Is Montréal a SC Contender?

[Lebowski]

I'd say Tampa and Pittsburgh are contenders in the East. We're not there yet.

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.

Based on? Losing in 4 to us last season with Lindback in the net?

It's the first year they're truly considered one of the top teams in the east. Saying they don't know how to win in the playoffs when they haven't even had the chance to play in the playoff as a contender seems premature to say the least.

 

[AntonCH]

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.

Explain does not translate well on social media or when not face to face
Did you really expect anything different?
The fact that you were limited to 140 characters is not his problem, it's yours
And I can't stand the guy

 

[Genesis76]

We are so not a contender and these are the reasons why:

1-, Bourque, Eller and Weise were our best scoring forwards overall specially againts TB
2-, Subban was the difference againts Boston.
3-, Markov is not a playoff guy
4-, Paccioretty has not shown that he can perfom at the same level in the playoffs.
5-, Carey Price usually gets hurt around that time.

The only thing that could make us or brake us is the goalie, if Carey could stay healthy and play like a conn smyth winner then yeah we could win.

 

[AntonCH]

The Habs ARE a contender
this group was slapped into submission by the sens, then they took it to the ECF the following year.
The kids are 2 years older and wiser, they all know what it takes to win in a long playoff run. With DD no longer at center if Galchenyuk can keep his head above water in the playoffs; We are a legitimate contender.
Other teams may be better but the games still need to be played.

 

[Goldthorpe]

We need another Vanek to make it this year.

 

[Habs76]

Don't see why not. We made it to the ECF last year.IF Price doesn't get injured, we could make the SF, then Price goes into beastmode and we win the Cup.

 

[BLONG7]

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

A coaching upgrade would be a good thing...

 

[Analyzer*]

Don't see why not. We made it to the ECF last year.IF Price doesn't get injured, we could make the SF, then Price goes into beastmode and we win the Cup.

Making it to the ECF means jack ****.

Sometimes you get fortunate and have little injuries and get some breaks here and there.

Montreal made to the ECF before. They then lost in round one and then missed the playoffs.

Two big tests against the two best teams in the East and the teams scores 3, while giving up 6.

Team still needs another d, a good RW and hopefully one of those will make the pp work. It won't because doing the same **** every time won't ever get noticed...

 

[QuebecPride]

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.

They have a better Defense than Washington ever had IMO.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Above average D with top tier talent on the first pairing and elite goaltending can make us contenders in the East, but our offence is way too weak to be considered a real SC contender.

We're on the right track.

 

[Team_Spirit]

I think Carey Price give the Habs have a fair shot against every team in the East. That being said these 2 teams are very dangerous : NYR and TB.

NYR are the team to beat in the East. They owned the Habs last year and got even better this off-season. Right now they are the hottest team in the league. I don't think the D can handle their team speed.

Tampa is also dangerous with Bishop and his amazing record against the Habs. Their team speed is also off the charts. They humiliated the Habs this season.

Hopefully MB will trade to improve the team.

 

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

Carey Price

 

[montreal]

the Habs are easily SC contenders since the east is so weak and they have one of the best goalies in the world. All this team needs to do is add scoring help as they must get the PP going.

 

[OpenIceHit]

The priority is a top 3 RW.

Then I would try to get a top 6 LW or a top 3 D.

All these hypothetical players would need to bring some grit at their respective position. We don't have players like Kane or Toews to be 27th in the league in hits.

Then, I would say we have a shot at the cup. However, I will always believe.

 

[Bob b smith]

The PP has personnel issues and the only way to fix it would be to ruffle serious feathers in the dressing room... The guys that don't fit in a traditional PP role mold would need to be taken off (for example, Claude Julien had taken off Marchand who wasn't the shooter, playmaker or screen and put Chara as a forward screen, it worked...).

If your not the playmaker, the shooter or the screen, you're completely off the PP or you fill the one of two spots left on the 2nd PP.

