Line Combos: Early look at the 23-24 Habs

[Habs Halifax]

So... question. Are we still tanking next season? Cause tbh, the novelty of the tank has kinda worn off for me. I am ready for some meaningful hockey games.

I call this year and the next few years still rebuild/transition. More bottom 5 picks are not the plan but more picks from 5-10 or 5-15 is probable. We gradually insert our NHL ready guys more and more and test them to see who stands out and who struggles.

I see us similar to the Sabres or Sens but a few years behind their rebuild. We could catch and pass them but only time will tell.

 

[First Line]

I call this year and the next few years still rebuild/transition. More bottom 5 picks are not the plan but more picks from 5-10 or 5-15 is probable. We gradually insert our NHL ready guys more and more and test them to see who stands out and who struggles.

I see us similar to the Sabres or Sens but a few years behind their rebuild. We could catch and pass them but only time will tell.

I prefer the comparison to Buffallo because if we’re similar to the Sens it would mean were a few years from moving up 3 spots !
Kidding aside, I’m not so sure that no more top 5 are in the future. You can pick 15 next season and top 5 in 2025.
I don’t see a clear upward projection unless we get 1/2 C, a 1RD and a goalie that’s a real starter quality.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Probably a bunch of nothing.

Sign McEwen/Lemieux/maybe Lucic, or Reaves for the 4th linento ensure/help Xhekaj so he doesn't have to do all the fighting. Pezzetta is a middleweight

I think HuGo would have interest in Miles Wood. Two-way, speedster with size.

Depending on price, look at Luke Schenn. Toughness, shot blocking, veteran leadership.

Basically, as the Habs ease in prospects, have some toughness around them and none of these players should get a contract longer than a year, or two, or be expensive, aside from Wood who would likely look for more term and money than the others, but also brings more.

These players are mostly number 11/12/13th forwards, or number 6 dman.

Have Xhekaj- Schenn would be a mean pairing.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I prefer the comparison to Buffallo because if we’re similar to the Sens it would mean were a few years from moving up 3 spots !
Kidding aside, I’m not so sure that no more top 5 are in the future. You can pick 15 next season and top 5 in 2025.
I don’t see a clear upward projection unless we get 1/2 C, a 1RD and a goalie that’s a real starter quality.

You're not wrong... it can be a up/down trajectory for the next few years. Sabres and Sens but nothing is exactly the same. Just that we are a few years behind them on the rebuild starting point.

We are still in a fluid situation. Good direction with good prospects/youth/development and with good draft power to come. The story today will change from year/year moving forward. Could add Bedard and Dubois or we don't add either and have to keep trying to fill key holes.

All I hope for is we don't go on spending sprees with our cap space to come. Add Dubois if we can (because he is young) but lets not spend cap space cause we have it. We need to manage our rebuild/transition years well. Was this off season a good point for the Sens to move all in? Not sure but their D and goaltending needs major work. Sabres being buyers at this deadline would be a mistake IMO. Too early

 

[JT3]

Assuming no Dubois trade and no real significant UFA signings (although I assume there will be 1 or 2), here's what I would like to see

Farrell - Suzuki - Anderson
Slafkovsky - Dach - Caufield
Hoffman - Dvorak - Gallagher
Harvey-Pinard - Evans - Armia
Pezzetta, Ylonen, Belzile

Guhle - Savard
Matheson - Barron
Harris/Xhekaj - Kovacevic
Wideman, Edmundson

Montembeault
Allen

I really would like to see Caufield and Dach tried out together. Stick Slaf with them and you've got a good offensive 2nd line (hopefully Slaf can take a step next year). I think Suzuki and Anderson are figuring each other out a little more. Stick Farrell with them and you have a solid line that can play at both ends. 3rd line is what it is, the mostly overpriced junk line. 4th line should be solid enough. Back end seems to fill itself out easily, although I don't know what the hell to do with Edmundson. Maybe he's done cause of injuries, who knows.

Assuming we don't win lotto, draft Reinbacher with our pick to add that potential top pair RD. Grab best forward available with Florida pick (Wood, Barlow, Heidt, Cristall, Danielson, etc).

