Choose One Habs Player...

[hogtownhabsfan*]

Depends if contract is included. I'd take Galchenyuk on the first year of his ELC over Price at 6.5 million a year.

If not, then it's Price, no question. Probably followed by Subban.

 

[Darth Joker]

Price.

As an expansion team, you're definitely going to have a high draft pick or two. That's where you get your elite forward(s). Getting elite goalies in the draft is much trickier, even if you're picking 1st Overall, like LyricalLyricist wrote. Some years, the consensus best goalie in the entire draft isn't that good or highly thought of. But the top forward in the draft is almost always an elite player.


Galchenyuk is definitely next on the list.

Who's third on the list is an interesting question.

I'd go...

Price
Galchenyuk
Subban

 

[Agnostic]

Of the top 10 goaltenders (sv pct) in 2011/12 only 1 was taken in the first round of the draft. Goaltenders are found everywhere. Easily.

Top centres, tough to get.

I would think that Habs fans, having been starved for a centre for almost as long as a Stanley Cup, would have figured this out.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Price is not even the best goaltender in his draft year ffs. He's easily replaceable as history has shown.

Top centre , different story.

He's comparable to Quick.

Gally may not be the best center in the draft either(when time comes), so that means he's replaceable too right?

C'mon, Price is elite and you're more likely to find a top center in draft than a starting goalie. Simple no?

 

[Agnostic]

He's comparable to Quick.

Gally may not be the best center in the draft either(when time comes), so that means he's replaceable too right?

C'mon, Price is elite and you're more likely to find a top center in draft than a starting goalie. Simple no?

not simple. Goaltenders are usually found outside the first round (take a look at top 10 goaltenders in league over last 5 years most are late rounders), you can't find a top centre usually out of the top 5 or 6 selections.

Top centres are gold, goaltenders silver.

Just using the Habs for an example, they have drafted Theodore, Halak, and Price in the time they have been looking for a number 1 centre.

 

[Darth Joker]

With NHL starting goaltenders, there's basically four levels.

1st Level - Generational Elite Talent
2nd Level - Elite Talent
3rd Level - Solid No. 1 (Unspectacular)
4th Level - Weak No. 1, Barely Adequate if that.

Having an Elite Center (be him a generational talent or otherwise) is indeed more valuable than having an Elite "2nd Level" Goalie because yes, you'll totally luck in to one of those elite "2nd Level" Goalies from time-to-time. They also tend to come on the market at least once every three years or so whereas Elite Centers are basically only ever traded due to age or contract/cap reasons.

But a Generational Elite Talent in goal is something special. What differentiates them from the rest is year-to-year-to-year consistency (like Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur had). Some of those 2nd level goalies are late bloomers (like Thomas) or flame out early (like Theodore). If you have a guy like Price in your organization, and he's in his mid 20s, you know that you're totally set in goal for at least a decade. He's proven. He won't become a Theodore. He has that pedigree.

Price has the potential of being a Generational Elite Talent in net. And he's already a "2nd Level" guy who will likely never dip below it.

Having an elite goalie in net does give you an edge. It means you're more likely to accomplish playoff upsets, and also that you're less likely to suffer them when your team is on top. A lot of the big upsets in NHL playoff history was due to the underdog having the better netminder.

 

[Agnostic]

Price.

As an expansion team, you're definitely going to have a high draft pick or two. That's where you get your elite forward(s). Getting elite goalies in the draft is much trickier, even if you're picking 1st Overall, like LyricalLyricist wrote. Some years, the consensus best goalie in the entire draft isn't that good or highly thought of. But the top forward in the draft is almost always an elite player.


Galchenyuk is definitely next on the list.

Who's third on the list is an interesting question.

I'd go...

Price
Galchenyuk
Subban

Huh?

Lunqvist - 205th overall
Quick - 72nd overall
Halak - 271st overall
Rinne - 258th overall
Kiprusoff - 116th overall
Thomas - 217th overall


top Centres

Malkin - 2nd overall
Stamkos - 1st overall
Spezza - 2nd overall
Tavares - 1st overall
Sedin - 3rd overall
Thornton - 1st overall

 

[Davebo*]

I'd take Carey Price

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Huh?

Lunqvist - 205th overall
Quick - 72nd overall
Halak - 271st overall
Rinne - 258th overall
Kiprusoff - 116th overall
Thomas - 217th overall


top Centres

Malkin - 2nd overall
Stamkos - 1st overall
Spezza - 2nd overall
Tavares - 1st overall
Sedin - 3rd overall
Thornton - 1st overall

You just proved his point.

