2023-24 Montreal Canadiens Discussion Thread

[Commandant]

47 minutes ago, DON said:

There must at least 10 or more NHL centres that would be chosen for a team today before Suzuki would be?

So, you think he is (not will be in future) a top 10 NHL centre? Is that what you are arguing about and him not being more a middle of pack #1?

Again, not sure anyone outside of HabFans would disagree?

 

 

Yes, I think a PPG level centre with Selke level defence is a top 10 centre. 

Top 10 in points isn't the same as top 10 in impact on the ice. 

[Commandant]

19 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I totally agree , but Johnson is one guy who will absolutely be a centre. Man I really wish Nill had taken the GM job in Montreal! Amazing drafting and development!

 

I think Johnston is great... I'm just saying he didn't play centre, so 47 centres who scored 60 points isn't correct.... its at least 39... and maybe less.  I'd have to look at guys like Verhaeghe, Stamkos, and a few others to see how much of their season was spent at Centre, and how much was on the wing.... anyone with less than 50% of their shifts at Centre, shouldn't be listed as a Centre IMO... if you play more shifts on wing than at Centre, your primary position is wing. 

[Commandant]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:22 AM, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

 

That’s a lot of ifs. The ideal play is for the Habs to draft or acquire an impact FW who can play either C or W, just in case Dach’s development stalls, or he can’t stay healthy.

 

One thing though... we've already seen Dach on wing, and he was good there on a Caufield - Suzuki - Dach line. 

 

Also most centres (With the exception of Eller and KK) can move to wing and still succeed.  Its easier than moving a winger to centre. 

So if this is your thinking, I'd look to draft or acquire a centre (all things being equal).  Dach could move to wing, or the new guy could move to wing..... that seems a relatively common and easy transition.  Much easier than the other way.  There is a reason Team Canada Best on Best teams take like 8 - 10 natural centres whenever there is Olympics or world cup.  Moving a centre to wing is pretty easy. 

That said, I'm taking Demidov if available, cause he's a better winger than the centres available. But if you don't have him, then a Catton, Lidstrom, or dream in Helenius would be good.  Iginla is also apparently moving to centre next season to at least try him there, but he's been a winger so far. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Seems like a smart move to lock Slafkovsky up long term at the Suzuki, Caufield rate. 
 

 

[DON]

Seems about right.

Which NHL teams need upgrades at wing? Ranking all 32 teams by current quality - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

25. Montreal Canadiens
Current quality: 21st percentile

Looking for: Franchise talent, top-line winger, top-six winger

The Canadiens are in need of franchise talent and have two candidates on the wing with potential. Cole Caufield looks ready to take a leap and Juraj Slafkovský showed superstar flashes in the second half last season.

Both players have potential to make this current rank look silly, but we’re going to err on the side of caution for both. Regardless, the Canadiens still likely need one other top-line winger and top-six winger to complement them. Maybe a healthy Kirby Dach can be that solution internally.

[alfredoh2009]

54 minutes ago, DON said:

Seems about right.

Which NHL teams need upgrades at wing? Ranking all 32 teams by current quality - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

25. Montreal Canadiens
Current quality: 21st percentile

Looking for: Franchise talent, top-line winger, top-six winger

The Canadiens are in need of franchise talent and have two candidates on the wing with potential. Cole Caufield looks ready to take a leap and Juraj Slafkovský showed superstar flashes in the second half last season.

Both players have potential to make this current rank look silly, but we’re going to err on the side of caution for both. Regardless, the Canadiens still likely need one other top-line winger and top-six winger to complement them. Maybe a healthy Kirby Dach can be that solution internally.

 

I have read the article yet, but based on this post: I agree.

 

I would be happy of the Habs get elite-level talent, franchise-level in my potato-head understanding is above that. I would take either

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, DON said:

The Canadiens are in need of franchise talent and have two candidates on the wing with potential. Cole Caufield looks ready to take a leap and Juraj Slafkovský showed superstar flashes in the second half last season.

