Speculation: Has The Habs Stanley Cup Window Officially Opened

[Monctonscout]

And we aren't looking to build around him either so that's not an issue. The reason to sign Vanek is so that Pacioretty doesn't have to carry the bulk of the offence by himself. Vanek does that. He also adds size and a net presence which we lack. He's not a perfect player but he's a great fit for us.

There's no one on the market that can replace Vanek except Gaborik who has his own set of problems. That leaves a trade which is both unlikely and would require sending assets back so might not even make us better.

As bad as Vanek's been in these playoffs, he's still 4th in points, 1st in goals, 1st in power play goals. He's going to go through good stretches and bad stretches, the fact that he can still produce during his bad stretches is a positive.

Bottom line is with Vanek we are as good as any team in the East. You can't give up that kind of opportunity simply because things might be different in 5 years time. If in 5 years Vanek becomes a problem deal with it then.

By giving somebody the money Vanek will get, you are in reality building around him.

 

[Number 57]

I think so yes. We finally have elite players going into their primes. We have a solid GM who makes the right moves. We have plenty of depth and a lot of solid young players to compliment our franchise guys. I really like where this team is headed.

I have divided the pieces of this team into four groups:

MAIN CORE OF THE TEAM AND PIECES WE NEED TO KEEP GOING FORWARD:
Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Vanek
xxxxx - Plekanec - Gallagher
De La Rose - Eller - xxxxx
xxxxx - Bournival - Weise

Tinordi - Subban
Beaulieu - Gorges
Emelin - Pateryn/Nygren

Price - Fucale/Tokarski

OTHER KEY PROSPECTS:
Mike McCarron
Sven Andrighetto
Artturi Lehkonen
Charles Hudon
Louis Leblanc
Christian Thomas
Gabriel Dumont
Joonas Nattinen
Darren Dietz
Mac Bennett
Morgan Ellis
Dalton Thrower

KEY VETS THAT COULD BE RETAINED FOR A WHILE OR TRADED FOR ASSETS:
Desharnais
Bourque
Markov
Briere
Prust
White
Moen
Weaver
Budaj

Dead wood:
Gionta, Parros, Bouillon, Murray

 

[Nicko999]

I think so yes. We finally have elite players going into their primes. We have a solid GM who makes the right moves. We have plenty of depth and a lot of solid young players to compliment our franchise guys. I really like where this team is headed.

I have divided the pieces of this team into four groups:

MAIN CORE OF THE TEAM AND PIECES WE NEED TO KEEP GOING FORWARD:
Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Vanek
xxxxx - Plekanec - Gallagher
De La Rose - Eller - xxxxx
xxxxx - Bournival - Weise

Tinordi - Subban
Beaulieu - Gorges
Emelin - Pateryn/Nygren

Price - Fucale/Tokarski

I don't want Vanek. Certainly not at the price he will want. I would put Gallagher with Pacioretty and Galchenyuk. You see how Andrighetto's game translates to the NHL and maybe you switch him later in the year. Another option is to package DD and a prospect (or even 1st round pick) for a top 6 winger to play with Patches and Chucky.

On D, you have to resign Markov. You just have to if you don't want to make your team worse. Bring his minutes from 25 to 20 if you want but we absolutely need him.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

Can you read? I included Eller in the conversation the very next sentence. If you honestly believe that we should build around this years regular season Eller, than . By all means I would consider him part of a core if he continues his playoff play into next season. Thought that was pretty clear and a no brainer, but I guess not.

As for Bournival, he has the potential to be exactly the type of player you want on a third line. If you are discounting the importance of a good third line, that is very amusing. You build around players all throughout your line up, not just top 6 players and top pairing D. It goes without saying, or I suppose not in this case, that complete teams win championships.

Can you?

This is what you said: "Continue to build around Price, Subban, Beaulieu, Tinordi, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Pacioretty, and Bournival. The jury is still out on Eller, as he may find a place in our core if he has a bounce back year next season. "

Nowhere here did you say that we should build around Eller. So basically, you think we should build around Bournival but think the jury's still out on Eller. OK.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

How were the Habs lucky? They led for something like 85% of the series. If anything Boston was lucky, the 2nd game they got two goals off Bouillon that turned the game in their favor. Game 4 they could have easily lost and been down 3-1 instead of 2-2 then up 3-2.

