News Article: Hickey on Hockey: Diaz’s days with Canadiens are numbered

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

ah man if Diaz is walking that means we're not trading Markov.

 

[No More Subban]

YEEEESSSS! Thats what Im talking about!

Baby steps, Bergy. Baby steps. Letting Diaz walk is a good start to fix your mistakes.

Just no more extensions (except Subban/Markov).

Imagine our roster next year w/o Gionta, Bouillon, Murray, Diaz, Bourque, maybe Briere and DD.

Im excited.

 

[LeMAD]

Imo Diaz is much better than Bouillon/Emelin/Murray, and pretty much on par with Markov at this point (which isn't saying much of course). Letting him go considering the state of our defense would be a mistake. I hope no one thinks we'll make the playoffs with Pateryn-Tinordi-Beaulieu all in the lineup next year.

Getting rid of young players has hurt us in the past, let's not coninue the trend.

And I truly hope we aren't giving Markov $5M+ next year...

 

[EveryDay]

Gorges-Subban
Beaulieu-Emelin
Tinordi-Diaz

Pateryn/Drewiske

 

[MD thaivuN]

Get rid of Diaz before 3 worser defensemen. Sounds legit.

 

[drivefor25]

I prefer...
Beaulieu-Subban
Emelin-Gorges
Tinordi-Pateryn

 

[JusticeBeaver]

In an ideal world brolieu, tinner, and greg graduate next year and Diaz is kept as depth.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

I've been pushing for a Diaz trade since the beginning of the year because he's actually tradeable. If they let him walk for nothing it will be really bad management. Actually if he's not traded very soon it will be bad management, because otherwise why not just play him? His trade value is falling by the game.

Same here, but that value has now vanished.

 

[JohnLennon]

Diaz is playing much better than Emelin, Murray and Bouillon. Trading him now would make our defence even worse. I'm not really a fan of getting rid of Diaz unless we get a valuable asset.

Diaz is actually competent in his own zone, unlike almost all of our defence right now.

 

[General Fanager]

Gorges-Subban
Beaulieu-Emelin
Tinordi-Diaz

Pateryn/Drewiske

There will be a trade or they will sign someone in the summer. They wont go into next season with 3 rookies on defense....also where is Markov?

 

[Summer Rose]

I'm far from the biggest Diaz fan but there's no way he should be scratched over Crankshaft or Cube. What a joke.

#FireTherrien

My thoughts exactly. Diaz isn't that great of a player, but considering the alternatives? Let him play please.

 

[Maliki2]

Imo Diaz is much better than Bouillon/Emelin/Murray, and pretty much on par with Markov at this point (which isn't saying much of course). Letting him go considering the state of our defense would be a mistake. I hope no one thinks we'll make the playoffs with Pateryn-Tinordi-Beaulieu all in the lineup next year.

Getting rid of young players has hurt us in the past, let's not coninue the trend.

And I truly hope we aren't giving Markov $5M+ next year...

Lets pray that it doesn't get to that point at all and they trade him. Keeping him will be a BIG mistake. Didn't like the last contract and sure as hell wont like the new one!

 

[JuicyHam]

There will be a trade or they will sign someone in the summer. They wont go into next season with 3 rookies on defense....also where is Markov?

Markov is on the decline trade him before people realize. He's getting older every game and you can tell he's being used to much.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

Diaz > Emelin

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I wonder how much of our D looking like a mess is on Daigneault. Diaz seems to have gotten worse and so is Emelin.

I think JJ should be replaced or have his contributions assessed properly. Our personnel isn't THIS bad.

 

[yoyo999]

If Diaz is traded, what do you guys we would get in return? I say a mid-round pick or another expiring contract that just sits in the press box.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Diaz > Emelin

Right now he is. Yes.

That's why Therrien has him on the bench.

 

[Sterling Archer]

For everyone taking shots at Emelin, do remember that he missed all camp and the fist part of the year.

