Player Discussion Eric Staal

[26Mats]

So how did Marc B trade away a 3rd and 7th pick for a guy that is completely done? Do they not even bother to scout anymore at all? Just go on what they did years ago? What a joke this team is....

You win some and you lose some.

The 5th came from trading Reilly to Ottawa. The 3rd from trading Kovalchuk - both of whom we pretty much got for free...

 

[PhysicX]

Gotta say though, it's probably much harder to identify with a team given there's no one in the stands. I mean new players usually get really hyped up playing the the Bell Center but that's not really the case this year.

As for Staal, putting him on the wing is probably a good idea.

Again, my feeling about Staal throughout his career was he thrived against us because he didn't like the team nor the city. Hence, why I was weirded out when they announced MB traded for him, even though he didn't have us on his trade list.
Look, I could be wrong here. I watch him play, I don't sense any iota of care out of him. Whether it's missing his family, not liking the city, or a mix of factors, I think it would best for the team to scratch him.

 

[Whitesnake]

You win some and you lose some.

The 5th came from trading Reilly to Ottawa. The 3rd from trading Kovalchuk - both of whom we pretty much got for free...

Staal is completely finished. You don't win and lose some that way. That was a pure pro scout advice and that pro scout should be fired. In this year's draft, picks are even more important especially if the draft is still happening. Chances are you will see WAY more guys chosen later than will end up succesful more than guys chosen before. You will see guys in each round that wouldn't have been there under a regular season. This draft, you can't give out your picks. I would have kept the 3 3rd round picks. But even moreso for a guy who is done. Completely. And the ''well we already had 2 draft picks, so it's okay'' that some uses INCLUDING Bergevin and some journalists is one of the most idiotic thing to say. You can have 12 3rd round picks, chances are you will get a special player. That in a redraft would have gotten out top 10.

The day that ''it's okay to give out draft picks'' is fine, nobody better not uses the fact that Bergevin does build through draft 'cause he racks all those picks....There was nothing to build on with acquiring Staal.

 

[McGees]

Staal looks like a player who’s ‘give a crap meter’ is bottoming out. Maybe it ignites for playoffs or maybe he is ready to retire.

 

[Locks]

Staal has been on the ice for 8 even-strength goals against in 6 games.

Evans has been on the ice for 9 even-strength goals against in 36 games.

Bench him, he'll still be useful in case of injury, but for now, I don't think he deserves a roster spot.

Good stat. We could possibly live with his defensive problems in a sheltered offensive role. But aside from the OT shot, he generates next to no offence. It is not just that he is slow, he does not show much in terms of skills. Perry is as slow but shows that he still has some useful skills.

I actually suggested to put him on the wing after they traded for him. But now I am not sold he can be any useful at all. It is not an easy situation for the coach DD to be in but the implications are major.

 

[26Mats]

Staal is completely finished. You don't win and lose some that way. That was a pure pro scout advice and that pro scout should be fired. In this year's draft, picks are even more important especially if the draft is still happening. Chances are you will see WAY more guys chosen later than will end up succesful more than guys chosen before. You will see guys in each round that wouldn't have been there under a regular season. This draft, you can't give out your picks. I would have kept the 3 3rd round picks. But even moreso for a guy who is done. Completely. And the ''well we already had 2 draft picks, so it's okay'' that some uses INCLUDING Bergevin and some journalists is one of the most idiotic thing to say. You can have 12 3rd round picks, chances are you will get a special player. That in a redraft would have gotten out top 10.

The day that ''it's okay to give out draft picks'' is fine, nobody better not uses the fact that Bergevin does build through draft 'cause he racks all those picks....There was nothing to build on with acquiring Staal.

We are not in a position to be giving away free picks because of our idiot GM and pro scouts. No matter how we acquired them. They were owned by us and could have fetched a good young player for all we know.

Much better players are being put on waivers for free as a result of Covid and here we go out giving away valuable draft picks, and for what? to make our team even worse by acquiring someone that was done and should be retired. Sorry but your post shows exactly the attitude that is everything wrong with our current GM and team.

Win some lose some BS. What are you Marc B's spawn.

I don’t think it really matters how we got the picks — they’re squandered if pro scouting doesn’t do its job or if the GM just acquires a player mostly based upon on past accomplishments and reputation.

Draft picks evidently help you secure cost control which is detrimental in a flat cap era — only saving grace here is the likelihood of those picks being turned into NHLers is low and that the Habs traded from a position of strength. It still doesn’t absolve doing your due diligence.

This was a failed bargain bin move. Overall he's been good in the bargain bin:

E.g.
Signs Raphael Diaz for free, trades him for Dale weise. Signs Fleishmann to a pto, then a 1 year deal. Trades Weise and fleishman for Danault and a 2nd(Romanov)...
Trades plekanec for a 2nd and valiev. Trades valiev and ahler for kulak...
Trade ahler Redmond for Deslauriers, trades deslauriers for a 4th...
Trades nick Cousins for a 5th, uses 5th to get edmunson...

