It's January 1993: would you rather make the playoffs or bust?

[TRG]

#FireDemers

 

[The Spaniard]

...so, again, if the best goaltender in the World was still with us, he could continue to mask the severe problems and issues with our team and its management...brilliant; let's all pretend to be ostriches and keep our heads buried in the sand while our team falls apart at the seams...what good little sheep we are...

That's exactly what I told my friend!

Without Roy, even the Whalers can kick our ass.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

...so, again, if the best goaltender in the World was still with us, he could continue to mask the severe problems and issues with our team and its management...brilliant; let's all pretend to be ostriches and keep our heads buried in the sand while our team falls apart at the seams...what good little sheep we are...

Just like Roy brought an average team to 2 cups. Goalies are part of the game. We used a 5th overall pick on this guy, I think it's fair that we get a very important player out of it. Perhaps we would be a better team today if we had used that pick on Kopitar and found another goalie maybe not as good as Price.

 

[Steve Shutt]

in 1993 The Habs had only missed the playoffs once (69-70 season with a 38-22-16 record) since 1948. The word 'tank' was not part of our Vocab/thinking nor should it be today.

 

[Kriss E]

Just like Roy brought an average team to 2 cups. Goalies are part of the game. We used a 5th overall pick on this guy, I think it's fair that we get a very important player out of it. Perhaps we would be a better team today if we had used that pick on Kopitar and found another goalie maybe not as good as Price.

An average team filled with Hall of Famers? I wish we could have an average team like that again..

 

[mariolemieux66]

Look at who was playing on our 3rd and 4th line in 1993.
Look who's playing now.

Look who was our best 3 forwards in 1993 amd look who's our 3 best forwards now.

How can you compare the 2 teams?

 

[Bacchus1]

For the sake of argument, I'll stipulate the following:

- Imagine it's January 1993, so you have no idea what happens next
- There is a lottery, by missing the playoffs you have a shot at the 1st pick

Team has some talent but, not a contender.

After a good start with a 16–5–3 record, they slump with 8–9–2 in their next 19 games.

A young extremely talented quebecois called Alexandre Daigle is available at the draft.

Everybody agrees he is amazing, some even compare him to Gretzky!!!

It's January 1993, would you rather make the playoffs or bust?

Well, seeing as 1993 led to a 22 year cup drought ... I would take Chris Pronger and run!

 

[CupInSIX]

Always go for the bust

 

[Bacchus1]

Was 1993 the year where we won half of our games in the playoffs by one goal? That was a serious string of good luck. Roy was awesome, no doubt, but ... man ... I wouldn't have bet on us. So, as someone who realizes that the Knights of Serendipity were fictional characters in a book that on one in the last 100 years has ever read all the way through, then yes ... go for the draft pick, and pick smart. Daigle was not smart!

 

[Cole Caulifield]

An average team filled with Hall of Famers? I wish we could have an average team like that again..

Like who ? I'm mostly talking about the 93 team. As far as I know only Roy is inducted ? And Denis Savard but Savard was way past his prime and not exactly key in that win, especially since he was injured in the playoffs.

They finished 3rd in their division that year. 5th overall.

Not even one 100 point scorer. Not even one 50 goal scorer.

They certainly weren't a powerhouse... a good little team but we weren't favourites to win the cup in anyone's mind. For that team to win the cup, the seas parted. And who can forget all those OT wins...

I didn't watch the 86 team but it was filled with rookies, and Robinson/Gainey weren't anywhere near their primes anymore.

 

[Bacchus1]

Like who ? I'm mostly talking about the 93 team. As far as I know only Roy is inducted ? And Denis Savard but Savard was way past his prime and not exactly key in that win, especially since he was injured in the playoffs.

They finished 3rd in their division that year. 5th overall.

Not even one 100 point scorer. Not even one 50 goal scorer.

They certainly weren't a powerhouse... a good little team but we weren't favourites to win the cup in anyone's mind. For that team to win the cup, the seas parted. And who can forget all those OT wins...

I didn't watch the 86 team but it was filled with rookies, and Robinson/Gainey weren't anywhere near their primes anymore.

Patrick Roy is a Hall of Famer who won like four Stanly Cups. Four Stanley cups! So, yeah ... like this current team with Price ... but Price hasn't won any Stanley Cups on his own yet.

