2026-27 Montreal Canadiens discussion thread

[dlbalr]

6 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

That was meant to be a sarcasm. I can’t see Gordon-Hughes taking a guy who’s been injured to arbitration. What astounds me is Dach taking the team to arbitration when he has done squat during hia entire time in Montreal. I don’t think he even warrants the qualifying offer. For him to go to arbitration says a lot about his character.

 

Filing is a mechanism to ensure a contract is done well before training camp.  Nothing more at this point, certainly nothing to do with character.  If it drags out and actually gets to a hearing, then it'll start to mean something.

 

As for Gorton/Hughes not taking him to arbitration, I think they would have to open up the window to offer less than the qualifier.

 

5 minutes ago, DON said:

$5m with 32g total in last 4 seasons?

 

The whole thing is finding the best-case comparables to attach himself to.  Similarly, the Habs will find the more extreme ones on their side of the offer.  But again, it has to get there first and we're a long way from that point.

[tomh009]

3 hours ago, dlbalr said:

For comparables, both parties have to use existing comparable contracts relative to their proposed number.  If it actually gets to a hearing, Dach's camp will probably be putting something in the $5M range so their comparables have to be players making that money, not way more than that.  Carlsson's contract will have no bearing on Dach as a result.

The minimum award would be $3.4M, right? (85% of final year salary)

[DON]

Dach has shown flashs of potential BUT...my god he seems to be one reckless player, who is at other end of spectrum of Suzuki in self-preservation IQ.

Surely his value is very low and seems a sure bet to not ever survive 84 games without running into boards or taking a big hit with head down and getting injured again.

Letting him just walk cant be a huge loss over other options.

[sbhatt]

If this gets to arbitration, can the Canadiens present the cost of having their training staff working overtime to constantly treat and rehab his brittle ass as part of their case?  Because they should be able to.  I hope they give him his walking papers instead...I've seen enough of Mr. Glass.

[tomh009]

34 minutes ago, sbhatt said:

I hope they give him his walking papers instead...I've seen enough of Mr. Glass.

 

It's too late for that as they did give him a QO. Otherwise he would have been a UFA and would have been gone (for free) last week.

[GHT120]

 

Obviously a Laval signing

 

 

 

[GHT120]

So this is why he filed ...wonder if Habs will propose a two-way in their submission to the arbiter? 

 

 

 

 

[dlbalr]

23 hours ago, tomh009 said:

The minimum award would be $3.4M, right? (85% of final year salary)

 

I've seen conflicting info on this.  I thought only team-elected arbitration (some call it cut-down) was eligible but there are some suggesting the Habs could come in and still do this.  If they can, the minimum would be $3.4M.

 

4 hours ago, GHT120 said:

 

He'd be a nice offensive pickup for Laval in the wake of Pickford's injury.  Defence is, uh, optional at best, but they need a legitimate offensive weapon from the back end.

 

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

So this is why he filed ...wonder if Habs will propose a two-way in their submission to the arbiter? 

 

Feels a little antagonistic, doesn't it?  They could do it with the minimum offer, knowing he wouldn't accept it.  But in arbitration, you're trying to show why your side is right.  Trying to make the case for a cheaper AHL salary in an offer of several million at the NHL level probably wouldn't help their argument.

[tomh009]

17 hours ago, GHT120 said:

So this is why he filed ...wonder if Habs will propose a two-way in their submission to the arbiter? 

 

I think Hughes wanted Dach to request arbitration. I expect this will be resolved before the hearing now. Three years at 3.0M AAV maybe? Arbitration would only give him a one-year contract.

[tomh009]

So, neither Xhekaj or Bolduc has signed their QO yet, or negotiated anything else. Is there a risk that someone will offer sheet one of them and walk away with a player for a second- or third-rounder?

[revvvrob]

1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

So, neither Xhekaj or Bolduc has signed their QO yet, or negotiated anything else. Is there a risk that someone will offer sheet one of them and walk away with a player for a second- or third-rounder?

