Non-Habs Fans, What would you do if you were the GM?
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TMLeafs17
Why so salty?
- Oct 5, 2017
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Invest all into creating a time machine so we can go back and not trade Subban
Dustin
Registered User
- Sep 24, 2014
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The problem here is kind of what the poster above me indicated. Most of the problems I have with Montreal are pretty recent. I would not have traded Subban, not have traded for Drouin, did my best to lock up Radulov, did my best to get Markov back, etc.
There are some pieces on Montreal that could get a nice package of futures to really kickstart a new rebuild but Weber and Price are going to be tough to move due to contracts and having them on the roster is most likely going to keep you away from the bottom of the league.
At this point I suppose you play it out and hope Drouin can learn to be an NHL center. Next year attack UFA's to fill spots and again hope for the best.
There are some pieces on Montreal that could get a nice package of futures to really kickstart a new rebuild but Weber and Price are going to be tough to move due to contracts and having them on the roster is most likely going to keep you away from the bottom of the league.
At this point I suppose you play it out and hope Drouin can learn to be an NHL center. Next year attack UFA's to fill spots and again hope for the best.
I'd honestly rebuild.
Don't have any high end prospects to count on turning it up or to trade for good help now.
Don't have any high end prospects to count on turning it up or to trade for good help now.
Dustin
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- Sep 24, 2014
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Oscar Lindberg
Registered User
I’d say rebuild but they are committed long term to Weber and Price
And no one is taking Weber anyway
Tough position the Habs are in
And no one is taking Weber anyway
Tough position the Habs are in
Dustin
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- Sep 24, 2014
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I don't think that's so easy. Price is an elite goalie but he's paid like an elite forward. Weber's contract is not good if he retires early or begins to decline in play. While I think both players are great talents I'm not sure a lot of teams bite at those contracts right now.
firstemperor
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- May 25, 2011
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Fire Timmins, Bergevin and revamp the organization from the top up. Keep Julien, I think he's a good coach with not much to work with. Maybe a little stubborn in his ways but that's only because he has a fundamental view of how his personnel should play.
Move Weber, Pac as soon as possible before their value declines any further. I'd explore trading Price to see if he has any value around the league.
Play Chuck at C away from Shaw. Even if he is defensively irresponsible because he's not a good skater, you need to play him with better linemates and a more valued position to get his stock rising again. Ideally, he should be the C on a line with Drouin.
Start the rebuild/retool.
Move Weber, Pac as soon as possible before their value declines any further. I'd explore trading Price to see if he has any value around the league.
Play Chuck at C away from Shaw. Even if he is defensively irresponsible because he's not a good skater, you need to play him with better linemates and a more valued position to get his stock rising again. Ideally, he should be the C on a line with Drouin.
Start the rebuild/retool.
Blow it up.
Also Habs fans will be very disappointed with the return their players will bring in. For example someone like Carey Price won't bring you as much as you think. There aren't many if any teams that need a goalie desperately enough at $10+ million. Same goes for Shea Weber and his monster contract. Galchenyuk is quickly declining for whatever reason and won't fetch much. Only players I would want and would be willing to pay a decent return for are Pacs and Drouin.
Also Habs fans will be very disappointed with the return their players will bring in. For example someone like Carey Price won't bring you as much as you think. There aren't many if any teams that need a goalie desperately enough at $10+ million. Same goes for Shea Weber and his monster contract. Galchenyuk is quickly declining for whatever reason and won't fetch much. Only players I would want and would be willing to pay a decent return for are Pacs and Drouin.
CantLoseWithMatthews
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- Sep 28, 2015
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Probably blow it up. The only way to move forward is to either make the team significantly better so you can become cup contenders or significantly worse so you can build through the draft. Option 2 is a lot easier but still a really difficult path
Day 1 - force Alex Galchenyuk into retirement.
Day 2 - sign Alexandre Gallant, a 23 year old, undrafted, unknown mute from a remote village in the far north of La Belle Province with bloodlines tracing back to the original settlers of Quebec City, a boy wonder who will be allowed to develop into the 1C the team desperately needs.
Day 3 - profit
Day 2 - sign Alexandre Gallant, a 23 year old, undrafted, unknown mute from a remote village in the far north of La Belle Province with bloodlines tracing back to the original settlers of Quebec City, a boy wonder who will be allowed to develop into the 1C the team desperately needs.
Day 3 - profit
bukwas
Stanley Cup 2022
- Sep 27, 2017
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Without some serious thievery and further depletion of the future in trades, i'm not sure there's enough there to trade them into a contender.
Maybe if they went full scale old school Devils style hockey it would help but those Devils teams had some talent and a different set of rules to work with so probably not.
I guess i would most likely rebuild, get more mobility and skill in there even if it lacks experience. I don't think there's much to lose at this point.
Maybe if they went full scale old school Devils style hockey it would help but those Devils teams had some talent and a different set of rules to work with so probably not.
I guess i would most likely rebuild, get more mobility and skill in there even if it lacks experience. I don't think there's much to lose at this point.
