Butterface Posted December 31, 2024 Author Share Posted December 31, 2024 1 hour ago, hab29RETIRED said: I can't see him being as productive two years from now though. May be of value at a reduced rate (if we retain some salary), for another rebuilding team. For the Gally send off in 2027 we should retain half his salary, then see if another team will take him and retain half, and then they send him to a Cup contender. Don’t ask for anything in return. Just see if we can get him on a team that has a chance. Don’t know if it’s possible, but it should be attempted. If 3 salary retentions is max for one player. Maybe we go for 3. Either way, he should be treated with all the due respect he deserves. Maybe organize a parade for his way to the airport. Fireworks. Arcade Fire playing … Celine….the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted December 31, 2024 Share Posted December 31, 2024 1 hour ago, hab29RETIRED said: I can't see him being as productive two years from now though. May be of value at a reduced rate (if we retain some salary), for another rebuilding team. Perhaps, I am pretty happy with what he has done this year but my expectations were not that high. He is a guy that works hard in the off season and takes care of himself. We might get 2 more decent years out of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted December 31, 2024 Share Posted December 31, 2024 9 hours ago, Butterface said: For the Gally send off in 2027 we should retain half his salary, then see if another team will take him and retain half, and then they send him to a Cup contender. Don’t ask for anything in return. Just see if we can get him on a team that has a chance. Don’t know if it’s possible, but it should be attempted. If 3 salary retentions is max for one player. Maybe we go for 3. Either way, he should be treated with all the due respect he deserves. Maybe organize a parade for his way to the airport. Fireworks. Arcade Fire playing … Celine….the works. We'll see how he's doing by then. It would be very nice to allow him to finish his career with the Habs ... if that can align with the team's goals and cap space. Much can happen yet in the next two years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 22 hours ago, Butterface said: Why these reporters throw the names out idk…. https://awinninghabit.com/could-patrik-laine-be-just-what-jesse-puljujarvi-needs I’d be willing to give him a PTO next year… Nothing more. Two possible reasons - a daily quota or they're paid by the article. You can usually tell those sites very quickly as they'll try to spin just about any player on waiver or in trade speculation into a why they should/shouldn't try to add that player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IN THE HEARTS OF MEN Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 We have no room for Puljarvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 35 minutes ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said: We have no room for Puljarvi Pulijarvi has size and skill but then when you see him play often enough you realize the sum is way less than the individual pieces, zero hockey IQ. I'll pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 11 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said: Pulijarvi has size and skill but then when you see him play often enough you realize the sum is way less than the individual pieces, zero hockey IQ. I'll pass. Kind of similar to Anderson. And, no, that’s not the type of player we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Hes a good defensive player. If you pay him and play him as a fourth liner and not a third overall pick, its fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IN THE HEARTS OF MEN Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 I dont believe there's room for him on this roster regardless of what "line" he plays on. Is he an upgrade (salary concerns aside) than Armia or Heinemen? With all of Beck Roy and Demidov knocking on the door, no room for this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 18 hours ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said: We have no room for Puljarvi I agree, but a PTO (doesn’t have to be Puljarvi) will make Beck, Roy and Kapanen not feel as entitled. Competition or at least the appearance of competition is good. Still thinking we need a pine rider as an extra forward so we can keep talent developing in AHL. Is Pez better than Puljarvi ? Someone with more fighting majors to ride the pine ? Do we give the job to Harvey-Pinard ? To Barre-Boulet ? Keep Pez ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 20 hours ago, dlbalr said: Two possible reasons - a daily quota or they're paid by the article. You can usually tell those sites very quickly as they'll try to spin just about any player on waiver or in trade speculation into a why they should/shouldn't try to add that player. Then get ready for a Jonathan Toews article. He wants a return, speaks French and we have an opening if Evans is traded. A Fall PTO sounds perfect for him 😏 Cue up the quota