The Habs were lucky vs TB. But would have won the series anyways.

Boston hit about 12 posts. Not taking away anything from the Habs but luck was deff. on their side.

 

[Haburger]

Boston hit about 12 posts. Not taking away anything from the Habs but luck was deff. on their side.

Habs fans are blind to the fact we got real lucky against the bruins.if our offence was as brutal as it has been against the rags boston would have destroyed us.

 

[Monctonscout]

Boston hit about 12 posts. Not taking away anything from the Habs but luck was deff. on their side.

The Habs hit quite a few of them also. A shot off your own player and in is pure luck. Post is a shot that doesn't go in, same as a missed net or save.

Habs hit 3-4 posts last night.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

On the right track but definitely far from done. We still IMO need a solid #2 D men and another power forward who will take it to the net and sacrifice his body on a daily basis

 

[Haburger]

Habs were horrid last night.overpassing, missing the net all over, still getting burnt by the rags speed.
After the first it was ugly.I didnt see near enough desperation.

 

[Gally11]

Was at both games the weekend that was tough... Joel Lundqvist was sitting next to me at Hurley's last night after the game... Was so annoying having to be reminded of Henrik all night

 

[DJ Breadman]

If we keep vanek i'm going to snap

 

[Mike8]

Yup, I'd say that the window has opened as of this year. That doesn't mean that Montreal's legitimately a cup contender of the same tier as Chicago, but it does mean that Montreal should be a regular consideration to come out of the East.

This hinges on what's done with Vanek, progression of Galchenyuk, Tinordi and Beaulieu.

But Price is an elite netminder, Subban a game-breaker, and the team has depth and a good amount of assets.

 

[Compile]

I don't want Vanek. Certainly not at the price he will want. I would put Gallagher with Pacioretty and Galchenyuk. You see how Andrighetto's game translates to the NHL and maybe you switch him later in the year. Another option is to package DD and a prospect (or even 1st round pick) for a top 6 winger to play with Patches and Chucky.

On D, you have to resign Markov. You just have to if you don't want to make your team worse. Bring his minutes from 25 to 20 if you want but we absolutely need him.

The opportunity to shed Markov has past. The only option now is to resgin him as the UFA pool is pretty bleak IMHO.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I wouldn't let Eller completely off the hook that way. Therrien did jerk him around, and Eller lost confidence, so he produced less, so Therrien jerked him around some more, so Eller lost more confidence, etc. It became a negative-feedback loop; both Therrien & Eller share responsibility for Eller's poor play & results during the season.

Anyway, I think he's made clear in this post-season that he's no worse than a solid #3C moving forward, and capable of #2C duties as opportunities present themselves.

Well, let's put it this way... I think most coaches would've gotten a lot more out of him than MT did.

 

[Sorinth]

By giving somebody the money Vanek will get, you are in reality building around him.

When Chicago won their first cup, was the team built around Huet and Campbell? No it was still built around their young studs. And chances are they don't win the cup without both (Less so in Huet's case). You pay a premium for those players because you're getting them without giving up assets.

If we are building the offence around say Galchenyuk having a talented winger like Vanek is a big help. Money only matters if you don't have enough.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The Habs hit quite a few of them also. A shot off your own player and in is pure luck. Post is a shot that doesn't go in, same as a missed net or save.

Habs hit 3-4 posts last night.

All that shows is that Lundqvist is a talented goalie. It's got nothing to do with luck. He forces shooters to try to beat him with the perfect shot and they go off the post. Nothing lucky about that.

Most posts I've ever seen was Price in the last round and Roy in '93. Post after post... Now we're getting a taste of our own medicine with a super hot goalie on the other side...

All you can do with this guy is screen and shoot. That's it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

When Chicago won their first cup, was the team built around Huet and Campbell? No it was still built around their young studs. And chances are they don't win the cup without both (Less so in Huet's case). You pay a premium for those players because you're getting them without giving up assets.

