14 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Call a centre up, Stephens would be fine. 
 

Why push our three centres like this? Not to mention the lack of continuity it brings. 
 

Unless there is an imminent trade coming why risk an injury, especially to Monahan?

 

Kind of baffled by the Habs thinking on this. 

 

I'm wondering how much of this relates to Roy and, more specifically, who wanted to keep him up.  Was this management wanting to give him a longer look or did St. Louis say no, I want to keep him around for now?  I'd hope that with how the game went for Pezzetta last night (he didn't play in the final two periods) that both sides realize quickly this plan isn't sustainable.  A game or two, sure, but this can't be a long-term strategy.

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34 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

I'm wondering how much of this relates to Roy and, more specifically, who wanted to keep him up.  Was this management wanting to give him a longer look or did St. Louis say no, I want to keep him around for now?  I'd hope that with how the game went for Pezzetta last night (he didn't play in the final two periods) that both sides realize quickly this plan isn't sustainable.  A game or two, sure, but this can't be a long-term strategy.


I will say that Hughes and Marty are smart people so they must have been a specific reason for doing this. 
 

From a fan’s perspective this move looks really dumb. 
 

A trade might be here, a longer look at Roy as you suggest, hoping to get a big Xhekaj boost?

 

Im hoping Monahan or Allen is about to go and perhaps a centre capable winger is coming back. 
 

I have no idea but this isn’t sustainable. 

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If they could resolve the goalie situation they could re-call Stephens, although I would prefer to see how Andersson would do.

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I really wonder if there is a trade in the works with a centre being involved. 

 

Otherwise the All star break is coming up so why not just do it then, even if its to get Roy more game time. 

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TSN690 reported that at this morning's practice Roy was filling in on defence with someone getting treatment and wasn't expected to dress tomorrow ... maybe Hughes wanted Roy to stay up and MSL felt he was better in Laval and made his point by deciding not to dress him.

 

Interesting tidbit related to the 3-centres:

 

24 yrs-old ... 6'04' ... 215 lbs ... $762.5K AAV ... pending RFA ... good faceoff stats ... seems like a perfect "bridge" at very least ... maybe a 4C for next season.

 

EDIT:  Unfortunately SJS, 'Hawks, Ducks, CBJs, Sens and Sabres get first shot.

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27 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

Interesting tidbit related to the 3-centres:

 

24 yrs-old ... 6'04' ... 215 lbs ... $762.5K AAV ... pending RFA ... good faceoff stats ... seems like a perfect "bridge" at very least ... maybe a 4C for next season.

 

I wonder whether the Flames have a C trade in the works, too? Dube is on leave indefinitely, and yet they still waived Ruzicka, so that's both of their 4C options gone.

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2 hours ago, GHT120 said:

If they could resolve the goalie situation they could re-call Stephens, although I would prefer to see how Andersson would do.

 

Andersson has basically exclusively been a winger this season so I'm not sure it'd be him even with his experience.  If it's not Stephens, it's Maillet on merit or Condotta for fit.

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32 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

Andersson has basically exclusively been a winger this season so I'm not sure it'd be him even with his experience.  If it's not Stephens, it's Maillet on merit or Condotta for fit.

Thanks

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1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

 

I wonder whether the Flames have a C trade in the works, too? Dube is on leave indefinitely, and yet they still waived Ruzicka, so that's both of their 4C options gone.

 

This one is surprising, I know they were pretty high on Ruzicka at one point. I will be very surprised if he doesn't get picked up. 

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Up front still lacking a superstar for now and cant disagree too much with author.

 

Which NHL teams have the worst odds of winning the Stanley Cup by 2028? - The Athletic

19. Montreal Canadiens
In one sense, this ranking feels low for a team that’s been rebuilding — including having a first overall pick — in the years right before our window starts. Maybe that’s especially true for the Habs, who are having a better season than most expected. Still, they’re not going to make the playoffs this year, probably won’t make it next, and may not have enough top-end talent to ever truly break through. There’s still time for some twists and turns, but right now, this feels more like a rebuild that’s on its way to peaking at “pretty good” instead of “Cup favorite,” doesn’t it?

 

Odds of a championship in five years: 12 percent

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8 hours ago, DON said:

Up front still lacking a superstar for now and cant disagree too much with author.

 

Which NHL teams have the worst odds of winning the Stanley Cup by 2028? - The Athletic

19. Montreal Canadiens
In one sense, this ranking feels low for a team that’s been rebuilding — including having a first overall pick — in the years right before our window starts. Maybe that’s especially true for the Habs, who are having a better season than most expected. Still, they’re not going to make the playoffs this year, probably won’t make it next, and may not have enough top-end talent to ever truly break through. There’s still time for some twists and turns, but right now, this feels more like a rebuild that’s on its way to peaking at “pretty good” instead of “Cup favorite,” doesn’t it?

 

Odds of a championship in five years: 12 percent


While we don’t have any projected star forwards in the system (maybe Slafkovsky) but we might have a star defensive group in the making. 

 

 

7 hours ago, DON said:


We also seem to have a new first line winger. Well a new, old, unproductive, winger that is - Anderson 
 

Slafkovsky is playing great on the top line why bring the boat anchor back? 

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