Non-Habs Fans, What would you do if you were the GM?

[Jethlan]

Why would Tavares even want to go to Montreal? Seems like a pipe dream to me, the guy would probably sign for less and play elsewhere.

For starters, they have a winger they play center and a center they play winger, should probably fix that.

Has Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Drouin even been tried yet?

No Galchenyuk is on the 4th line as we speak

 

[x Tame Impala]

Teams that SHOULD be tanking are the teams with no pieces to build around like Vancouver or Vegas. MTL has enough good pieces, they just need to trim a lot of fat

 

[NDiesel]

The thing is with the lottery you do not have to finish bottom 5 to draft top 5.

I disagree with those saying Price's contract is an issue. Everyone pays their starter 5 mil so he is an extra 5. That can be made up for elsewhere. Most teams have 4-5 money D, the Habs just have to run with 3-4 and keep getting bargains.

If the Habs could get Taveres they could turn this around. The Weber deal is scary but he still has a few good years in him. They are kind of in wait and see mode though. If Drouin proves he can play C that helps.

I'd write off this year, get some younger assets, let Drouin and Galy play 1-2 all year. Whichever is better stays the other gets shifted to wing when a legit C is signed next year.

Trade Plekanec, Mitchell, Hemsky, Streit, Benn and Montoya if there are takers. Use those assets at the draft and to get a C if FA does not solve the problem.

Most importantly, get a new GM.

Of course you're right, but you can't really rebuild on the basis that if you finish in 9th place that MAYBE you pick in the top 5, because odds are you pick outside of the top 5 still. That's why they should get as many picks in the top 2 rounds as possible, trading off assets that you listed for whatever they can get as well, and hope that out of maybe 7 picks in the top 2 rounds in the next two drafts (if possible) that at least 2 of those guys is ready sooner rather than later.

 

[leafsfan1234]

No Galchenyuk is on the 4th line as we speak

Poor Habs fans complained about Therrien for years... Now Julien comes in and trolls them even harder.

 

[CanadienShark]

Let me get this straight, Weber who is 32 years old with a AAV of 7.8 million till he's 40 is going to get a return of Connor (our best forward prospect top 6) & Roslovic (our 2nd best forward prospect top 6) & Trouba our best D currently who is a top pairing young player? Is this right?

Wow.....you're dreaming if you think the Jets would even remotely think about that. Terrible for the Jets, I mean really really terrible.

To be fair, he did say a retained Weber. And that those would be assets to target, not necessarily a deal involving all of them.

 

[Dying Alive]

Which teams both need Price and could afford to take on his contract? I don't imagine it's a huge list.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

I would get fired for not being a francophone. My second option would be to quit and jump ship before the inevitable disaster happens. But i would probably be fired before that.

 

[Jethlan]

Poor Habs fans complained about Therrien for year... Now Julien comes in and trolls them even harder.

We all fear the day when he will be traded to another and suddenly explode offensively. Kind of like Seguin

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

We all fear the day when he will be traded to another and suddenly explode offensively. Kind of like Seguin

Maybe they're trying to ruin him completely so that never happens

 

[sparxx87]

Which teams both need Price and could afford to take on his contract? I don't imagine it's a huge list.

You’re right, but I also think there’s some teams that would shed some salary in another deal to make it work. Winnipeg for example, has some good young assets and have needed a goalie since they were Atlanta. They’re entering their window and could get great value out of Price in his prime.

 

[Jethlan]

Maybe they're trying to ruin him completely so that never happens

And he is also the new whipping boy of the team so maybe he gets traded before it's too late

 

[hi]

The problem with trading Price is that there are not too many teams that need a goalie at the moment. And then the rest of the teams that are in no position to trade for Price given where they are as a team or cap space.

Think about it nearly every team currently has a goalie they're committed to locked in for the foreseeable future, or they have a top goalie prospect on the way.

Imo Arizona/Buffalo/Calgary/Carolina/Colorado/Dallas/Detroit/Florida/Nashville/Islanders/Ottawa/Philadelphia/St. Louis/Vancouver/Winnipeg would all trade for Price at 50% retained. I know that a few of those teams have promising goalie prospects in the pipeline, but wouldn't having the chance to acquire a top 3 goalie in the league for $5.25m per season be a more appealing option than hoping a goalie prospect becomes a #1 starter in 3-5 years?

 

[Ken Wreggets revenge]

Which teams both need Price and could afford to take on his contract? I don't imagine it's a huge list.

The Jets could use a slightly above average goalie like Carey Price to stabilize their situation. They have just over 7M in available space and loads of good, young players. I'd would think the Habs would have to split the Price contract with the Jets to get anything decent in return.

This might be hard for Habs fans to hear, but Carey Price is not an elite goalie. It doesn't matter how many times the fans tell it to themselves or how many times the media tries to shove it down our throats. Carey Prices' performance speaks for itself, and through the first decade of his career, his performance has been above average in the regular season, with mediocre playoff runs, more often than not leading to first round exits. Elite goalies don't post worse numbers in the playoffs than they do in the regular season. Elite goalies elevate their game when it matters most.

