Are the Montreal Canadiens not as bad as people expected them to be?

[jfhabs]

Or is it just their usual hot start before Price gets tired/injured?

We just won 2 with Niemi

 

[Mrb1p]

Once, when Price got injured. The other time they went on to win the division with 110 points

Maybe we'll see Taranna do this one day

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I think Montreal will be able to rebuild quicker than people expected. They don't need to do a 10 year in the cellar project like Toronto or Edmonton. Pretty much any outcome this season for Montreal will be positive for the future, it's good to go into a season with no expectations. If we win, that's great for the young players on the roster to get some experience. If we lose, we'll be adding another high-end draft pick. Even if Montreal finishes with a pick in the 10-15 range that will be great for the rebuild.

The future of the Habs has already been drafted, it's mostly a waiting game at this point. We need to bank on Kotkaniemi becoming a 1b/2a type center. Poehling looks like he'll be a great middle-6 center who could join the Habs at the end of this season. Suzuki is another high-skill prospect who should be ready towards the end of this year, same with Josh Brook who is really underrated around here.

This could be our top-6 in 1-2 years, and that's if we don't add another elite prospect like Hughes or Kakko.
Drouin-Kotkaniemi-Suzuki
Domi-Poehling-Gallagher

Is it enough to compete with teams like Toronto and Washington? Probably not but they should be competing for a playoff spot sooner than most expect

 

[bdub24]

So confirmed Pacioretty the problem all along in the locker room then?

 

[holy]

Once, when Price got injured. The other time they went on to win the division with 110 points

Wow, 110 points?!?!!!!? That must have been a record setting year for them in terms of points then!

Next thing you'll tell me they've done something unimaginable like win a playoff series in the last decade and a half. Stop with the craziness, pal.

 

[jfhabs]

I think Montreeal will finish around .500 which means they will miss the playoff and most likely won't pick top 5... but they will get a good player in the 10-15 range anyway and games won't be too painful to watch

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[JianYang]

I think Montreal will be able to rebuild quicker than people expected. They don't need to do a 10 year in the cellar project like Toronto or Edmonton. Pretty much any outcome this season for Montreal will be positive for the future, it's good to go into a season with no expectations. If we win, that's great for the young players on the roster to get some experience. If we lose, we'll be adding another high-end draft pick. Even if Montreal finishes with a pick in the 10-15 range that will be great for the rebuild.

The future of the Habs has already been drafted, it's mostly a waiting game at this point. We need to bank on Kotkaniemi becoming a 1b/2a type center. Poehling looks like he'll be a great middle-6 center who could join the Habs at the end of this season. Suzuki is another high-skill prospect who should be ready towards the end of this year, same with Josh Brook who is really underrated around here.

This could be our top-6 in 1-2 years, and that's if we don't add another elite prospect like Hughes or Kakko.
Drouin-Kotkaniemi-Suzuki
Domi-Poehling-Gallagher

Is it enough to compete with teams like Toronto and Washington? Probably not but they should be competing for a playoff spot sooner than most expect

Still need a cornerstone dman in the system. Weber is getting older. They never replaced Markov, and got rid of sergachev.

The current dmen have some qualities, and Reilly particularly has been a pleasant surprise, but these guys aren't Markov/Weber/subban level.

 

[Doc McKenna]

Or is it just their usual hot start before Price gets tired/injured?

Too early to tell. A lot of excited kids playing and everyone rowing in the same direction. I doubt it lasts as they won't be taken as lightly with teams playing down to their level.

 

[i1]

They've certainly impressed me so far, had them pegged for bottom five

Domi and Kotkaniemi have been pleasant revelations

 

[bert]

I don't care about any of those teams.

Fact #1 - Montreal will likely be bottom 10 this year. Fact #2 Montreal does not have any game breaking talent (unless we count Price's play from a few years ago). Fact #3 Drouin is not a game breaking talent. Most reasonable hockey fans would agree with all of these statements.

Ignorance is bliss. If only we could all be as 'reasonable' as you eh.

 

[Lshap]

Compared to the expectation that the Habs would finish at the bottom and be unable to score, they've been much better than expected. They're faster, more cohesive, and much younger than last year. It's a new and very young roster with an almost infinite number of variables that'll occur between now and April, so all our predictions and expectations can be tossed away until we know who these guys are.

 

[bert]

So confirmed Pacioretty the problem all along in the locker room then?

Or you can just watch the team play from one year to the next. Julien had them trying to play like the Bruins last season when the roster did not have the makeup to do so. Now that Ducharme has come in and changed the system they are having success.

 

[Koivu11]

Habs are first in the Atlantic now. I doubt this will last but they are playing some really good hockey so far this season.

 

[sharks9]

Fun start to the year, who knows if it'll last but I'm enjoying watching the Habs right now

 

[Colezuki]

Worked last year. Knights still have a better roster than the habs.

How are they doing so far oh wait habs 4th vegas 21st

 

[Colezuki]

They're much funner to watch than anything we have had in the last couple of years but I think they're overachieving at the moment, teams will adjust to their speed and they don't really have a sniper/big shot anymore - at least until Weber is back - so their PP will struggle

Only about 15 games though until he's back if they play 500 hockey until then they're in decent shape

 

[Devonator]

These early season threads are always so fun to read by the 50-60 game mark when the Habs will be in the bottom 5 of the league with the Sens.....sorry Hab fans....enjoy it for now....there is plenty of misery coming your way for a long time.....

 

[Seb]

These early season threads are always so fun to read by the 50-60 game mark when the Habs will be in the bottom 5 of the league with the Sens.....sorry Hab fans....enjoy it for now....there is plenty of misery coming your way for a long time.....

Don't feel sorry, we're enjoying every moment until it goes back to normal.

 

[Agalloch]

Drouin 7 pts in 8 games.

Domi 8 pts in 8 games.

Gallagher 5 goals.

Petry having a good season. 8 pts in 8 games...

Byron 7 pts in 8 games...

 

[Colezuki]

I don't care about any of those teams.

Fact #1 - Montreal will likely be bottom 10 this year. Fact #2 Montreal does not have any game breaking talent (unless we count Price's play from a few years ago). Fact #3 Drouin is not a game breaking talent. Most reasonable hockey fans would agree with all of these statements.

Gonna save this, feels like it could bite you in the ass

 

[Colezuki]

What part don't you agree with so I can make a poll.

2017

 

[Jee]

Games are fun to watch, I'm happy.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Without Weber playing too

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Ottawa handled them pretty easily after not showing up for the first period. Wouldn’t call them a good team at all, but maybe not as bad as people expected