Potential Off Season Moves by the Habs

[Habs Halifax]

A rebuild requires a coaching staff in the AHL that understands its primary role is to develop young players for the NHL.

Too many young players have not panned out. I remember how promising Leblanc looked in his 50 game stint only to be completely screwed up by Lefebvre. That's only one example

100% BS. Leblanc screwed his own chance cause he was a bad pick. Lefebvre didn't screw Leblanc. If you want to play the blame game. Point it at TT. Finger pointing due to frustration is just not cool

 

[calder candidate]

So many people here admire the Leafs rebuild, the fact is that they traded about two of their top players/year, and got very lucky to win the lottery in a year where there was a super elite player available.

Also, the sucked for 13 years, and maybe more. Two PO appearances in 13 years, ready for that?

They suck for 13 years+ but they haven't been in full rebuild mode for 13 years they tried to take a few short cut along the way it is only in the past 3-4 years they really committed and stuck to their plan and now they have made the playoff and they have tons on momentum going into the next season. I won't be surprise if they finish higher than Montreal next year. Today Toronto is closer to a cup than Montreal is and the gap is only going to grown is the next few years.

 

[Gains]

I think that we should absolutely be rebuilding. By that I mean icing a lineup similar to this:

Lehkonen - Galchenyuk - Gallagher
Hudon - Danault - Shaw
Byron - Plekanec - Mitchell
DLR - McCarron - Scherbak

Beaulieu - Petry
Markov - Sergachev
Emelin - Benn

Grubauer* or Darling*

I'd trade Plekanec, Mitchell and Emelin at the TDL and call up prospects who are the most deserving.
I'd trade Price, Pacioretty, Weber for picks/ prospects under 22.
_______________________________________________________________
I don't believe that our core can win the cup & I'm tired of hearing that we're built from the net out. This just doesn't work anymore in the NHL. It's not just different types of teams with the defensive teams vs offensive teams. We need to be built from the C position first, then fill the rest of the lineup.

Goalies performances carry a high variance, it's the last position we should be concerned with. Teams like SJ, EDM, FLA, NJ & MIN all got legit #1 goalies for at most a 1st round pick. Not only that, but they also have to pay them way less than we'll have to pay Carey Price.

In this NHL, offense wins cups. That's a reality, even defensive minded teams (LA, BOS) needed an elite offensive core to get there, or at least players performing like it in the POs, something that we're lacking.

I'm talking players that you basically only get by drafting top 5.
Because the reality here is that elite forwards are mainly drafted with top picks, while good goalies can get obtained in so many ways (Jones, Talbot, Luongo, Schneider, Dubnyk & even Bobrovsky). When you have a good forward core, your goalie becomes complimentary & you can have a great group of skaters while paying a goaltender around 5 millions tops.

I do believe that the players we have with a few great additions could contend, but our problem is our lack of assets. At the end of the day even with the greatest GM, we would need home run trades in order to contend. That's because besides Sergachev, we don't have any prospects of high value.

We're basically at a point where we don't have enough high end players to contend, but also don't have any assets capable of getting us there. It's not something any GM can fix.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Weber was exposed against the Rangers. There was just so much Markov could do.

You swapped the order of those names, or you didn't watch. One or the other.

 

[G0bias]

I see nothing good coming out of the Julien-Galchenyuk situation. Its obvious this is going nowhere. Hell, its going backwards. Julien has clearly made up his mind and Galchenyuk isn't a LW so what's the point continuing this nonsense?

Just be done with it now and go with something else before his value plummets from playing 3rd LW the entire next season. Organization is incapable of developing offensive players.

Pacioretty should go too. Swap them for Landeskog and Duchene. Whatever. I'm done.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

No, the first place division team does not need a rebuild. A few big things to address, yes, but rebuild? Come on lol don't be so emotional over a first round exit.

A first place that was very much in doubt until our series of 3 games in one week against the sens while playing in the worst division in the league. Something to really be proud of. I hope we hang that banner.

 

[hercules130]

Turn into Canucks? The Canucks went to the Stanley Cup Finals. Is that not a good thing?

