I think this is a playoff team if....

[Edgy]

If we still had Markov, Radulov, Subban and Sergachev.

If we had a GM who wasn't trying to upstage Chia for worst possible trade every time he makes a trade.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

If Ottawa trades Karlsson(not to us) and the Sens even make the playoffs. They may be the only team worse than ours and even that is highly debatable. Anything could happen in the Upside Down.

The finale of Stranger Things would be Bergevin building a cup contender

 

[jackeymoon]

If we hadn't traded Sergachev for a 2nd line W who has serious personal problems we'd be in better shape. IDK though I'm just a layman after all....

 

[Habs]

If we signed Tavares, drafted McLegend, had PK, Weber and Markov with Sergachev, kepts Rads and drafted Getzlaf instead of Kostitsyn.

 

[Censored Toad]

If we hadn't traded Sergachev for a 2nd line W who has serious personal problems we'd be in better shape. IDK though I'm just a layman after all....

you don't know what Marc knows.... and if you did know... then you'd know why he made that trade .....

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Habs will make the playoffs if Price chooses he feels like it this season.

This is not the 90's hockey.

I'll give you a good example of this. Look at the roster for 00-01 and look at the roster for last season. The one from last season looks a lot better, and yet their point yeild is about the same vs the rest of the league, although there weren't extra shootout points back then, the team in 00-01 also finished with a better +/-, by around a whopping +30 compared to last season.

What should this tell you?

That there is a lot more talent on each NHL squad today than there was back then.

You need a lot more good players on a team for them to perform. Star players need a lot more support today because the talent differential is a lot closer which leaves less space to control the play and inversely, without proper support, a lot more goals coming in.

Price won't be saving anything next season. Even if he plays godly, the puck will be going in a lot more frequently than when he had two #1 dmen helping him out. He'll have NONE for the first 5o games if you count re-adaptation period for Weber, at the very least.

You're living the same delusion as you did back in January when you thought all we had to do was win our games against the Bruins.

Granted, there will always be the possibility of a miracle, but don't hold your breath for it. We'd be missing some comedy on the board.

 

[NobleSix]

Niemi played more than admirably last season for us and we still couldn't even come close to playing .500 hockey. Goaltending isn't the issue with this team.

Price isn't going to put up .960 SV% and 0.500 GAA, so I have to disagree with everyone saying that the Habs will make the playoffs if Price bounces back. I don't even think Price having a bounce back year would even be enough. It may, but I really think that many other things would have to go right in addition to a strong year from Price for them to squeak in. This team can't score, and its defense sucks. I think many around here have forgotten just how terrible the Habs played last season. It was a tire fire most nights, they were just flat out garbage. They weren't just getting unlucky, and they weren't snake bitten, they were just bad, and it really showed. The Habs just aren't good enough to be in playoff contention baring some ridiculous flukes and career years.

And that's not even taking into account the fact that nearly every team in our division (except for us, the sens, and the wings) have gotten better or expect to continue their strong performance from last season.

And that's also not even taking into account that Weber and Byron are both injured until sometime around November-December.

 

[holy]

We winning that Cup baby, I guarantee it.

 

[Rapala]

Max Pacioretty played 73 games in 2013-2014 genius. His 13th game of the season was November 19th. I may like Pacioretty more than you, but I've never expected him to produce in games he never dressed in. And I gave him a little bit of leeway when he was recovering from a leg injury.

And I know you've been unfairly crapping on Pacioretty for a while without any real support as to why.

And what heights am I being unrealistic on? I say he's been one of the best goal scorers in the NHL with good two-way play and great possession numbers. That's all true. I'm not saying he's a superstar player.

Once again 2 goals in 21 games was indicative of his contribution up to that point in the season which was poor.
The injury was reported as a hamstring BTW with no prior keg injuries.

As for calling out Patch it goes back to his lack of effort and penchant for gliding. The player refused to play with intensity most nights while having the talent to be elite. He's actually had one great year at both ends of the rink and my support for him was unbridled at that time.
But knowing what he is capable of and what he gives us just pisses me off.

 

[Rapala]

We winning that Cup baby, I guarantee it.

The 2018-19 "Crusty Jock" Hoist the pennant boys.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Once again 2 goals in 21 games was indicative of his contribution up to that point in the season which was poor.
The injury was reported as a hamstring BTW with no prior keg injuries.

Are we blaming players for not producing when they're injured and not dressed for games now?

As for calling out Patch it goes back to his lack of effort and penchant for gliding. The player refused to play with intensity most nights while having the talent to be elite. He's actually had one great year at both ends of the rink and my support for him was unbridled at that time.
But knowing what he is capable of and what he gives us just pisses me off.

Considering you're leaning on purely opinion stuff like "lack of effort" and "gliding", I think maybe you're the one that has unrealistic expectations of Pacioretty. He's not an Ovechkin (whose also been dogged by "lack of effort" and "gliding" complaints).

 

[scrubadam]

Niemi played more than admirably last season for us and we still couldn't even come close to playing .500 hockey. Goaltending isn't the issue with this team.

