Are we built for the playoffs ?

[Beendair Donedat]

Bordeleau is a UFA and can scrap with anyone. Also French and from Montreal... Seems line a natural fit for Bergevin and Therrien.

 

[izzy75]

That's garbage.

It's a never ending myth that ''lack of size will kill us in the POs

You might want to argue this point with Nilan, Momesso and other NHL'ers who've expressed this concern.

 

[Roulin]

You might want to argue this point with Nilan, Momesso and other NHL'ers who've expressed this concern.

Not sure if citing Nilan and Momesso as backing a position is an argument for or against...

 

[Rscorpio]

If we skate hard and play with passion (like everytime we are in the playoff) YES


if we play like last game against the Leafs NOOOOOOOOOO




oh, and of course PRice need to be good...not All stars..but just good

 

[cphabs]

Yes we are, but not for the duration. We'll get there soon, for a run/cup, but I would not risk youth for an extra round/game. Just my .02 and would be happily wrong.

 

[izzy75]

Not sure if citing Nilan and Momesso as backing a position is an argument for or against...

Anyone with any hockey knowledge has stated that Montreal is too small in both positions. Hopefully that will change next year when we get eliminated in round 1.

 

[Bieber fever]

NO.

We are not built for playoff , but we can still win because anything can happen.This team is so soft it's sickening

 

[Hoople]

That's garbage.

It's a never ending myth that ''lack of size will kill us in the POs''. Seriously, garbage.

Sure, having some bigger guys, especially on D, certainly would help. If we get pushed around every game to the point where we don't respond, stop battling for pucks, don't go into the corners anymore, keep shots from the perimeter, never crash the net and stop positioning ourselves in the slot, then only then can you say that size was the determining factor.

However, that has rarely ever been the case. Heck, even in Boston when they really laid down the beating on us, we still didn't give up and always battled back.
Yes, this was only one game, but you can also look back at our playoffs versus those same Bruins. They were always tight series, aside from the Darkest Day in Habs History year. We never give up.

I don't think it has anything to do with physicality. I think we've proven time and time again that we don't give up, we're not a pushover team on the scoreboard.
However, lack of size (not physicality) on the back end, might hurt us with those heavy battles in the corners and in front. That's our primary concern, with top end talent up front.

The point flew right over your head.

Let me repeat for clarity. We can beat the Bruins and Leafs on any given day because we have the talent to do so. We played the Bruins this season and won the season series. We also had LESS PHYSICAL teams to play against between the Bruins games.

Same for the Leafs. They kicked our ass 6-0 and we went on a tear and beat them. Last night, they outmuscled us early and often. We will have more games in between before we have to play the Leafs again.

In the playoffs, you are not afforded that luxury. If we get outmuscled by the Leafs on Saturday, we will have to play them again within two days and then the next two days and then the next two days. A tough task when we are not as physical.

And I am not talking about fighting although fighting will be in the mix and if we have to rely on Prust to fight McLaren, we lose.....badly......since Prust is not a goon and is more valuable on the ice than fighting the Leafs tough guy.

 

[Habtchum*]

Habs are built for Playoffs... In 2016-17.

Right now, this small team won't last more than one round.


Who won the Cup the last two years. Look at their line up and you could understand.

 

[Halifaxhab*]

The point flew right over your head.

Let me repeat for clarity. We can beat the Bruins and Leafs on any given day because we have the talent to do so. We played the Bruins this season and won the season series. We also had LESS PHYSICAL teams to play against between the Bruins games.

Same for the Leafs. They kicked our ass 6-0 and we went on a tear and beat them. Last night, they outmuscled us early and often. We will have more games in between before we have to play the Leafs again.

In the playoffs, you are not afforded that luxury. If we get outmuscled by the Leafs on Saturday, we will have to play them again within two days and then the next two days and then the next two days. A tough task when we are not as physical.

And I am not talking about fighting although fighting will be in the mix and if we have to rely on Prust to fight McLaren, we lose.....badly......since Prust is not a goon and is more valuable on the ice than fighting the Leafs tough guy.

I saw yesterday more of an issue with a complete lack of compete, flat footed, lost most puck races and didnt really crash the net. (minus Gallagher...that kid has only one gear). Not many shots were quality.

The team as is can compete physically, by that I mean they can take the hit to make the play. Over the long haul they need the bounces, like any team that goes deep. In a perfect world we would have 23 guys who are 6'3'' 220lbs, score 50 goals and hit and fight. But, we have what we have and we'll see what the coaching can pull out.

 

[Kriss E]

Anyone with any hockey knowledge has stated that Montreal is too small in both positions. Hopefully that will change next year when we get eliminated in round 1.

The same guys that thought this team would miss the POs? Ya, their opinion is golden.

The point flew right over your head.

Let me repeat for clarity. We can beat the Bruins and Leafs on any given day because we have the talent to do so. We played the Bruins this season and won the season series. We also had LESS PHYSICAL teams to play against between the Bruins games.

Same for the Leafs. They kicked our ass 6-0 and we went on a tear and beat them. Last night, they outmuscled us early and often. We will have more games in between before we have to play the Leafs again.

In the playoffs, you are not afforded that luxury. If we get outmuscled by the Leafs on Saturday, we will have to play them again within two days and then the next two days and then the next two days. A tough task when we are not as physical.

And I am not talking about fighting although fighting will be in the mix and if we have to rely on Prust to fight McLaren, we lose.....badly......since Prust is not a goon and is more valuable on the ice than fighting the Leafs tough guy.

The point did not fly right over my head, I even addressed it. I guess you missed it so here it is again:

Yes, this was only one game, but you can also look back at our playoffs versus those same Bruins. They were always tight series, aside from the Darkest Day in Habs History year. We never give up.