1-Gallagher isn't the playmaker or the shooter and he's too short to be a screen- Off 1st PP, put Eller or Sekac as screen instead... Playing Gallagher as the PP screen is almost as dumb and ridiculous as playing DD as the screen.

2-Then you put the guy left (Eller or Sekac) as screen on line 2. Then add the best forward playmaker and shooter left...
Options:
-Plekanec
-Desharnais
-Parenteau
-Andrighetto
-Thomas, etc...

MT's seeming criterias for PP time like 1- Priority to offensive vets, 2- Wanting to keep ES and PP lines the similar, are seriously limiting the success of the Power Play.

 

[missthenet]

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.

The lightning are constantly on the puck, the habs have no answer losing 7-1 and 5-2. we are not much different than last year still shuffling guys in and out of the lineup, moving guys around from one position to another, playing on their wrong side. we would not win a seven game series against either Tampa, Pittsburgh or the Rangers.

 

[Lshap]

Tampa's very good, but it's way too early for people to be anointing them as contenders. Zero playoff experience, almost identical records, yet suddenly they've jumped past the Habs based on two regular season games? Don't think so. I agree they and Pittsburgh are the teams to beat, but Montreal is right there in the same weight class, warts and all.

 

[mariemarie]

Yes cause were in the east

 

[Lshap]

Yes cause were in the east

The WC has lost some ground. Kings look weaker and are missing Voynov, Blues have serious goaltending questions, Sharks may have jumped themselves, and Ducks are built on as many unsustainable numbers as us.

Only the Hawks appear to be a real beast of a team.

 

[missthenet]

Tampa's very good, but it's way too early for people to be anointing them as contenders. Zero playoff experience, almost identical records, yet suddenly they've jumped past the Habs based on two regular season games? Don't think so. I agree they and Pittsburgh are the teams to beat, but Montreal is right there in the same weight class, warts and all.

we won 5 on the road against Florida, NJ, Carolina, NYI and a depleted Pittsburgh lineup. No real powerhouses here. Then come home and get outplayed except for 1 period in each game and lose both games and would of been more lopsided without Price. And once again no powerplay. no scoring except two goals from Patches. We are about in my opinion two reLly good forwards and two really good dmen and a really good coach.

 

[AntonCH]

we won 5 on the road against Florida, NJ, Carolina, NYI and a depleted Pittsburgh lineup. No real powerhouses here. Then come home and get outplayed except for 1 period in each game and lose both games and would of been more lopsided without Price. And once again no powerplay. no scoring except two goals from Patches. We are about in my opinion two reLly good forwards and two really good dmen and a really good coach.

Sounds like a rebuild to me

Sell sell sell

 

[deandebean]

Nope. Not even close.

 

[NobleSix]

With Carey Price the Habs can definitely win the cup this season. I wouldn't, however, say that the Habs are one of the select few teams that can truly call themselves contenders. We have a better chance at a cup than some teams, but less of a chance than others.

 

[MD thaivuN]

I think we're good enough to win against most of the east and there is only one western team to beat afterward. So, sure why not? I'm pretty optimistic.

The toughest team to beat from the East is clearly TB. After, it's Pittsburg, but you can never trust Fleury in the playoff.

 

[Sorinth]

Making it to the ECF means jack ****.

Sometimes you get fortunate and have little injuries and get some breaks here and there.

Every SC winning teams are fortunate with injuries and get breaks here and there.

Montreal made to the ECF before. They then lost in round one and then missed the playoffs.

If I remember correctly New Jersey and Carolina both won the cup and then missed the playoffs the following year.

Two big tests against the two best teams in the East and the teams scores 3, while giving up 6.

So I guess you're conveniently ignoring the 4 goals against Pittsburgh 3 games ago. This wasn't two big tests against the two best teams in the league it was 3. We went 1-1-1, scoring 7 goals and giving up 7 goals.

Team still needs another d, a good RW and hopefully one of those will make the pp work. It won't because doing the same **** every time won't ever get noticed...

Every team has needs, we want a top-6 winger (Left or Right) and a top-4 D. Pretty much every team in the league could use that.