I’d think the Habs would then match the QO (unless management deems the 2nd or 3rd rounder more valuable)

[WildTurkeyXX]

Regarding our hole at 2nd line center I think we've all had a lot of fun pondering potential solutions (us, insiders, content creators and commentors). But one internal name that I don't think I've heard anyone mention is good ol' Philthy Phil, himself...

Yes Danault definitely had a down year last season. Abysmal production in L.A, and not too much better once he got back to Montreal. But it did seem to get gradually better as time went on.

I wonder if he has it in him to get back to his usual 40-50 point pace? I mean, he is only 33. Not like he's in his upper 30's. I think it's real easy to look at last season and just write him off as a 4th line - shut down center (I know that's basically where my mind has been), but the truth is, with the exception of last season, he's always been much more than that.

I'm certainly not suggesting any sort of guarantee that Danny boy gets back to that level, just that crazier things have happened. And in the ever increasing likelihood that we don't make any sort of over the top 2nd line center acquisition before the start of the season, outside of Kapenan, I think Danault might be the best internal option we have. I'm just surprised that I haven't heard even the slightest of mumblings on this. 

Any thoughts? Has this been mulled over in here somewhere and I just overlooked it?

 

[DON]

I hope Danault does not need to play top six.

[WildTurkeyXX]

19 minutes ago, DON said:

I hope Danault does not need to play top six.

I agree, hopefully it's Kap. But... Would it be that surprising if Danault had a bounce back season?

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, WildTurkeyXX said:

I agree, hopefully it's Kap. But... Would it be that surprising if Danault had a bounce back season?

 

Depends on the definition of bounce back.  Can he be better than last season?  Yes.  Is that enough to be the 2C on the Habs?  Boy, I hope not.

[WildTurkeyXX]

33 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

Depends on the definition of bounce back.  Can he be better than last season?  Yes.  Is that enough to be the 2C on the Habs?  Boy, I hope not.

Haha fair enough. I guess my thinking is that last year our 2nd line center put up 37 points (22 goals, mind you, but only 37 points). Prior to last season, Danault has pretty consistently outperformed that. While being very defensively stable and reliable on the dot. 

Hopefully Kap takes another step and the conversation is moot. But if he doesn't, a 45 point Danault could be something to consider. 

I'd absolutely prefer a 65 point 2C, but I feel like this is a possibility that I just really haven't heard discussed.

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, WildTurkeyXX said:

Haha fair enough. I guess my thinking is that last year our 2nd line center put up 37 points (22 goals, mind you, but only 37 points). Prior to last season, Danault has pretty consistently outperformed that. While being very defensively stable and reliable on the dot. 

Hopefully Kap takes another step and the conversation is moot. But if he doesn't, a 45 point Danault could be something to consider. 

I'd absolutely prefer a 65 point 2C, but I feel like this is a possibility that I just really haven't heard discussed.

 

I'd be stunned if Danault had 45 points in him next season.  He had 17, a bounce back could be 25.  He had every chance to be the 2C in LA and was for a bit but over the last couple of years, he has faded.  At his age, that's hard to turn around.  For someone whose profile isn't as an offensive player anymore, I can't see them moving him up too often beyond some situational faceoff situations.  Had the coaching staff thought he could do it, they probably would have tried him over Evans in that spot in the playoffs.

[dlbalr]

Kirby Dach's arbitration hearing will be July 30th.  Montreal usually requests their players to be at the back and this year was no exception.

[WildTurkeyXX]

11 hours ago, dlbalr said:

 

I'd be stunned if Danault had 45 points in him next season.  He had 17, a bounce back could be 25.  He had every chance to be the 2C in LA and was for a bit but over the last couple of years, he has faded.  At his age, that's hard to turn around.  For someone whose profile isn't as an offensive player anymore, I can't see them moving him up too often beyond some situational faceoff situations.  Had the coaching staff thought he could do it, they probably would have tried him over Evans in that spot in the playoffs.

It's not my priority, but I will jump into Phil's defense for a quick moment. I do agree that 45 (+) would indeed be stunning. However, a bounce back to 25 (though not an unreasonable prediction) would hardly be a bounce back at all. When I said "bounce back" I meant to something closer to his usual output (emphasis on the "back" haha). 

