GDT: 2013 NHL Free Agent Frenzy Part 5

[Lafleurs Guy]

This is an interesting thread. I generally agree with LG, and in this case I also agree, but with some comments that I have not seen here:

1. I have repeatedly stated that the UFA route increasingly sucks. Time and time again we see evidence of this. My reasoning here is that the NHL has become a game of young men. 30 and over, you are a question mark. It seems absurd, but I believe this is true. I also believe that good NHL GMs are getting this.

2. I also said that Bergy's biggest challenge this summer was to find a big, young, productive top six forward, by trade. This forward should also be in our cup window in 2 years. I also stated that this would likely be impossible. This has proven to be the case.

3. I further said that Bergy's next challenge was to find a minute eating top 4 big D man, again, through trade. This D man should also be in our cup window in 2 years. We will see. It looks unlikely.

Conclusion: Bergy has dealt with next year and the need to at least be competitive. That is one of his jobs and we should not discount that. But he has not in any way improved Habs for the cup window in 2 years, discounting the draft.

I think that is what is really making LG and others upset, and I don't blame them. We have to act now by trade of good vets in order to have the youth, yes, youth, to compete for the cup in 2015.

Marky and Pleks will not be on our next cup team, and we should have traded them this summer, or we had better trade them next summer, in order to ensure that Habs are young enough, and big enough to win the cup in our window. The Cup is now all about youth, and it is taking some organizations a long time to realize this.

Briere was simply not a cup window signing. He is a signing to keep us in the playoff hunt next year. That is not good enough. Along with good drafting, Bergy needs to start trading for youth, next year, or he is done.

Good post... Thought you were of the mindset that this was a good signing, guess not.

I posted this in another thread but we're seeing the consequences of not doing a full scale rebuild now. If we'd taken the awful tasting medicine back then we'd be in better shape now. Nothing we can do about this though.

Our blueline is ****ed. It really is right now. Tinordi is green, Gorges pulled a disappearing act and we're left with Markov who's now a PP specialist, Subban and spare parts. The one area where MB HAS to improve is adding a big shutdown guy. And he's got to do this now because we can't shaft Price the way we did this year. If we don't add that blueliner it's going to be ugly.

We didn't get the PF... okay. Too bad but it is what it is. Leaving aside Briere, there's no excuse for not getting a shut down guy. He's got to do this. Coburn would be good a guy with size and the Flyers are cap screwed. Trades aren't easy but he's got to do something about this. If he doesn't we'd better pray that Tinordi is all we hope he is and that Price can have a good year. Because if things don't go right, it's going to be a rough, rough year.

First, experienced vets are essential to winning a cup. Stop with the gerontophobia. Nobody wins a cup with a bunch of talented young guys (see EDM).

Actually they do. See Pittsburgh and Chicago. Edmonton is a different case because all their talent is loaded up on the forwards. There's no balance there. Still a very young team though, you aren't going to win a cup with 18 year olds but you can with 22 and 23 year olds.

Second, our cup window always seem to be 2 years away. Anybody got anything more substantial in that regard? Maybe the fact that our cup window is always two years away is a clear sign that we are not making any significant progress?

Can't blame MB for that. His predecessors refused to rebuild the right way and now we deal with the consequences.

What we can blame him for though is perpetuating the past by signing Briere... something that' right out of Gainey and VeganSkeletor's playbook. That was just dumb and really shook my confidence. If we were close, we took a step back. Any hopes that I had of us competing this year or next were really taken aback by this move.

 

[le_sean]

Someone posted this in the Dustin Penner thread on the Trade board:

Bob Stauffer, Oilers insider and personal friends with Penner, said a few days ago that he has offers in the table from 4 teams.
- Obviously LA
- 1 of the teams is Anaheim
- 1 of the teams finished in the top 4 in the Eastern standings (Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington, Montreal). Personally I think Montreal makes the most sense to replace Cole.
- The 4th team made the playoffs

I don't mind Penner. Lazy, but he does turn it around in the playoffs. He won't hit anyone, but he's huge and cycles the puck very well. I know some people wouldn't like him, but when you have a glaring hole in the lineup and the free agent classes are dwindling every year, what other options do you really have other than this or the trade market? Plus, according to Bergevin, teams are unwilling to give these big guys up. He'd be a stop gap until guys like McCarron or JDLR make it.

