LastWordArmy
Registered User
Assessing the forward group and where the improvements need to be made.
http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/05/30/canadiens-off-season-forwards/
http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/05/30/canadiens-off-season-forwards/
As it stands right now the Canadiens currently only have four legitimate top six forwards
That excerpt is the most important part of that article and if we want to contend for the Cup next year we need to bring that number to 6 not 5 top six forwards.
Absolutely right. Just adding one more top-6 forward in the offseason will far from solve our scoring woes. Legitimate, proven depth wise, we don't have an oar or a rudder and that creek is full of...
We also have about 4-5 prospects that are at the point where they can contribute (or are very close) to a top 9 scoring role in the NHL: Andrighetto, Carr, Hudon, Lekonen, Reway. Whatever holes are left after UFA signings (I'm hoping for at least 1 solid UFA top 6 winger), the remaining spots need to be filled by these guys, NOT by promoting 4th line grinders into the top 9. Guys like Mitchell, Flynn, Danault, De La Rose, Byron, Matteau, etc. Should not be seeing top 9 ice time.
That type of player usage, in my opinion, is more important than signing a 2nd UFA winger.
We also have about 4-5 prospects that are at the point where they can contribute (or are very close) to a top 9 scoring role in the NHL: Andrighetto, Carr, Hudon, Lekonen, Reway. Whatever holes are left after UFA signings (I'm hoping for at least 1 solid UFA top 6 winger), the remaining spots need to be filled by these guys, NOT by promoting 4th line grinders into the top 9. Guys like Mitchell, Flynn, Danault, De La Rose, Byron, Matteau, etc. Should not be seeing top 9 ice time.
That type of player usage, in my opinion, is more important than signing a 2nd UFA winger.
That excerpt is the most important part of that article and if we want to contend for the Cup next year we need to bring that number to 6 not 5 top six forwards.
Take away the deadline deals and you won't find many teams with 6 legitimate top-6 guys.
That excerpt is the most important part of that article and if we want to contend for the Cup next year we need to bring that number to 6 not 5 top six forwards.
Lehkonen has two seasons in SHL. That is much better than AHL.So the 5 players you mentioned Have 81 gsmes combined and they're ready for top 9 roles ? Wow!!!
You do realize every team has these prospects you mention, every team. If he Habs go into the year with lekhonen /andrighetto /carr in the top 9 , this team will depend on price as usual. Reway is no where close to being ready neither is lekhonen. They both need AHL seasoning. They may never be ready. How bout Bergrvin go out and and acquire a true top 6 forward
Do you want the Habs to contend for the Cup next season or do you need another year of incompetence to complain about? Lots of teams also don't have world class goaltending so according to the logic you posted, we'll be alright with a goalie of lesser value. We don't want to be many teams. We want to be the elite Cup contending team.
The four final teams had six top six forwards. Whether they got the points this year is another matter. Injuries could explain some of it. If we start the season with 5 legit top six, what happens if you have an injury? You go back to four.
Most of the posters want to put the whole blame on therrien for our anemic PP. Maybe having only 4 legit top six players explains alot.
Sheary is a role player but the Bonino-Hagelin-Kessel line could be the second line in many teams.Very rare to have a team with 6 legitimate top 6 players....
Every team, even both teams presently in the Stanley Cup playoffs, have role players playing in top 6 roles (Donskoi, Sheary, Bonino)
Adding one top 6 forward, a proven, legitimate top 6 player would be a huge step in the right direction....adding 2 would be very difficult given the salary cap, see nearly impossible.
We can not afford a 84M contract for Stamkos.I noted where injuries had an impact. Pittsburgh 6th best forward had 32 points this year. St-Louis's had 37, and Tampa had 35. So only one team in the final 4 actually had 6 top-six forwards.
If all you need is 35ish points to be top-6 then I'd argue a guy like Andrighetto is one already.
In terms of injuries you need guys who can step in and do ok in the top-6. Guys like Carr this year did fine in a top-6 role for example, and allows you to survive injuries.
If you think to be a contender we needs the best offence, the best defence, the best goaltending, and enough depth at every position to not miss a beat through injuries then you're expectations are too high.
No team is that good. Replace Desharnais with Stamkos and we have +25-30ish goals. That would puts us at 3rd most GFs. What more do you actually want?
