News Article: Montréal's first line is ranked 30th

[Runner77]

Clearly NHL staff cannot properly evaluate ATTITUDE... we are #1 in that department

We're also #1 in "pieces": Max Domi says Canadiens have 'pieces it takes to win' - Sportsnet.ca

Also, we're going to be #1 in hotdogs and marijuana beer.

 

[Runner77]

There are still people who believe this team is gonna be great

No kidding.

NobleSix is going to win more vCash this year from these same people.

 

[Habs Icing]

This is very flavour of the month, offseason bs. All the players on this list will likely deviate - to differing degrees - from how they performed last year. Habs were horrible this year, but I don't think we'll be able to guarantee that poor performance offensively next year. Too many things went wrong at the right time. Middle of the pack line when you look at it in context IMO.

Only one thing has to go wrong for the Habs to be worse than or as bad as last year. We just need Marc Bergevin to happen. And seeing as Goofy Molson has his mind on how to improve the food for next year, it looks like MB is here for at least another year or until Goofy runs out of gourmet, vegan hotdogs.

 

[That Habs Fan]

I can't help but wonder where Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Radulov would be ranked.

 

[NobleSix]

NobleSix is going to win more vCash this year from these same people.

I've been fielding bets all off season. There have been multiple pom-pom waiving posters popping up here and there predicting that the Habs will 'for sure' make the playoffs next season. When I tell them to put their Vcash money where their mouth is, they drop off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again.

Still waiting for takers. I need dat Vcash.

 

[Laurentide]

You’re judging based on maybes. Mantha is nothing but a 0.5 PPG player and Zadina is a rookie, I wouldn’t anoint him better than Pacioretty.

Why not? Many here anointed Sergachev as superior to Drouin before the ink was dry on the contracts.

Habs fan logic:

Plays with the Habs = crap.
Plays elsewhere = better.
Played elsewhere and traded to the Habs = was good, now crap.
Played for the Habs and traded elsewhere = was crap, now better.

 

[admiralcadillac]

So now that galchenyuk is gone, people here want to do the same thing that offeneded them with galchenyuk by removing Drouin from the center spot? I'd give him a chance it literally can't get worse. If he sucks he sucks.

 

[ArtPeur]

This is very flavour of the month, offseason bs. All the players on this list will likely deviate - to differing degrees - from how they performed last year. Habs were horrible this year, but I don't think we'll be able to guarantee that poor performance offensively next year. Too many things went wrong at the right time. Middle of the pack line when you look at it in context IMO.

Yet you have to hope that many things are gonna be right next season because it's basically the same team, especially when you consider that they'll be missing Weber, Shaw and Byron on the season opener.

Pacioretty (if he stays), Drouin, Price and Lehkonen need to rebound from a disappointing season
Gallagher and Petry need to keep their form going as they both had career highs
Will Niemi still look as good as second goalie?
Who's going to play on D next season? Will Mete and Juulsen be in Montreal or Laval?
etc.

 

[Habaneros]

NEW TEE SHIRTS FOR HABS TRAINING CAMP 2018

"Believe in Miracles"

"Attitude over Salary cap "



Tee Shirt for Habs training camp 2019...

"I'M SORRY"

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I've been fielding bets all off season. There have been multiple pom-pom waiving posters popping up here and there predicting that the Habs will 'for sure' make the playoffs next season. When I tell them to put their Vcash money where their mouth is, they drop off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again.

Still waiting for takers. I need dat Vcash.

Oh so that's what happened to Belial!

 

[Habs 4 Life]

A bit misleading. Pittsburgh's 2nd line is Malkin-Kessel...That's a top 5 line in the NHL probably.
In Washington, Kuznet and Oshie on 2nd.
Boston with Krejci and Debrusk.
Winnipeg's 2nd line was Ehlers-Laine-Little...

A lot of teams have better 2nd line's than our 1st. Truly embarrassing, our top line shouldn't be in the top 31st.

Agreed
And a line with Crosby on it shouldn't be that low either
I think were definitely in the top 5 worst though

 

[admiralcadillac]

Yet you have to hope that many things are gonna be right next season because it's basically the same team, especially when you consider that they'll be missing Weber, Shaw and Byron on the season opener.

Pacioretty (if he stays), Drouin, Price and Lehkonen need to rebound from a disappointing season
Gallagher and Petry need to keep their form going as they both had career highs
Will Niemi still look as good as second goalie?
Who's going to play on D next season? Will Mete and Juulsen be in Montreal or Laval?
etc.

It's kind of like being caught between a rock and a hard place when you would like the team to be bad so that you can draft high, but that would mean that most of the above will have gone quite wrong.

 

[yianik]

So now that galchenyuk is gone, people here want to do the same thing that offeneded them with galchenyuk by removing Drouin from the center spot? I'd give him a chance it literally can't get worse. If he sucks he sucks.

My issue with Drouin at centre is that I am worried about his development. Maybe if played at wing he could turn into a B version of Patrick Kane, which would still likely mean a 1st line winger, and be great.

If we keep playing him at centre, maybe he gets messed up. I dont know. But that is my concern. Now if that should not be a concern, then swell, sure, try him there for another year.