Signs Kovalchuk for nothing, trades him for a 3rd, uses the 3rd to get Allen's big contract, signs allen to extension at reasonable cap hit...
Trades a 4th for Scandella, trades scandella for a 4th and a 2nd... trades that 2nd for another 2nd and another 4th...

Etc., etc...

He's been good in the bargain bin overall. I'm not going to whine about this failure after so many successes. We still have 11 picks in the upcoming draft because of his bargain bin moves.

What I have a problem with is his lack of success in bringing in high end talent.

The Subban and Sergachev trades could have brought in a LOT more talent. Sergachev for Drouin is just an abomination.

 

[Whitesnake]

This was a failed bargain bin move. Overall he's been good in the bargain bin:

E.g.
Signs Raphael Diaz for free, trades him for Dale weise. Signs Fleishmann to apto, then a 1 year deal. Trades Weise and fleishman for Danault and a 2nd(Romanov)...
Trades plekanec for a 2nd and valiev. Trades valiev and ahler for kulak...
Trade ahler Redmond for Deslauriers, trades deslauriers for a 4th...
Trades nick Cousins for a 5th, uses 5th to get edmunson...

Signs Kovalchuk for nothing, trades him for a 3rd, uses the 3rd to get Allen's big contract, signs allen to extension at reasonable cap hit...
Trades a 4th for Scandella, trades scandella for a 4th and a 2nd... trades that 2nd for another 2nd and another 4th...

Etc., etc...

He's been good in the bargain bin overall. I'm not going to whine about this failure after so many successes. We still have 11 picks in the upcoming draft because of his bargain bin moves.

What I have a problem with is his lack of success in bringing in high end talent.

The Subban and Sergachev trades could have brotten in a LOT more talent. Sergachev for Drouin is just an abomination.

But that's the thing. He wins trades and moves. But we don't win as a team. Bergevin isn't playing in a fantasy hockey league. He's playing on a real one.

The guy is playing Poker at a table with very low limits with tons of success. But he's a joke as a high roller and is just unable to play a table with much higher limit.....We need the latter. We need to build a team. Not to win inconsequential trades.

 

[Habs]

I'd give him a pass if he was winning faceoffs ... so if he isn't doing that sit him out for Evans.

 

[26Mats]

But that's the thing. He wins trades and moves. But we don't win as a team. Bergevin isn't playing in a fantasy hockey league. He's playing on a real one.

The guy is playing Poker at a table with very low limits with tons of success. But he's a joke as a high roller and is just unable to play a table with much higher limit.....We need the latter. We need to build a team. Not to win inconsequential trades.

I agree 100%

Even if Moslon doesn't fire him this offseason, I'm interested to see what he does.

IMO, the core at forward are:
____ Kotkaniemi Caufield
Toffoli Suzuki Anderson
Tatar Danault Gallagher

We're missing that playdriving winger (or center and move Suzuki to the wing in the short term).
Can he make moves to free up the cap space to find that player? (i.e. clear the overpaid deadweight of Drouin, Byron, Armia, and Lehkonen)

On D, can he find a puck mover (to replace Chiarot)?
Edmundson Petry
_______ Weber
Romanov Merrill

Those are the two big moves he needs to make.

 

[robert ethan]

Staal will be fine, everyone clean out their pants and sit down. He would have been the Habs second leading scorer last season. You don't lose it that fast. 175 points in three seasons prior to this. Nearly double what Foligno put up over the same stretch, and the Leafs traded a 1st and two 4th round picks for him. They brought Eric in for the playoffs, he was the Wild leading scorer, over a point per game in last year's playoffs, on a bad team.

 

[V13]

I thought that maybe....just maybe he could have some kind of mini resurgence playing limited minutes like Perry did. Aside from the OT goal winner it doesn't seem that it's gonna be the case. At this rate he'll be on the taxi squad by next week

 

[abo9]

Staal will be fine, everyone clean out their pants and sit down. He would have been the Habs second leading scorer last season. You don't lose it that fast. 175 points in three seasons prior to this. Nearly double what Foligno put up over the same stretch, and the Leafs traded a 1st and two 4th round picks for him. They brought Eric in for the playoffs, he was the Wild leading scorer, over a point per game in last year's playoffs, on a bad team.

Sometimes players suffer pretty steep decline from one season to the next. He's not our saviour or anything...

 

[robert ethan]

Sometimes players suffer pretty steep decline from one season to the next. He's not our saviour or anything...

Nobody is a saviour on their own. He's one of 25 - 30 players they'll use between now and the end of their season. You go into it planning to win it all, in which case they are only half way through the season. Plenty of time for him to contribute.

 

[abo9]

Nobody is a saviour on their own. He's one of 25 - 30 players they'll use between now and the end of their season. You go into it planning to win it all, in which case they are only half way through the season. Plenty of time for him to contribute.

