Speculation: How we fit under the cap in 21-22

[bsl]

like Krejci? the 2nd center of the best team in the league last year?
cmon talent is not just being able to be at a point per game

Krejci? LOL. The guy is way better than Danault offensively or bruins would not play him there. And I watch games.

 

[bsl]

yeah because you look at points only

UH. You might want to re-think that. Yes good D play prevents goals, but it doesn't produce them. Hockey is about actively trying to score gaols, and defence is only a reaction to that.

 

[nhlfan9191]

And if Poelhing is not ready or busts, plenty of good and hopefully with size Cmen available at 3 Mill that are likely almost as good defensively. I'lll tear my hair out if they extend danault at more than 3.5 Mill. You don't pay no 3Cs 5.5 mill LOL.

Danault finished 5th in Selke voting last year and 7th the year before. It’s looking like he could possibly be the odd man out due to the cap but he’s going to be a bigger loss then I think most people realize. It’s not going to be as easy as just going out and finding a $3 million dollar replacement that can carry the defensive responsibility he brings.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

yeah because you look at points only

What a ridiculous argument.

You must not have watched the Bruins run in 2011

 

[bsl]

Pittsburgh giving 7% of their cap to Jordan Staal as a "3rd line" center seemed to have worked out pretty good. Paying Danault 5.5M is 6.7% of the cap. Being strong down the middle is a must to have a contending team.

My last Danault comment. He is not 'strong down the middle'. He doesn't have size or hit, his passing is mediocre, and his shooting is abysmal. He can be replaced quite decently by a 15 minute no 3C at 3 to 3.5 mill after this coming year, assuming Suzuki progresses and KK is ready for no. 2 by then. We better hope so otherwise Habs are f***ed. I can already see the debates here 4 months into the coming season. The potential offensive shit show of that line is going to really start pissing people off if Julien overplays it. I'm calling it now.

 

[bsl]

Imagine watching the last few years of Habs play and thinking there is a defined first second and third lines. How many games do you guys need to see before you realize we roll three fairly evenly, with most of the different in total TOI coming from PK and PP usage?

Hard to get into debate with posters that don’t even have the proper baseline for a discussion.

We are going to roll three fairly evenly. 16 mins per top 9 give or take, with in game variance. Feel free to argue that you can’t pay a guy playing shutdown minutes, 16 per game, elite PK, and 40+ points 5mm. Cause that is what us actually up for discussion, not this 1985 notion of lines 1/2/3. Be better people, this is a hockey enthusiast board, lets try and keep up

When you need a goal your whole argument goes to shit.

 

[tinyzombies]

1-Drouin
2-Anderson
3-Toffoli
4-Gallagher
5-KK
6-Lehkonen
7-Danault*

UFA's like Danault*, Armia, Tatar don't have to be protected. Make side deals. Maybe sign Danault just in case... Suzuki, Romanov, Evans and Poehling are exempt.

1-Weber
2-Petry
3-Chiarot

1-Price

They have their choice of Juulsen, Mete, Allen, Edmundson, Byron.

 

[bsl]

Danault finished 5th in Selke voting last year and 7th the year before. It’s looking like he could possibly be the odd man out due to the cap but he’s going to be a bigger loss then I think most people realize. It’s not going to be as easy as just going out and finding a $3 million dollar replacement that can carry the defensive responsibility he brings.

Actually, it will be that easy.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

1-Drouin
2-Anderson
3-Toffoli
4-Gallagher
5-KK
6-Lehkonen
7-Danault*

UFA's like Danault*, Armia, Tatar don't have to be protected. Make side deals. Maybe sign Danault just in case... Suzuki and Poehling are exempt.

1-Weber
2-Petry
3-Chiarot

1-Price

They have their choice of Allen, Edmundson, Byron.

Seattle wont pick a 4th liner , backup goalie in his 30 , Edmundson or Chariot will be the 1 selected unless bergevin trade picks to ask Seattle to not pick them

Edit : I wish it will be Edmundson , really not a fan of the player .

 

[japhi]

Actually, it will be that easy.

Name 5 centres in UFA years that are
considered elite 2 defensive players , produce 40-50 points and make 3mm. Very interested to see your Danault comparables!

Again, UFA years, 40-50 points, elite defensive play. Find me 5 that make 3mm

 

[Naslund]

Tatar is gone next summer as a UFA, but Danault will sign a new contract before the 2020-2021 season starts. Both Lehkonen and Armia are going to be re-signed and protected from the expansion draft. Drouin is going to be exposed. We are going to lose Drouin, Edmunston, or Allen to Seattle, but I suspect MB will try to trade Drouin next summer to get something back for him.

Lineup in 2021-2022
Lehkonen-Danault-Gallagher
Toffoli-Suzuki-Anderson
Poehling-KK-Armia
Byron-Evans-Ylonen

 

[Belial]

We are talking a year from now. Needs a good year in the AHL and to show promise end of year in the NHL but a year ago he was knocking on the door.

So you think in a year from now he will be getting Selke votes?

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

So you think in a year from now he will be getting Selke votes?

No... but a year from now KK and Suzuki might be, and we just need a guy to slot in the traditional 3rd line C role- which in a year Poehling might be capable of.

 

[Belial]

No... but a year from now KK and Suzuki might be, and we just need a guy to slot in the traditional 3rd line C role- which in a year Poehling might be capable of.