 

[Ezpz]

Someone posted this in the Dustin Penner thread on the Trade board:



I don't mind Penner. Lazy, but he does turn it around in the playoffs. He won't hit anyone, but he's huge and cycles the puck very well. I know some people wouldn't like him, but when you have a glaring hole in the lineup and the free agent classes are dwindling every year, what other options do you really have other than this or the trade market? Plus, according to Bergevin, teams are unwilling to give these big guys up. He'd be a stop gap until guys like McCarron or JDLR make it.

Penner is a much lazier version of AK46. We would absolutely destroy his confidence to below Gomez levels if he came here.

 

[le_sean]

Penner is a much lazier version of AK46. We would absolutely destroy his confidence to below Gomez levels if he came here.

Almost impossible to be much lazier than Kostitsyn. At least Penner at one point showed he could be the go-to guy when in Edmonton. There's potential for a bit more from him.

Like I said, his worth is in the playoffs, almost like Briere. Character guy, young. I don't think it would be as bad as people say.

 

[Roulin]

IMO Penner is more a case of heavy feet than laziness. It's not the most fun kind of hockey to watch, slowly pivoting in place while protecting the puck, but he makes up for his feet with the rest of his skillset.

Another player I'd be interested in from that ridiculously deep Kings team is Alec Martinez, if he's the odd man out.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Someone posted this in the Dustin Penner thread on the Trade board:



I don't mind Penner. Lazy, but he does turn it around in the playoffs. He won't hit anyone, but he's huge and cycles the puck very well. I know some people wouldn't like him, but when you have a glaring hole in the lineup and the free agent classes are dwindling every year, what other options do you really have other than this or the trade market? Plus, according to Bergevin, teams are unwilling to give these big guys up. He'd be a stop gap until guys like McCarron or JDLR make it.

Penner and Morrow in.. DD and Gionta out. Our team would be instantly more credible.

Pacioretty-Briere-Penner
Morrow-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque
Moen/Parros-Dumont-White

 

[Maelpj*]

Penner and Morrow in.. DD and Gionta out. Our team would be instantly more credible.

Pacioretty-Briere-Penner
Morrow-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque
Moen/Parros-Dumont-White

Getting sick of people who propose line up with DD out.. Trying to accept that the smurf will be back next season, and it only make me remember that it won't happen for I while

 

[Andy]

Do not want Penner for the sole reason that I don't want to hear or read posts of people whining when they see how inconsistent he is.

Also keep in mind that in 117 regular season games with LA, Penner has 11 goals and 37 points. Unless he bounces back, Penner wouldn't even be playing a tertiary scoring role, he'd literally just be a big body in the lineup.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Getting sick of people who propose line up with DD out.. Trying to accept that the smurf will be back next season, and it only make me remember that it won't happen for I while

My avatar says it all.

 

[Myron Gaines*]

I think y'all being a bit too harsh on Desharnais. I think he'll bounce back, but one thing's for sure, if the right deal comes along, I wouldn't mind seeing him go.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Penner and Morrow in.. DD and Gionta out. Our team would be instantly more credible.

Pacioretty-Briere-Penner
Morrow-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque
Moen/Parros-Dumont-White

Did Prust get cut? ;-)

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Someone posted this in the Dustin Penner thread on the Trade board:



I don't mind Penner. Lazy, but he does turn it around in the playoffs. He won't hit anyone, but he's huge and cycles the puck very well. I know some people wouldn't like him, but when you have a glaring hole in the lineup and the free agent classes are dwindling every year, what other options do you really have other than this or the trade market? Plus, according to Bergevin, teams are unwilling to give these big guys up. He'd be a stop gap until guys like McCarron or JDLR make it.