 

[Sterling Archer]

30th seems kind of high.

 

[sandysan]

So now that galchenyuk is gone, people here want to do the same thing that offeneded them with galchenyuk by removing Drouin from the center spot? I'd give him a chance it literally can't get worse. If he sucks he sucks.

IF? IF? Are you serious ?

If water were wet it would help when thirsty !

But it is nice that you included the exact term "I'd give him a chance", it brings back so many good memories of last year when the appolgists came out, As to the notion that it " literally can't get worse", Jonathan Drouin says " hold my beer".

No matter HOW weak we are down the middle, Jonathan Drouin, Not a center.

 

[admiralcadillac]

IF? IF? Are you serious ?

If water were wet it would help when thirsty !

But it is nice that you included the exact term "I'd give him a chance", it brings back so many good memories of last year when the appolgists came out, As to the notion that it " literally can't get worse", Jonathan Drouin says " hold my beer".

No matter HOW weak we are down the middle, Jonathan Drouin, Not a center.

I didn't feel Galchenyuk was a center either but he deserved more of a chance than he got. So I'd rather see what Drouin can do too.

I didn't really understand the meat of your post. There is clearly more to Drouin than what we got last year, IF explicitly refers to a future event, him playing this year. So yes, IF he sucks, it's not a given.

 

[Andrei79]

I didn't feel Galchenyuk was a center either but he deserved more of a chance than he got. So I'd rather see what Drouin can do too.

I didn't really understand the meat of your post. There is clearly more to Drouin than what we got last year, IF explicitly refers to a future event, him playing this year. So yes, IF he sucks, it's not a given.

I just don't see an endgame with that experiment. I'd understand if they were grooming him from juniors to the AHL and slowly up the lineup. But, he's in what's supposed to be his prime offensive years and until last year he hadn't ever had true NHL top line responsibilities. He should be developing his offense where he's comfortable and adjusting to the NHL.

 

[sandysan]

the sporting news says that we are 19th in prospects, which to me seems to be highly biased because of picking third this year.

so the future looks bright, we have moved from second to last to the very bottom of the bottom two thirds! plan the parade!

NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2018-19, from 1 to 31

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

30th seems kind of high.

Not if we use AHL rankings

 

[admiralcadillac]

I just don't see an endgame with that experiment. I'd understand if they were grooming him from juniors to the AHL and slowly up the lineup. But, he's in what's supposed to be his prime offensive years and until last year he hadn't ever had true NHL top line responsibilities. He should be developing his offense where he's comfortable and adjusting to the NHL.

If, like everyone has been saying, that he's at best a complimentary piece, then he will need a good center to play with. He doesn't have one on the roster so may as well try and continue the experiment until then.

 

[sandysan]

I didn't feel Galchenyuk was a center either but he deserved more of a chance than he got. So I'd rather see what Drouin can do too.

I didn't really understand the meat of your post. There is clearly more to Drouin than what we got last year, IF explicitly refers to a future event, him playing this year. So yes, IF he sucks, it's not a given.

So the guy who played center and developed into a high first round pick as a center, isnt a center and the diminutive winger who never played center, gets multiple kicks at the cat. A " center" who last year needed wingers to take draws for him and was AWFUL in EVERY end of the ice. amazingly he did EVERYTHING poorly ( including effort)

We couldn't score LAST year and its likely we lose 67. Who is going to score ? it won't be Drouin's wingers because he CANNOT make his wingers better, he needs a real 1C to make HIM better.

the meat of my post is this: You don't magically get to transition from winger to center at the NHL level. Even with this, when we TRIED it, he was abysmal. the worst 1C in the league by a fair margin, so bad that this " let's give him a chaance" should never be uttered again, Look at what good centers do on the ice and look at the attributes that Drouin brings. notice how many are in both columns ?

He's not a center, he's never been a center and he never WILL be a center at the NHL level.

TL/DR Jonathan Drouin, not a center.

 

[Adam Michaels]

the sporting news says that we are 19th in prospects, which to me seems to be highly biased because of picking third this year.

so the future looks bright, we have moved from second to last to the very bottom of the bottom two thirds! plan the parade!

NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2018-19, from 1 to 31

That is a big step for the Habs. From 25th or lower to Top-20. And this is before most of the 2018 class not having played any games as "Habs prospects." The Habs may end up higher on the list a year from now.

 

[Doc McKenna]

Both of Montreal and Ottawa’s 1st lines are better than that putrid Red Wings line that they posted.

But that’s not saying much.

check out our second line....

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

check out our second line....

People who think the Habs will do better than last season are in for quite a shock.

This team is dried-up on star talent.

Ok maybe, they end-up playing well defensively, they sure as hell won't be scoring in bunchs. We use to win a lot of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 games, now we'll have those but as losers on most nights.

 

[THE HOFF]

So now that galchenyuk is gone, people here want to do the same thing that offended them with galchenyuk by removing Drouin from the center spot? I'd give him a chance it literally can't get worse. If he sucks he sucks.

apples and oranges,

You are completely ignoring that Galchenyuk was a franchise center that brought a steady 30 goals to the table year in, year out, and that Drouin has absolutely no room for improvement whatsoever.