35-15-3 Best season since the late 70s
- Thread starter madhi19
- Start date
Not really all that surprising for me, I think people tend to underestimate the Habs
Carey Price, PK Subban, Max Pacioretty
Those 3 players are at the top of their positions compared to the rest of the NHL and their supporting cast is better than given credit for.
I still think they need another goal scorer, but the Habs are where they're supposed to be.
That being said, I can't shake this feeling that the other shoe is about to drop (knocks on wood)
Carey Price, PK Subban, Max Pacioretty
Those 3 players are at the top of their positions compared to the rest of the NHL and their supporting cast is better than given credit for.
I still think they need another goal scorer, but the Habs are where they're supposed to be.
That being said, I can't shake this feeling that the other shoe is about to drop (knocks on wood)
I know that feeling
But like you said, Price, PK and Pacioretty are among the elite in their positions.Price - Looking like a potential Vezina winning year. (knocks on wood)
Pacioretty - Plus/Minus isn't everything, but when you compare it to your own teammates it can be somewhat telling. He's been absolutely elite this year, playing in all situations, sniping like it's nobody's business.
Subban - Still a top 10 d-man in the league this year, and IMO he's a second half type player. We'll see his real value come playoff time.
Not to mention...
Markov - Still proving he can be a solid addition to any teams roster. The guy has been solid all year but flying under a lot of peoples radars.
The surrounding cast like you said is better than people give them credit for, at least on offense. Defensive side of things I find they've actually been bailed out by Price and the offense stealing us games. I remember a time where even being down by one goal, I'd almost expect the other team to bury us. Now a days, I expect our team to come back even when down by 2 in the third.
It's easy to believe in your team when they quite clearly believe in themselves. It's no surprise at least for me that we're having such a good season. I can't imagine how Price would look if we had a more favorable set of d-men in front of him in the lower pairings. I think he'd actually be even better in most stats.
Mario le Magnifique
Habs apologist, closet Pens fan
WhiskeySeven*
Expect the expected
- Jun 17, 2007
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Not with Price playing as he is and I really don't see why he would suddenly start sucking. He's playing the way he was projected to play. It's not like he's a hot goalie playing like nobody predicted.
Price was selected 5th overall because our scouts saw this potential. He's simply living up to it.
With guys like Max-PK-Marky-Plek-Galch, I really don't see why this team would just collapse.
How many top teams DON'T have elite players?? Aside from maybe Nashville (whose goalie is giving ours a run in the best player in the league category) every other top team has top players. Sort of goes with the territory, no?
I don't get this "yeah, we're good but only because we have elite players" argument.
phoque taupe
Registered User
Lafleurs Guy
Guuuuuuuy!
- Jul 20, 2007
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It's a little deceiving to say it's the best record since the 70s because of shootout wins. Teams in the late 80s were out there with the best or 2nd best record in the league. Tough to compare the way they had their points vs ours. Still, pretty damn good record though.
Still I cannot shake the feeling that our run in the playoffs will be much shorter this year. Tampa, Detroit and Rangers are dangerous teams to play against.
Actually, you're right. They do have top players aside from Rinne, in Weber, Forsberg, even Ribeiro and Neal.
Just another team that everyone thinks is where they are "just because of the goalie".
Lafleurs Guy
Guuuuuuuy!
- Jul 20, 2007
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WhiskeySeven*
Expect the expected
- Jun 17, 2007
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- 770
Pacioretty is a top5 winger, Subban is a top5 dman and Price is a top2 goalie.
Not every team has players peaking at such levels.
Sterling Archer
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- Sep 26, 2006
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President's Trophy > Stanley Cup 
Seriously though, that's pretty amazing. By all accounts, the vibe in the dressing room is amazing and all the guys are on the same page and want to play for each other. We may not be the most talented group but we seem to be one of the closest out there. If only Tampa Bay would take a freaking day off so we can pass them in the standings!
Seriously though, that's pretty amazing. By all accounts, the vibe in the dressing room is amazing and all the guys are on the same page and want to play for each other. We may not be the most talented group but we seem to be one of the closest out there. If only Tampa Bay would take a freaking day off so we can pass them in the standings!
Perhaps... but the top teams do.
Hypotheticals all around. Would you trade Price, Subban and Pacioretty for...
Forsberg, Weber and Rinne?
Toews, Keith and Crawford?
Getzlaf, Perry and Anderson?
Tarasenko, Pietrangelo, and Elliot?
Stamkos, Hedman and Bishop?
I'd probably pass on all of them, but it's not like they are completely out of whack, now are they? And in some of those deals I didn't even include the top three players from each team, as I wanted to get a goalie in. How about Patrick Kane instead of Crawford? Or Crosby, Malkin and Letang?
Good teams have good players. No apologies needed.
LastWordArmy
Registered User
1988-89 team went 53-18-9 for 115 points in 80 games.
Thats also with no OT/SO wins.... lets be conservative and say they would go 4-5 in the shootout/OT (4 extra points)
Lets also get them to play 82 games to even things up in this comparison. We'll give them one win out of two games to end the year. So thats an extra six points.
I also looked to see if they had any OT losses that year (OT losses were 0 points in 1989). They did not, they were 2-0-9 in OT games.
That means we'd need 121 points to be as good as the 88-89 season.
So no, I don't think this is our best regular season since the 70s.
Thats also with no OT/SO wins.... lets be conservative and say they would go 4-5 in the shootout/OT (4 extra points)
Lets also get them to play 82 games to even things up in this comparison. We'll give them one win out of two games to end the year. So thats an extra six points.
I also looked to see if they had any OT losses that year (OT losses were 0 points in 1989). They did not, they were 2-0-9 in OT games.
That means we'd need 121 points to be as good as the 88-89 season.
So no, I don't think this is our best regular season since the 70s.
Mario le Magnifique
Habs apologist, closet Pens fan
The real question is, how many more points would we have if we had Babcock as our headcoach ? I say we'd be close to a 164 points pace.
This team needs a new coaching staff to play to their full potential, every loss is on our baddie coaches, and every wins is despite our coaching staff.
This team needs a new coaching staff to play to their full potential, every loss is on our baddie coaches, and every wins is despite our coaching staff.