 

[AntonCH]

As much as the fans want it, there will be no tanking in Mudville
The Habs will retool
King, Ott and a few more of the lesser players on expiring contracts will be gone
Beaulieu or Plekanec will be claimed by Vegas depending on if they want to be competitive or stockpile youth
Galchenyuk and possibly Gallagher will be moved in hopes of finding a true #1 C.
Markov and Radulov will most likely be resigned
Price and Pacioretty are here for one more year, we'll be all in for the cup run next year
Watch the draft picks and prospects fly off the shelf in an attempt to save the GM's job, errr I mean win the cup

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Turn into Canucks? The Canucks went to the Stanley Cup Finals. Is that not a good thing?

From the moment they lost the cup to Boston, they have won 0 playoff series in 7 years. No I don't want to be the Canucks. Holding onto that memory of a Stanley Cup final was the last time they won a playoff series, 7 years ago...

 

[mariolemieux66]

You swapped the order of those names, or you didn't watch. One or the other.

Nah man i watched. NY kept dumping the puck in Markov's corner, knowing very well he's the one capable or making a pass of taking the puck out of the zone. By pressuring Markov and hitting him, which took a toll on him by game 5, he had to pass the puck to Weber who handles it like a grenade. When the puck went into Weber's corner he just had to pass it to Markov. NY went after Markov all series long because he is our best dmen.

Weber played well defensively though, but he was exposed.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I lean to rebuild if Price won't re-sign.

If Price won't re-sign it's a rebuild for sure.

 

[wolfinhabsclothing]

I voted overhaul, and by that I mean trade Price. Not because I want to, but more because:

A - I'm not certain he will resign
B - If he does, and we pay him 9-10 million, what does that leave for the team around him
C - Our forward prospect pool is the weakest in the division

The only chip we have to obtain multiple good players, prospects, and picks is Carey Price.

Trying to emulate the Roy years, and depending on a goalie to win you the cup almost single handedly, is a fools game. You gotta be able to score 2 goals per game or more to win.

If teams can win with Antii Niiemi, Corey Crawford, Marc-Andre Fleury, Chris Osgood, and JS Giguere in nets, so can the Habs.

Keep Max; keep Weber
(with the C on his chest); keep Chucky and Gally; Lehkonen too; also most of the core.

Deal Price - but only for a king's ransom
Deal Beaulieu
Do not resign: Emelin
Resign Radulov
Leave Plekanec unprotected and hope he gets taken by Vegas

For once Bergy needs to focus on the top 6 up front, not the bottom 6!

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Nah man i watched. NY kept dumping the puck in Markov's corner, knowing very well he's the one capable or making a pass of taking the puck out of the zone. By pressuring Markov and hitting him, which took a toll on him by game 5, he had to pass the puck to Weber who handles it like a grenade. When the puck went into Weber's corner he just had to pass it to Markov. NY went after Markov all series long because he is our best dmen.

Weber played well defensively though, but he was exposed.

You'll have to define "expose", then, since the only even strength goal I can remember him being on the ice for was on a play coughed out of Markov's corner. The only times we were in any trouble defensively was when Beaulieu/Petry/Benn/Davidson were on the ice, and otherwise he was one of our top 3 scorers and one of the few players with a positive +/-.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Dunno, I just remember them talking about Edmonton willing to deal Draisitl and Klefbom but Bergevin was asking for the 3rd overall to be added cause he was infatuated with PLD. If that's true, he's dumb.

4th overall, and I think I read something about the deal falling through when Puljujarvi was on the board at 4.

Of course, I'm not so sure Edmonton would have parted with Draisaitl AND Klefbom. It would have been huge, though.

 

[hercules130]

From the moment they lost the cup to Boston, they have won 0 playoff series in 7 years. No I don't want to be the Canucks. Holding onto that memory of a Stanley Cup final was the last time they won a playoff series, 7 years ago...

I understand what you are writing, but you focus on 6 bad seasons after 2011 SC. I would rather see that the Canucks did go to the Finals, something the Canadiens are unable to do for 24 years.

