Are the Montreal Canadiens a legit Stanley Cup contender?

[ericd]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1888997-are-the-montreal-canadiens-a-legit-stanley-cup-threat

Click to read more...

 

[Power Man]

 

[HuGo Sham]

No way. Too small up front in top 9 and not enough depth at F and on D. it's entirely possible a very hot Carey Price carries the Habs through a round or two - but we wouldn't survive 7 versus the Bruins and certainly not against any one of SJ/Ana/Stl/Chi/LA

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I'd be shocked if they made it past the 1st round without major changes

 

[David Suzuki]

We're closer than our current losing streak would have us believe and further away than our November streak would have us believe. Top 4 team in the East but I doubt we make it too far. Could see us winning a round or two depending on how the chips fall.

 

[Runner77]

Does Bleacher Report defecate one of these for every team?

Seriously ...

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Nah, the Canadiens' parents were all married well after the Habs were born.

 

[CanadienShark]

 

[Habset]

Good article

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

Nope.

I think winning one playoffs round would already be some kind of an achievement for this current team.

 

[Aceekay]

Our forward group and bottom pairing are god awful, we need to improve our top six greatly if we to call ourselves contenders.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Right now? No.

But the foundation of a future cup calibre team is finally there.

 

[FinnHab]

Not yet, few key pieces are missing. If we drag ourselves to play offs, 1st round exit is likely the result.

 

[Stjonnypopo]

Not even close IMO.

They might have a winning record, but come the playoffs they're going to show their weakness. I bet some non-playoff teams would beat them in a playoff format.

Their past success (with Carbo and with Therrien last year) was due to their speed, their work ethic, the chemistry, and overperforming players. This year they have no control of the puck, speed means nothing if you can't hold onto the puck. And there aren't any overperforming players, if anything, almost all of the players (except maybe Eller and Galchenyuk) have regressed since last year.

 

[expy]

Not with Desharnais, Bouillon, and Briere wasting 3 spots on the roster.

Also Bergevin making stupid decisions like offering dumb contracts to Desharnais and extending Bouillon, signing Briere...

 

[BLONG7]

Not with Desharnais, Bouillon, and Briere wasting 3 spots on the roster.

Also Bergevin making stupid decisions like offering dumb contracts to Desharnais and extending Bouillon, signing Briere...

This is true, but these mistakes can be rectified...and fairly quickly, maybe not DD, unless you include a prospect or a pick...
Bou is gone soon, and Briere will be also...

 

[JAVO16]

Anything can happen once you're in the playoff

 

[theboss*]

We are going no where with dd, gio, briere, bouillon on this team simple as that

 

[JLP]

This team is built to make the playoffs, but not to win the SC.

 

[rafal majka]

Anything can happen once you're in the playoff

True. Pittsburgh even made it to the finals with Therrien.

 

[coolasprICE]

As long as we have a balding coach who isn't willing to accept that he is balding we won't win a cup.

MT needs to shave his head for there to be any hope.

 

[Habsawce]

Funny how the team making the finals out of the East is always a great puck possession team yet Therrien wants the team to dump and chase.

 

[vokiel]

The answer is no and it doesn't need explaining or a poll.

 

[lo striver]

The answer is no and it doesn't need explaining or a poll.

bingo. it is a legit one round team at best.

 

[rafal majka]

Funny how the team making the finals out of the East is always a great puck possession team yet Therrien wants the team to dump and chase.

Interesting that as it stands now, the Habs are getting out-shot per 60.