Is Montréal a SC Contender?

[Habs100]

With Carey Price in net, I say yes.

We just need to play the young guys at forward to get them used to the NHL. The Rangers last year beat us because of their speed and because Price injured. We can beat Tampa again, we just need the young guys who are going to force Parenteau and Malhotra to the press box to get more experience. I hope Andrighetto is back up soon.

 

[Lshap]

Yes, we are a contender. Not favourites, however, but still a contender.

What we're seeing now is not Montreal's playoff lineup, but a series of in-season experiments. Therrien has been showcasing a variety of rookies/new guys -- Andrighetto and Thomas, and before them Allen, Tangradi and Bowman, plus Beaulieu has played himself onto the team and Sekac has become a regular (outside of the PP... don't get me started). This isn't a win-now roster, it's a let's-see-what-you-can-do roster. Last night's loss was a good example of sacrificing experience to see what the youth could do. Thomas, Andrighetto, Beaulieu, along with Sekac and Bournival -- how many of us would have predicted our vet-loving coach would play all of them in the same game, and hand over the 4th line almost entirely to rookies?

For me this is a good sign, because the Habs look like a team using their cushion in the standings to train the troops for the playoffs. Beaulieu's gone from a tentative rookie to a confident top-four dman. Andrighetto is going through the same learning curve and will likely be back soon, more confident and hungry. Both these guys will add a dimension to our playoff hopes. I was expecting Tinordi to be called up, but his injury may delay that. Unfortunate.

Adding Sekac, Beaulieu and Andrighetto in the playoffs already makes the Habs a better team than last season. But there's more. Galchenyuk has taken a step forward and will (hopefully) be healthy this time around. A properly-paced Gonchar and Gilbert are big upgrades over last season's D.

We've already entered the era of new forward lines. By April we should start seeing the final playoff lineups. Right now, Habs seem willing to lose a game or two in order to juggle personnel. Short-term pain for long-term gain.

Scoring remains an issue, however our 5-on-5 record is very good. This is a big upgrade over last year and a key number for the playoffs. And before you dismiss our improved 5-on-5 as a byproduct of Price (though partly true), remember that last year's awful 5-on-5 happened with Price playing just as well.

Measured against last year's team, this Habs team is better overall. Measured against the probable opposition... hard to say. The only EC team I'm worried about is Tampa.

Key questions:

- Emelin: Flashes of quality, other flashes of incompetence. Not sure what we're going to get with him.
- Markov: We need him rested. He slows down terribly when overused.
- Sekac, Galchenyuk: Playoff wildcards with unknown but high potential (remember, Galchenyuk was injured through most of last playoffs).
- HEALTH: The most important and unpredictable factor.

 

[S Bah]

Every NHL team is a contender, making the playoffs first makes the Habs a legitimate contender, making the SC Conference Final made them an "Elite" contender IMHO. This season's team has already exceeded last season's efforts by the half way point. Any Hab team with a player wearing the #4 can win the SC, IMHO, having that #4 behind our goalline on either end of the Bell Center, ensures that kind of team effort & attitude exuded by their Captain, Jean Beliveau. In my estimation the character of this team reminds one of those incredible teams like the 1970 - 1971 that upset the heavily favored Boston Bruins led by Bobby Orr & Phil Esposito.

Yes the Habs are certainly to be considered a Stanley Cup Contender once again, a very conscientious defensive team with great goaltending, along with huge depth and talented offensive forwards & defencemen. The Habs have all of the ingredients needed to vie for the Championship, IMHO.

 

[Lshap]

Every NHL team is a contender, making the playoffs first makes the Habs a legitimate contender, making the SC Conference Final made them an "Elite" contender IMHO. This season's team has already exceeded last season's efforts by the half way point. Any Hab team with a player wearing the #4 can win the SC, IMHO, having that #4 behind our goalline on either end of the Bell Center, ensures that kind of team effort & attitude exuded by their Captain, Jean Beliveau. In my estimation the character of this team reminds one of those incredible teams like the 1970 - 1971 that upset the heavily favored Boston Bruins led by Bobby Orr & Phil Esposito.

Yes the Habs are certainly to be considered a Stanley Cup Contender once again, a very conscientious defensive team with great goaltending, along with huge depth and talented offensive forwards & defencemen. The Habs have all of the ingredients needed to vie for the Championship, IMHO.

Take your Debbie Downer pessimism elsewhere, bud.

 

[dmanfish90]

Which can be said of most contenders if you take out their best player...

That's not true.

Chicago, without Crawford, was still able to stay a top of the Western Conference. Same thing with LAK last year with Scrivens and Jones. Pittsburgh this year has been winning without half their lineup some games. Everyone has injuries. Cup contenders find a way to win often with injuries.

Contenders have depth at every position. Where is our depth?