articles… https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/jonathan-toews-36-hopes-to-work-toward-nhl-return-i-m-going-to-give-it-my-best-shot-1.2227289 Too bad he’s 10 years too old… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanes World Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 (edited) Hmm, interesting take, if Evans gone Edited January 2 by Lanes World Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 On 12/31/2024 at 9:26 AM, tomh009 said: We'll see how he's doing by then. It would be very nice to allow him to finish his career with the Habs ... if that can align with the team's goals and cap space. Much can happen yet in the next two years. And like clockwork an article comes out: https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-gallagher-hopes-to-play-on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 Finally a voice of reason: Hayes and his guest co-host Jonas Siegel asked Dreger about the Canadiens' recent winning stretch and whether it could change the front office's strategy towards the trade deadline. Dreger's comments won't go over well with the fanbase, as he believes that the front office will be sellers no matter what. Dreger thinks the Canadiens are still looking ahead to next year instead of believing they can be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025. The Alexandre Carrier acquisition wasn't to build up their 2024-25 roster but to shelter some of their young blueliners if other teams come looking for Mike Matheson and David Savard at the deadline. We aren't trying to rain on the parade of fans excited about the Canadiens potentially being one point back of the wild card. However, we have to be realistic with the expectations. The Canadiens would have to continue playing at their current pace for the next four months to stay in the mix for the playoffs. Can the Habs go the rest of the season without a losing streak that knocks them back down the standings? Enjoy this hot streak while you can. It might not be the year for the Canadiens to make another playoff run, but it is in the foreseeable future. The Habs need more development and one or two more weapons, but it isn't as far away as we thought when they struggled through October and November. The above was from this article… https://awinninghabit.com/darren-dreger-doesn-t-believe-the-canadiens-will-change-trade-deadline-strategy Dreger is saying… get some last minute talent in this last draft before you begin to compete ! One or two more weapons. We have to abandon trying to just make the playoffs. Sell, get some assets, draft more weapons. Then go forward with strength. If you want mediocrity going forward, the best way to do this is to fall out the top 5-6 draft picks… heck, we are falling out of even getting the top RHD prospect at this point let alone a 2C potential. Yeah, yeah, best player available… but we need a high draft pick from the 2025 draft. Two more weapons is all I ask before the journey begins. Fail this, and our rebuild won’t have the same staying power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 I agree with this reporters assessment of needs. https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens-demidov-will-transform-offense/ I also agree that Demidov will open a new can of ”in the mix” stew. He is a dynamic weapon to open up the ice and make our team more of an offensive threat. I think we need to draft a 2C and a RHD at this draft for insurance. We could find these in the aftermarket but it’s rare. The 2C will be impossible to find unless we draft high in 2025. So we have to do our best to trade up in the draft or slide back in the standings. RHD isn’t much easier to find in the aftermarket, but if we draft one in the first round, we can maybe have them ready to compete in 3 years. Those two positional pick ups are just for insurance if Demidov, Hage or Dach do not evolve into solid 2Cs… and if Reinbacher and Mailloux don’t develop into our top two pairings on the right side. Trading up from 20th (Calgary pick approx) into top 12-15 is easy. Trading from 12th (where we are now approx) into the top 5 or 6 will be way too expensive. We need to go on a losing skid. Good news is if we trade out Savard sooner than later this can be accomplished. Same goes with our other UFAs who fill important roles now, but need to be sacrificed for the greater good. We may not not be able to keep the assets I want to draft in 2025 after their ELCs expire (affordability), but they will be solid blue chip trade assets to feed into our voracious Stanley Cup hunger… or they could be used to pivot from our older core if they prove more reliable. Hughes is at a very interesting crossroads. Fight to try to make the playoffs with UFAs that won’t be with us when the Stanley Cup is more of a realistic goal, or trade out all the vets and begin to go with the guys who will be here when the window opens. He should not play it down the middle. He needs these last two assets for sustainable longterm competitiveness and a greater chance at the ultimate prize. @#$#@!! what the fan base thinks or wants. This is chess not checkers. Secure the assets, weaponize