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2024-25 Montreal Canadiens discussion thread


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10 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

I think that's it: the combination of cap hit and existing injury.

 

Given those 2 factors perhaps Hughes is not the least bit interested and we have wasted our time discussing Laine. OK, it's never a waste of time discussing anything remotely possible when it comes to the Habs. 

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1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

I think that's it: the combination of cap hit and existing injury.

I think any team interested will get a medical report and probably Lynne able to talk to Laine. However,  it many teams have the cap space to take on the entire cap hit. I hope we at least inquire on the medical concerns. If there are no issues medically AND Laine doesn't mind coming into the pressure cooker, I hope we do pursue him. As long as the shoulder is good, I'm not as concerned that he may need some time like Caufield did last year. If we get 1.5 productive years out of him and he can help us play more meaningful games during the last half of the season it's a win.

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57 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I think any team interested will get a medical report and probably Lynne able to talk to Laine. However,  it many teams have the cap space to take on the entire cap hit. I hope we at least inquire on the medical concerns. If there are no issues medically AND Laine doesn't mind coming into the pressure cooker, I hope we do pursue him. As long as the shoulder is good, I'm not as concerned that he may need some time like Caufield did last year. If we get 1.5 productive years out of him and he can help us play more meaningful games during the last half of the season it's a win.

 

I don’t think Montreal is much of a “pressure cooker” at this juncture. That’s one of the things we need to start getting our players used to - expectations.

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2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I don’t think Montreal is much of a “pressure cooker” at this juncture. That’s one of the things we need to start getting our players used to - expectations.

Think he might have been referring more to the general media microscope that so many competing "journalists" produces, especially when the player has a "history", than the pressure to win.

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6 hours ago, GHT120 said:

Think he might have been referring more to the general media microscope that so many competing "journalists" produces, especially when the player has a "history", than the pressure to win.

Yes. That and the spotlight that comes with playing in Montreal. Like Carey Price used to talk about not being able to the grocery store without getting recognized. Having said that Laine was playing in a place where he probably had anonymity and that didn't work out either.

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5 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Yes. That and the spotlight that comes with playing in Montreal. Like Carey Price used to talk about not being able to the grocery store without getting recognized. Having said that Laine was playing in a place where he probably had anonymity and that didn't work out either.

 

Fair enough. I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about players who want to play in markets where nobody gives a crap about what they’re doing. Maybe it’s unfair of me, but I find that soulless and frankly lame. It’s obvious that the current batch of Habs LOVE the spotlight (another thing that bodes well for our collective future). Full credit to a genuinely shy person like Carey Price for choosing Montreal, having the inner fortitude to recognize what a special place to play that is and embracing it. Personally I think the guys who “just want to play in anonymity” want the millions of dollars with a minimum of community commitment in return. They’re also kind of parasitic upon markets like Montreal, Toronto, Boston, etc., which live and breathe the game and are the true drivers of the millions of dollars they have access to.

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45 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Fair enough. I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about players who want to play in markets where nobody gives a crap about what they’re doing. Maybe it’s unfair of me, but I find that soulless and frankly lame. It’s obvious that the current batch of Habs LOVE the spotlight (another thing that bodes well for our collective future). 

 

I don't think it totally unfair, I think it's more a case of some players preferring the anonymity at least to some degree. I can understand it being somewhat uncomfortable for an introvert being recognized every time you go to the corner store. Some will hate it, some will dislike it but accept it while others embrace playing in a hockey crazy market. I agree the current batch of Habs seems to enjoy the spotlight in Montreal and Demidov also seems to have that outgoing personality who will enjoy it. 

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Lets remember that pressure markets arent tough just on the player but his wife and kids too.  Plenty of stories of kids coming home from school saying other kids say their dad sucks or something similar.

 

Its one thing for the player.  Its anothet for the wife who knew what she was marrying into on one hand but its still unfair on the other.  With kids there is no ambiguity, they didnt ask for the shit.

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Bit out in left field;

 

Mario refused to put on a Penguins jersey, or shake the GMs hand when drafted.

