Line Combos: 2024-2025 line up

[Hickflyer]

First of all lets discuss who needs to go for rebuilding, Cap ,poor playor to make room.

Matheson-best deal
Xhekaj-(RFA)teams are going to offer big contract for him.
Barron-(RFA)best deal
Ylonen(RFA)-best deal
Armia-best deal if poss
Anderson-best deal if poss
Dvorak-best deal if poss
Evans-best deal or cut
Pezzetta or cut
Pearson-gone or minors
White-gone or minors

 

[Rapala]

Xhekaj-(RFA)teams are going to offer big contract for him.

This is never going to happen.
You are misreading the Man-his intent-his loyalty.
Not to mention a probable burning desire to have every opportunity in the world to play with his Bro.

Now from our side NO f***ING WAY.

 

[Hickflyer]

This is never going to happen.
You are misreading the Man-his intent-his loyalty.
Not to mention a probable burning desire to have every opportunity in the world to play with his Bro.

Now from our side NO f***ING WAY.

Fact: Teams can offer up to 4.1 mil per year and habs only get a 2nd rd pick back. Habs will not match that offer givin their D overload. I think a team like Chicago have their eyes on him.

 

[Rapala]

Fact: Teams can offer up to 4.1 mil per year and habs only get a 2nd rd pick back. Habs will not match that offer givin their D overload. I think a team like Chicago have their eyes on him.

Fact this player will be locked up long before that is even possible.

Go ahead and bookmark at will.

 

[Hickflyer]

Fact this player will be locked up long before that is even possible.

Go ahead and bookmark at will.

Fine , you tell me the numbers that other teams wont match higher.

 

[Rapala]

Fine , you tell me the numbers that other teams wont match higher.

You do realize we can sign him anytime before his RFA kicks in right?

What have you seen or heard from anyone involved that:
A) Arber Xhekaj is mercenary.
B) Our management group would ever let a player of his caliber go when he's still progressing.
C) Teams can do anything once the new deal is signed.
D) How many RFA's have you seen get moved unless they've stated the won't resign with their current club.

 

[Hickflyer]

It goes both ways, the habs had all season to lock him up. The real problem is you have several D men that will be ready to move up to the big club.

 

[Rapala]

It goes both ways, the habs had all season to lock him up. The real problem is you have several D men that will be ready to move up to the big club.

There was absolutely no reason to negotiate during the season.
I heard we have one contract to deal with this off season one.

Finally none of the up and coming players bring to the table what Arber Xhekaj does which is why you are paranoid to begin with.
Kent Hughes has made it crystal clear he is building a team with balance.
Arber Xhekaj is balance.

 

[Hickflyer]

Fine, again explain how this will go down for Montreal Defense next year. who is your 7 players on D and what is Arber contract.

 

[Rapala]

Fine, again explain how this will go down for Montreal Defense next year. who is your 7 players on D and what is Arber contract.

I'm not the GM and I'm not privvy to what we plan to do with our Dmen.
I am a student of the game and would utterly gasp if we let Arber Xhekaj go in this manner.
My guess is and I'm hoping we sign him to a long term team friendly deal.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind Prime Xhekaj will be worth every cent of the 4.1 you mention.
Kent Hughes former agent and contract guru will work out something that will be beneficial to both sides.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The Habs see Arber Xhekaj as a future fixture on their defense. They aren't going to let Arber go for a 2nd round pick offersheet, nor would a team even submit one.

1. There's no way the Habs don't match
2. He probably doesn't even sign it.
3. You'd just piss off the league doing it.

 

[The Great Weal]

Unless we win Celebrini, I don't see much difference with this year's roster compared to next years unless some drastic changes occur (for example one of Hutson/Reinbacher/Mailloux become a top pairing dman from the get go). Realistically, Dach replaces Monahan and Dvorak replaces White. Then hoping that Caufield and Anderson bounce back goalscoring wise, Slaf/Roy continue to grow but more importantly not slump, and Guhle takes the next step. I am expecting improvement, but we are a bottom 7 team at the moment, and I expect us to be around bottom 12 next year.

 

[Rapala]

The Habs see Arber Xhekaj as a future fixture on their defense. They aren't going to let Arber go for a 2nd round pick offersheet, nor would a team even submit one.

1. There's no way the Habs don't match
2. He probably doesn't even sign it.
3. You'd just piss off the league doing it.

I'm expecting the same panic stricken off season we had with the Cole Caufield deal.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Fine, again explain how this will go down for Montreal Defense next year. who is your 7 players on D and what is Arber contract.