Price isn't going to put up .960 SV% and 0.500 GAA, so I have to disagree with everyone saying that the Habs will make the playoffs if Price bounces back. I don't even think Price having a bounce back year would even be enough. It may, but I really think that many other things would have to go right in addition to a strong year from Price for them to squeak in. This team can't score, and its defense sucks. I think many around here have forgotten just how terrible the Habs played last season. It was a tire fire most nights, they were just flat out garbage. They weren't just getting unlucky, and they weren't snake bitten, they were just bad, and it really showed. The Habs just aren't good enough to be in playoff contention baring some ridiculous flukes and career years.

And that's not even taking into account the fact that nearly every team in our division (except for us, the sens, and the wings) have gotten better or expect to continue their strong performance from last season.

And that's also not even taking into account that Weber and Byron are both injured until sometime around November-December.

I think if the habs can manage to win 35 games at 2 or less goals the it is mathematically possible for the habs to make the playoffs. Just win another 10 with 3 goals or more and get some loser points.

In 2014 Price let in 2 goals or less in 44 games and Price won 37 of them. Tokarski went 5-2.

Basically this is the level of play we need out of Price. The surrounding team around him is probably not as good but back in the day it was all on Price anyways. Probably not going to happen but thats the only way IMHO that the team sniffs playoffs

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

We winning that Cup baby, I guarantee it.

Picture matches the post

 

[CauZuki]

If we still had Markov, Radulov, Subban and Sergachev.

If we had a GM who wasn't trying to upstage Chia for worst possible trade every time he makes a trade.

The following lineup is already much better than what we have today:

Scherbak - Galchenyuk - Radulov
Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Lekhonen - Eller - Hudon
Byron - DLR - Shaw

Sergachev - Subban
Markov - Petry
Mete - Juulsen

Price
Lindgren

We were missing a number 1C and a few depth pieces from being a perrenial playoff team. Bergevin gets credit for Danault/Petry/Byron and maybe soon Armia but he has to take the blame for all the other trades that didn't address any needs and ruined a promising core.

Sigh , what could have been...

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

This team is already much better than what we have today:

Scherbak - Galchenyuk - Radulov
Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Lekhonen - Eller - Hudon
Byron - DLR - Shaw

Sergachev - Subban
Markov - Petry
Mete - Juulsen

Price
Lindgren

What could have been...

Brb going in a corner to cry

 

[Habs13]

The Habs will be in the playoffs if they buy tickets to see the real teams play once they're eliminated by November. This is a basement dweller squad.

 

[GHJimmy]

If Domi-Drouin-Gallagher explode as a #1 line and Price bounces back, I could see the Habs in the playoffs.

The line after those is a completely mess, even if you mention this line top plays and shit, all ruined by second, third line. Don't see us being a contender what so ever.

 

[OnTheRun]

I will be genuinely surprised if this team manage to score 200+ goals this season. Even with stellar goaltending they can't make it.

 

[Help]

Keys to making the playoffs:

-Hope Price posts ~.927 sv% and plays 60+
-Hope the forwards can convert their chances at a league-average rate
-Health for us
-Injuries upon Florida, NJD, Philly, Columbus
-Don't have a Islanders-esque PK
-METE METE METE METE METE
-Nikita Scherbak: What can he do? Can he do things? Let's find out!
-REMOVE BENN

Shooting for/against regressing to league medians gets us about 42 goals back. It's not out of the question. I'm more optimistic than most, I think. But gonna have to get real lucky

 

[CauZuki]

I will be genuinely surprised if this team manage to score 200+ goals this season. Even with stellar goaltending they can't make it.

Watchout soon they will call you a fake fan...Only rainbows and sunshine allowed , so how about em luxury hot dogs?

 

[Bacchus1]

We are projected as a bottom 3 team? Where do I read this as factual information? I guess you are believer that the past equals the future. Listen, I want another tank year like real bad but I do think we have an outside chance at a wild card spot. Players have pride, I expect a bit of a rebound and I worry about being in the middle of the pack.

A prediction, by definition, is not a fact.

I also predict that the team will be a lottery pick, based on the fact that we have a weak and inexperienced team. If everyone happens to play above expectations, then we may be in for a surprise. But, even though the brass publicly reject the notion of a rebuild, I believe that this is the actual plan.

 

[Habs Halifax]

A prediction, by definition, is not a fact.

I also predict that the team will be a lottery pick, based on the fact that we have a weak and inexperienced team. If everyone happens to play above expectations, then we may be in for a surprise. But, even though the brass publicly reject the notion of a rebuild, I believe that this is the actual plan.

Fair. I think they will try to have a better team and see how the season starts. I do think a rebuild on a fly is their plan. All I am saying is I won't be surprised if we are a bottom 5 team or a wild card playoff team. I think we can be anywhere in that range.

 

[Kriss E]

We are a PO team...if we play in the AHL.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

 

[Habs Halifax]

If we hadn't traded Sergachev for a 2nd line W who has serious personal problems we'd be in better shape. IDK though I'm just a layman after all....

I just wonder what people would think of Sergachev if the trade didn't happen and he played on the Habs for the full year last season with only 25 pts. Honestly, what kind of season do you think Sergachev would of had with us last year? Do you think he looks good as he did with that stacked Tampa team?