Are the Habs closer to being a contender or a bubble team?

[RealityHurts]

Let's hope we get 1st or 2nd OA, those players are good this year.

 

[jackeymoon]

Bubble team is appropriate. Too many "ifs" to quantify it as a legit contender

 

[GobigorGohome]

We're closer to last OA than to a playoff berth at this point.

Yikes !!

 

[SpeedyPotato]

Not a fan of the D or center depth, I don't think we're a playoff team with that roster, but we could become a contender with 1 or two solid moves.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

 

[Rapala]

Trouble in the Bubble.

 

[Kennerback]

Not a top team. Will easily make the playoffs.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If no changes are made…. Anywhere in the middle 10 range…. Top 10-20. Depends on injuries and/or how the kids grow more

 

[holy]

I think we end up with 3 more wins than we did this year. If you know what I mean.

 

[DubDub]

Not a top team. Will easily make the playoffs.

I wish I had your confidence right now.

 

[Zorba]

Not a top team. Will easily make the playoffs.

Easily? So you’re guaranteeing top 3 in our division

 

[Dondini]

If I’m being optimistic about making the playoffs.

1. Price- that deep run probably gave him a lot of confidence. Surgery was probably needed before the playoffs and he might improve his reg season play. I believe him and Allen are going to be even better together this year.

2. Scoring depth- caufield suzuki, Toffoli, Hoffman, gallagher, anderson. When’s the last time we had scoring depth

3. young core- we just went to the finals with some young guys. If Suzuki caufield Romanov and KK make even modest improvements I like our chances. We didn’t even have Caufield for much of the regular season. That’s a huge add for us.

4. bottom 6 depth. Armia, Lehkonen, Perrault, evans, and potentially if how you set up the lines guys like gallagher and/or Anderson could be on the third line. We have a deep forward group

5. Drouin X factor. Serious issues last year still averaged .5apg roughly. Put him with caufield and Suzuki he is our best playmaker and those are our two best players.

6. No weber- I didn’t miss any games last year I was often frustrated with his play in the reg season. he was not good at all.Love the guy love his heart love his playoff run. but for the regular season I’m not sure we are to much worse for our d.

7. I think our powerplay improves this year. We have more weapons and Hoffman is a nice add.

 

[JianYang]

If no changes are made…. Anywhere in the middle 10 range…. Top 10-20. Depends on injuries and/or how the kids grow more

The one injury that can really screw the habs as it stands is Suzuki. They are just toast at center if/when that happens.

For that reason, the habs will surely address that spot. They really have no other choice.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The one injury that can really screw the habs as it stands is Suzuki. They are just toast at center if/when that happens.

For that reason, the habs will surely address that spot. They really have no other choice.

Suzuki and Petry would hurt bad if they got injured. Rest can be sheltered to some degree with others moving around. I do think Bergevin is looking at adding a center but he's probably got his hands in many cookie jars at the moment. We will see where we land come September.

Other than Eichel, I don't see anything real attractive. I'd sign Cizikas! Bet you not many have watched him and know how important he was with the Islanders. He's basically a more mature Evans and a cheaper Danault. He would be great insurance on the defensive side.

If Suzuki went down with an injury last year, what would we have done? Promote Danault to play more offensive or play KK more? If you sign Cizikas, he basically takes the defensive role Danault had.

 

[peate]

Just like the Habs, beautiful to look at but, so fragile and easily popped.

 

[RC51]

Habs will hunt for the cup again. MB is setting things up nice. Weber will spend 9/10 of the year on the LTIR saving MB 7mil cap space.
Byron off 6/7 months saving 1.5 mil in cap space. Price off 2-3 months saving 1-1.5 mil cap space. who knows what MORE cap space MB will save all year.
cole will play all year, Hoffman will get 10-15 goals more then Danault for sure. Bottom 6 got more additions. Habs still hard to play against, more goals, and lets see MB add something good soon with all that cap space.

 

[Habs Icing]

5 Atlantic teams made the playoffs last season so it will be a tough fight and not just for Montreal.

Let's not forget the Habs were on a decent point pace last season until they had to go through that final sprint of 25 games in 40 days with all kinds of injuries piling up simultaneously. 10-13-2 record.

Last season they were on a 86 point pace which would not be good enough but there's also relatively easy ways they can improve that. If the Habs can improve the PP with Hoffman that should help pick up some points. They also need to figure out a way to be better in 3v3 also where their 1W-10L record or whatever cost them standing too. So is it impossible for them to pick up 10-15 points? I don't think so.

With that center corps, the Habs are going nowhere except to a lottery pick.

 

[Habs Icing]

Cole Caufield is not a defenseman!

Or a centerman. I think our center group is a bigger concern than our defense corps.

 

[BLONG7]

With that center corps, the Habs are going nowhere except to a lottery pick.

I think they will be fine...no where near the lottery pick.....no where near a contender either....pretty much a middle team, where MB says, maybe da playoff, anything can happen...
Stay tuned....

 

[cphabs]

Welcom

I've been a long time lurker and finally signed up so please take it easy on me. Seeing as the Habs went on a crazy run to make the finals, do people believe they are that good or was it lightning in a bottle? I like the addition of Hoffman cause he nets an easy 25 goals but as a whole I still think Montreal is in a learning faze.

Welcome aboard! Posters get fired up if you don’t call KK by his official nickname... which is coconut.

 

[Habs Icing]

I think they will be fine...no where near the lottery pick.....no where near a contender either....pretty much a middle team, where MB says, maybe da playoff, anything can happen...
Stay tuned....

If the center corps were the only problem, I'd agree with you but the defence is not on par with last year's corps and Price will be coming off surgery and who knows if he'll start the season in the best of form.

 

[BLONG7]

If the center corps were the only problem, I'd agree with you but the defence is not on par with last year's corps and Price will be coming off surgery and who knows if he'll start the season in the best of form.

Good points, Price's surgery was to clean things up around his knee, will he even miss time? The D, losing Weber hurts, but he was awful the last two regular seasons, so Savard, and the entire D corps can cover that.....
2 sides to the coin here....adding the kids up front and having a better PP should allow us to win some games....playing the entire league should also help.
Stay tuned...

 

[Archijerej]

If the center corps were the only problem, I'd agree with you but the defence is not on par with last year's corps and Price will be coming off surgery and who knows if he'll start the season in the best of form.

I think the D is relatively easily fixed. One everyday defenceman on the right side (for example, Shattenkirk or Vatanen) and we're looking at a group that's not spectacular, but quite deep.

The center group is a problem, though.

 

[MasterD]

With the center line we have, Price aging (and operation), Petry older, Weber replaced by Savard... bottom of the barrel. We'll have no transition and bad playmaking at forward.

 

[Deebs]

We'll be battling for the final playoff spot with our current lineup. If other moves are made I'll revise my opinion on it.