I generally assume that Harris gets traded this summer, but the Habs could very easily just bring the exact same group back (Matheson, Guhle, Xhekaj, Savard, Harris, Struble, Kovacevic, Barron). If Hutson or Mailloux make a case for a roster spot out of camp that's a very nice problem to have and we could just trade Kovacevic for a late pick around the beginning of the season. Xhekaj's contract will probably be something like 2 years in the 1.75-2.25 range.

It's certainly possible that someone makes an offer we can't refuse for Xhekaj, but I don't think the extremely low threat of an offer sheet factors into things at all. We're not trading him to make space to keep Harris or Barron in the lineup, nor would we let him go for a 2nd instead of matching a 4.1M offer sheet when we'll have nearly 20M in space this summer.

 

[Hickflyer]

I think your low balling Arber's contract big time, and are letting some good prospects go to free agency in the minors with that plan.

 

[yianik]

At goal we seem content and so set.

On D. Wideman is UFA and so gone. Matheson stays at least until 2025-26. Savard may be gone at TDL as he is UFA. Guhle is a fixture. Xheraj get a 2 year bridge.

We all see Harris as odd man out but the team and MSL like him. He needs to bulk up a bit but I think he, Struble , Kovacevic and Barron fight it out at camp. Mailloux would likely be in that fight also. Not sure if Barron has to clear waivers next year.

Reinbacher, Hutson and Engstrom should play in Laval for the year. Simmering always makes it better as long as it's not overdone and a year in Laval isn't over doing it.

At forward. White and Pearson are UFA and gone. Ylonen is RFA and gone be it traded or released.

Gallagher is untradeable. If Dvorak gets his stuff together and is healthy he could move at TDL but worst case he is gone as a UFA. Anderson has no value but I would not be surprised if he got himself and his game on track and then he could be moved at TDL. Armia you keep to TDL and he likely gets us a 3rd.

Evans I extend if the number is right. Guy does his job as 4th line C, wins a bit more faceoff than he loses, he earns his money. Same with Pezz believe it or not. Guy gets few minutes and often scratched, but he has the highest hits per minute in the league and plays hard on the 4th line. WTH.

RHP goes for 2 out of 3 good seasons next year and he should get his chance.

Excited to see Dach, Newhook and Roy next year.

Suzuki is a no.1C. Caufield ya more goals would have been nice but he has had a good, more rounded year. And Slaf ? This should be fun.

Tanking ? Well we have pretty much traded everyone we can except for a çouple guys who will move this coming season. Other than that it's all about the young guys getting better and competition deciding things for limited spots. And being healthy.

So improvement of young guys and healthier team, namely Dach and the top 6, and I could see a 10 point increase next season.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

The Habs see Arber Xhekaj as a future fixture on their defense. They aren't going to let Arber go for a 2nd round pick offersheet, nor would a team even submit one.

1. There's no way the Habs don't match
2. He probably doesn't even sign it.
3. You'd just piss off the league doing it.

A guy like that who can skate and shoot and go toe to toe with any heavyweight, on a soft team, playing a regular shift no less, is worth gold. Especially with the impending arrival of his brother, cast from the same mould.

 

[HockeyJunkie87]

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Newhook - Dach - Mario Armia
Struble - Hutson - Reinbacher
Engstrom - Mailloux - Barron

Matheson - Guhle
Xhekaj - Savard
Harris - Honda Civic

Monty
Primeau

Me as coach.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Fact: Teams can offer up to 4.1 mil per year and habs only get a 2nd rd pick back. Habs will not match that offer givin their D overload. I think a team like Chicago have their eyes on him.

That is utter nonsense as will be proven when it doesn't happen.....this is not EA sports.

 

[26Mats]

First of all lets discuss who needs to go for rebuilding, Cap ,poor playor to make room.

Matheson-best deal
Xhekaj-(RFA)teams are going to offer big contract for him.
Barron-(RFA)best deal
Ylonen(RFA)-best deal
Armia-best deal if poss
Anderson-best deal if poss
Dvorak-best deal if poss
Evans-best deal or cut
Pezzetta or cut
Pearson-gone or minors
White-gone or minors

Why cut Evan's? He can fit in on a 3rd line, and is really good for a 4th liner.

It's possible a team offers big money to Xhekaj. We saw it happen with KK. But, A) it's very unlikely. Clearly the Canes may have been partially motivated by retaliation.

