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2024-25 NHL discussion thread


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17 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Evans has 29 goals in 277 games, at that rate he has to contribute more than offence which he does. Let's not get too excited about his offence because he has scored in back to back games which is great to see.

 

I don't think it's going out on the limb to suggest the guys mentioned will likely contribute more than Evans offensively but would they be happy in a 4th line role which Evans seems to enjoy. I think there is still room for Evans in a 4th line role if the cost is not too prohibitive. 

 

I love Evans, it was a very smart draft pick and he paid it back by not becoming an UFA after NCAA (he could have).

 

Evans right now is at his peak. Playing amazing, still a fast skater and producing points. If he was to be traded, this is probably the best time to get a god return for him. Condotta, Kapanen and Beck could play 4th line on sheltered minutes until they outperform Dvorak or he is traded

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5 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

Evans right now is at his peak. Playing amazing, still a fast skater and producing points. If he was to be traded, this is probably the best time to get a god return for him.

I agree. He won’t be with the team when we begin competing for cup.

Sell high. Use assets (3rd rounder ??) to move up in the draft. (3 third round picks might equal a 2nd round pick.) I’d have to check the Shucker or Luszczyszyn draft math on that. 

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20 hours ago, Butterface said:

But if rumours are true and we are looking for a player to take on a role like this… It means giving up assets and taking on a contract … would it not be better to have Anderson continue his role on PK, skate back and forth really fast to impress people how fast he skates for someone that size, and also help the Sheriff restore law and order ? Could he not drop the gloves too ?  What does 5.5 AAV buy you ? Just a forecheck and a penalty kill ?

 

The report that's out there says they're looking for a forward with some edge; that doesn't mean they want a fourth-line Pezzetta replacement who will fight regularly.  They're looking for someone for the middle six who can take a regular shift and throw the body around when needed.  In essence, I think they're looking for another Anderson, not another fighter.

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4 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

In essence, I think they're looking for another Anderson, not another fighter.


I hope not… 5.5 million for a penalty killer seems high.

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Is it me or does anyone notice articles get written on subjects recently brought up in the group chats … like reporters scope out chat sites to find ideas for stories ?

 

Am I nuts ?

 

Slafkovsky is Kraken the line up tonight. See if these reporters like puns.

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The latest on the Goldilocks season the Habs want out of the Flames.

 

But the last paragraph or two sums up what we have all been saying…. Calgary has had their balloon burst after their 5-0 start. We might have to purposefully lose to them Nov 5th to keep them in the Goldilocks zone.

 

https://montrealhockeynow.com/2024/10/29/state-of-conditions-in-canadiens-sean-monahan-trade/

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Suzuki is, and IMHO will very likely remain, the most important player in our FW unit. He is the motor up front, the guy who masterminds the play allowing CC to score and Slaf to battle. Maybe Demidov will eclipse him in 3-4 years, but if this team wins a Cup, it will almost certainly be with Nick Suzuki as our leader and all-around best forward: our answer to Patrice Bergeron.

 

Hutson may surpass him as the all-around most important position player. We'll see. I don't see anyone else likely to do so.

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11 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Suzuki is, and IMHO will very likely remain, the most important player in our FW unit. He is the motor up front, the guy who masterminds the play allowing CC to score and Slaf to battle. Maybe Demidov will eclipse him in 3-4 years, but if this team wins a Cup, it will almost certainly be with Nick Suzuki as our leader and all-around best forward: our answer to Patrice Bergeron.

 

Hutson may surpass him as the all-around most important position player. We'll see. I don't see anyone else likely to do so.

 

Yup, Suzuki is the brains behind this operation. If someone surpasses him that will be great news. 

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Well it’s a good subject to debate. Suzuki is definitely a role model. Solid leader. If he and others keep salary reasonable as Hughes has been working hard at (unlike Bergevin) … then we can ride this rodeo horse longer. I just think we won’t have enough runway for him. But I hope we do…. We definitely will need a few team friendly contracts to keep him in the fold otherwise we lose out on younger talent leaving due to Cap issues. He could end up being the Tavares of the Habs (Toronto def tried to punt Tavares this year).

 

First order of business will be teaching Anderson to become more of what we are apparently searching for. If he can’t score he could certainly be more Cal Clutterbuck-ish or more Pat Maroon-ish … or at least try to mimic these two guys. Some Brian Burke truculence at the very least. For 5.5 million and with his speed he should be knocking over barn doors. But again he will be gone before we are winning division titles or conference trophies.

 

Make a decision on Evans soon. Offer two years. I’m sure he will be looking for longer term though. Okay longer, but no NTC. We need options to trade him should Kapanen and/or Beck begin to surpass him.