yourself and then begin the quest for world domination in 2026-27 and into a long future from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 Sure enough, Jonathan Toews gets linked to Toronto, Colorado and Winnipeg: https://jetsnation.ca/news/is-it-realistic-for-jonathan-toews-to-become-a-winnipeg-jet https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-among-potential-suitors-for-former-blackhawks-captain-jonathan-toews-as-forward-eyes-nhl-return https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-timing-is-key-consideration-in-potential-jonathan-toews-nhl-comeback/ Not sure if these aren’t just quota articles dlbalr mentioned…. If he joins any team, maybe Winnipeg has the inside track. He's old, but maybe he can be a 4C. Imagine someone gives him a PTO in the Fall if he says he’s ready. Cool stuff. Hard to dislike this guy. Incredible career. Secondary thought. Sign Toews, trade Evans… throw Toews and his two years of rust over the boards and hope by TDL he can make himself into a tradable asset, or be signed longer term to mentor Beck and Kapanen. If not, walk away. Beat everyone to the punch 🤣🤣🥳 Imagine the balls a GM would need to do that. I doubt Toews is anywhere near game shape, so I suspect nothing will be done about him until the Fall, if at all. But if anyone can do it, I’d imagine it would be Toews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 19 minutes ago, Butterface said: The 2C will be impossible to find unless we draft high in 2025. We did draft Hage at #20, did we not? If neither Hage nor Dach works out as a 2C, we still have Beck, Kapanen and Koivu, and it's possible that one of them will reach that level. And Konyshkov looks promising as a RD, to add to Reinbacher, Mailloux and Carrier. Anyway, I don't think making the playoffs will be a priority for Hughes. But the moves he will make will depend on who he can extend, what deals can be made, and how he wants to manage the team dynamic and morale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 5 minutes ago, tomh009 said: If neither Hage nor Dach works out as a 2C, we still have Beck, Kapanen and Koivu, and it's possible that one of them will reach that level. Koivu unlikely to even be NHLer is he, a top six forward not a chance (my take only). Beck/Kapanen may become 2nd line centre in 5+ years perhaps, or if all stars align; but, both were expected to top out a bottom six guy to begin with. So Dach or Hage it likely is, barring upgrade centre in trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 27 minutes ago, tomh009 said: We did draft Hage at #20, did we not? If neither Hage nor Dach works out as a 2C, we still have Beck, Kapanen and Koivu, and it's possible that one of them will reach that level. And Konyshkov looks promising as a RD, to add to Reinbacher, Mailloux and Carrier. Anyway, I don't think making the playoffs will be a priority for Hughes. But the moves he will make will depend on who he can extend, what deals can be made, and how he wants to manage the team dynamic and morale. I have big expectations for Beck. Love his compete level. I just see him as a 3C shut down guy with scoring. I loved him in his memorial cup win over Cowan. Hage seems to have a better chance at 2C and yes we got him later in the first, but I think picking 1-7 this draft will give us a better chance at a 2C … insurance too. If BPA is a winger I guess we go there. If it’s a LHD that will be a tough decision. BPA is usually in top 10-15… then after that usually there are several guys of equal skill and you can draft for positional needs. At least that’s how I see when picking for positional needs comes into play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 17 minutes ago, DON said: So Dach or Hage it likely is, barring upgrade centre in trade. Demidov likes to play centre from a report I read. So if Hage or Dach isn’t a fit at 2C .. maybe we give him a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 21 minutes ago, Butterface said: I think picking 1-7 this draft will give us a better chance Of course, yes, there is no question, regardless of the position. But I'm not convinced that Hughes will drive the team down to a bottom-five finish intentionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 6 hours ago, Butterface said: I agree with this reporters assessment of needs. https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens-demidov-will-transform-offense/ I also agree that Demidov will open a new can of ”in the mix” stew. He is a dynamic weapon to open up the ice and make our team more of an offensive threat. I think we need to draft a 2C and a RHD at this draft for insurance. We could find these in the aftermarket but it’s rare. The 2C will be impossible to find unless we draft high in 2025. So we have to do our best to trade up in the draft or slide back in the standings. RHD isn’t much easier to find in the aftermarket, but if we draft one in the first round, we can maybe have them ready to compete in 3 years. Those two positional pick ups are just for insurance if Demidov, Hage or Dach do not evolve into solid 2Cs… and if Reinbacher