Anyway ... lets see if and when Price gets back, since we don't even know what his injury is yet, or how long he will be out of action.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Our backups are Patrick Roy caliber?

**** off.

Nope, but Price can be.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Patrick Roy is a Hall of Famer who won like four Stanly Cups. Four Stanley cups! So, yeah ... like this current team with Price ... but Price hasn't won any Stanley Cups on his own yet.

Anyway ... lets see if and when Price gets back, since we don't even know what his injury is yet, or how long he will be out of action.

Roy also never won a Cup "on his own".

He was on some really good teams.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Patrick Roy is a Hall of Famer who won like four Stanly Cups. Four Stanley cups! So, yeah ... like this current team with Price ... but Price hasn't won any Stanley Cups on his own yet.

Anyway ... lets see if and when Price gets back, since we don't even know what his injury is yet, or how long he will be out of action.

By the time Roy was Price's age, he had already won 2 Conn Smythe.... pretty crazy when you think about it. Let's face it, the 86 and 93 teams were decent but would never have won without Roy standing on his head like that.

 

[Brainiac]

The result is simply embarassing and pretty much indicative of a rampant loser's mentality on these boards.

There's no such thing as a surefire powerhouse that will win 5 cups in a row. This era is over.

It's a 30 teams league with a cap and regressive draft. No point in tanking every year until you have a 100% chance of winning the Cup. Because it won't happen. If you have a 15-20% chance of winning the Cup in a given year, you go for it.

 

[Bacchus1]

Roy also never won a Cup "on his own".

He was on some really good teams.

The Habs 86 and 93 were not much better than any team since Gillet took over. Roy was the star on both teams. Check out the rosters. There are some impressive names with impressive point tallies at the top, but in reality, Roy was the lynch pin.

 

[Bacchus1]

By the time Roy was Price's age, he had already won 2 Conn Smythe.... pretty crazy when you think about it. Let's face it, the 86 and 93 teams were decent but would never have won without Roy standing on his head like that.

I agree.

 

[Bacchus1]

The result is simply embarassing and pretty much indicative of a rampant loser's mentality on these boards.

There's no such thing as a surefire powerhouse that will win 5 cups in a row. This era is over.

It's a 30 teams league with a cap and regressive draft. No point in tanking every year until you have a 100% chance of winning the Cup. Because it won't happen. If you have a 15-20% chance of winning the Cup in a given year, you go for it.

I think your concept of powerhouse has to adapt to a new league. Their are powerhouses that do maintain impressive dominance over 5 year spans. I'm thinking L.A., Chicago, Bruins, Sharks ... 5 years before, Penguins, Red Wings, etc. Expecting dominance on a similar level to 'original six' clubs is fools gold.

Habs are close to a dynasty now. We just need a couple of pieces and Price to stay healthy. If Price is never injured this year, we are still in the top 3 in the league. Fact (that can never be proven)! :p

 

[Brainiac]

I think your concept of powerhouse has to adapt to a new league. Their are powerhouses that do maintain impressive dominance over 5 year spans. I'm thinking L.A., Chicago, Bruins, Sharks ... 5 years before, Penguins, Red Wings, etc. Expecting dominance on a similar level to 'original six' clubs is fools gold.

Habs are close to a dynasty now. We just need a couple of pieces and Price to stay healthy. If Price is never injured this year, we are still in the top 3 in the league. Fact (that can never be proven)! :p

My point is that a whole lot of posters here think that there's just two acceptable scenarios:

-A roster with a 99% chance of winning the Cup

-If not, tank the season and trade anyone over 25 for picks and go full blown rebuild

Anything else is supposedly terrible management.

 

[jaffy27]

Paul Kariya and Chris Pronger also available!

Let's tank, this team sucks.

Demers doesn't have a university degree, can he even read?

The smurf Stephan Lebeau is a joke, shouldn't be in the NHL.

Not cool

 

[Le Tricolore]

Not cool

I laughed at it.

 

[Brainiac]

Not cool

Don't worry, it's not like Demers will read it...



OK, that was totally not cool.

 

[calder candidate]

Has bad has we might of think we were there were team that were a lot worst we wouldn't have had shoot at Daigle and we ended up with Koivu probably top 5 player in the draft.

The year we should have tank was 2013.

 

[number 11]

well we've decided not to tank and been content every year since 93..hasn't really been working out for us

 

[TimGolbert]

8-9-2 isn't exactly the same as 4-19-1, though, is it?