 

[expy]

If Price won't re-sign it's a rebuild for sure.

It all starts with Bergevin getting fired or resigning.

Price won't stay as long as the GM position is held by someone who doesn't want to do what it takes to bolster the lineup and win a cup.

 

[Sorinth]

thats still awful danault and lehkonen are not 2nd line players on a contender
gallagher is a 2nd line player

The 5th & 6th most productive forwards for some contenders
Chicago: Anisimov & Panik
Pittsburgh: Hornqvist & Bonino

Lehknonen and Danault are comparable to most contenders 5th & 6th best forwards. If you can put up 40 points or 20 goals you'll find a spot on almost every team's top-6.

 

[1909]

Sylvain Lefebvre gave an interview to Ron Fournier before their AHL Series.

Fournier asked him who were the players that progressed the most and were near NHL play.

In order:

DLR
Lindgren
Lernout

a bit of hesitation and he added

Hudon

and finally Scherback who stll needs some seasoning at AHL level.


So our best hopes for next season are: a 4th line center/winger, a bottom-pairing d-man, and a goalie. Hudon still seems like someone they hate talking about.

McCarron needs to play on a regular basis next year, or else.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

I understand what you are writing, but you focus on 6 bad seasons after 2011 SC. I would rather see that the Canucks did go to the Finals, something the Canadiens are unable to do for 24 years.

What this thread is about, is that we have already lost our chance at the SCF and will now be stuck in mediocrity. This team is not headed for a SCF if it continues to be ran by MB.

 

[Miller Time]

Starts with firing Bergevin. No other move matters until the leadership, or lack thereof, problem at the top is fixed.

 

[1909]

100% BS. Leblanc screwed his own chance cause he was a bad pick. Lefebvre didn't screw Leblanc. If you want to play the blame game. Point it at TT. Finger pointing due to frustration is just not cool

Right. At some point these kids have to take the next step by themselves. Leblanc was just mentally weak, and a mediocre player.

 

[Angler]

I think at this point they are handcuffed into tough situation. I would try to add pieces for the next couple of years. They still have Price in his prime. It's unlikely to work, but still worth a shot at this point.

After that though, it'll have to be a full rebuild. The key here is to not trade a guy like Sergachev. He can be part of a rebuild that might be initiated in a few years. They will have to use Galchenyuk as a piece to acquire a center, but that's a lot easier said than done. Its obviously going to cost much more than just him...

 

[Miller Time]

Right. At some point these kids have to take the next step by themselves. Leblanc was just mentally weak, and a mediocre player.

In the best organizations in sport, they build a culture of teaching and learning that supports young players (or established guys needing a new start/labelled as problems elsewhere) developing that resilient/mentally tough winning mindset.

Under Bergevin, Therrien & Lefebvre we have been the exact opposite... a franchise that chews up most of our talent and whereby only a few guys manage to thrive despite the organization, not because of it. And we traded away the guy who best exemplified that.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

1. Kovalchuk is a shadow of his former self. Everything I've read indicates he's not very good anymore.

2. How does that deal make Colorado better? There's no way they move those 2 for that. Zero chance. Maybe they'd move them for Weber and something, but not for that offer.

Side note, Duchene isn't a 1C anymore than Galchenyuk is. In fact, most people like Duchene on the wing more than in the middle.

Pacioretty is better than Landeskog, and is signed at a cheaper deal. They get a better player at a lower cap hit. If he doesn't want to re-sign, they can deal him and get significant assets from some team.

Beaulieu helps their left defense out right away. He's a former first rounder that may put it together there. He immediately becomes their second pairing left handed guy. They get a first round pick for their rebuild and a very solid looking right handed defensive prospect, some may argue elite defensive prospect in Juulsen.

 

[1909]

It all starts with Bergevin getting fired or resigning.

Price won't stay as long as the GM position is held by someone who doesn't want to do what it takes to bolster the lineup and win a cup.

Won't happen. Got a big garanteed contract until year 2020-21 I think....