If we were to trade for Dubois I would imagine it would be something like FLA 1st, Dvorak, Harris, maybe a prospect. I'm sure there will be a couple UFA signings too, and maybe a surprise prospect like Heineman. I like the idea of adding a tougher guy to the 4th line as some suggested.

 

[1909]

I don't think Habs will retain any of their UFA players - Dadonov, Drouin and Monahan. But they won't sign many either. The harvest is very poor this season. They must get rid of Hoffman !!!! And they gave to find ways to trade Edmundson.

Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson
RHP- Dach- Slafkovsky
Farrell-Dvorak- Gally ???? or Armia
Pezzetta-Evans-Ylonen-Belzile (Teasdale ????.... Heineman ?????)

Top-9 LW are very small !!!! Switck Slaf for RHP, then.

Matheson-Savard
Harris- Guhle
Xhekaj- Barron - Kovacevic

Montambeault
Allen or Primeau

 

[morhilane]

I'm starting to think the line-up next season will look like this

injured - Suzuki - injured
injured - injured - injured
injured - injured - injured
injured - injured - injured

injured - injured
injured - injured
Harris - Kovac

Monty
Allen

Replace the injured by anyone healthy and available on a NHL contract on the organization...

 

[Number 57]

This thread would have been better after the deadline

???-Suzuki-Caufield
Slafkovsky-Dach-Anderson
Ylonen-Dvorak-Gallagher
HarveyPinard-Evans-Pezz

Matheson-Barron
Xhekaj-Guhle
Harris-Savard

Allen-Monty-Primeau

-Need a top-6 forward
-Wouldn't be against a new top-4 D even though line-up looks full already
-Need to decide what to do with our 3 goalies, and if we acquire a true starter or what

Obviously need to get rid of like 10 guys from the current roster... lol

 

[BaseballCoach]

Lmao, what kind of roster do you expect where Anderson is a spare wheel...

12th player is on the third line, 7th or 8th F. That's not a spare wheel.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

The team next year considering contracts currently on the books, and expected to be signed:

Caufield - Suzuki - Gurianov
Farrell - Dach - Anderson
Slafkovsky - Dvorak - Gallagher
RHP - Evans - Armia
Hoffman, Ylonen, Pezzetta

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - Barron
Edmundson - Xhekaj
Harris - Kovacevic
Wideman

Allen
Montembeault
Price: LTIR

15F, 9D, 3G. Price isn't a roster player, so we have 3 players to move. Hopefully, Hoffman gets bought out. After that, Edmundson & Pezzetta could be moved at draft for picks.

Caufield: $7.875m (same as Suzuki)
Gurianov: $2m
Farrell: $900k (ELC)
RHP: $750k
Ylonen: $750k

We're down to one LTIR contract. Price.


Forwards: $46,0125m (13F - Hoffman bought out, Pezzetta traded)

Defense: $13,920,833m (8D - Edmundson traded)

Goal: $4.85m

Total: $64,783,333m


Dead Cap: $12.5m

Alzner: $833,333m
Hoffman: $1,166,667m

Price (LTIR): $10.5m

Final: $77, 283, 333m

Expected Max Cap: $83.5m

Cap Room: $6.216,667m

The really good news is we don't have to use summer LTIR for Price.

There's still cap space even if we don't trade Edmundson, give Gurianov the same contract as this year's and give Caufield $8m. We still should buyout Hoffman.

It gives Montreal options to not use LTIR at all next year & actually accrue cap space for the first time in f***ing years. They can wait it out & put Price on LTIR near 2024's Trade Deadline.

They also have the option to put Price on LTIR at season's opener then do another "Monahan trade" to maximize it.

We're actually in a decent spot Cap wise next season.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

And where's Mailloux?

In the AHL hopefully.

 

[Scintillating10]

?-Suzuki-Caufield

RHP-Dach-Anderson

Slafkovsky-?-Ylonen

Pitlick-Belzile-Gally

Pezzetta



Defense

Guhle-Matheson

Harris-Sevard

Xhekaj-Barron

Kovacevic



Goalies

Allen-Montembeault



First I am assuming we are not winning the Bedard lottery. There should be quite a few offseason trades. I like Anderson playing with Dach and RHP than Caufield. Third line is difficult, forth is a guess.

