5 Offseason Moves - Montreal Canadiens

[BelowTheIce]

BTI Writer Taylor takes a look at some changes that could benefit the Habs

http://btihockey.com/5-offseason-moves-montreal-canadiens/

Agree or disagree, let us know.

Click to read more...

 

[hototogisu]

I moved your thread to the Habs board since you'll get more responses there.

1, 2 and 3 are no-brainers, agree all the way (although I think Bergevin needs to do a little better than Kris Versteeg at this point but I agree with the rest of the names as an ideal shopping list).

4 I agree with but with a caveat. I think a healthy Petry for a full year and a more experienced Beaulieu will help take some minutes off Markov. But you can't expect sweeping changes there. Bergevin doesn't have the cap or the assets to go shopping for top six scoring and find a new #2-3 defenseman, a D group that only gets weakened if you move Emelin. I think the Habs are going to have to look within for a solution there and lessen Markov's minutes by committee, as opposed to adding a shiny fresh face.

Don't agree with #5 at all really, I think the era of the "heavier" 4th line is behind us and using Danault and Matteau as examples of guys you want to see more of when both more or less flopped (or showed nothing special) in their year-end auditions isn't making a great case IMO. I like Mitchell as 4C and Byron earned his keep. Flynn I could take or leave but as a 13th F maybe rotating with 1 of Danault or Matteau I could live with.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Bergevin already confirmed that no stone will be turned, i.e. everyone in the coaching staff is safe.

Bergevin won't buyout Desharnais and he has absolutely no trade value. Therefore, we're stuck with him for another season.

Signing Stamkos, given our cap position in 1-2 years with Price, Patch, Galchenyuk needing new contracts, won't be feasible. We could try to sign Backes or Okposo, but I don't see either of them wanting to come here. Trading for Drouin will cost way too much after his playoff performance. Versteeg won't be much of an upgrade over our younger players.

Bergevin will need to think outside the box in order to upgrade our top 6. He can make a trade for younger underrated top 6 wingers like Pearson, Rakell, JT Miller, Kevin Hayes, etc. But those guys might be too costly still. Or he can sign a Russian UFA like Vadim Shipachev.

 

[gillyguzzler]

1 and 2 - won't happen. Hashed and rehashed.

3 - agreed... but Versteeg? Would only be a top 6 on the Leafs.

4 - Not a huge issue since Markov played great down the stretch as did Emelin. Beaulieu showed flashes and potential and should be able to handle 20 minutes a game. There's also Tinordi, euh, Bartley, euh never mind.

5 - Surely not a popular option here but I would go all in on Jason Chimera. Every game I see him play, he's tremendous and even better at 36 than he was at 26. Seeing him forecheck hard with great speed and such an imposing physique is just what we need. Great 3rd liner who can spot in on the 2nd. With all the talent ahead of him in Washington, he still produced 20 goals and 40 points this year. He's at 2M now. 2 years at ???.

Our projected third line now is DD with Carr and Byron or Guetto or something like that. I'd much rather see Eller (6'2) with Chimera (6'3) and Guetto or even Weise (6'2).

 

[Brainiac]

#1, 2 and 4: change the coach, problem solved!

As for #3, eh... how to say. It's pretty unfair to the GM to state something like 'it's easy trade DD+Emelin = 7.5M in cap space'. Doesn't work that way anymore. DD would clear waivers and if we trade Emelin, some cap is coming our way.

 

[vokiel]

Stating the obvious. Montreal's management isn't any more capable of getting those done than a normal poster on hfboards.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Our projected third line now is DD with Carr and Byron or Guetto or something like that. I'd much rather see Eller (6'2) with Chimera (6'3) and Guetto or even Weise (6'2).

Chimera would look great next to Eller on the 3rd line. Those two with Weise would be annoying as hell to play against in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Byron is signed for another 3 years so I guess he'd need to play on the 3rd line. We also have about 12 players fighting for those 2 spot; including DD, Ghetto, Flynn, etc.

If we start the season with a 3rd line as soft as Byron-DD-Ghetto, I'll lose my ****.

