All I can say is Habs fans are a different breed.
They don't like anybody on their team anymore, like no one, maybe Gallagher, maybe Deslauriers.
Panging for Subban, Radulov, the once healthy knees of Markov. Eller, no wait he was overpaid. Anybody want Desharnais back, or Therien?
I like Shaw a lot. He is a gamer, comes to battle, but because of the consistent roster mess that originates from Gainey, and carries on through the Bergevin, he is often misused. Definitely has not been put on a line with anything close to the caliber of Toews and Kane in Montreal.
On a team with few right wingers, minor league right handed centres, and no toughness, Shaw definitely has a utility.
And in one of the few moves I did not mind from Bergevin he turned Weise into Danault, Eller into Shaw and the draft picks are ongoing.
Yes Chicago got Debrincat, does not mean the Habs would have, and he would not have developed the same in Montreal, guaranteed...
Right now I am kind of hoping for:
Pacioretty for Vilardi, 2nd, another 2nd in 2019, and someone else. Maybe Folin, I don't their d well enough. New captain, means a new direction.
I re-sign Plekanec. One year.
I trade Benn, Carr, Deslauriers, and other spare parts for whatever, Niemi too.
I sign Paul Stastny in the offseason, think he will be easier to get than Backlund.
I put Stastny between Galchenyuk and Sherbak. He gets the puck on his wingers sticks without hogging it.
I put Drouin in the spot Pacioretty occupied with Danault-Shaw.
Byron-Plekanec-Gallagher can keep playing against the league's best and win the battle most nights, or nullify them at least. With Drouin out of the centre spot, you don't have a -25 goal deficit to make up.
I bring back Max Lapierre to be a super pest. Play him with Hudon and Lehkonen on a 4th line that can skate and score a few goals.
Bring Deslauriers back to compete with Hudon. And a scoring winger on the cheap, preferably a righty. Or a skill guy, like Petan, for PP production, and depth.
I use one of those draft picks on a defenseman to partner with Weber. Maybe pry Darnell Nurse out of Edmonton. A skater.
Then you have
Nurse-Weber
Alzner-Petry
Mete-Schlemko
I don't like Schlemko on his offside, defending, so maybe someone to compete with him, unless one of Juulsen, Lernout, or Fleury break out of camp.
But the goal should be not to rush any 18 and 19 year olds into the NHL to fill holes, unless they break down the door. If you draft Zadina send him to the minors to start, like Chytil did this year. Develop Evans, Bitten and Addison into role players. I'd kind of like to see Gregoire play a game or two with the Habs.
Not a high scoring team, but if you can have a good skating, tight checking team, our score their opponents maybe 225-200 over the course of a year that's a playoff team.