This isn't the first time we have to play versus bigger teams, and we've come out on top before.
The Leafs have nothing, they really aren't that good. I would gladly face them in the POs.

We didn't get out muscled early by the Leafs yesterday, they got 5 freaking shots in the first period, 4 of which went in. Even their 1st goal was lucky bounces left and right, the next 3 goals were soft shots finding their way in when they should have been routine saves. Game would have been completely different if every bounce didn't go the Leafs way. We were slow and flatfooted right off the gate, seemed unprepared and lacking focus. It felt like when a top seed faces a weak opponent, they look uninterested. After 5 minutes though we got our speed back a bit, and pretty much controlled the play for the rest of the period.

All this talk about the Leafs and Bruins, but we might not even face one of those teams. There's plenty of different possibilities, it will all depend on where we finish in the standings.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

The Habs weren't bigger and more physical when they nearly eliminated the Bruins in a 7-game series in their Stanley Cup year. Didn't they win this season series against the Bruins, coming back from a 2-1 loss and taking 3 in a row? If they lose in the upcoming playoffs it'll be because the other team is better. not because it's bigger.

 

[izzy75]

Habs are built for Playoffs... In 2016-17.

Right now, this small team won't last more than one round.

Quite incredible that people don't understand this.

Alas, in time they will

 

[Hoople]

The Habs weren't bigger and more physical when they nearly eliminated the Bruins in a 7-game series in their Stanley Cup year. Didn't they win this season series against the Bruins, coming back from a 2-1 loss and taking 3 in a row? If they lose in the upcoming playoffs it'll be because the other team is better. not because it's bigger.

You are sort of making my point.

Yes, we can beat the Bruins because we are a talented team during the regular season.

It is harder to beat the Bruins in a series because their physical play tends to neutralize our effectiveness from our smaller players in back to back to back to back games against the Bruins.

 

[david999]

If the question is are the Habs built for the playoffs, then the right answer is no. Way to small on defence to withstand a constant pounding by bigger forwards in a 7 game series, and the forwards are too small to withstand constant pounding by bigger defences. Price would have to play out of his mind like Halak did a few years ago to even make a series close. I don't think he will.

 

[KuralySnipes]

You guys will be fine.

 

[MontrealYul]

Guys....calm the **** down! We only lost 2 games by more than a goal in more than 2 months....2 months for God's sake! We got dominated against only a few games this season..

It only takes one crappy game (where the opponent scored 4 lousy goals on 5 shots) for our team to become suddenly to soft, small, terrible, etc..

Some people see problems everywhere and simply like to whine about everything...

 

[Rscorpio]

last game we lost because of the goalie..clear and simple. No way this **** will hapen in 4 playoff games.

 

[Habs Icing]

Depends if you're thinking hockey or golf.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

If Price holds up we should do from fairly well all the way to hey lunkhead get out of my way I can't see the parade.

 

[Kriss E]

You are sort of making my point.

Yes, we can beat the Bruins because we are a talented team during the regular season.

It is harder to beat the Bruins in a series because their physical play tends to neutralize our effectiveness from our smaller players in back to back to back to back games against the Bruins.

And yet we were right there till the OT in Game 7 against them, with an even smaller team.

But the question is stupid to begin with. Who here thinks the Habs are going to the cup? I don't think anybody believes that. We are lacking a few things before contending for the puck. However, you can never predict how the POs are going to go.
We could end up facing the NYI or NYR in the first round, and then square off versus Washington, only to face Pittsburgh in the ECF.
Maybe Boston and Toronto play one another in the first round and kill themselves physically. Maybe they lose players, maybe we get Diaz back and despite his small stature he improves our puck movement, transition and offensive game.
Seriously, who freaking knows.

I think we can win versus any team in a 7 game series. But so many things happen during the POs, and if momentum is on your side, you have an extra boost that can help a lot. So, let's just wait to see who we end up facing.

 

[dkd]

We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Haburger]

got this feeling price is going to rebound huge from last nights game and carry it into the playoffs.i'm not worried about the team ,theres more than enough depth,talent,leadership,and grit to make a deep run.and if price can notch it up we re going all the way.

 

[Habs Icing]

There's actually a negative correlation between hitting and winning. More hits = you don't have th puck = losing games.

Well, after you score you also don't have the puck. Does that mean if you do it too often, you lose?

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Depends on who we catch

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

The point flew right over your head.

Let me repeat for clarity. We can beat the Bruins and Leafs on any given day because we have the talent to do so. We played the Bruins this season and won the season series. We also had LESS PHYSICAL teams to play against between the Bruins games.

Same for the Leafs. They kicked our ass 6-0 and we went on a tear and beat them. Last night, they outmuscled us early and often. We will have more games in between before we have to play the Leafs again.

In the playoffs, you are not afforded that luxury. If we get outmuscled by the Leafs on Saturday, we will have to play them again within two days and then the next two days and then the next two days. A tough task when we are not as physical.

And I am not talking about fighting although fighting will be in the mix and if we have to rely on Prust to fight McLaren, we lose.....badly......since Prust is not a goon and is more valuable on the ice than fighting the Leafs tough guy.

Yep. Beating a team in the regular season is a lot different than the playoffs. The playoffs are a much more physical game and they favor physical teams. We're not at that level yet. We're far from it. We won't be built for the playoffs until e address the lack of size and physicality on D and in the top 9. Price isn't at the level yet where he can make up for our holes and carry us through a few series. Can the team go on a mini run? Yes. But if we face the Leafs or Bruins or any of the other physical teams who can actually play at a high level, we're cooked.

Oh..and the D needs to be revamped..and that's including a healthy Emelin and Diaz. I think we're a few years away.