 

[HansonBro]

Your trying to split hairs on your wording b/c you know what you said was dumb as crap. Everything posted on this thread is "potential" b/c no here is a real GM.

I could potentially give the Habs a 7th round pick for Drouin if they retain on him, Is this how it works?

Who's splitting hairs here? And how many people do you need to point out that you can't read comprehensively? You even make spelling mistakes but I think we can all understand what YOU'RE trying to say

 

[Viqsi]

You're doing a fantastic job already!

...oops. Obviously I meant Julien.

 

[Riptide]

Curious what people from the outside would do if they became the Habs GM today to turn the team around and become a contender, Would you blow it up? Make a few trades? etc?

Hopefully get some serious answers out of this, I'd like to see the outside opinion and what you think would be the best route to go from here.

I've been saying this all fall... the team simply isn't as good as some think. They have some solid pieces that are young (Gally, Gallagher, Drouin, etc), but have some massive holes and their key guys are not exactly young. They have some good prospects, but none appear to be ones that will fill their massive #1C/#2C holes. Trades can be made, but unless they're selling pieces, I'm not sure how successful those moves will be, as there's very few decent top 6 centers available.

I think the first step is to force feed Galchenyuk center minutes. Maybe he's not a #1C, but the kid is skilled and talented. And if Julien won't give him those minutes/duties, then you suck up the 20+ million you owe him (5x5m), fire him and hire someone who will get Gally playing as a center. This kid needs to be at the very least a top 9 player, and given Montreal's lack of skilled centers, should absolutely be a center. He doesn't have to be an ideal one... but when you have crap options, you need to make due the best you can.

Short of someone like Tavares becoming available via FA, I think they have to suck up the cost and trade for someone. I know RNH isn't the best option, but he's one of the few who will likely be available next summer. And at the very least would be a step in the right direction. And other than that, as management isn't likely going to be willing to do a rebuild (and I do not really blame them), I think they have to try and rebuild on the fly like New York did. Get more mobile on the blueline whenever possible, and basically younger in general. So instead of spending 4.6m on an Alzner type, you spend that on someone like B.Smith (not sure he would have signed, but you get the idea). Schlemko is a step in the right direction, even if he's a depth guy. I would have tried to bribe LV and kept Beaulieu vs moving him for the peanuts they did. But yeah. Spend whatever it takes to try and get at least one more skilled youngish center, get Gally playing as a center, and get younger and more mobile on the blueline.

Not the easiest of things... but very needed things if Montreal wants to actually have a chance to be a contender over the next 5 years.

 

[MapleLeafistan]

That Subban trade was the mark of the beginning of the end of this Habs squad. I'd give them one more season...if they don't at least make the ECF, I'd say its time to blow it up.

 

[Riptide]

There's a 0% chance Tavares signs in Montreal, he's not a masochist.

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.

The first part is likely. I know I said try and sign him - and they should if he's available. But I do not think it's all that realistic. Most players of his caliber do not make it to FA. That said, if he does, despite the issues Montreal has, I think JT goes a long way to solving them. Montreal has some very good winger depth with young wingers in the system. I don't like their blueline, but they have some decent pieces there (just not mobile enough or good enough transitioning the puck in my opinion). And their goalie is one of the best in the world.

As for the 2nd part, I think that shows why Montreal shouldn't try and do a full rebuild. I'm not saying they're near being a contender - they're not without some amazing moves/FA signings. But I don't think it makes sense for them to go with a full rebuild at this point in time. Ottawa made it to game 7 double OT of the ECF's, and they do not have a true #1C. They have a shit ton of depth and the best D in the league, but no #1C. I think this would be the model that Montreal would have to try and follow - but they need the centers to try this. Danault as a #3C? Sure. And maybe Drouin works out as a center... but they still need someone else, and if Gally isn't going to be played there, they'll have to bring someone in. And in all honesty they probably should anyway, because if both Gally and Drouin are centers, their wings are going to be lacking.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I don't know yet what I would do as GM... basically it would be what my boss wants me to do. And I would guess that in Montreal my boss would not support a total rebuild. Those can eventually work out, but they also have risks, and I don't see Montreal consciously choosing that route. In my hypothetical promotion to Montreal GM, I would assume that they are not looking to tank or trade Carey Price or Shea Weber or anything like that. That would not be part of my assumed mandate.

So they are going to just have to try for a resurrection with the assets they have on hand. I think broadly speaking the main thing they need to do is get back to an emphasis on skill and talent over some of the other attributes the current regime may have prioritized instead. The NHL of the immediate present tense wants mobile puck-moving D, and the Habs basically consciously torpedoed themselves on that front in the last couple years. They have to promote their talent from within, they have to allow that talent to make mistakes and learn from them, and since they are paying Carey Price $10M, they might as well accept that some of those mistakes are going to be his mess to deal with.

And frankly, they might not need to actively tank much or make big trades to get a couple really high picks in the next couple years. Even with Price.