Both players have potential to make this current rank look silly, but we’re going to err on the side of caution for both. Regardless, the Canadiens still likely need one other top-line winger and top-six winger to complement them. Maybe a healthy Kirby Dach can be that solution internally.

Apparently only one of Caufield and Slafkovsky is a top-line forward.

[Commandant]

They also don't realize Dach is a Centre, which again shows bad research. 

 

Dom L is also the guy who had Suzuki as one of the ten worst contracts in the NHL previously.  The more of his stuff I read, the more I realize he is either biased against the Habs or doesn't do his research on them. 

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

They also don't realize Dach is a Centre, which again shows bad research. 

 

Dom L is also the guy who had Suzuki as one of the ten worst contracts in the NHL previously.  The more of his stuff I read, the more I realize he is either biased against the Habs or doesn't do his research on them. 

Dom is focused on his predictive model, which isn't too bad at the level of predicting team performance, but does not do nearly as well in evaluating individual players. And that's where the forward rankings, for example, come from.

[Commandant]

Advanced stats are great, I love them.

 

Biut they can't be 100% of your work.  There has to be eye test involved too. 

[DON]

Seems reasonable take on Dach and centres.

We all hope he is a top six centre, but who the hell knows as of today.

 

https://www.habsworld.net/2024/06/assessing-the-depth-centres-9/

 

"The hope was that Dach would take a step forward in his second full season with the Habs and give them a legitimate long-term second centre.  But after a good preseason, he was injured in the second game of the year and didn’t return.  That makes him more of a wild card at this stage than someone management can safely pencil onto the second line regularly."

[tomh009]

11 hours ago, DON said:

"The hope was that Dach would take a step forward in his second full season with the Habs and give them a legitimate long-term second centre.  But after a good preseason, he was injured in the second game of the year and didn’t return.  That makes him more of a wild card at this stage than someone management can safely pencil onto the second line regularly."

Wild card? Definitely has more risk. But drafting Leonard or another C would have significant risk as well as none of the potential picks have yet played a game in the NH:L.

[TurdBurglar]

In the pre-draft interview Gorton confirmed they aren't qualifying Ylonen, but are qualifying Barron and Xhekaj.

 

 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Too bad about Ylonen. He showed promise at times, but his development seemed to have stalled...it was clear before now that they'd pretty much lost faith in him. I'll be curious to see if he gets picked up, and by whom. (Vancouver needs cheap depth W - that wouldn't surprise me).

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Too bad about Ylonen. He showed promise at times, but his development seemed to have stalled...it was clear before now that they'd pretty much lost faith in him. I'll be curious to see if he gets picked up, and by whom. (Vancouver needs cheap depth W - that wouldn't surprise me).

Yup, I thought he could be a really good 3rd liner, excellent skater, showed flashes but just couldn't find the consistency. Someone will pick him up.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

11 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Yup, I thought he could be a really good 3rd liner, excellent skater, showed flashes but just couldn't find the consistency. Someone will pick him up.

 

TBH what you’re describing is about 50 different Habs prospects over the past 30 years - every one of which elicited similar support/faith in the fan base. And 99% of which were destined for obscurity. 🤷‍♂️

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Great comment by Hutson here about a young team growing up together 

 

 

[dlbalr]

Agent change for the Xhekaj brothers.  I always take note of these when they happen right before (or during) contract talks.

 

 

[GHT120]

[DON]

Does this lower the odds they get traded? Or just needed done.

[dlbalr]

5 minutes ago, DON said:

Does this lower the odds they get traded? Or just needed done.

 

Just a technicality that need to be done.  It doesn't affect their odds of staying or being traded.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Development camp roster. Good luck kids

 

 

[DON]

They noted Suzuki was on the ice with some of the kids this morning.

[Helmethead]

39 minutes ago, DON said:

They noted Suzuki was on the ice with some of the kids this morning.

Very captainesque of him. Love it. 

[Sir_Boagalott]

Wicked:  Slaf just signed:  8 years @ $7.6 mil = $60.80M