 

[sandviper]

Just my 2 cents:
1. Not disagreeing it should happen but it is not happening. Pretty much written in stone that MT and the gang will be back for 2016-2017.
2. This should be priority one actually, to free up cap space.
3. Yup, needs to do this. However, cap space is not a worry for Drouin. I am also certain TB will ask for Galchenyuk to even entertain this idea... so yeah, no Druoin. Okposo I have always been high on and Stamkos is a no brainer.
4. To be honest, I think our d-core, minus Emelin perhaps, will remain much the same. Unless our cap space looks great where we can maybe add a Yandle, but our top-6 is our main concern.
5. I agree and thus why I became more of a Brown fan down the stretch. Granted, I would prefer a better option, but the idea of a heavier team I like.

 

[Redux91]

I moved your thread to the Habs board since you'll get more responses there.

1, 2 and 3 are no-brainers, agree all the way (although I think Bergevin needs to do a little better than Kris Versteeg at this point but I agree with the rest of the names as an ideal shopping list).

4 I agree with but with a caveat. I think a healthy Petry for a full year and a more experienced Beaulieu will help take some minutes off Markov. But you can't expect sweeping changes there. Bergevin doesn't have the cap or the assets to go shopping for top six scoring and find a new #2-3 defenseman, a D group that only gets weakened if you move Emelin. I think the Habs are going to have to look within for a solution there and lessen Markov's minutes by committee, as opposed to adding a shiny fresh face.

Don't agree with #5 at all really, I think the era of the "heavier" 4th line is behind us and using Danault and Matteau as examples of guys you want to see more of when both more or less flopped (or showed nothing special) in their year-end auditions isn't making a great case IMO. I like Mitchell as 4C and Byron earned his keep. Flynn I could take or leave but as a 13th F maybe rotating with 1 of Danault or Matteau I could live with.

You think Danault flopped?? matteau is hideous but Danault is a GAMER, youre gonna see a lot of him in the coming years imo, he will help the team

 

[gillyguzzler]

Chimera would look great next to Eller on the 3rd line. Those two with Weise would be annoying as hell to play against in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Byron is signed for another 3 years so I guess he'd need to play on the 3rd line. We also have about 12 players fighting for those 2 spot; including DD, Ghetto, Flynn, etc.

If we start the season with a 3rd line as soft as Byron-DD-Ghetto, I'll lose my ****.

Byron is at best a 4th liner and a good penalty killer. Danault with Mitchell and Byron on the 4th. Get rid of Flynn and Matteau.

Great third line with Eller, Chimera and Weise.

Carr-Plek-Guetto on the 2nd (I'd even call it 3rd).

Even better... sign Ladd too. Eller, Chimera and Ladd. Wow.

Carr-Plek-Weise on the 3rd.

Come Bergy. It's so simple!

 

[BelowTheIce]

I moved your thread to the Habs board since you'll get more responses there.

1, 2 and 3 are no-brainers, agree all the way (although I think Bergevin needs to do a little better than Kris Versteeg at this point but I agree with the rest of the names as an ideal shopping list).

4 I agree with but with a caveat. I think a healthy Petry for a full year and a more experienced Beaulieu will help take some minutes off Markov. But you can't expect sweeping changes there. Bergevin doesn't have the cap or the assets to go shopping for top six scoring and find a new #2-3 defenseman, a D group that only gets weakened if you move Emelin. I think the Habs are going to have to look within for a solution there and lessen Markov's minutes by committee, as opposed to adding a shiny fresh face.

Don't agree with #5 at all really, I think the era of the "heavier" 4th line is behind us and using Danault and Matteau as examples of guys you want to see more of when both more or less flopped (or showed nothing special) in their year-end auditions isn't making a great case IMO. I like Mitchell as 4C and Byron earned his keep. Flynn I could take or leave but as a 13th F maybe rotating with 1 of Danault or Matteau I could live with.

I used to love the Canadiens 4 lines of speed and hard work but it's evident against the bigger and better teams that they just get beat up too much. Having a couple heavier puck possession players would really help out down playoff stretches and against the big west teams.

 

[FireBurningBin]

Therrien is very smart

Okay.

I'm not sure why Versteeg was mentioned as a target over Ladd.

 

[BelowTheIce]

Okay.

I'm not sure why Versteeg was mentioned as a target over Ladd.

By all means if it's possible to pick up Ladd I'd be all over that.

 

[CH25]

Bergevin will do nothing so I'm not getting my hopes up. Expecting another Semin/Fleishman type signing.