I think defense is set as well as the goalies. Feel free to fill in the gaps

I think he will swing a deal for Dubois. Probably cost us one of our young defensemen.

 

[NewEraGM]

?-Suzuki-Caufield

RHP-Dach-Anderson

Slafkovsky-?-Ylonen

Pitlick-Belzile-Gally

Pezzetta



Defense

Guhle-Matheson

Harris-Sevard

Xhekaj-Barron

Kovacevic



Goalies

Allen-Montembeault



First I am assuming we are not winning the Bedard lottery. There should be quite a few offseason trades. I like Anderson playing with Dach and RHP than Caufield. Third line is difficult, forth is a guess.

I think defense is set as well as the goalies. Feel free to fill in the gaps

I will puke if i see Belzile and Pezzeta on this team next year. Belzile has zero business being on an NHL roster.

 

[DinosaurBones]

Slaf/23' 1st - Suzy - Caufield
Farrell - Dach - Gurianov
23' 1st/HarvP/Hoffman - DVo - Anderson
HarvP/Hoffman - Evans - Gally/YLo
Options:
(Pezz - Monahan? - UFA? - Pitlick - Roy - Belzile - Heineman)

Matheson - Guhle
Harris - Eddy?/Savard?/Barron
Xhekaj - Kovy/Eddy?/Savard?/Barron
Options:
(Wideman - Mailloux - Trudeau - UFA?)

Monty/Allen?/Prime

May be hard to read but atleast I know what I mean lol.

Id like to see one of Eddy/Savard moved in the offseason on the blueline, and wouldnt be surprised to see a FWD or 2 shipped out.

24/25 season is gonna be hella fun when we bring in Dubois and the younger guys making there strides (Farrell/Roy/Huts/23' 1st/Slaf/+)

 

[DAChampion]

The team next year considering contracts currently on the books, and expected to be signed:

Caufield - Suzuki - Gurianov
Farrell - Dach - Anderson
Slafkovsky - Dvorak - Gallagher
RHP - Evans - Armia
Hoffman, Ylonen, Pezetta

Hard to see Hoffman playing on the 5th line given his salary. I'll assume he's ahead of RHP and probably Farrell as the latter can pass through waivers.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Hard to see Hoffman playing on the 5th line given his salary. I'll assume he's ahead of RHP and probably Farrell as the latter can pass through waivers.

I'm hoping we're able to get rid of him. Would like to see Farrell & RHP get spots.

 

[26Mats]

The team next year considering contracts currently on the books, and expected to be signed:

Caufield - Suzuki - Gurianov
Farrell - Dach - Anderson
Slafkovsky - Dvorak - Gallagher
RHP - Evans - Armia
Hoffman, Ylonen, Pezzetta

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - Barron
Edmundson - Xhekaj
Harris - Kovacevic
Wideman

Allen
Montembeault
Price: LTIR

15F, 9D, 3G. Price isn't a roster player, so we have 3 players to move. Hopefully, Hoffman gets bought out. After that, Edmundson & Pezzetta could be moved at draft for picks.

Caufield: $7.875m (same as Suzuki)
Gurianov: $2m
Farrell: $900k (ELC)
RHP: $750k
Ylonen: $750k

We're down to one LTIR contract. Price.


Forwards: $46,0125m (13F - Hoffman bought out, Pezzetta traded)

Defense: $13,920,833m (8D - Edmundson traded)

Goal: $4.85m

Total: $64,783,333m


Dead Cap: $12.5m

Alzner: $833,333m
Hoffman: $1,166,667m

Price (LTIR): $10.5m

Final: $77, 283, 333m

Expected Max Cap: $83.5m

Cap Room: $6.216,667m

The really good news is we don't have to use summer LTIR for Price.

There's still cap space even if we don't trade Edmundson, give Gurianov the same contract as this year's and give Caufield $8m. We still should buyout Hoffman.

It gives Montreal options to not use LTIR at all next year & actually accrue cap space for the first time in f***ing years. They can wait it out & put Price on LTIR near 2024's Trade Deadline.