Of course I'd try to move any declining/overpaid role players if possible, stockpile picks, place an emphasis on youth. But I wouldn't necessarily expect that to bring in a lot of blue chip returns, considering the likely low market value of the assets we're talking about here.

Sign free agents if possible, make trades, try to improve the drafting and development departments... but always with an emphasis on skill and talent. I don't think it would look very dramatic in terms of big moves right away. Just basically alter course from the current regime, steer in a somewhat different philosophical direction on player choices, but try to apply that across all the managerial tools at my disposal.

 

[sandysan]

We all fear the day when he will be traded to another and suddenly explode offensively. Kind of like Seguin

I don't think he's another seguin in the making but its not out of the realm of possibilities that he's another yakupov ( yes,yes I know nail is doing better in colorado).

We have two big problems, the player we drafted as a center currently plays 3/4th line wing, and the winger we traded our sole bargaining chip that could have " fixed" this is playing first line center.
If you noticed the juxtaposition of "problems" and " center" you may be more astute than habs management.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Blow it up.

 

[SotasicA]

What would you do if you were the GM?

I would make sure to suck up to the ownership to secure another future job in the franchise. That team makes a ton of money.

Also, I would try and bang a lot of lingerie models. French-canadian babes are hot, and surely they'll put out for the GM of the Montreal Canadiens, right?

As for actual hockey stuff, i don't know. It's super tough because of the fan base. Not sure they accept a full rebuild without at least lip-service about trying to contend (would you pay those ticket prices to see a team not even trying to win a Cup?). And in the end, it's all about the fan base. They pay the money, they are the ones you entertain. Sadly, in a salary cap era that does lead to a lot of 'meh' bubble teams with very little chance to draft young studs and star power, while trying to superficially contend.

The Penguins and the Blackhawks played in front of half empty stadiums and had abysmal records before building stacked rosters and winning 6 of the last 9 Stanley Cups.

You'd need some giant balls to try and do that in Montreal. You'd probably get fired before you got to enjoy the fruits of your labour. There's too much money to lose. And besides, winning Cups won't generate much more revenue in Montreal anyway. You can't sell out any more games than they do now, and you can't raise tickets prices much more either.

I'd try and do my best, make small moves, but yeah, definitely brown nose the ownership and enjoy my lingerie models on my yacht and not stress about on-ice success too much.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

The Jets could use a slightly above average goalie like Carey Price to stabilize their situation. They have just over 7M in available space and loads of good, young players. I'd would think the Habs would have to split the Price contract with the Jets to get anything decent in return.

This might be hard for Habs fans to hear, but Carey Price is not an elite goalie. It doesn't matter how many times the fans tell it to themselves or how many times the media tries to shove it down our throats. Carey Prices' performance speaks for itself, and through the first decade of his career, his performance has been above average in the regular season, with mediocre playoff runs, more often than not leading to first round exits. Elite goalies don't post worse numbers in the playoffs than they do in the regular season. Elite goalies elevate their game when it matters most.

Price is absolutely an elite goalie. He has the highest save percentage over the last three seasons, hell he he's tied for first over the last 5 seasons. I wish Price wasn't that good but he's absolutely elite, it's not his fault his team can't score.

 

[Riptide]

The problem is that you are not good enough to contend, and you aren't just a piece or two away. The team is not even close

This... and worse they do not have the blue chip prospects to come in over the next 2 years and fill those holes.

That said, I think people saying "tank" are taking the easy way out. That team isn't going to tank with Price and Weber there. And honestly, I do not think they have to. I brought up RNH in my first post, but someone else brought up Soderberg. He's someone else that would help address the center issue in Montreal. But the key is the coach has to be willing to play these guys. And if he's not buying into the vision, then despite the expensive contract he has (5m a year) he needs to go.

 

[Ken Wreggets revenge]

I would make sure to suck up to the ownership to secure another future job in the franchise. That team makes a ton of money.

Also, I would try and bang a lot of lingerie models. French-canadian babes are hot, and surely they'll put out for the GM of the Montreal Canadiens, right?

As for actual hockey stuff, i don't know. It's super tough because of the fan base. Not sure they accept a full rebuild without at least lip-service about trying to contend (would you pay those ticket prices to see a team not even trying to win a Cup?). And in the end, it's all about the fan base. They pay the money, they are the ones you entertain. Sadly, in a salary cap era that does lead to a lot of 'meh' bubble teams with very little chance to draft young studs and star power, while trying to superficially contend.

The Penguins and the Blackhawks played in front of half empty stadiums and had abysmal records before building stacked rosters and winning 6 of the last 9 Stanley Cups.

You'd need some giant balls to try and do that in Montreal. You'd probably get fired before you got to enjoy the fruits of your labour. There's too much money to lose. And besides, winning Cups won't generate much more revenue in Montreal anyway. You can't sell out any more games than they do now, and you can't raise tickets prices much more either.

I'd try and do my best, make small moves, but yeah, definitely brown nose the ownership and enjoy my lingerie models on my yacht and not stress about on-ice success too much.