That`s what we really need one elite player.
Very rare to have a team with 6 legitimate top 6 players....
Every team, even both teams presently in the Stanley Cup playoffs, have role players playing in top 6 roles (Donskoi, Sheary, Bonino)
Adding one top 6 forward, a proven, legitimate top 6 player would be a huge step in the right direction....adding 2 would be very difficult given the salary cap, see nearly impossible.
Sheary is a role player but the Bonino-Hagelin-Kessel line could be the second line in many teams.
While Crosby and Malkin are keeping other teams on their toes, that line has been scoring like top-6 (if not top-3).
In fact, they are top-5 in Scoring with Crosby and Malkin being 3rd and 4th respectively. Letang is 6th.
We can not afford a 84M contract for Stamkos.
If you pay Stamkos that kind of money, how much are you going to pay Price, Patches, Galchenyuk?
If Kane and Toews got 10.5M a year ahead of becoming UFA, then Stamkos is in line for 7X12M.
So we will have to deal with 15-20 Goals from Ghetto, 15-20 Goals from Lehkonen and maybe a UFA who can play top-6/top-9 with 15-20 Goals.
To be frank, I really like what the Pens and SJS are showing us with top-9
Especially the third line of the Pens (Bonino-Hagelin-Kessel).
So the 5 players you mentioned Have 81 gsmes combined and they're ready for top 9 roles ? Wow!!!
You do realize every team has these prospects you mention, every team. If he Habs go into the year with lekhonen /andrighetto /carr in the top 9 , this team will depend on price as usual. Reway is no where close to being ready neither is lekhonen. They both need AHL seasoning. They may never be ready. How bout Bergrvin go out and and acquire a true top 6 forward
Desharnais
69th overall
~to Columbus for~
Hartnell
Boll
This is an HF approved deal. We can buyout Boll where he's going into his final year. I also vote we move Flynn for a mid pick, I like him, there may be interest, but I think he'd be the odd man out. We seriously have too many waiver eligible 4th liners right now.
Take away the deadline deals and you won't find many teams with 6 legitimate top-6 guys.
The 5th and 6th most productive forwards
Anaheim: 39 & 32
Boston: 49 & 37
Chicago: 35 & 33 (in 64 games)
Dallas: 39 & 35
Flo: 53 & 50
LA: 36 & 28
NYR: 43 & 36 (in 60)
Pittsburgh: 42 & 32
SJS: 43 & 36 (in 52 games)
St-Louis: 39 & 37
Tampa: 38(in 69 games) & 35
Washington: 51 & 46
There's maybe 4 teams with 6 top-6 guys, the other teams all have one or two 30 point players filling out their top-6.
Give a guy like Andrighetto top-6 minutes all season and he'll like have 30-35 points as well. All we need is one high end scorer and we match up decently offensively against any team.
Sheary is a role player but the Bonino-Hagelin-Kessel line could be the second line in many teams.
While Crosby and Malkin are keeping other teams on their toes, that line has been scoring like top-6 (if not top-3).
In fact, they are top-5 in Scoring with Crosby and Malkin being 3rd and 4th respectively. Letang is 6th.
Very rare to have a team with 6 legitimate top 6 players....
Every team, even both teams presently in the Stanley Cup playoffs, have role players playing in top 6 roles (Donskoi, Sheary, Bonino)
Adding one top 6 forward, a proven, legitimate top 6 player would be a huge step in the right direction....adding 2 would be very difficult given the salary cap, see nearly impossible.
Take away the deadline deals and you won't find many teams with 6 legitimate top-6 guys.
The 5th and 6th most productive forwards
Anaheim: 39 & 32
Boston: 49 & 37
Chicago: 35 & 33 (in 64 games)
Dallas: 39 & 35
Flo: 53 & 50
LA: 36 & 28
NYR: 43 & 36 (in 60)
Pittsburgh: 42 & 32
SJS: 43 & 36 (in 52 games)
St-Louis: 39 & 37
Tampa: 38(in 69 games) & 35
Washington: 51 & 46
There's maybe 4 teams with 6 top-6 guys, the other teams all have one or two 30 point players filling out their top-6.
Give a guy like Andrighetto top-6 minutes all season and he'll like have 30-35 points as well. All we need is one high end scorer and we match up decently offensively against any team.