HF Habs: 2021 Montreal Canadiens Training Camp (Roster & Schedule - Camp Starts January 3rd)

[417]

I've never bought into the idea that Byron isn't part of this teams plans this year.

He's versatile, low maintenance and the coaching staff loves him.

If he can stay healthy, and that's important granted, he's going to be a useful player for this team.

 

[Runner77]

I've never bought into the idea that Byron isn't part of this teams plans this year.

He's versatile, low maintenance and the coaching staff loves him.

If he can stay healthy, and that's important granted, he's going to be a useful player for this team.

You and the vast majority of fans, I suspect, hold the same view.

The argument is on a whole other level as the cap is frozen and the player is making too much money relative to the current market and where he’s projected to be deployed.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

I see Roussel is buttering up Quebec journalists for his after hockey career.

He saw that Gaston Therrien/Flynn and many others are paid to say nonsense on RDS and TVA. He wants a part of that easy money.

 

[417]

You and the vast majority of fans, I suspect, hold the same view.

The argument is on a whole other level as the cap is frozen and the player is making too much money relative to the current market and where he’s projected to be deployed.

Which is probably why he's not going anywhere.

 

[SnapVirus]

They’ll probably start with :

lehkonen - byron - perry

send to the taxi evans, for now so they dont loose perry to waivers. And they’ll manage to bring Evans up rapidly with capmanaging.

 

[Tyson]

If Paul Byron made 2 million per season he would be a huge asset but not at 3.5...way too much for what he brings. Better, less expensive options

 

[417]

If Paul Byron made 2 million per season he would be a huge asset but not at 3.5...way too much for what he brings. Better, less expensive options

Whether making 2M/yr or 3.5M/yr...Byron brings the exact same thing.

 

[Runner77]

Which is probably why he's not going anywhere.

As a trading asset, no — not without adding to him.

As a waived asset, probably slim to none chance he’d get picked up. Which makes him a perfect safety valve if emergency cap space is needed.

 

[417]

As a trading asset, no — not without adding to him.

As a waived asset, probably slim to none chance he’d get picked up. Which makes him a perfect safety valve if emergency cap space is needed.

Facts...but I think he has value to the Habs as a "swiss army knife" kinda guy.

If there are short term injuries in the top 6, you can plug him there for a short spell without it severely affecting the team. He's low-maintenance.

 

[26Mats]

Interesting that they've talked about using him at center, where he used to play in Calgary.

I was wondering what the plan was if one of our top 4 centers goes down.

I think Byron can play center in a defensive role. But I don't see a line he plays center on being much of an offensive threat. I remember when he played a little center in 2017 (our horrible year) he just wasn't that good at the position. Guys like De la Rose and I think Chaput, and 35 year old washed up Plekanec were better. And they all were pretty much mediocre 4c's at best at that point in their careers.

 

[Runner77]

Facts...but I think he has value to the Habs as a "swiss army knife" kinda guy.

If there are short term injuries in the top 6, you can plug him there for a short spell without it severely affecting the team. He's low-maintenance.

No one has any doubt about his attributes.

Habs chose to sign extra bodies at base prices and if they hope to hold on to them, Byron is a safer waiver option.

If the Habs exposed Perry for instance, chances are he’d be claimed.

 

[Runner77]

Interesting that they've talked about using him at center, where he used to play in Calgary.

I was wondering what the plan was if one of our top 4 centers goes down.

I think Byron can play center in a defensive role. But I don't see a line he plays center on being much of an offensive threat. I remember when he played a little center in 2017 (our horrible year) he just wasn't that good at the position. Guys like De la Rose and I think Chaput, and 35 year old washed up Plekanec were better. And they all were pretty much mediocre 4c's at best at that point in their careers.

 

[JianYang]

I have questioned what the habs will do at center given how young they are at the position. With suzuki, KK, and evans. Heck even danault is only 27.

It's interesting that Julien discusses byron at center because that tells me that they are not entirely comfortable with their youth setup at center.

Now, we have seen byron play center a few seasons ago when the habs were thin down the middle, and I thought he totally looked out of place back then.

Granted, a 4th line center role might mask his deficiencies enough to make it work, but his skillset is infinitely better in a winger role than at center.

If you can't find him a spot on the wing, I'd be inclined to sit him out, but I suppose there are other factors to consider as well. If I'm not mistaken, he is one of the alternate captains.

 

[OldCraig71]

If Paul Byron made 2 million per season he would be a huge asset but not at 3.5...way too much for what he brings. Better, less expensive options

A few people here said that very thing when he signed his new contract and here we are now seeing that become reality.

