Marc Bergevin: Offseason Summertime Love Edition

[jaffy27]

I don't know that the Cousins signing is all that bad. It's cause he's lost in the shuffle of 13 or so players who are vying for the 4th line.

I'd like to see at least one major offensive piece added who can also have PP impact.

This is a Must.....status quo now would assure this offseason was an utter and complete failure.

There are just too many contracts signed right now and we still have Armia and Lehkonen......something has to give.

I just want it to happen so I can put my phone away and truly enjoy my summer HF free lol

 

[Deluded Puck]

Gotta love low standards, eh

I remember a time when anything less than the Stanley Cup was a failure

Missing the playoffs in ‘95 combined with the great team the Nords were building was a bad time.

Bergevin has succeeded in dumbing down our fanbase.

 

[jaffy27]

So that’s a success??

I don’t think he said that.....we all know there’s more that needs to be added

 

[jaffy27]

Missing the playoffs in ‘95 combined with the great team the Nords were building was a bad time.

Bergevin has succeeded in dumbing down our fanbase.

Has he.......

 

[DangerDave]

I'm gonna post it here too, just because I can

Why does everyone screw up this meme. Spiderman sees better with the glasses off lol

 

[Murky]

He wanted to add a good offensive player: duchene/aho. And missed on both.

Will he trade for one? I hope so, cause this summer is his worst.

Anyway, biggest RFA is still out there as long as Marner is unsigned. The biggest gamble is out there with Laine. Point is still available. Throw more money at his way and see if that sticks better this time. Habs are loaded. We can offer very lucrative deals that do not effect AAV such as protection from a lockout and super front loaded contracts, if MB were to start to utilize the tools in our disposal as he did with Aho - only he half assed it. If we get players by trade or RFA, I don't really care, but frankly RFA looks like a better bet. It doesn't mean that we have to build the whole team that way. It just seems to me that the past decades have shown that we will not see real #1 options emerge from within. Price is really the only one.

The thing about UFA's not wanting to come is complicated, but absolutely nothing that a couple of deep runs in Spring and exciting players to play with would not cure. Habs are loaded and we need to get into position that we can use it for something other than overpaying for mediocrity. And with the new trend of young players wanting to get to UFA ASAP it will be much more important in a few years to be a valid destination. The NBA model is a real threat to us unless we do and a real opportunity if we manage to pull it off. Realistic? Maybe not, but really important, or we too will see Kotka and Poehling etc. leaving at 24 for those "better" destinations, and leaving us with no compensation.

 

[WinterLion]

Missing the playoffs in ‘95 combined with the great team the Nords were building was a bad time.

Bergevin has succeeded in dumbing down our fanbase.

Wait wasn't there some other differences back in the 90's?

 

[Runner77]

He re-signed Weal and Thompson which I was good with.....the Cousin signing leaves me a tad perplexed......then again, I’ll let it unfold, I just hope as hell this isn’t it.

My guess is he’s spending to the cap therefore I’m fully expecting other moves. Maybe a Byron/Lehkonen/Armia type player is on the move along with other pieces explaining the Cousin signing

Do you read anything in the fact of Armia and Lehkonen going to arb? Armia had done the same thing with the Peg. Does MB start seeing Armia as someone he'll never be able to get a reasonable deal with and trades him off?

 

[BadHabit]

I don’t agree with the philosophy but I have a feeling Molson plays a big role in it. It’s like compete for the playoffs but build me a long term contender at the same time. Those small off years where we drafted Sergachev and Kotkaniemi were small hiccups.

This team should of tanked last season, instead we fans actually witnessed good hockey and we ended up with Caufield. So I really cannot complain.

But if dumping Shaw and adding cousins is all he does this offseason his tenure has to be coming to an end finally. Especially if they miss the playoffs again

Molson is cash strapped or doesn’t want to spend any more money than he has to, it’s pretty obvious. No big offers for Radulov or Markov, not spending to the cap for multiple seasons, firing Therrien when he only had 1 year left in his contract instead of well before, a terrible offer sheet for Aho...