If we are building the offence around say Galchenyuk having a talented winger like Vanek is a big help. Money only matters if you don't have enough.

I agree. Vanek helps us out big time, at least in the short term.

 

[Monctonscout]

All that shows is that Lundqvist is a talented goalie. It's got nothing to do with luck. He forces shooters to try to beat him with the perfect shot and they go off the post. Nothing lucky about that.

Most posts I've ever seen was Price in the last round and Roy in '93. Post after post... Now we're getting a taste of our own medicine with a super hot goalie on the other side...

All you can do with this guy is screen and shoot. That's it.

Rask was also a talented goalie.

Bottom line is if the Habs get 80 shot attempts again in game 3 they probably win.

The same applies to Price vs Boston re the posts.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Rask was also a talented goalie.

But he wasn't playing like he usually does...

If anything, we got lucky there.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I know many have become less enamored with Vanek given his somewhat lackluster playoffs, but if he is willing to sign with us. You absolutely have to make an offer, even a generous one. Players of his caliber rarely make it to free agency and Vanek is the type who can change an entire series out of seemingly nowhere. Bear in mind, he is still adjusting to our system, having only been playing it for three months.

What we need is to build superior secondary scoring, thereby eliminating the opposition's tendency to focus on our one good line. Pacioretty and Vanek have largely struggled due to being the catalyst of our offense. Constantly having to shelter Desharnais does not help matters either.

Frankly, I want to see Galchenyuk step into the top centre position, flanked by Pacioretty and Vanek. That kid is going to a star. Let's give him the very best we can in goal scorers.

 

[Monctonscout]

When Chicago won their first cup, was the team built around Huet and Campbell? No it was still built around their young studs. And chances are they don't win the cup without both (Less so in Huet's case). You pay a premium for those players because you're getting them without giving up assets.

If we are building the offence around say Galchenyuk having a talented winger like Vanek is a big help. Money only matters if you don't have enough.

Campbell was a core player, Huet only had a year left on his deal.

Part of the reason they won is because Kane and Toews were still on cheap deals. The exception, not the rule.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

C'mon. Tampa was missing their MVP goalie one of their best dmen and top scorer. Lets put things in perspective. They DID beat the Bruins and that is worth acknowledging. The Tampa series to me was a gimme. It's like praising the Rangers for sweeping us (if that happens). We're missing our MVP goalie. The Rangers SHOULD beat us soundly.

Not sure what Bishop would've done to reduce our puck possession dominance in 4 games vs Tampa? Anytime you sweep a team, you deserve credit. If Lundquist sweeps us, I'll credit him. Price didn't decide any of the 4 games in the Tampa sweep.

 

[Runner77]

What do you guys read into Budaj not being the go-to guy in Game 2? In our quest to prepare for that window, door or whatever other gaping hole, can we safely assume he's no longer part of the equation?

And needless to say ... as we've found and seen time and again, that back-up goalie role can be critical, esp. in the post-season.

 

[Sorinth]

Campbell was a core player, Huet only had a year left on his deal.

Part of the reason they won is because Kane and Toews were still on cheap deals. The exception, not the rule.

They won because they had lots of talented players. What those players were paid had nothing to do with it.

But the point is they were making huge amounts of money and were "core" players, not players that the team was built around. The same would apply to us re-signing Vanek, he'd be part of the core, not the guy we built around.

The goal is to increase the amount of talent we have. There are 3 ways to do that drafting, trades, signings. Trades you pay with talent so you are not getting ahead unless you rip someone off. Drafting is a crapshoot unless you have high picks and don't have a short term impact. Signings only cost money, so if you have the cap space then it doesn't matter if you overpay or not.

 

[Sorinth]

What do you guys read into Budaj not being the go-to guy in Game 2? In our quest to prepare for that window, door or whatever other gaping hole, can we safely assume he's no longer part of the equation?

And needless to say ... as we've found and seen time and again, that back-up goalie role can be critical, esp. in the post-season.

Budaj wasn't particularly good in relief in game 1. I think that's what cost him game 2.

As for the future, Budaj was never part of our window, he's always been a luxury not a core piece. I don't think anything's changed in that regard.