Post-Game Talk: Is There Others Game Of The Season Yet? (Habs 2-6 Jackets)

[BrendanGallagher11]

KK and Drouin with the least minutes, followed by Thompson:

Deslaurier more minutes than kk
Smh

 

[Edgy]

It really is incredible that right when we hit the most important games of the year we bench KK. And he subsequently tanks.

Maybe something happened behind the scenes we don't know about. To me that would be the only rational answer that makes sense. If Julien did it to get more out of him he failed spectacularly.

Julien does not have faith in young players in crunch times. He'll play his veterans even if they're plugs over the kids even if they're oozing with talent. He basically drove out Hamilton and Seguin out of Boston and almost ruined Pasternak during his tenure there. Why is anyone surprised by his treatment of Kotka is beyond me.

 

[Runner77]

...I'm with you. Pick a direction, and ****ing go. Enough beating around the bush, and enough of the 'lets see what happens' attitude. Start building for a purpose, and stop wasting seasons and everyone's time. IMO, you either commit to the rebuild and start shopping Price, Weber, Petry, Shaw, etc, or you go full speed ahead and try to make this team into a contender to make a cup run or two within the next 2-5 years.

Personally, i'm far more partial to the rebuild option, but anything beats the same old 'wait and see' mentality that has wasted our time for whats going on two decades.

Problem is, he did pick a direction but didn't execute for whatever reason.

It's too late for a rebuild IMHO. Will never happen with Price as your goalie. And, the GM is way too late in his tenure for that. He wants a reset, which I believe he means a quick turnaround -- however with so many key needs to attend to, he's once again put himself in an impossible situation. Just like the time he was on a short timeline to trade Subban before his NTC kicked in -- and GMs knew that Bergevin could be exploited as he was under the gun to make the move.

Time for new ideas, a new plan.

However, won't happen this summer as the GM has bought himself at least another year with last summer's unexpected results.

What I hope doesn't happen, is that they lose Ducharme to Ottawa or whoever is looking for a head coach.

 

[sbhatt]

Why are we not in a position to make offers? That's absolutely ridiculous.

Oh, we can make offers...we just aren't in a position to land the best UFAs because of the shitty high taxes, media pressure, language crap, ect. Other markets are just far more attractive to those that have a choice more often than not.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Congrats, now you have your 1% chance of winning lottery.

I wanted us to finish bottom 5 again this year but we knew in December that we were playing better than we thought so I was pulling for playoffs (even tho we would lost in the first round). At least, we gave not even a 7th draft pick for help at TD, thanks Bergervin.

1% is better than having 0% chance beating Tampa bay

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Say we got Fowler, and then what? Where do you think that puts us?

nowhere cause Fowler is terrible and overpaid

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Oh, we can make offers...we just aren't in a position to land the best UFAs because of the ****ty high taxes, media pressure, language crap, ect. Other markets are just far more attractive to those that have a choice more often than not.

There are some players who will shy away from the spotlight. Taxes may be a factor as well.

But playing for the Habs works better if you want to get paid overall. It raises your profile more than smaller markets would. You'll make a crap ton in advertising. It's not for everyone but it's definitely great for some. Some players (especially star players) would be better off financially in Montreal

 

[Justin11]

nowhere cause Fowler is terrible and overpaid

I have to agree with this. I'm not a fan of his.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I have to agree with this. I'm not a fan of his.

I love the "name a player who's available" game.

You name a player and then it's "but he's no good" or "too much cash"... whatever. It doesn't have to be Fowler. Just don't tell me that we can't make a trade because that is nothing but an excuse.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I love the "name a player who's available" game.

You name a player and then it's "but he's no good" or "too much cash"... whatever. It doesn't have to be Fowler. Just don't tell me that we can't make a trade because that is nothing but an excuse.

We can make a trade , but please lets not pick a regressing Def with terrible terms who has a NTC with 3 teams only.
We already made the mistake with Weber.

 

[Justin11]

I love the "name a player who's available" game.

You name a player and then it's "but he's no good" or "too much cash"... whatever. It doesn't have to be Fowler. Just don't tell me that we can't make a trade because that is nothing but an excuse.

It was an example since you mentioned him. We could have used Gostisbehere as an example. It doesn't change the fact that this team is more than LHD away from being serious PO contenter.

Just to be clear, i would gladly take Gostisbehere for cheap, which I don't think it will happen.

 

[Kimota]

Good Lord what a choke job. But to me it's all on Julien.

Turning point has been the Julien benching of KK. This dinosaur so obsessed with his "no mistakes" hockey shut that kid's confidence and I'll even include Drouin in that even though yea he caused turnovers but the moment he was put on the third line and his icetime was reduced, a skilled guy like this was reduced to play to not make mistakes and since then he looks like a scared animal. I had to laugh hearing the commentators going "oh what a good defensive play by Drouin!" made me want to throw up. He is there for his freaking skills! The game against Carolina we could have destroyed them but dinosaur prefered to play 1-0 defensive hockey for most of the game and they got beat.

