GDT Game #29, Pittsburgh @ Montreal, December 13 2023, 7 PM EST

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

A

3 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

One thing we are absolutely crushing in this rebuild is on D. We seem to be simply awash with quality prospects and young players. It’s incredible. 

 

Now if we could just get something analogous going at FW - we’d be future contenders for sure.

You would have to think a trade will happen swapping D prospects for forwards. There is just not enough room for everybody to play in MTL.

 

 

[huzer]

1 hour ago, DON said:

 

https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2023/12/14/2024-nhl-draft-rankings-lwos-december-rankings-part-3/

 

Ben has 4 centres, 2 wingers in his top ten, I am guessing Habs will end up in bottom ten of NHL come April.

 

McKEENS is similar;

 

 

I don't have much to add other than a personal anecdote. I think it was 2015/2016, I sat next to Jarome Iginla at a rink here in CO when his son was playing Squirt B hockey (we were waiting for the game to finish, my son had mite practice after his game). Pretty fun to see a kid I watched as a 9 year old be a projected first rounder. I'm also fairly clueless, as I talked to Jarome in the stands for a bit before I realized who I was talking to. Fast forward, I'm with my family at an Avs game, watching the warmups. Iginla skated over to the glass, pointed down at my son, then me, gave all of the other adults nearby the stink eye, and tossed the puck over to me. He made sure my son got it before skating off.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, DON said:

 

https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2023/12/14/2024-nhl-draft-rankings-lwos-december-rankings-part-3/

 

Ben has 4 centres, 2 wingers in his top ten, I am guessing Habs will end up in bottom ten of NHL come April.

 

McKEENS is similar;

 

 

I would think we are likely in the 6-12 range for drafting this year. One player on that list in that range who really impresses me is Berkly Catton, very highly skilled. Reminds me a bit of Elias Pettersson. 

[GHT120]

1 hour ago, DON said:

When Harris is healthy, i would think Laval would be perfect spot to at least get some game action in before joining the Habs again. 

Per CapFriendly's "Waiver Calculator", Harris is no longer waiver exempt ... I believe @dlbalr recently posted the same ... I believe it is because of his age when he signed his ELC and that he recently played his 80th game over the last two seasons. 

 

I believe he could get a 14-calendar-day conditioning stint before requiring waivers, but would have to be on the 23-man NHL roster to do so ... last I heard he was expected to be out for 10-14 more days ... Harris could get 6 games in with Laval between the 26th and January 11th.

[Commandant]

1 hour ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

A

You would have to think a trade will happen swapping D prospects for forwards. There is just not enough room for everybody to play in MTL.

 

 

 

Sure, but it doesn't have to happen right now.  

 

Guhle and Harris have now played about a full seasons worth of games, Xhekaj about 60 or so, Kovacevic about 100, Barron about 80 or so, Struble 10-15, Reinbacher, Engstrom, Mailloux, none.... and so on. 

 

You don't want to pick the wrong guys based on small samples, so give it til at least the summer before deciding on which ones to trade and which to keep. 

[Sir_Boagalott]

3 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Yes, we need help up front. I am a big fan of drafting BPA but I really hope the BPA is a forward this year. 

 

Honestly, I cant stand BPA and I think it is ridiculous concept and more like a silly made up term that GMs can use and excuse when they draft the wrong player.  ex:  we didn't pick player X because of BPA.  i.e.:  each draft every Analysts and/or scout has their own list of who is best at what position.  In most drafts there isn't even a general consensus for who should be in the top 5.  Therefore, the term BPA is completely meaningless and made up nonsense.   

 

Besides, the Habs had Timmins for 20+ yrs who always drafted BPA and he primarily drafted a ton of crap picks vs getting players at positions they needed to fill.  ex:  20+ yrs without a large Center just because 1 wasn't available at their exact draft position.  Who cares, just draft 1 thats within a few spots of your picks.   It is completely insane that Habs absolute need went unfulfilled for as long as it did. 

 

IMO, the best thing about Hughes is that he doesn't draft BPA - and I *love* it.  ex:  Habs wanted Florian and Bogdan Konyushkov, they knew both could go in the 4th rnd, they figured Florian would be more well known than Bogdan, so they selected Florian slightly higher than he would have otherwise been drafted, then they took Bogdan with the other 4th rnd pick.   Had they gone with drafting BPA they would have got neither of them.  Watch, in 5+ yrs both those 4th rnd players will be large contributors to Cup runs.  

 

  

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

45 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

Sure, but it doesn't have to happen right now.  

 

Guhle and Harris have now played about a full seasons worth of games, Xhekaj about 60 or so, Kovacevic about 100, Barron about 80 or so, Struble 10-15, Reinbacher, Engstrom, Mailloux, none.... and so on. 

 

You don't want to pick the wrong guys based on small samples, so give it til at least the summer before deciding on which ones to trade and which to keep. 

Totally agree! You would have to think all of Hutson Reinbacher Engstrom Kunyushkov and even Mailloux should be untouchable until we know what they are truly all about

[dlbalr]

On 12/13/2023 at 8:11 PM, Commandant said:

How come the game is RDS and not TVA? I thought if it was TSN it was RDS, and if it was sportsnet it was TVA.

 

The contract RDS has is for 60 games a year.  Usually, TVA gets the opener and then 21 Saturday games.  Sportsnet has the games on national days (Saturday/Monday/Wednesday) which is more than 22 in total.

 

5 hours ago, GHT120 said:

Per CapFriendly's "Waiver Calculator", Harris is no longer waiver exempt ... I believe @dlbalr recently posted the same ... I believe it is because of his age when he signed his ELC and that he recently played his 80th game over the last two seasons. 

 

I believe he could get a 14-calendar-day conditioning stint before requiring waivers, but would have to be on the 23-man NHL roster to do so ... last I heard he was expected to be out for 10-14 more days ... Harris could get 6 games in with Laval between the 26th and January 11th.

 

I think the likelier scenario when Harris comes back is that Lindstrom gets waived and they go to a bit of a rotation.  Harris has played his off-side at times this year and could slot in there in place of maybe Barron here and there.  Struble could get the odd night off as well.  And by then, someone else will inevitably have gotten injured.

[Commandant]

Given our injuries on defence, chances are yup we will have another injury before Harris is back.

[tomh009]

11 hours ago, Commandant said:

Given our injuries on defence, chances are yup we will have another injury before Harris is back.

Another question is how long they will keep Xhekaj in Laval. He should hopefully be improving his game while there but for how long?

[Prime Minister Koivu]

6 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

Another question is how long they will keep Xhekaj in Laval. He should hopefully be improving his game while there but for how long?

I wouldn’t be surprised if he spends all of next season in Laval. 
 

I can’t think of anyone on the Habs roster that Xhekaj should bump. Heck, we are already wondering who should get ice time: Harris or Struble and we are likely looking at a rotation. 
 

Unless someone gets traded to make room. 

[DON]

21 hours ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

 

Honestly, I cant stand BPA and I think it is ridiculous concept and more like a silly made up term that GMs can use and excuse when they draft the wrong player.    

 

In the NFL or NBA picking to fill a current roster hole or need makes sense, as they normally will suit up the following season.

In the NHL it is younger kids taken and most wont be expected to make an impact for several years. So current roster wont be the same in a couple years, is the big difference and why trying to draft for current need dosent seem to work as well. 

 

If have a small team, GMs may wanna draft for size and pass on a Caufield-Cooley (e.g. McCarron-Tinordi-Slafkovski).