They also have the option to put Price on LTIR at season's opener then do another "Monahan trade" to maximize it.

We're actually in a decent spot Cap wise next season.

Mine is similar, except I have Ylonen in the top 12 over Armia in a fully healthy lineup. Hopefully Hoffman and Armia will be eating a lot of hot dogs.

I'd rather Pitlick in for Gally. But that won't happen.

Also, I wouldn't separate RHP and Anderson. And I'd like to see Farrell and Slaf together.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Mine is similar, except I have Ylonen in the top 12 over Armia in a fully healthy lineup. Hopefully Hoffman and Armia will be eating a lot of hot dogs.

I'd rather Pitlick in for Gally. But that won't happen.

Also, I wouldn't separate RHP and Anderson. And I'd like to see Farrell and Slaf together.

The vets will get the benefit of the doubt. If Hoffman & Armia are with the team next year, they'll be in the lineup.

Farrell & Slafkovsky would be an interesting pairing. They need a better center than Dvorak.

 

[Runner77]

They need a better center than Dvorak.

Apparently, every other NHL team arrived at the same conclusion by the trading deadline.

 

[26Mats]

The vets will get the benefit of the doubt. If Hoffman & Armia are with the team next year, they'll be in the lineup.

Farrell & Slafkovsky would be an interesting pairing. They need a better center than Dvorak.

Yeah MSL will start with the vets in training camp. But if the young guys do what RHP has been doing, they'll get their shot...

I would love to see Farrell - Monahan - Slaf. But I don't think Monahan will get back to good health, unfortunately.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Yeah MSL will start with the vets in training camp. But if the young guys do what RHP has been doing, they'll get their shot...

I would love to see Farrell - Monahan - Slaf. But I don't think Monahan will get back to good health, unfortunately.

Neither do I. I think he's done. From the sounds of it, he's out the year. He actually injured himself re-habbing.

He would be perfect as a 3rd line center behind Suzuki & Dach, and with the 2 kids, but I don't see him being able to play an NHL season anymore.

We need to move on from someone so injury prone. Too bad we can't say the same for Gallagher.

 

[Runner77]

Neither do I. I think he's done. From the sounds of it, he's out the year. He actually injured himself re-habbing.

True that Monahan was an accident waiting to happen, but it still makes you wonder who greenlighted his rehab and what criteria was used. This could be yet another revealing instance of where the fault lines may lie in the medical/ training staff and their protocols.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

True that Monahan was an accident waiting to happen, but it still makes you wonder who greenlighted his rehab and what criteria was used. This could be yet another revealing instance of where the fault lines may lie in the medical/ training staff and their protocols.

At this point, I think Monahan is the type to trip over his kid's bike, break a leg & be out 6 months.

He went through this shit with Calgary, which is why they traded him & gave up a 1st for it.

It pre-dates his arrival in Montreal. Definition of being injury prone.

 

[Stive Morgan]

OP made Bergevins boys dissapear like Samantha

Edmundson, Dvorak, Evans, Hoffman, Armia bye bye

 

[Scriptor]

We aren't even tanking right this season.

Were we even tanking and WTF do you all think tanking is.

What ARI is doing is tanking -- It's a fukin joke as well.

What CHI is doing is tanking -- It's also absolutely unsportsmanlike and humiliating for the League.

Technically, MON did everything that could be considered tanking.

They headed into the season with no legitimate starting G and kept it that way throughout the season.

They played inexperienced youth all season long, including 5 rookies on D on many nights because of injuries.

They didn't trade for over-the-hill place holders because of those injuries, all in the hopes of winning low scoring, anti-hockey affairs.

St-Louis didn't clamp down the game plan and pervert it into a meaningless, D-only affair.

Management tried to unload veterans at the deadline, but the only experienced players of value were injured. The others were so worthless that there was no takers, or longer term contracts were likely obstacles to making trades.

MON called up half their AHL team at some point or another and are still playing a bunch of career AHLers passing off as NHL depth players.

Management basically did absolutely nothing to help the team through hard times.

If that's not tanking, what is.

Yet, we won more games than we should have if we were aiming for last place in the NHL.