When I say Cup contenders, I mean winning the SC. The problem I have with the Habs is if we don't have a goalie like Price in nets, we're nowhere near our standing position.

Does anyone disagree with that statement?

Yes, we are a contender. Not favourites, however, but still a contender.

What we're seeing now is not Montreal's playoff lineup, but a series of in-season experiments. Therrien has been showcasing a variety of rookies/new guys -- Andrighetto and Thomas, and before them Allen, Tangradi and Bowman, plus Beaulieu has played himself onto the team and Sekac has become a regular (outside of the PP... don't get me started). This isn't a win-now roster, it's a let's-see-what-you-can-do roster. Last night's loss was a good example of sacrificing experience to see what the youth could do. Thomas, Andrighetto, Beaulieu, along with Sekac and Bournival -- how many of us would have predicted our vet-loving coach would play all of them in the same game, and hand over the 4th line almost entirely to rookies?

For me this is a good sign, because the Habs look like a team using their cushion in the standings to train the troops for the playoffs. Beaulieu's gone from a tentative rookie to a confident top-four dman. Andrighetto is going through the same learning curve and will likely be back soon, more confident and hungry. Both these guys will add a dimension to our playoff hopes. I was expecting Tinordi to be called up, but his injury may delay that. Unfortunate.

Adding Sekac, Beaulieu and Andrighetto in the playoffs already makes the Habs a better team than last season. But there's more. Galchenyuk has taken a step forward and will (hopefully) be healthy this time around. A properly-paced Gonchar and Gilbert are big upgrades over last season's D.

We've already entered the era of new forward lines. By April we should start seeing the final playoff lineups. Right now, Habs seem willing to lose a game or two in order to juggle personnel. Short-term pain for long-term gain.

Scoring remains an issue, however our 5-on-5 record is very good. This is a big upgrade over last year and a key number for the playoffs. And before you dismiss our improved 5-on-5 as a byproduct of Price (though partly true), remember that last year's awful 5-on-5 happened with Price playing just as well.

Measured against last year's team, this Habs team is better overall. Measured against the probable opposition... hard to say. The only EC team I'm worried about is Tampa.

Key questions:

- Emelin: Flashes of quality, other flashes of incompetence. Not sure what we're going to get with him.
- Markov: We need him rested. He slows down terribly when overused.
- Sekac, Galchenyuk: Playoff wildcards with unknown but high potential (remember, Galchenyuk was injured through most of last playoffs).
- HEALTH: The most important and unpredictable factor.

I agree with a lot that you have to say.

However, look at the SC winners the past 5 years. Look at their rosters and look at our roster this year (when fully healthy, although we're only missing PAP). I don't see that many equivalents outside of the goalie quality. We have 1 or 2 guys that are comparable (Subban vs. Doughty vs. Keith vs. Doughty vs. Chara vs. Keith and possibly Pacioretty vs. Idk Carter vs. Idk Kane vs. Idk Carter vs. Idk Horton vs. Idk Kane?), but the problem is our team, depth wise, sucks. Who is on the performance level of Bergeron, Toews, Kopitar at centre ice position? Galchenyuk will be eventually but he isn't yet and Plekanec has the defensive side the problem locked down, but he isn't quite on their level offensively. Who is the Gaborik/Williams of our team? Or the Hossa/Saad of our team? Or the Krejci/Lucic of our team. How does:

Doughty
Voynov
Martinez
Muzzin
Greene
Regehr
Mitchell

and

Keith
Seabrook
Hjalmarsson
Leddy
Oduya
Rozsival
Brookbank

and

Chara
Seidenberg
Boychuk
Ference
Kaberle
McQuaid
Kampfer

compare with

Subban
Markov
Gonchar
Beaulieu
Emelin
Gilbert
Weaver



My main point is we don't have depth. Contending teams can win in spite of their goalie or if their goalie has a bad night. We can't win in spite of Price/Price has a bad night. We usually lose.

 

[dmanfish90]

In case you were wondering, I brought this issue to twitter to Jack Todd with this tweet...

http://twitter.com/dmanfish90/status/554117584350502912

This is how he responded:

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554138956913471489

and

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554298173863518208

I mean I had 140 characters to ask him to show me the proof and he took it really personally.

 

[Milhouse40]

We are one of the good teams that's for sure.
And we're probably the one team no one wants to face in the PO....Because of Carey Price.
Even when we're being dominated, we still can win every games with him.

But there's still something missing.
We definitely need more size, grit and scoring skills on the wing to begin with.

 

[Lshap]

I agree with a lot that you have to say.