Benedict Kovalchuk
Kovalchuk: A spy?
Fire the scouting and development staff, fire the GM, and start the rebuild. That is a mediocre roster right there. Ditch the French language requirement too, it's only holding the team back.
Most Habs fans won't like it...
With this contract trade Price immideately. For a king's ransom obviously... ... ... if he is tradeable at all now with this idiotic contract.
A 1C would have be a return obviously. A young one too.
Then trade away all the older players one by one. Weber would probably stay.
Buy out Plekanec.
Yes, a major rebuild. No half arsed measures.
Cleatus
Registered User
This team is going to be an absolute nightmare for the next GM to fix... I'd personally decline the job offer, and refer someone I dislike to it.
I don't think I'd take the job, Bergeron has made you live and die by Price and Weber, who you probably need to figure out how to be a contender in the next 3 years. I see no way to do that due to the needs at C and LD. There isn't the asset capital to trade outside of Poehling or someone breaking out as a grade A prospect, as Mete isn't really tradable either.
They simply needed to keep Radulov if they were going all in with the Price/Weber core. Instead, they chose some weird middle ground where they have cap space to absorb a guy like Duchane, but lack the assets.
The only real option is somehow pull a miracle and get Tavares. You simply can't tear down and recoup proper assets.
They simply needed to keep Radulov if they were going all in with the Price/Weber core. Instead, they chose some weird middle ground where they have cap space to absorb a guy like Duchane, but lack the assets.
The only real option is somehow pull a miracle and get Tavares. You simply can't tear down and recoup proper assets.
lanceuppercut75
Registered User
Immediately begin to aggressively assess whether or not the coach is a good fit, and also if Galchenyuk can be salvaged or not. If not, trade Chucky NOW or package him for a young top 4 with upside.
See if there is an "outside of the box" deal that could bring good assets for Shea Weber. Even if it means taking a terrible contract. For example, to the Kings for Dustin Brown and a 1st and Kempe. Something like that. I'm not saying that's the exact value.
Trade the last 1.5 years of Pacioretty and Byron at the deadline to the highest bidder.
Trade rentals Hemsky and a full-retained Plekanec for draft picks at the deadline.
Call up McCarron and Scherbak.
LISTEN to trade offers for Carey Price. I'm not saying he needs to be traded, but IMO this team is too far gone to say no if/when a team desperate for Price offers an overpay.
Next year...
Brown - Drouin - Gallagher
Lehkonen - Danault - Scherbak
Kempe - McCarron - Shaw
DeLaRose - Hudon - Baun
Gregoire
Mete - Petry
Alzner - GALCHENYUK D
Schlemko - (Lernout/Juulsen)
Benn/Davidson
Price
Montoya
With three 1st rounders at the 2018 draft.
See if there is an "outside of the box" deal that could bring good assets for Shea Weber. Even if it means taking a terrible contract. For example, to the Kings for Dustin Brown and a 1st and Kempe. Something like that. I'm not saying that's the exact value.
Trade the last 1.5 years of Pacioretty and Byron at the deadline to the highest bidder.
Trade rentals Hemsky and a full-retained Plekanec for draft picks at the deadline.
Call up McCarron and Scherbak.
LISTEN to trade offers for Carey Price. I'm not saying he needs to be traded, but IMO this team is too far gone to say no if/when a team desperate for Price offers an overpay.
Next year...
Brown - Drouin - Gallagher
Lehkonen - Danault - Scherbak
Kempe - McCarron - Shaw
DeLaRose - Hudon - Baun
Gregoire
Mete - Petry
Alzner - GALCHENYUK D
Schlemko - (Lernout/Juulsen)
Benn/Davidson
Price
Montoya
With three 1st rounders at the 2018 draft.
There's a 0% chance Tavares signs in Montreal, he's not a masochist. The Canadiens right now are where the Leafs were when they fired Nonis, with the exception that the Leafs already had Nylander in the pipeline and picked Marner a few months later. Shanahan was smart to bring in Mark Hunter before cleaning house, going along with dropping a truckload of money into European scouting. Then they were fortunate to get Matthews in 2016, which accelerated their rebuild by a few years.
The Leafs had their Weber-lite, it was Phaneuf at $7m/year. It's still surprising he was moved without the Leafs eating salary, but there's no way the same happens with Weber. Kessel and his $8m was moved with the Leafs having to eat salary. Price isn't going anywhere unless the Habs are willing to retain $3m or more per year. He's not going to get you anything close to a #1C, let alone a young #1, right now his value is neutral or negative because of that extension. Last year Price's save % was .923 – Frederik Andersen's was .917. Those extra six saves per 1,000 shots is going to cost Montreal $5.5m more per season than Toronto's paying for Andersen. If Price were at an astronomical .950+ save percentage, maybe then he'd be worth an extra $5.5m per year. But as it stands, just getting him off your books is the biggest thing you can expect in a trade.
Nothing respectable will happen in Montreal until they burn it to the ground, spend five years in the ashes, AND have the ability to draft well. Edmonton did a good job proving you can screw up even top five picks.
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