Bergevin is signed til 2021-2022... he’s got this season and at least next season left no matter what. Take it to the bank... Molson does.

 

[S Bah]

I like that the Habs have added some quality depth on both levels NHL/AHL at positions we always have injuries during the season. These players can slot in to provide the team with the type of depth to win despite those injuries to key players in the bottom six, ones that can hold their own and provide the odd goal against elite teams. The type of depth dynasty teams had so they can rest players against teams lower in the standings. It's a win/win situation having this depth, particularly in a 82 game regular season where players receive minor injuries that can hinder their "A game".

 

[Toene]

I like that the Habs have added some quality depth on both levels NHL/AHL at positions we always have injuries during the season. These players can slot in to provide the team with the type of depth to win despite those injuries to key players in the bottom six, ones that can hold their own and provide the odd goal against elite teams. The type of depth dynasty teams had so they can rest players against teams lower in the standings. It's a win/win situation having this depth, particularly in a 82 game regular season where players receive minor injuries that can hinder their "A game".

Don't you think we need higher-end talents to give some punch to our roster? Lots of conference rivals improved and we didn't. We could miss the playoffs again.

 

[BadHabit]

Don't you think we need higher-end talents to give some punch to our roster? Lots of conference rivals improved and we didn't. We could miss the playoffs again.

We WILL miss the playoffs again, take a look at how many career years we had last year. You think that will happen again?

 

[Toene]

We WILL miss the playoffs again, take a look at how many career years we had last year. You think that will happen again?

Did Kotkaniemi have a career year? Lehkonen? Drouin? Mete? All guys that could improve dramatically as soon as this season. Im not saying we wont miss but Kotka and other youngsters, plus guys who've had down years like AL and JD can bounce back. And Poehling + Suzuki are knocking at the door.

 

[Miller Time]

I was speaking through the lense of a fan...

Not the team itself.

Now, I'm 38yrs old, so too young to have witnessed the real glory years but I've been a fan of this team for as long as I remember, so I appreciate it's glorious past.

But I find that because of this past, fans think that the Habs are more entitled to the Cup then other teams.

So that any year that doesn't end in a Cup is considered an utter failure.

I don't personally think that's a realistic way of thinking, today in 2019.

Maybe if you cheered for the Habs in 1969 or 1979.

But today...I don't think so.

Now for the team itself...they need to have and adopt a gold standard.

I agree with that...but again, that's not the lense that I was speaking through.

We're roughly the same age & have the same window of direct experience with the team.

I think the past is nice to have, but ultimately we are talking about today.

As a fan of a sport franchise, I'd like to see the organization be committed to excellence. If it weren't for the childhood impact of their history (on me & my grandfather, who transmitted his love for the team to me), id gladly move on and support an organization committed to the quality of the on ice product and the bottom line, vs the off-ice profitability which seems to be Molsons only concern.

I think fans can and should value whatever it is they most care about in following sports entertainment... History of success or not, the "gold standard" or "excellence", is what I value. Current Habs ownership & management don't share that standard & I think it totally fair for fans to point that out.

 

[Miller Time]

Has he.......

This board is a living documentation of it.

 

[S Bah]

Don't you think we need higher-end talents to give some punch to our roster? Lots of conference rivals improved and we didn't. We could miss the playoffs again.

The competition for jobs this season will be intense, anyone that shows up in poor shape will find themselves on the outside looking in IMHO!!!...

 

[MSSLYNX]

We WILL miss the playoffs again, take a look at how many career years we had last year. You think that will happen again?

Odds are real low but stranger things have happened.

 

[CHfan1]

Who here has this plan for the summer
-Trade Shaw for picks
-Sign Kinkaid
-Sign Barber
-Sign Chiarot
-Sign Cousins

Not a single soul.

Yikes.

I’m just happy the Habs don’t have Anders Lee at $8 mill + for 7 years or Duchene at $10 mill for 7 years on the books.