However, look at the SC winners the past 5 years. Look at their rosters and look at our roster this year (when fully healthy, although we're only missing PAP). I don't see that many equivalents outside of the goalie quality. We have 1 or 2 guys that are comparable (Subban vs. Doughty vs. Keith vs. Doughty vs. Chara vs. Keith and possibly Pacioretty vs. Idk Carter vs. Idk Kane vs. Idk Carter vs. Idk Horton vs. Idk Kane?), but the problem is our team, depth wise, sucks. Who is on the performance level of Bergeron, Toews, Kopitar at centre ice position? Galchenyuk will be eventually but he isn't yet and Plekanec has the defensive side the problem locked down, but he isn't quite on their level offensively. Who is the Gaborik/Williams of our team? Or the Hossa/Saad of our team? Or the Krejci/Lucic of our team. How does:

Doughty
Voynov
Martinez
Muzzin
Greene
Regehr
Mitchell

and

Keith
Seabrook
Hjalmarsson
Leddy
Oduya
Rozsival
Brookbank

and

Chara
Seidenberg
Boychuk
Ference
Kaberle
McQuaid
Kampfer

compare with

Subban
Markov
Gonchar
Beaulieu
Emelin
Gilbert
Weaver

My main point is we don't have depth. Contending teams can win in spite of their goalie or if their goalie has a bad night. We can't win in spite of Price/Price has a bad night. We usually lose.

I think you're overestimating the 2011 Bruins. Unlike LA and Chicago, Boston squeaked into the finals by the skin of their teeth and then pulled a Broad Street Bullies impersonation to get past Vancouver. Habs match up quite well against that team -- in fact, they matched up quite well even four years ago.

That Boston team is gone, but you're right, we'd still have to deal with today's reigning Kings or whoever wins the west. Luckily for the rest of the league, Voynov's probable absence makes the Kings a weaker team. Without him, and though Doughty is fantastic, the Habs D can match LA's. The mismatch is the forwards, where we don't have the top-end skill of Gaborik, Kopitar and Carter. But the Habs do have solid 3rd and 4th line depth that could compensate. And as much as I'm a big Quick fan, Price currently is outplaying him and could in a playoff series. Plus, LA as a whole is looking tired (though I'd never discount their playoff voodoo).

Hawks have superior depth, no argument. Only hope is to smother Kane/Toews/Hossa and turn the series into a goalie matchup. And of course, once we've arrived at the SCF, the injury wildcard can turn any series.

 

[BLONG7]

In case you were wondering, I brought this issue to twitter to Jack Todd with this tweet...

http://twitter.com/dmanfish90/status/554117584350502912

This is how he responded:

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554138956913471489

and

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554298173863518208

I mean I had 140 characters to ask him to show me the proof and he took it really personally.

Hey, it's Jack Todd...he can be a real idiot...

 

[Lshap]

In case you were wondering, I brought this issue to twitter to Jack Todd with this tweet...

http://twitter.com/dmanfish90/status/554117584350502912

This is how he responded:

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554138956913471489

and

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554298173863518208

I mean I had 140 characters to ask him to show me the proof and he took it really personally.

Jack is a hypersensitive baby. That same petulance comes through in his columns. I had the same experience with him during our 2010 playoff run, when I sent a friendly email asking if he wanted to correct his negative predictions. He sent me back a one word response: "Whatever". He doesn't have the mental strength to be a credible journalist.

 

[dmanfish90]

I think you're overestimating the 2011 Bruins. Unlike LA and Chicago, Boston squeaked into the finals by the skin of their teeth and then pulled a Broad Street Bullies impersonation to get past Vancouver. Habs match up quite well against that team -- in fact, they matched up quite well even four years ago.

That Boston team is gone, but you're right, we'd still have to deal with today's reigning Kings or whoever wins the west. Luckily for the rest of the league, Voynov's probable absence makes the Kings a weaker team. Without him, and though Doughty is fantastic, the Habs D can match LA's. The mismatch is the forwards, where we don't have the top-end skill of Gaborik, Kopitar and Carter. But the Habs do have solid 3rd and 4th line depth that could compensate. And as much as I'm a big Quick fan, Price currently is outplaying him and could in a playoff series. Plus, LA as a whole is looking tired (though I'd never discount their playoff voodoo).

Hawks have superior depth, no argument. Only hope is to smother Kane/Toews/Hossa and turn the series into a goalie matchup. And of course, once we've arrived at the SCF, the injury wildcard can turn any series.

Yeah I probably am overestimating Boston.

And everything else you said makes a lot of sense.

IMO, injury bug would catch us somewhere (and proabbly against one of our better performers like Subban or Pacioretty or Plekanec) and our depth doesn't really make up for it against CHI or LAK or whoever wins the West (maybe STL?)

 

[Prendan Brust]

In case you were wondering, I brought this issue to twitter to Jack Todd with this tweet...

http://twitter.com/dmanfish90/status/554117584350502912

This is how he responded:

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554138956913471489

and

http://twitter.com/jacktodd46/status/554298173863518208

I mean I had 140 characters to ask him to show me the proof and he took it really personally.