We'll see. Personally for what we gave I don't expect much more than a 4th liner. But the name is Staal, so hopefully we get a bit more

 

[THE HOFF]

Lol what a stupid comment. Sure Eric is washed up now but he has a cup and so does Jordan. What did your family do exactly?

and you talk about stupid comments ?

Sorry if I made you all sensitive by saying I find them staal boys dirty and overrated.

 

[salbutera]

Again, my feeling about Staal throughout his career was he thrived against us because he didn't like the team nor the city. Hence, why I was weirded out when they announced MB traded for him, even though he didn't have us on his trade list.
Look, I could be wrong here. I watch him play, I don't sense any iota of care out of him. Whether it's missing his family, not liking the city, or a mix of factors, I think it would best for the team to scratch him.

Erik Cole also saved his best vs Habs...

The reason both thrived is simple, Habs never had a forward w size + speed to contain either

 

[Miller Time]

I thought that maybe....just maybe he could have some kind of mini resurgence playing limited minutes like Perry did. Aside from the OT goal winner it doesn't seem that it's gonna be the case. At this rate he'll be on the taxi squad by next week

he should be (if he keeps playing the way he has)... but i doubt MB lets that happen.

at this point, with what's on the line, either try him at wing & hope he can give us something offensively, or let him sit in the stands and collect a paycheck. Lekhonen and Evans give this team far more on a nightly basis, no reason to keep Staal in the lineup.

 

[salbutera]

I’d just like to point out Evans hasn’t scored since mid-Jan.

Staal will be fine in a 4C role where TOI is properly managed / limited for why he was acquired- key faceoffs & some PP help. With properly managed TOI he’ll provide benefit for both those aspects

 

[Tanknation]

You win some and you lose some.

The 5th came from trading Reilly to Ottawa. The 3rd from trading Kovalchuk - both of whom we pretty much got for free...

We are not in a position to be giving away free picks because of our idiot GM and pro scouts. No matter how we acquired them. They were owned by us and could have fetched a good young player for all we know.

Much better players are being put on waivers for free as a result of Covid and here we go out giving away valuable draft picks, and for what? to make our team even worse by acquiring someone that was done and should be retired. Sorry but your post shows exactly the attitude that is everything wrong with our current GM and team.

Win some lose some BS. What are you Marc B's spawn.

 

[robert ethan]

We are not in a position to be giving away free picks because of our idiot GM and pro scouts. No matter how we acquired them. They were owned by us and could have fetched a good young player for all we know.

Much better players are being put on waivers for free as a result of Covid and here we go out giving away valuable draft picks, and for what? to make our team even worse by acquiring someone that was done and should be retired. Sorry but your post shows exactly the attitude that is everything wrong with our current GM and team.

Win some lose some BS. What are you Marc B's spawn.

You realize the Habs still have 11 picks in the draft, 8 in the first 4 rounds? They didn't even bother signing a bunch of picks from recent drafts because they didn't have roster spots available. If you want to stress about "wasted picks". If they used all 11 picks, they wouldn't end up signing half of them. The Leafs only have 6 picks in their next two drafts COMBINED. Montreal has at least 18.

 

[Tanknation]

You realize the Habs still have 11 picks in the draft, 8 in the first 4 rounds? They didn't even bother signing a bunch of picks from recent drafts because they didn't have roster spots available. If you want to stress about "wasted picks". If they used all 11 picks, they wouldn't end up signing half of them. The Leafs only have 6 picks in their next two drafts COMBINED. Montreal has at least 18.

I don't care how many picks other teams have or bother comparing. Fact is, if you pick a good player and he progresses, you sign them and get better as a team. 3rd is not to far off from a 2nd rounder. To give that away along with a 5th for nothing, worst than nothing actually, hurts the team is/was just a plain stupid move.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

#FREETHEJAKE71

 

[The Great Weal]

At some point you have to admit you f***ed up with this trade. If we had no forward depth, then I can understand keeping him and hoping he finds his game. However, we got Jake Evans who could use the minutes and not be the liability that Staal has been, especially since we are playing like crap and giving the Flames a chance to get a playoff spot.

 

[MasterD]

Sometimes players suffer pretty steep decline from one season to the next. He's not our saviour or anything...

Especially during COVID with all the stress, uncertainty, closed gyms, short training camps, etc.

 

[Runner77]

You win some and you lose some.

The 5th came from trading Reilly to Ottawa. The 3rd from trading Kovalchuk - both of whom we pretty much got for free...

I don’t think it really matters how we got the picks — they’re squandered if pro scouting doesn’t do its job or if the GM just acquires a player mostly based upon on past accomplishments and reputation.

Draft picks evidently help you secure cost control which is detrimental in a flat cap era — only saving grace here is the likelihood of those picks being turned into NHLers is low and that the Habs traded from a position of strength. It still doesn’t absolve doing your due diligence.