Maybe he's already hit that high water mark and regressing hard and fast, it happens. But I think it's a little premature to stamp it. He's 33 not 38, and his piss poor season of last is (at this point) looking more like an outlier. Just the season prior he still put up 43 points. So even though you stated him having faded over the last couple of years, it's really just the one. I might be splitting hairs, but I think that's worth noting.

At the end of it, it all comes down to chemistry and opportunity. If he is unable to develop any chemistry with anyone in our top 6, or more so doesn't get an opportunity to try (I mean, I think it's safe to say it's Kapenan's spot to lose), it would make anything above 25 points pretty tough to get from the 3rd or 4th line. But if for whatever reason he were to slot into that 2nd line, I don't think a fullish bounce back is all that crazy. And again, if it's not Kap (which I think is the safest bet) and it's not a big trade, who else fills that need? It's either Kap, Danault or Evans (as far as actual centers on the team to choose from), Newhook or Dach (pretender-centers), or new blood (kids, like how Kap did it last year) Beck or Florian. And I just don't see a big trade coming.

Once more, I'm not making a sales pitch for Danault as our 2nd line center solution. Just highlighting a very likely reality. Just like how around this time last year many would've scoffed at the idea of Danault as a trade target, and yet, here we are...

Sometimes we don't get what we want, we just get what we get...

[GHT120]

11 hours ago, dlbalr said:

Kirby Dach's arbitration hearing will be July 30th.  Montreal usually requests their players to be at the back and this year was no exception.

 

Wonder if that sort of sets a deadline for any other teams that have interest in him so they can negotiate their own contract instead of being stuck with the arbitration result.

[Commandant]

Kreb's contract 4.5 x 4, doesn't help anyone who thinks Kirby is gonna come cheaper than his QO.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

27 minutes ago, Commandant said:

Kreb's contract 4.5 x 4, doesn't help anyone who thinks Kirby is gonna come cheaper than his QO.

 

That's true,  they are the same age, Krebs has .35 pts/game while Dach is .44 pts/game in their careers although Krebs has been healthier. That's a pretty good contract for Krebs who has had limited production. I hate to give up on Dach as he has shown some flashes of brilliance in the past but how long can you wait?  I would love to see what he can do over 80 games (in 1 season of course) but I doubt that will ever happen. 

[dlbalr]

7 hours ago, WildTurkeyXX said:

Maybe he's already hit that high water mark and regressing hard and fast, it happens. But I think it's a little premature to stamp it. He's 33 not 38, and his piss poor season of last is (at this point) looking more like an outlier. Just the season prior he still put up 43 points. So even though you stated him having faded over the last couple of years, it's really just the one. I might be splitting hairs, but I think that's worth noting.

 

He scored eight goals that season in a 2C role (17:40 per game) after putting up 17 the year before.  That's a sign of fading, assist totals notwithstanding.

[GHT120]

 

They were drafted the same year, Nick 50 spots after Kirby

         Dach: 306 gms    51g    85a    136pts

Robertson: 234 gms    48g    40a    88pts (62g  52a  115pts pro-rated to 306 games)   

 

Other than getting a one-way contract, hard to see Kirby getting better than his QO 

 

[dlbalr]

18 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

 

They were drafted the same year, Nick 50 spots after Kirby

         Dach: 306 gms    51g    85a    136pts

Robertson: 234 gms    48g    40a    88pts (62g  52a  115pts pro-rated to 306 games)   

 

Other than getting a one-way contract, hard to see Kirby getting better than his QO 

 

 

I think Krebs is the better comparable.  First-round pick, C who can play W, and offensive numbers (42-91-133 in 378 games) that are actually weaker than Dach.  If he got 4 x $4.5M (three of those being UFA years), beyond injuries, there's no reason why Dach should come in way below that.  Now, if he signs a one-year deal, the AAV would obviously be lower but I doubt the Habs were thrilled with Krebs' deal.  By comparison, I doubt they were all that worried about Robertson's.