It’s also July 7th, Carolina just marched, I’m guessing Bergevin isn’t done yet. Also he traded Pacioretty on September 10 last year, almost 3 months into the off-season, there is still plenty of time to make moves.

 

[417]

We're roughly the same age & have the same window of direct experience with the team.

I think the past is nice to have, but ultimately we are talking about today.

As a fan of a sport franchise, I'd like to see the organization be committed to excellence. If it weren't for the childhood impact of their history (on me & my grandfather, who transmitted his love for the team to me), id gladly move on and support an organization committed to the quality of the on ice product and the bottom line, vs the off-ice profitability which seems to be Molsons only concern.

I think fans can and should value whatever it is they most care about in following sports entertainment... History of success or not, the "gold standard" or "excellence", is what I value. Current Habs ownership & management don't share that standard & I think it totally fair for fans to point that out.

It is fair and I didn't suggest anyone shouldn't point it out.

I was more speaking to fan expectation...I can't really speak towards whether or not ownership and management have high standards, I think it's quite presumptuous to think they don't care about winning or aren't trying to do everything in their power to win.

I don't have that kind of insight into their inner workings.

 

[Miller Time]

It is fair and I didn't suggest anyone shouldn't point it out.

I was more speaking to fan expectation...I can't really speak towards whether or not ownership and management have high standards, I think it's quite presumptuous to think they don't care about winning or aren't trying to do everything in their power to win.

I don't have that kind of insight into their inner workings.

I think you can.

Organizations accross industries that are committed to excellence have noticeable habits & practices. Habs under Molsons ownership have shown a littany of practices and decisions that are consistent with organizational culture that is not performance focused.

 

[Runner77]

Don't you think we need higher-end talents to give some punch to our roster? Lots of conference rivals improved and we didn't. We could miss the playoffs again.

Sul derrière pour Lafrenière.

 

[417]

I think you can.

Organizations accross industries that are committed to excellence have noticeable habits & practices. Habs under Molsons ownership have shown a littany of practices and decisions that are consistent with organizational culture that is not performance focused.

Not just under Molson, it's always been this way with the Montreal Canadiens...

But I don't think you can compare organizations in other industries...not the same parameters

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I’m just happy the Habs don’t have Anders Lee at $8 mill + for 7 years or Duchene at $10 mill for 7 years on the books.

It’s also July 7th, Carolina just marched, I’m guessing Bergevin isn’t done yet. Also he traded Pacioretty on September 10 last year, almost 3 months into the off-season, there is still plenty of time to make moves.

Damn right no Anders Lee is a great thing.

 

[Miller Time]

Not just under Molson, it's always been this way with the Montreal Canadiens...

But I don't think you can compare organizations in other industries...not the same parameters

You absolutely can. Organizations are just collections of humans... The widgets, services, tasks they produce may vary immensely, but the fundamental high-level dynamics are the same. It would take an AI led decision-making structure to create real differences at that level.

I think that under Gillette the team was much more excellence focused on ice. I may have been one of Gainey's heavier critics, but that was on his approach and pro scouting issues, his commitment to excellence was never in question imo (firing his good friend rather quickly, aggressively using his cap spending ability to reshape the roster in one fell swoop once he felt his existing core had run its course... He was willing to make the tough calls and to forge aggressively towards a clear direction, however mistaken the smurf brigade roster makeup was).

MB & Molson have been the polar opposite of Gillette & Gainey in many regards.

 

[PaulD]

I don’t agree with the philosophy but I have a feeling Molson plays a big role in it. It’s like compete for the playoffs but build me a long term contender at the same time. Those small off years where we drafted Sergachev and Kotkaniemi were small hiccups.

This team should of tanked last season, instead we fans actually witnessed good hockey and we ended up with Caufield. So I really cannot complain.

But if dumping Shaw and adding cousins is all he does this offseason his tenure has to be coming to an end finally. Especially if they miss the playoffs again

The "if this" and "if that" and "next season will tell" Those ships set sail ever August in MBs camp. . Same summer gibberish year after year.