I understand his reaction, your "Explain..." wasn't the most polite way of challenging his assertion.

 

[dmanfish90]

I understand his reaction, your "Explain..." wasn't the most polite way of challenging his assertion.

I'll agree but I had very few characters left and didn't really wanna send a second tweet. But you're right.

The problem I had was his reaction was so like personal. He's a professional writer. He should act like one.

 

[Markov4Captain]

We're missing a top 6 RW, a top 4 D and a serious head coach for me to consider this team true contenders for the Cup. I'm not talking about Price stealing a few series for us. I'm talking about legitimate threats to the Cup as an entire team effort.

The biggest concern for me is the coaching staff. Some of their decisions are baffling to me. They haven't fixed a power play that has sucked since last year. They willingly benched Sekac until Bergevin told them enough was enough. I'm almost certain Bergy also forced them to play Beaulieu and give him more minutes. Their infatuation with David Deharnais as the #1 offensive weapon on this team is detrimental to the team and to Desharnais himself. Controlled zone entries and zone exits are inexistent.

All of this to say that over 4 series to get to the Cup, Therrien will encounter a coach (last year Vigneault) that will expose his 'system' rather easily. It is not a system you win championships on.

 

[Odelein24]

Like many others have said, a big, top 6 scorer (preferably RW) and a solid, minute eating Defensive D away from being a real contender.

 

[rafal majka]

The Habs are a Mike Babcock away from being a contender.

 

[S Bah]

I think that to many people underestimate the Habs accomplishments last season, having beaten the Bruins(President Trophy winners and then losing Price. The team has become stronger this year and have serious depth with talent, enough to carry them through the grueling SC playoff grind. Playing the same type of game, that wins in the regular season with more vigorous efforts in the playoffs, it's that type of team that succeeds in the SC playoffs.

 

[Habsrule]

To me it is a 50/50 to your answer.

Sort answer is no. Some teams out in the West are just bigger, more physical and deeper. The Habs are a few players away as other posters have stated.

Long answer is yes. The East is not as good as the West. It would be a much easier path in the East and all you have to do is get to the finals and anything can happen. Price can steal some games. I am not saying that the East is easy, it is just an easier path.

 

[Bob b smith]

Of course we're a genuine Stanley Cup contender. We made it to the Conference Finals last season. We are a top team in the East. We're as much a contender as the 86 and 93 Habs teams that won the Cup.

 

[missthenet]

We are one of the good teams that's for sure.
And we're probably the one team no one wants to face in the PO....Because of Carey Price.
Even when we're being dominated, we still can win every games with him.

But there's still something missing.
We definitely need more size, grit and scoring skills on the wing to begin with.

The same things that we have been looking for since the rebuild began. We are better than we were but still quite short of winning another cup even with CP and the last two games against Tampa and Pittsburgh are perfect examples.

 

[Sword]

Not wanting to face the Habs because of Price is BS. All you have to do is create traffic in front of him and not let him see the puck. It doesn't matter how great the goalie is when his defensemen can't clear the crease, that's a strategy teams seem to use more during the playoffs. Plus, our lack of speed on D will cause a lot of odd-man rushes for the other team, better pray we do not play the Rangers again.

But to answer your question OP. No, they're far from being favorites.

Galchenyuk has not hit his prime yet, we're weak in the middle, Pleks would be a 3rd line center on a cup contending team. We're missing a good RW. Our 4th line is way too soft, should've at least kept Ryan White. Expect Emelin to get beaten by speed.

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

Nope.

In the playoffs, you need scoring from the top 9 unless you have a very strong top 6 but we don't.

I don't see DD, Plekanec, PAP, Prust and maybe even Eller and Sekac to score a lot of goals, enough to give us 16 wins.

Even our first line is a question mark. Pacioretty hasn't shown yet that he can produce much in the playoffs, Galchenyuk will play his first playoff as first center and Gallagher is still small and not a first line player.

 

[CHwest]

Not even close, any team with DD playing a key role cannot be considered a contender. To small and to soft. Replace DD with a bigger winger and shore up the defense a little and who knows.

 

[HeShootsHeScores]

Tampa scares the **** out of me. Would be really surprised not to see them in the SC finals. They're closer to a cup than the habs as of now.

If somehow we don't have to face them, then yeah we're contenders.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Tampa scares the **** out of me. Would be really surprised not to see them in the SC finals. They're closer to a cup than the habs as of now.

If somehow we don't have to face them, then yeah we're contenders.

Tampa reminds me of the old Washington teams. High powered offence that doesn't know how to win in the play-offs. Don't think they will do so well when it gets physical, every puck is contested and their small skilled guys don't have time to make a play.