Do we still need 2 top 6 forwards and a true top 4 Dman?

[Stylizer1]

On paper we should be, since it's pretty much the same personnel as the one that had that great run at the end of last season (including the coaches, but not including Condra, Gryba and Legwand). I don't know why we're not playing the same way though. But that last game gave me some hope that we might be back on track. If that's the case, then I'm as optimistic as RKL.

This team is not that good yet. They have to concentrate on smaller goals like five game stretches as to not not wear themselves out and keep their confidence. If they go all gun ho from the get go they will most likely slump hard and may not be able to recover. Come the final 20 games, like last season, they giver and hope for the best. That's what I expect at least. gradually build until it really counts.

then you have a team like Montreal with something to prove and they are catching teams early. Will they be able to maintain this when teams are in mid season form, probably not. They will fizzle like they always do.

 

[BigBush*]

On paper we should be, since it's pretty much the same personnel as the one that had that great run at the end of last season (including the coaches, but not including Condra, Gryba and Legwand). I don't know why we're not playing the same way though. But that last game gave me some hope that we might be back on track. If that's the case, then I'm as optimistic as RKL.

I'm optimistic for sure, but I still consider Ottawa a bubble team that should make the playoffs as a lower seed.

There's only a handful of sure fire playoffs teams IMO and Ottawa isn't one of them

 

[Bag of Pucks]

We need a net crasher a la Gallagher up front for sure. I think we are missing that agitator type of guy who will piss off the other team and draw penalties.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

We have Neil but most posters would rather blame him for the most recent loss the Devils

I mean Gallagher is much more effective than Neil is right now but in his prime Neil was just a different kind of just as good

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Get Marchand, boys.

Would be perfect. A goal scorer and pest in one.

 

[BigBush*]

Get Marchand, boys.

Would be perfect. A goal scorer and pest in one.

Yup. At a Melnyk cap hit to

 

[krapsik]

We need a net crasher a la Gallagher up front for sure. I think we are missing that agitator type of guy who will piss off the other team and draw penalties.

Player a la Gallagher works for Montreal. You know, Montreal typical. In any other team Gallagher will spent most time in penalty box. Remember Foligno ? Almost every net crashing for him ended in penaltybox. We dont actualy need for any change in F group. But D need a major improvement.

 

[HispanicAtTheDisco]

I would love to get a player like Gallagher/Marchand/Shaw. Neil is awesome but he's more of a grinder than a pest, we need that guy who can go to the net and make the other teams star players punch him in the face and then end up scoring on the ensuing powerplay.

We need a s***head.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Player a la Gallagher works for Montreal. You know, Montreal typical. In any other team Gallagher will spent most time in penalty box. Remember Foligno ? Almost every net crashing for him ended in penaltybox. We dont actualy need for any change in F group. But D need a major improvement.

Exactly!

Look at Smith and Chiasson. Every time they look at a guy cross-eyed, they go to the box.

The refs are too chicken **** to make any big calls against the Habs. That's what happens when too many veteran refs quit/retire in a short timeframe and a bunch of scared young pansies take over the stripes.

 

[Stylizer1]

We are missing a ppg forward.

 

[Xspyrit]

Even with Macarthur out, the forward group is still very solid

Hoffman-Turris-Stone
Michalek-Zibanejad-Ryan
Prince-Pageau-Lazar
Chiasson-Smith-Neil

And the defense relies on Cowen's progression :

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Ceci
Boro/Wiercioch-Wideman

Anderson
Hammond

IMO, the weaknesses are the overall youth/inexperience and the back-up goalie. Ideally, we'd have Macarthur, Methot and Hoffman healthy and we could have a significant upgrade on Wiercioch (and play him with Ceci), allowing Cowen to play with Wideman on the 3rd pair this season.

With Paul, Lindberg, Puempel, Chabot, etc coming up, we will need roster spots so I'm not sure we'll acquire somebody up front, unless a Ryan's type of deal comes up.

We need a net crasher a la Gallagher up front for sure. I think we are missing that agitator type of guy who will piss off the other team and draw penalties.

Yes but Gallagher in another uniform would be a Conacher.

Player a la Gallagher works for Montreal. You know, Montreal typical. In any other team Gallagher will spent most time in penalty box. Remember Foligno ? Almost every net crashing for him ended in penaltybox. We dont actualy need for any change in F group. But D need a major improvement.

oh look, it seems that I am not crazy. Gallagher on another team would take a few penalties for "doing his job" then be forced to change his game...

 

[Bag of Pucks]

I would love to get a player like Gallagher/Marchand/Shaw. Neil is awesome but he's more of a grinder than a pest, we need that guy who can go to the net and make the other teams star players punch him in the face and then end up scoring on the ensuing powerplay.

We need a s***head.

Exactly my point. When's the last time we had a pest? Jaarko Ruutu?

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Exactly my point. When's the last time we had a pest? Jaarko Ruutu?

Smith.

 

[Bag of Pucks]

Even with Macarthur out, the forward group is still very solid

Hoffman-Turris-Stone
Michalek-Zibanejad-Ryan
Prince-Pageau-Lazar
Chiasson-Smith-Neil

And the defense relies on Cowen's progression :

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Ceci
Boro/Wiercioch-Wideman

Anderson
Hammond

IMO, the weaknesses are the overall youth/inexperience and the back-up goalie. Ideally, we'd have Macarthur, Methot and Hoffman healthy and we could have a significant upgrade on Wiercioch (and play him with Ceci), allowing Cowen to play with Wideman on the 3rd pair this season.

With Paul, Lindberg, Puempel, Chabot, etc coming up, we will need roster spots so I'm not sure we'll acquire somebody up front, unless a Ryan's type of deal comes up.



Yes but Gallagher in another uniform would be a Conacher.



oh look, it seems that I am not crazy. Gallagher on another team would take a few penalties for "doing his job" then be forced to change his game...

theres a difference between living in the blue paint and pissing off the opposing team and crashing the goalie. Foligno was just bad at it. Don't get me wrong, I really hate Gallagher but you cant deny he's good at being a s@@t disturber. We need that. Pretty passing plays will only get so many goals.

 

[HispanicAtTheDisco]

Exactly my point. When's the last time we had a pest? Jaarko Ruutu?

Conacher showed glimpses of it, but didn't do it enough for my liking.

 

[Bag of Pucks]

Conacher showed glimpses of it, but didn't do it enough for my liking.

Too bad he didn't do anything enough for anybody's liking

 

[aragorn]

I'm optimistic for sure, but I still consider Ottawa a bubble team that should make the playoffs as a lower seed.

There's only a handful of sure fire playoffs teams IMO and Ottawa isn't one of them

I agree, bubble team unless they can get it together at some point or make a significant trade to upgrade.

We have Neil but most posters would rather blame him for the most recent loss the Devils

I mean Gallagher is much more effective than Neil is right now but in his prime Neil was just a different kind of just as good

Neil had a goal & an assist in that game, why would people blame him for getting into a fight that had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of the game. There wasn't even a momentum shift over that fight, the momentum shift came from the goal that put them one behind. The team as a whole quit playing & they have been known to do that before on many occasions. Neil has been a great player for this organization.

Get Marchand, boys.

Would be perfect. A goal scorer and pest in one.

I think if they were to trade for Marchand that his presence on the team would push Prince to the bench & not Neil, Smith or Chiasson as most would want.