 

[LaP]

Personally, i'm far more partial to the rebuild option, but anything beats the same old 'wait and see' mentality that has wasted our time for whats going on two decades.

Exactly. I would prefer the rebuild option too but i would not be totally against trying to win now. Anything but the old let's just make the playoffs and see what happens strategy because it's not with middle to end of 1st round picks that we will turn this team into a contender.

 

[LaP]

It was an example since you mentioned him. We could have used Gostisbehere as an example. It doesn't change the fact that this team is more than LHD away from being serious PO contenter.

Just to be clear, i would gladly take Gostisbehere for cheap, which I don't think it will happen.

It's not really his point though. I don't think he advocate that Foulard or Grossebière would turn us into a contender. He's just saying he wants the GM to not stand pat like Houle did all those years wasting our time.

Cause while Foulard and Grossebière would not turn us into a contender neither will middle to end of 1st round picks unless we are extremely lucky. I personally agree with him. This year was the year MB had to make a decision. Either commit to a rebuild even if the team surprise and trade some more vets (unlike 2012-2013) or go for it with Price and Weber. But don't stay in the middle like we are right now.

 

[Justin11]

It's not really his point though. I don't think he advocate that Foulard or Grossebière would turn us into a contender. He's just saying he wants the GM to not stand pat like Houle did all those years wasting our time.

Cause while Foulard and Grossebière would not turn us into a contender neither will middle to end of 1st round picks unless we are extremely lucky. I personally agree with him. This year was the year MB had to make a decision. Either commit to a rebuild even if the team surprise and trade some more vets (unlike 2012-2013) or go for it with Price and Weber. But don't stay in the middle like we are right now.

Unfortunately we are stuck in the middle for the foreseeable future. Molson prefers it this way.

 

[NobleSix]

Problem is, he did pick a direction but didn't execute for whatever reason.

It's too late for a rebuild IMHO. Will never happen with Price as your goalie. And, the GM is way too late in his tenure for that. He wants a reset, which I believe he means a quick turnaround -- however with so many key needs to attend to, he's once again put himself in an impossible situation. Just like the time he was on a short timeline to trade Subban before his NTC kicked in -- and GM knew that Bergevin could be exploited as he was under the gun to make the move.

Time for new ideas, a new plan.

However, won't happen this summer as the GM has bought himself at least another year with last summer's unexpected results.

What I hope doesn't happen, is that they lose Ducharme to Ottawa or whoever is looking for a head coach.

That is my fear as well.

If Ducharme is the heir apparent in Montreal, you have to make that clear to him. It doesnt have to be some big scheme behind Julien's back or anything, but at some point I think you're going to have to make a decision between Julien and Ducharme.

You better make damn well sure you dont create another Gerard Gallant situation, only to fire the dinosuar coach not long after letting the more modern one go.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Geoff Molson doesn't have the fortitude to fire Claude Julien and hire Ducharme as his replacement.

 

[Rapala]

Geoff Molson doesn't have the fortitude to fire Claude Julien and hire Ducharme as his replacement.

It's not his job to fire and replace those guys. That is on Bergevin. Molson's job is to replace himself and let a hockey brain deal with his litter box. It's exasperating to find myself regurgitating the same solution for what seems like four or is it five years now?

 

[Rapala]

Exactly. I would prefer the rebuild option too but i would not be totally against trying to win now. Anything but the old let's just make the playoffs and see what happens strategy because it's not with middle to end of 1st round picks that we will turn this team into a contender.

I'm feeling like we wasted a huge opportunity this year to amass as many picks in these next two drafts as possible. For all those fans who claim to be surprised and pleased with our team. The reality is we are still nowhere. We can't compete with the top half of the league when both sides want it. I never get caught up with apparent regular season success because it's almost impossible to tell which team is giving it and to what extent. We only start seeing that in March. If we are honest Bergevin's teams have failed to close strong except perhaps the Vanek year. As far as going with a win now strategy I choke on my own bile. That window closed when Bergevin decided there wasn't a window and that transition was the flavor du jour.

 

[LaP]

I'm feeling like we wasted a huge opportunity this year to amass as many picks in these next two drafts as possible.

100% agree

I never get caught up with apparent regular season success because it's almost impossible to tell which team is giving it and to what extent. We only start seeing that in March. If we are honest Bergevin's teams have failed to close strong except perhaps the Vanek year.

BTW we are 13-11-3 since the beginning of February and 18th in the league over that period. I'm still not sold on that team being significantly better than last year unless Kotk makes huge progress next season. A lot of our players have last year's William Karlsson like career year. And like William Karlsson this season i would not be surprised if some of them struggle next season.

 

[mitchmagic]

Danault ? Kulak seems to be really good for 2 AHLers.

Yahhhh Kulak is gonna lead us to that cup.