Look back and you'll see whenever a player misses camp, much loss a huge chunk of the season and was not able to skate the whole time, they almost without exception have bad years. It's not an indication of Emelin regressing etc it's that he's behind the 8 ball and won't likely get into the full swing of things until later in the season.

I'd be really surprised if he didn't kill it next year. By all accounts, he's ridiculously dedicated and works his ass off. Diaz is nowhere near as good as Emelin.

 

[Bieber fever]

Diaz is the 4th best dman on this team

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

Diaz sitting is just one of many reasons Therrien has to go.

The team STINKS right now and the coach continues to stay the course. Repeating something that is proven failure is actions of a man that has lost it or never had it.

Why would you even try having Emelin on his proper side and go with two right defenseman. It can't get any worse then what we currently see

 

[bsl]

Gorges and Emelin can play right side. Patteryn, Dietz and Ellis in Hamilton are all righties. Thrower in Vancouver, too. Nygren, too.

And they can trade for one or sign one on the UFA market.

Emelin can't play the right side.

Whatever. A shame. Diaz was ****ing excellent at the beginning of last year. Aggressive puck movement, sharp passes, and aggressive movement on the PP. I was getting really excited by his play.

Then: Boom, Concussion, welcome to the NHL. Followed by the disaster Eller pass.

Can't let him walk though. My new rule: No FA walks for nothing. Henceforth known as the SOURAY RULE.

He can fetch a second I think. Do it.

 

[MathMan]

Still don't understand why he's scratched with Murray in the lineup...

Because Diaz is SOFF. Whereas Murray, who is big, physical, blocks shots, and clears the crease, is obviously a great defensive defenseman.

(Obviously, Diaz is the superior defensive defenseman by a lot. It's utterly insane that he doesn't play on a team hurting for RDs, and this kind of personnel misuse is a significant part of why the Habs suck.)

Diaz is the kind of player a good GM fleeces from a bad GM. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bergevin let him walk and replace him with a worse player. It'd be a shame, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

For everyone taking shots at Emelin, do remember that he missed all camp and the fist part of the year.

Look back and you'll see whenever a player misses camp, much loss a huge chunk of the season and was not able to skate the whole time, they almost without exception have bad years. It's not an indication of Emelin regressing etc it's that he's behind the 8 ball and won't likely get into the full swing of things until later in the season.

I'd be really surprised if he didn't kill it next year. By all accounts, he's ridiculously dedicated and works his ass off. Diaz is nowhere near as good as Emelin.

Emelin is honestly nothing special. He's only popular because he's one of the few dmen who's actually physical. Apart from that. I think he's average at best. So is Diaz...but I think Diaz has played better. I think Emelin can improve which is why I'm not too hard on him.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Because Diaz is SOFF. Whereas Murray, who is big, physical, blocks shots, and clears the crease, is obviously a great defensive defenseman.

(Obviously, Diaz is the superior defensive defenseman by a lot. It's utterly insane that he doesn't play on a team hurting for RDs, and this kind of personnel misuse is a significant part of why the Habs suck.)

Diaz is the kind of player a good GM fleeces from a bad GM. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bergevin let him walk and replace him with a worse player. It'd be a shame, but I wouldn't be surprised.

We do need a big physical presence who can clear the net, but not at the expense of being able to play hockey.

I love the dimension that Murray brings (argued that we've needed it for a while) but he's slow to the play and he's basically a pylon. If you can't play defense effectively, then those other skills are useless.

Emelin is honestly nothing special. He's only popular because he's one of the few dmen who's actually physical. Apart from that. I think he's average at best. So is Diaz...but I think Diaz has played better. I think Emelin can improve which is why I'm not too hard on him.

Rusty, injury, playing on his off side... I really hope that he looks better next year. Still think we should've waited to see before signing him for four years.

Would you give him a four year deal now based on how he's played? I'd be hesitant to do this. He doesn't look good out there.

 

[beaverBFP]

I'm actually confused as to why they keep sitting him. If you're going to trade him then wouldn't some ice time help with that? If you're not trading him wtf is he doing dans les estrades instead of bouillon or murray?!