 

Mark Madden: 35 years later, Penguins' drafting Mario Lemieux No. 1 was both easy, complicated | TribLIVE.com

(some big offers for the 1st pick)

 

But, he has basically come full circle on Pittsburgh over 35 years. 

Mario-Lemieux-UPMC-Lemieux-Sports-Complex-display-case

Hockey (upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com)

"When preparing to open the facility in 2016, the Penguins wanted to honor Lemieux, with his name being on the building. Since so much had been done on his NHL career, they thought focusing on Lemieux’s youth hockey career would be special, since youth hockey is at the core of what the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex is all about.

 

Lemieux responded to that idea with unbridled enthusiasm, unlike anything McMillan had ever seen from the Hall of Famer.

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On 8/3/2024 at 10:27 AM, Commandant said:

Lets remember that pressure markets arent tough just on the player but his wife and kids too.  Plenty of stories of kids coming home from school saying other kids say their dad sucks or something similar.

 

Its one thing for the player.  Its anothet for the wife who knew what she was marrying into on one hand but its still unfair on the other.  With kids there is no ambiguity, they didnt ask for the shit.

That's an insight I've never considered. As you say. How many of these player's kids are catching crap at school because of dad.

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1 hour ago, BCHabnut said:

That's an insight I've never considered. As you say. How many of these player's kids are catching crap at school because of dad.

 

Probably cuts both ways. The kid is likely a god in the schoolyard as so-and-so’s child. But if daddy starts to struggle, that narrative will flip extremely quickly. You know what kids are like. Little pukes, LOL.

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Awww, maritimers bonding.

cms-newhook-golfcalssic

Newhook swings Fore! a good cause | Montréal Canadiens (nhl.com)

 

"A trio of Canadiens––Josh Anderson, Justin Barron and Jayden Struble––are among the 33 foursomes expected to tee it up at the event on Canada’s east coast, which also includes a silent auction, autograph session, and Q&A."

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11 hours ago, Commandant said:

His legs are massive 

 

Yes, he must be doing some squats. A good sign, because most guys he will be battling are going to be taller than him, having lower body and core strength is really important. 

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37 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

Free agency is C+since they really haven't signed anyone of any significance yet.


I would give the Habs an A+ for free agency because they’ve signed almost nobody. 
 

Others would take the fact that we have signed nobody as a weakness and give a low grade. 
 

I expect Hughes to be in free agency in three seasons or so but no reason to add free agents now. 

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1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

Free agency is C+since they really haven't signed anyone of any significance yet.

Similarly, "roster building" is a C+ because they have not yet really focused on building the roster, they have been building the talent pool.

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9 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

From the Athletic 

 

They have been posting these opinion cards for each team. I think I generally agree with these rankings:

 

 

IMG_0571.jpeg

 

For clarification, these aren't actually rankings from The Athletic but rather a summary of fan/public voting.

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How will the top line start out the season, hopefully on fire and filling the nets.

Fantasy Focus: Cole Caufield – HabsWorld.net

"With the Habs essentially bringing back the same group, there isn’t necessarily much room for enthusiasm for players to take a big jump offensively.  That can be said about Caufield but I think there’s a good case to be made that he can set a new benchmark or two this coming season."

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37 minutes ago, DON said:

How will the top line start out the season, hopefully on fire and filling the nets.

Fantasy Focus: Cole Caufield – HabsWorld.net

"With the Habs essentially bringing back the same group, there isn’t necessarily much room for enthusiasm for players to take a big jump offensively.  That can be said about Caufield but I think there’s a good case to be made that he can set a new benchmark or two this coming season."


Unless St.Louis breaks up that line I expect everyone to top 70 points, including Slafkovsky. 
 

He was just under a point per game for a long stretch. 

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20 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:


Unless St.Louis breaks up that line I expect everyone to top 70 points, including Slafkovsky. 
 

He was just under a point per game for a long stretch. 

 

I keep in mind what Hughes said about Slaf - that there will be periods of regression, it won’t all be uphill. This is not true of Slick Nick or Caufield, however. 60 feels like a safer projection for Slaf. But who knows. He could break out.

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