Either way, I think Evans will want to hit open market to get term and $$ if his stellar season continues….and who could blame him. So trading him seems most logical.

 

Thanks for debating these with me. I have had a fun day. Learned things. Mulled things over in my mind. Gotten a bit more open minded about some assets, but not a lot. Excited to see how Management handles the next few years. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, tomh009 said:

Ideally we get McDavid, MacKinnon and Draisatl all signing up with the Habs on team-friendly UFA contracts.

 

In the real world, though, Suzuki is a very good 1C, and will not be a roadblock for us being able to contend.

Draisaitl was extended on September 3rd (8yrs @ $14M per year) ... and MacKinnon is locked up through 30/31 ... but I'll gladly settle for McDavid.

😉

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1 minute ago, GHT120 said:

Draisaitl was extended on September 3rd (8yrs @ $14M per year) ... and MacKinnon is locked up through 30/31 ... but I'll gladly settle for McDavid.

😉

It's not the real world, like I said. We can dream about perfect players in every position but Gorton and Hughes will need to find a way to build a contending team that doesn't need elite players in every position.

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11 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:


Suzuki is part of the core and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. 
 

Someone gotta play centre and besides, Suzuki is really good 

 

 

IMG_0697.jpeg

 

He said Suzuki is not part of.the core.  Jesus ####. 

 

I gotta put this guy on ignore.  His comments are too dumb to.waste time reading.

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9 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said:

 

I love Evans, it was a very smart draft pick and he paid it back by not becoming an UFA after NCAA (he could have).

 

Evans right now is at his peak. Playing amazing, still a fast skater and producing points. If he was to be traded, this is probably the best time to get a god return for him. Condotta, Kapanen and Beck could play 4th line on sheltered minutes until they outperform Dvorak or he is traded

 

None of them are doing what Evans is doing on the PK or defensive zone right now.  Condotta is simply not a full time NHLer and Kapanen/Beck may become good defensive players but are years away from the experience necessary to do what Evans does.

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15 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

None of them are doing what Evans is doing on the PK or defensive zone right now.  Condotta is simply not a full time NHLer and Kapanen/Beck may become good defensive players but are years away from the experience necessary to do what Evans does.

 

I think pretty much every poster here appreciates what Evans brings from a defensive point of view. I certainly do. When he took that crap hit from Scheiffle to score that goal that cemented my opinion of him. It all depends on whether Evans demands are reasonable. He is a UFA and has all the leverage especially if he has a really good year. 

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If anyone wonders why Gary Bettman has the support of the BoG/owners ... EVERY team is worth at least $1B
 

 

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On 10/29/2024 at 12:41 PM, Butterface said:

I hope not… 5.5 million for a penalty killer seems high.

 

Maybe not a $5.5 million player but in general, a 10-15-goal, 30-ish point forward who can play with some physicality on the third line and move up when needed.  That player preferably would be young enough to fit in with the current group...which means the salary might not be overly high but the acquisition cost will be.

 

On 10/29/2024 at 1:18 PM, Butterface said:

Is it me or does anyone notice articles get written on subjects recently brought up in the group chats … like reporters scope out chat sites to find ideas for stories ?

 

Am I nuts ?

 

It's a long season in general so it wouldn't shock me if the answer was yes that some reporters at least keep tabs on message boards/public chat rooms.  Speaking from my own experience, I've utilized those in my own writing both for HW and for PHR, sometimes for ideas during a slow time, others for additional context.

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4 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:


Has been the topic of trade talk here. 
 

Hughes clearly didn’t want him. 

 

That's a good trade for San Jose as Liljigren will get a chance to play a lot of minutes on a regular basis. Not much of a return for Toronto considering he was a 1st round pick but it frees up cap space. 

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1 minute ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

That's a good trade for San Jose as Liljigren will get a chance to play a lot of minutes on a regular basis. Not much of a return for Toronto considering he was a 1st round pick but it frees up cap space. 

 

With a couple of players due back from LTIR soon, their hand was about to be forced.  Benning has a couple years left but at a much more manageable salary to play the 6/7 role (assuming he's not waived) and they get at least one semi-decent pick.  Honestly, I thought they'd have to settle for less than that.

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31 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Has been the topic of trade talk here. 
 

Hughes clearly didn’t want him. 

 

OR, after getting snookered in the Monahan trade, Treliving didn't want to deal with Hughes again.

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The losses may finally catch up to them.  I have been wrong in predicting they would fall down the standings due to the losses of Bergeron and Krejci and not replacing them at centre a couple of years, but it may finally be catching up to them. 

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