and Mailloux don’t develop into our top two pairings on the right side. Trading up from 20th (Calgary pick approx) into top 12-15 is easy. Trading from 12th (where we are now approx) into the top 5 or 6 will be way too expensive. We need to go on a losing skid. Good news is if we trade out Savard sooner than later this can be accomplished. Same goes with our other UFAs who fill important roles now, but need to be sacrificed for the greater good. We may not not be able to keep the assets I want to draft in 2025 after their ELCs expire (affordability), but they will be solid blue chip trade assets to feed into our voracious Stanley Cup hunger… or they could be used to pivot from our older core if they prove more reliable. Hughes is at a very interesting crossroads. Fight to try to make the playoffs with UFAs that won’t be with us when the Stanley Cup is more of a realistic goal, or trade out all the vets and begin to go with the guys who will be here when the window opens. He should not play it down the middle. He needs these last two assets for sustainable longterm competitiveness and a greater chance at the ultimate prize. @#$#@!! what the fan base thinks or wants. This is chess not checkers. Secure the assets, weaponize yourself and then begin the quest for world domination in 2026-27 and into a long future from there. We should be taking BPA with first picks (assuming we don't move the pick from Calgary). I hate drafting by need with high picks - that's how we missed out on Michkov. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterface Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 40 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said: We should be taking BPA with first picks (assuming we don't move the pick from Calgary). I hate drafting by need with high picks - that's how we missed out on Michkov. 5 hours ago, Butterface said: BPA is usually in top 10-15… then after that usually there are several guys of equal skill and you can draft for positional needs. At least that’s how I see when picking for positional needs comes into play. I said similar 5 hours ago… If we draft in top 8……. 7 of those are forwards and 6 of those can play centre. At this point it’s moot because we are playing off the hook and getting great goaltending. https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/big_board I’m pretty sure the above list has changed and I’m curious to see the post-WJHC rankings. My hope was to get one of those 6 centre-capable guys, then trade up to get the best RHD we could. Since climbing the standings things have changed. A rethink of the Draft Strategy is needed. I’ll wait and see how we do after the UFA sell off. Given where we are now I’m thinking the best choice is to concentrate on getting a solid RHD out of the draft. More worried about that position than a 2C… or at least we have more potential to find a 2C spot in our prospects (Dach, Demidov, Hage) then we do at RHD in our prospects (Reinbacher and to a lesser extent Mailloux). Very curious how Hughes handles the next 9 months… but most especially the next 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCHabnut Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 21 hours ago, Butterface said: I agree with this reporters assessment of needs. https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens-demidov-will-transform-offense/ I also agree that Demidov will open a new can of ”in the mix” stew. He is a dynamic weapon to open up the ice and make our team more of an offensive threat. I think we need to draft a 2C and a RHD at this draft for insurance. We could find these in the aftermarket but it’s rare. The 2C will be impossible to find unless we draft high in 2025. So we have to do our best to trade up in the draft or slide back in the standings. RHD isn’t much easier to find in the aftermarket, but if we draft one in the first round, we can maybe have them ready to compete in 3 years. They should draft the best player available. A repeat of galchenyuk kotkaniemi is not something I'm interested in. If the best player is a left handed defenseman and he stands out as better than other players, draft him. In 2 years, if there is a log jam at LD, find a hockey trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 21 hours ago, Butterface said: Sure enough, Jonathan Toews gets linked to Toronto, Colorado and Winnipeg: https://jetsnation.ca/news/is-it-realistic-for-jonathan-toews-to-become-a-winnipeg-jet https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-among-potential-suitors-for-former-blackhawks-captain-jonathan-toews-as-forward-eyes-nhl-return https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-timing-is-key-consideration-in-potential-jonathan-toews-nhl-comeback/ Not sure if these aren’t just quota articles dlbalr mentioned…. Frank Seravalli linked those three teams to them so at least it's not a random thing like someone writing about how Montreal should try to sign him (which I haven't seen yet but wouldn't be shocked if it comes up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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