You don't just need a guy to slot on the 3rd line if you are actually contending, you need a very good 3rd line center that can face tough opposition and start in his own zone the majority of the time without leaking goals against so that your top two lines can jump on the ice when the FO is in the offensive zone.

And I doubt Poehling will be able to do that in one year.

If you have to use Suzuki in his own zone cuz Poehling can't handle it it will be a mess.

Anyway, they'll sign Danault or they'll replace him with a comparable center cuz I just don't see them going the route of 4 inexperienced centers down the middle.

 

[Zam Boni]

Is it totally out of the picture to think that one of Price, Weber and Danault is leaving next summer?
Pushed out by younger/cheaper alternatives to free up cap space for other additions.

 

[Habsrule]

@bsl I think that you are really under estimating the true value of centers. I think it is almost imperative to have three solid centers on your team. The difference is that you need to have depth in case of injury. If you get a top six winger get hurt you can plug in a depth player. If you have a top two center get hurt it is much harder to bump up your third or fourth line center into top six minutes. That’s why having three capable centers is a priority.

How about if I post my lines that I want;

Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Toffoli - Suzuki - Anderson
Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Byron - Evans/Poehling - Lehkonen

See Danault is the top line center now

 

[Habsrule]

Is it totally out of the picture to think that one of Price, Weber and Danault is leaving next summer?
Pushed out by younger/cheaper alternatives to free up cap space for other additions.

Price no one can afford his contract in a flat cap world.

Weber is signed until he is 41 years old. No one is going to touch that contract.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Price no one can afford his contract in a flat cap world.

Weber is signed until he is 41 years old. No one is going to touch that contract.

Weber is only owed about $5MM total in his last 4 years, if he doesn’t retire he will easily be moveable for a cheap team wanting to reach the floor.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

My last Danault comment. He is not 'strong down the middle'. He doesn't have size or hit, his passing is mediocre, and his shooting is abysmal. He can be replaced quite decently by a 15 minute no 3C at 3 to 3.5 mill after this coming year, assuming Suzuki progresses and KK is ready for no. 2 by then. We better hope so otherwise Habs are f***ed. I can already see the debates here 4 months into the coming season. The potential offensive shit show of that line is going to really start pissing people off if Julien overplays it. I'm calling it now.

Yup Julien won't break off that line and will still use that line a lot.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

You don't just need a guy to slot on the 3rd line if you are actually contending, you need a very good 3rd line center that can face tough opposition and start in his own zone the majority of the time without leaking goals against so that your top two lines can jump on the ice when the FO is in the offensive zone.

And I doubt Poehling will be able to do that in one year.

If you have to use Suzuki in his own zone cuz Poehling can't handle it it will be a mess.

Anyway, they'll sign Danault or they'll replace him with a comparable center cuz I just don't see them going the route of 4 inexperienced centers down the middle.

If Danault is content to be our 3C and be paid like one, cool. If not, bon voyage.

For the record, I like Danault but at a certain point you have to acknowledge that we are paying a bunch of wingers and have two young centers who will need new contracts. Might have to got cheap with out bottom 6 Cs.

 

[Wats]

Wonder if they go risky and just move Weal/Kulak.

Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Lehkonen - Evans - Byron
Belzile, Vejdemo

Chiarot - Weber
Edmundson - Petry
Mete - Juulsen
Olofsson

Price
Allen

Olofsson + Evans + Belzile + Vejdemo = 2.9M
Kulak + Weal = 3.25M

Leaves team with around 0.5M in cap space.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Mrb1p]

Name 5 centres in UFA years that are
considered elite 2 defensive players , produce 40-50 points and make 3mm. Very interested to see your Danault comparables!

Again, UFA years, 40-50 points, elite defensive play. Find me 5 that make 3mm

You dont need the replacement to be as good as Danault. Obviously if wed need Danault on the team, wed keep Danault...

 

[Mrb1p]

You don't just need a guy to slot on the 3rd line if you are actually contending, you need a very good 3rd line center that can face tough opposition and start in his own zone the majority of the time without leaking goals against so that your top two lines can jump on the ice when the FO is in the offensive zone.

And I doubt Poehling will be able to do that in one year.

If you have to use Suzuki in his own zone cuz Poehling can't handle it it will be a mess.

Anyway, they'll sign Danault or they'll replace him with a comparable center cuz I just don't see them going the route of 4 inexperienced centers down the middle.

In a year Suzuki will be 22 and in year 3
KK will be 21 and in year four.

Danault has been playing that role since his 2nd year in the league.

Why is it so hard to expect smarter, more talented players to fill in those roles later in their careers?

 

[Kriss E]

Imagine watching the last few years of Habs play and thinking there is a defined first second and third lines. How many games do you guys need to see before you realize we roll three fairly evenly, with most of the different in total TOI coming from PK and PP usage?

Hard to get into debate with posters that don’t even have the proper baseline for a discussion.

We are going to roll three fairly evenly. 16 mins per top 9 give or take, with in game variance. Feel free to argue that you can’t pay a guy playing shutdown minutes, 16 per game, elite PK, and 40+ points 5mm. Cause that is what us actually up for discussion, not this 1985 notion of lines 1/2/3. Be better people, this is a hockey enthusiast board, lets try and keep up

I mean...we don't roll three lines evenly. If that's the case, KK wouldn't be at 11 ES minutes while Gallagher's close to 15min, not to mention Kovalchuk who was up to 16:25 at ES.