 

[The Great Weal]

Good. People forget but a healthy Byron is still an important part of the squad, we still need depth.
The good thing is Weal will play in the AHL, he's buried there now. I still have some PTSD of watching him and Cousins on the PP.

People here are acting like Byron is dog shit because of like 20 games where he was injured. He has had a decline, but when healthy, you can make a case that hes our most valuable bottom 6 forward.

 

[JianYang]

Whether making 2M/yr or 3.5M/yr...Byron brings the exact same thing.

I think under normal financial conditions, a utility guy like byron draws multiple claims on the waiver wire at that salary.

He's a useful player, but teams won't be loosening the purse strings for this type of player under the current climate.

I do get the feeling as well that he's about to become a whipping boy around here though.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

People here are acting like Byron is dog shit because of like 20 games where he was injured. He has had a decline, but when healthy, you can make a case that hes our most valuable bottom 6 forward.

Him and Lekhonen

 

[Adam Michaels]

People here are acting like Byron is dog shit because of like 20 games where he was injured. He has had a decline, but when healthy, you can make a case that hes our most valuable bottom 6 forward.

When he returned from his injury last February, he had 6 pts in 10 GP. That was more in line with his production tendencies from the two previous seasons when he scored 20+ goals.

In the playoffs, as a 3rd liner, he had 4 pts in 10 GP. And two of those points came in crucial moments. His only goal of the playoffs was the tying goal in Game 3 against Pittsburgh when Habs mounted their comeback. And he had an assist in the game winning goal in Game 4 vs. Pittsburgh with about 5 minutes left in the game.

 

[Mrb1p]

Can't find an accurate translation for this... he will play at the end of games or not?

It was a joke but its close to the reality, if you want an exclusive, no, KK wont play at the end of games.

Expect 35 pts again this year from KK.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I've never bought into the idea that Byron isn't part of this teams plans this year.

He's versatile, low maintenance and the coaching staff loves him.

If he can stay healthy, and that's important granted, he's going to be a useful player for this team.

Even in injury seasons over the last two years, his production is solid according to his cap hit. He's underrated and most of the narrative with Byron on our boards is we can't fit his cap in moving forward after this season.

I have him on waivers to start but because I don't want to loose Perry to waivers. We have a $41K cap problem if we go with 22 man roster with both Byron and Perry. Perry has a much higher chance to get claimed vs Byron on waivers.

Byron knows what's up. I expect him to be ready to contend with Lehkonen, Armia, and some others for his spot. He likes it in Montreal and he is big part of our team speed. Habs added muscle and grit and it was needed but we have to consider balance and not loose our team speed at the same time.

This is a huge season for the Habs direction and also with several assets leading up to the expansion draft and potential cap issues for 21/22. Performances on the ice this year will change things for us... things we might not project or see today

 

[Habit11]

It was a joke but its close to the reality, if you want an exclusive, no, KK wont play at the end of games.

Expect 35 pts again this year from KK.

Fooled me!

I personally am of the opinion that he will move up in minutes overall because I don't anticipate Danault having a comparatively good season going head to head so many times with the likes of McDavid, Matthews, Pettersson, Scheifele etc. This is a much tougher task than going against the Atlantic and the rest of the league. It's elite center after elite center from team to team and game to game.

The coaching staff would be wise to experiment with combinations in camp and not just assume things will go smoothly with what they have in mind.

 

[Habs Halifax]

#Mrb1pHasBadTakes

He is part of our yin and yang gang and he has high standards as a Habs fan. If only the complaining can be toned down where he tries to not act like he is a better NHL coach vs Julien. I'm not even a huge Julien fan but I understand what he has and how he wants to use his assets while young guys are maturing.

Our fan base is dynamic IMO. I think we are the most critical of our own players and management than any other team in the NHL (as a whole).

 

[Habs Halifax]

It was a joke but its close to the reality, if you want an exclusive, no, KK wont play at the end of games.

Expect 35 pts again this year from KK.

How much of that do you think is PP points? If KK can produce on the PP and use his shot more, this helps!

 

[Mrb1p]

He is part of our yin and yang gang and he has high standards as a Habs fan. If only the complaining can be toned down where he tries to not act like he is a better NHL coach vs Julien. I'm not even a huge Julien fan but I understand what he has and how he wants to use his assets while young guys are maturing.

Our fan base is dynamic IMO. I think we are the most critical of our own players and management than any other team in the NHL (as a whole).

Stop saying I think Im better than Julien as a coach, pretty sure even your mom would be better than him at this point.

 

[Mrb1p]

How much of that do you think is PP points? If KK can produce on the PP and use his shot more, this helps!

About 2 because hell play on the second wave in the wrong spot.