 

[King Niinimaa*]

Subban. To succeed in the modern era NHL you need an elite #1 D. Subban isn't elite, but I think he'll be great. Markov would've been great, but he's injury-prone and too old. Subban would be the cornerstone to build around.

 

[TheBabysitter*]

Galchenyuk, his passing and vision is a treat to watch. Montreal makes goalies like no other place in the world.

 

[HabsFan1689]

Price and it's not close. Goalies often make or break teams.

 

[niftymove]

I'd go with Galchy. Sure he is not proven yet but he is a third pick, who may finish first with time.

I watched almost all his games this year and I can tell you we have not see the real Galchenyuk yet. Give him some time to gain more confidence and find his game at NHL level and he will be the franchise center we're looking for: lazer shot, elite passing skill, puck control....he will be a God in Mtl.

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

Watching the game last night I started thinking "Which Hab would I choose if I could only pick one to build a new team around."

So here is the scenario:

Quebec City is awarded a new NHL franchise and you are the GM. You can choose one player, any player, from the Habs to help build your new team.

Which player do you take and 3 reasons why. Discuss:

I would take Carey Price:

1, Success starts in goal
2, He is young and still getting better
3, His contract is a reasonable one

I agree with you, but has anybody done a study on how long goalies last with expansion teams, particularly ones that are poor. This could be a ticket to burnout.

 

[AntonCH]

Price
AINEC

You build from the net out

Unless
I want to build a perennial contender, then I grab Budaj!
I then reap the rewards after 3-4 solid high draft picks

 

[Bieber fever]

Galchenyuk
Subban



Price


Goalie are so overated lol brb theodore won the hart and vezina and he's not even a starter now. Giguere won the con smyth and 2-3 years after was trash .

St-Louis could make any goalie liok good.

 

[Kylington]

White!!!!!!111

 

[Lucky Luke]

I go with Price.
He's Patrick Roy material.

 

[saintflannel]

Carey Price, for sure.

 

[Price is Wright]

Louis Leblanc.

If I'm running the new Quebec franchise, I'm ensuring it follows a strict French Canadian agenda to ensure pure francophone media exposure. It will be much like the Mississauga Ice Dogs, a true team to make pure culture proud.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Galchenyuk
Subban



Price


Goalie are so overated lol brb theodore won the hart and vezina and he's not even a starter now. Giguere won the con smyth and 2-3 years after was trash .

St-Louis could make any goalie liok good.

You mean Giguere won conn Smythe and 4 years later he won the cup?

 

[Nedved]

just want the team to be competitive and have a chance to win each night. no one player can do it, it's a combination and putting it all together at the right time (skill wise and cap wise).

we had a goalie who won the hart...still, no cup. lot's of goalies can we cups, that's why new teams keep winning each year. goalie is less important, but being solid 5-5 with an excellent pp and pk will bring you near the top of the league.

 

[Mrb1p]

just want the team to be competitive and have a chance to win each night. no one player can do it, it's a combination and putting it all together at the right time (skill wise and cap wise).

we had a goalie who won the hart...still, no cup. lot's of goalies can we cups, that's why new teams keep winning each year. goalie is less important, but being solid 5-5 with an excellent pp and pk will bring you near the top of the league.

The lighting has not won a cup with Stamkos.
Giroux and Philly didnt win it either...
Thornton never won...
Tavares is one of the top 5 C in the league and they didnt win.
Ditto for Backstrom.

 

[Nedved]

The lighting has not won a cup with Stamkos.
Giroux and Philly didnt win it either...
Thornton never won...
Tavares is one of the top 5 C in the league and they didnt win.
Ditto for Backstrom.

i said teams need to put it together at the right time. not everyone can win the cup.

quick won last year, and they have a deep team, too. they put it all together at the right time.

I'm saying 1 player will not make a difference, but a combination of good play, and at the right time, will make more of a difference than 1 more player.

it's more likely a goalie gets hot during the playoffs, or for a year, than a player. it's the beast of the position that at anytime there's 10 goalies in this league, when at their best, that can beat anyone. that's not even including the average goalies on a team who's putting it together and can have off nights.

if anything, a d that can rack up big minutes and chip in offensively is probably a guy I would never want to get rid of.

 

[Hoople]

PK Subban.

Without a doubt.

To generate revenue to pay for the new team, you have to have fans coming to the games.

I am sure that I could pull 90% of the Subban fanboys away from the Montreal Canadiens and turn them into Nordiques Subban fanboys right away.

Sold out stadium right away. Who cares about the Won Loss record. We would have the best and strongest core of loyal fans.