B) if it's one year at 4.1M I match. As we saw with KK, you can later sign the player to a long term deal at a lower AAV. BUT, as we learned from KK, we should only sign the player to a long term deal once we know for sure what kind of player he is. Could be a good opportunity to sign him long term at around 3 mil aav.

 

[26Mats]

What's the 2024-2025 lineup look like next year ?
Are we done tanking ?
Is the rebuild over ?

CC	Suzuki	Slaf
Newhook	Dach	?
Roy	Dvorak	Anderson
Farrell	Evans	RHP
Tuch	Beck	Armia
Defense
Matheson	Ghule
Hutson	Savard
Wifi	Mailloux
Struble	Barron
Harris	Kovacevic

- Beck and Tuch should need time in Laval.

- I hope RHP gets another shot. 1 good year. 1 bad year so far.

- Farrell needs more ahl.

- would love to re-sign Monahan, and either trade Dvo or move him to the wing.

Cc - suzuki - Slaf
Newhook - Dach - Roy
RHP - Dvo/Monahan - Anderson
Gallagher - Evan's - Armia/Ylonen
Pez, Armia/Ylonen

Matheson - Guhle
Xhekaj - Savard
Struble - Barron
Harrir or Kovacevic (one traded)

But we'll see if, over the summer, Hughes can bring in another young forward like Newhook and Dach.

 

[Habssince89]

So improvement of young guys and healthier team, namely Dach and the top 6, and I could see a 10 point increase next season.

Keep in mind just how many one goal games we lost in regulation. On OT points alone we will probably see an improvement. I'm hopeful for some real depth scoring to emerge behind the big line. Dach, newhook, Roy, possible #1 pick possible FA/trade will round out the top six and I think after thos year of getting more responsibility and TOI, guys like Jake Evans are going to return to the fourth line a better player. I don't know if we make the playoffs but everything is looking like a nice upgrade in production.

 

[Habs Halifax]

This is never going to happen.
You are misreading the Man-his intent-his loyalty.
Not to mention a probable burning desire to have every opportunity in the world to play with his Bro.

Now from our side NO f***ING WAY.

Agreed. This Xhekaj out of Montreal talk is getting out of control. Never say never but it's a very small % is happens. Only way I see it if it's something like the Romanov/13th/Dach flip. However, Xhekaj is a rare piece on the back end even if he don't rack up points. His value in the playoffs will be very high once we get there.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Fact: Teams can offer up to 4.1 mil per year and habs only get a 2nd rd pick back. Habs will not match that offer givin their D overload. I think a team like Chicago have their eyes on him.

Offer sheets are rare, very rare. We can talk about it but doubt it happens. You know someone could have offer sheeted Dach in the summer of 2022 right?

 

[Habs Halifax]

What's the 2024-2025 lineup look like next year ?
Are we done tanking ?
Is the rebuild over ?

CC	Suzuki	Slaf
Newhook	Dach	?
Roy	Dvorak	Anderson
Farrell	Evans	RHP
Tuch	Beck	Armia
Defense
Matheson	Ghule
Hutson	Savard
Wifi	Mailloux
Struble	Barron
Harris	Kovacevic

Next year's roster will be slightly improved on this year but we have to let the summer play out first. Doubt we will be major UFA spenders but we could be looking into a Zegras trade. Or we win the draft lottery.

Done rebuilding? NO. We are in transition years. Look at how long it's taking the Sens and Sabres who started their rebuild before us.

My guess but I'm sure I'll change my mind come September. I do think we will consider the Zegras/5-7 trade if we don't win the draft lottery. Depending on health and development/improvement on our youth, this is a roster that moves closer to playoffs but doesn't get in. Similar to where the Sabres are this season.

Roy / Suzuki / Slaf
Zegras / Dach / Caufield
Newhook / Evans / Anderson
RHP / Dvorak / Gallagher
Pezzetta, Heineman, Ylonen

Guhle / Matheson
Struble / Savard
Xhekaj / Mailloux
Barron, Harris, Kova

Monty / Primeau

* Hutson & Reinbacher need AHL time
* Mesar & Farrell also need AHL time but could push for a spot and get some NHL games
* I think Armia is offloaded and could be included in the Zegras trade... if that develops.

I have the 2nd line opening for either of Zegras or Celebrini

One thing of note.
If Armia continues to play inspired hockey don't be surprised if he's given every chance to hold down a top six slot.
The reasons are obvious.

He's effective when he shows up for sure. The good news is it might be easier to offload him this summer with his play in the 2nd half this season. Not like I dislike the player on our roster, more about opening spots for youth.