 

[Runner77]

Stating the obvious. Montreal's management isn't any more capable of getting those done than a normal poster on hfboards.

Let's become HFB Partners. Would be the only off season move I'd seriously consider.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

This. This here is a tremendous, insightful analysis.

 

[Zorba]

Byron is at best a 4th liner and a good penalty killer. Danault with Mitchell and Byron on the 4th. Get rid of Flynn and Matteau.

Great third line with Eller, Chimera and Weise.

Carr-Plek-Guetto on the 2nd (I'd even call it 3rd).

Even better... sign Ladd too. Eller, Chimera and Ladd. Wow.

Carr-Plek-Weise on the 3rd.

Come Bergy. It's so simple!

Pleks , carr and andrighetto would be the worst 2nd line in the NHL and probably the softest. Both carr and andrighetto are fringe NHL players. We're so screwed. We have nothing after the 1st line.
He will sign Weise and he will play with Pleks. Pleks, Weise and eller. Makes me wanna puke

 

[hototogisu]

You think Danault flopped?? matteau is hideous but Danault is a GAMER, youre gonna see a lot of him in the coming years imo, he will help the team

Maybe flopped was a strong word for me to include him with Matteau (who was a definite flop) but he didn't really blow me away in any regard.

Both he and Matteau have youth on their side though, so all is not lost. Yet.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

1. Beaten to death on here already; isn't happening so no sense getting anyone's hopes up...


2. Again, beaten to a pulp already here; another thing that doesn't look like it's happening, that foxhole is just too safe...


3. Trades are hard, didn't you hear?? And July 1st isn't a good day, so our mamangement group is skipping it again this year...it was all in the Presser but don't worry, we're fine...


4. We all know Markov plays too much, but our defence is nowhere near our biggest problem/area of concern...would it be nice to grab a true Top 2 LD, sure, but we have other needs that outweigh it right now...


5. Matteau is useless and Mitchell and Byron are fine in the Bottom 6 as long as Therrien leaves them there!!...Matteau is worthless...worthless...

 

[HCH]

Since the best idea was to change the coaching staff and Bergevin announced that wasn't going to happen, the article became pointless.

 

[Devourers]

Matteau is trash and will be moved to the trash bin sooner rather than later. He was a Bergevin dumpster dive that failed miserably and I can't see trash suddenly changing to something of value. Worst part is, while diving in that dumpster Bergevin left DSP inside of it, a guy who is actually capable of playing in the NHL.

 

[BelowTheIce]

Matteau is trash and will be moved to the trash bin sooner rather than later. He was a Bergevin dumpster dive that failed miserably and I can't see trash suddenly changing to something of value. Worst part is, while diving in that dumpster Bergevin left DSP inside of it, a guy who is actually capable of playing in the NHL.

Agreed. No value back for DSP but players with Matteau's size is a good thing. If they can acquire big players like that, that can also pitch in a little more that would help the Canadiens a ton

 

[Zorba]

Agreed. No value back for DSP but players with Matteau's size is a good thing. If they can acquire big players like that, that can also pitch in a little more that would help the Canadiens a ton

What's Matteau's size mean if he's a tale talentless scrub? If you want size just keep John Scott. Matteau is hot steaming garbage

 

[Nevins]

sign Ladd 4 years(6M$-6M$-5M$-4.5M$)
Trade Emelin for Marcus Foligno
sign Weise 3years at 1.7M$
trade Eller + Flynn for Ryckel+ Michel Chaput
trade Andrighetto for Dimitri Jaskin

Pacc-Galchy-Gally
Ladd-Plek-Ryckel/Foligno
Carr-DD-Foligno/Ryckel
Danault-Mitchel-Weise
Jaskin-Byron

ahl:Matteau and Lessio

Markov-Subban
Beaulieu-Petry
Barberio-Pateryn
Bartley/Hanley-Dietz

 

[Treb]

1. Bergevin confirmed they will all be back (including AHL staff) so this is a moot point.

2. I hope, but doubt it.

3. I expect it and would be disappointed if we get none.

4. He'll still be 1st pair and 1st PP unless we get some elite LD. Should give is place to other for the PK though.

5. Bottom 6 is fine. I highly prefer Mitchell, Lessio, Danault on my 4th line and even Flynn to Matteau (at least what he showed so far). Mitchell is a fine 4th line center.

This article is basically a mash of the common opinions on the board.