If he comes here I hope its a short term deal.

And all I'd say to him is... go to the net and stay there. If he did that, I'd be happy. Because nobody else other than Gallagher does.

 

[CheldishGamibno]

I think y'all being a bit too harsh on Desharnais. I think he'll bounce back, but one thing's for sure, if the right deal comes along, I wouldn't mind seeing him go.

People on this board are overacting like usual. Makes me ashamed of being a Habs fan. Desharnais had a bad year, yes, but let's see what he can do next year, he deserves to have a chance to bounce back.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

People actually want Penner..? What the ****.

SMH. If he was 3 inches shorter everyone would be talking about how much he sucks, which he does.

 

[FreakyFish]

how i see the lineup as of now

Bourque - Plek - Briere (top defensive line who can score a bit of gals)
Patch - DD - Gio
Eller - Chucky - Gally (kids line)
Moen/Parros - White/Dumont - Prust (mean line)

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

People on this board are overacting like usual. Makes me ashamed of being a Habs fan. Desharnais had a bad year, yes, but let's see what he can do next year, he deserves to have a chance to bounce back.

DD isn't a bad hockey player. The problem is what we've surrounded him with. If he was with say... Boston, it wouldn't be bad because he'd have other players making space for him. He's a decent 3rd line scoring center who provides depth. But he's got to be in the right lineup to be more effective.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Did Prust get cut? ;-)

Right, move Moen out, Parros to 13th and Prust on bottom line

 

[WeThreeKings]

People actually want Penner..? What the ****.

SMH. If he was 3 inches shorter everyone would be talking about how much he sucks, which he does.

Yeah, he blows..

Only twice did he finish under 40 points and one was in a lock-out shortened season.

Won two cups.

Plays the style necessary to win in play-offs.

He's clearly not better to have on a team than DD.

 

[Maelpj*]

Yeah, he blows..

Only twice did he finish under 40 points and one was in a lock-out shortened season.

Won two cups.

Plays the style necessary to win in play-offs.

He's clearly not better to have on a team than DD.

But what about the caracter? Does he has it, or doesn't he? Could he?

 

[Maelpj*]

how i see the lineup as of now

Bourque - Plek - Briere (top defensive line who can score a bit of gals)
Patch - DD - Gio
Eller - Chucky - Gally (kids line)
Moen/Parros - White/Dumont - Prust (mean line)

One of those things doesn't fit on a top defensive line.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

Yeah, he blows..

Only twice did he finish under 40 points and one was in a lock-out shortened season.

Won two cups.

Plays the style necessary to win in play-offs.

He's clearly not better to have on a team than DD.

"in 117 regular season games with LA, Penner has 11 goals and 37 points. Unless he bounces back, Penner wouldn't even be playing a tertiary scoring role, he'd literally just be a big body in the lineup."

Andy pretty much already said what I was going too.

 

[FreakyFish]

I know the responsability of a defensive line is to prevent goals but it's a plus if they can score a few and I think Bourque and Briere can score a few.

Anyway, Bourque, Plek and Briere are our top 3 defensive forwards.

I just can't put Gio there.

 

[overlords]

I know the responsability of a defensive line is to prevent goals but it's a plus if they can score a few and I think Bourque and Briere can score a few.

Anyway, Bourque, Plek and Briere are our top 3 defensive forwards.

I just can't put Gio there.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen written on hf this week. And I've been to the McCarron thread.

 

[Myron Gaines*]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen written on hf this week. And I've been to the McCarron thread.

Aware.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

People on this board are overacting like usual. Makes me ashamed of being a Habs fan. Desharnais had a bad year, yes, but let's see what he can do next year, he deserves to have a chance to bounce back.

He has had one good year, and one bad year (and one half/"whatever" year)... TOTAL... in his NHL career... How many NHLers do you think can say the same thing? He doesn't deserve ANYTHING. He does, however, have a LOT to prove.