Most well balanced habs team since 07/08?

[McGuires Corndog]

I wish I could share your pessimism (not really) but I don't.

I think that the team has more depth. They definitely still have some huge holes, but I like what I'm seeing, the changes of system and attitude from previous management.

You're also making it sound like they've only faced bottom feeders, which isn't the case.

I personally chose to see the glass half full, enjoy the ride, instead of trying to predict what might (or not) happen. But that's me.

That's fine.

I'm not pessimistic. I'm just not going to gush until they prove their worth against "contenders".

 

[the]

I don't understand how some people could say this team is better then the 07-08 edition team. That team had the perfect balance between great vet players and talented young future nhl star players. Just because a lot of things went wrong afterward we can't ignore how close we where to the cup. Looking back we looked set for many years to come.

Alexei Kovalev was a superstar in the league and other team actually feared for once one of our player

Saku Koivu was getting some decent teammates and getting the job done outside the spotlight mentoring young Kostitsyn and feeding Higgins.

Andrei Markov was a top 5 D in the league

Tomas Plekanec was still young and was getting better then Kovalev

Both Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn were dominant players and would contribute like the Sedin's for years to come with 80 points per season each

Chris Higgins was going to be a 40 goal per season player, he probably would have gotten 40 goals if he could score half of the perfect passes Koivu was giving him every night.

We had a 60 + point player in Mark Streit, he really helped us make us dangerous during the PP

Komisarek was a absolute monster, still young and maybe team captain one day

Roman Hamrlik was a ice time eating D and could easily fill the void for Markov

Latendresse was going to be our future star and rack up 80 points soon it was just a matter of time.

Huet was a all-star and a dominant #1 goalie

Carey Price was the second coming to Patrick Roy

Jaroslav Halak was a legit NHL caliber #1 goalie chilling in the AHL

This team was so good that we didn't even need or have space for players like Michael Ryder and Grabovski how crazy is that?

We had 7 players with over 50 points...not 2 or 3 but 7!

Looking back these predictions might be funny but it was very real during that time, our veterans had credibility around the league and we had talented young players ready to fill the void once they get older. Everybody was playing to it's potential!

If only we had kept Huet for the playoffs and won the Hossa derby

 

[Agnostic]

That's fine.

I'm not pessimistic. I'm just not going to gush until they prove their worth against "contenders".

... and on the road.
... when everyone is in mid-season conditioning


I am with you... more evidence required.

 

[Undertakerqc]

The real question is: Have we rebuilt enough? And maybe we have. We have key young players at key positions and it just might be enough.

And I think offense is really going to be the question. If we don't have the Galchenyuk line... I'd be far more skeptical. Bourque (and even to a certain extent Plekanec) have both struggled with consistency. Cole is coming off a career year (that I don't think anyone felt he could repeat) and DD is still pretty unproven. That line was going to start facing tougher checking and there are question marks on both those lines.

You add a point per game center and winger in addition to what we have though? Huge difference. Even if teams put their checkers out against Galchenyuk, it's going to open up ice for the other lines and all of a sudden DD and his group might see some more open ice.

I'd still like to stack the deck for the future but there's no denying that the team looks great right now (easy schedule aside.)

You are right, Plekanec is having his usual fast start. The problem with him is he fades when the game start to mean more. We will take what we can from him while he is playing well. This will give time for Galchenyuk to continue to grow.

 

[InglewoodJack]

I don't understand how some people could say this team is better then the 07-08 edition team. That team had the perfect balance between great vet players and talented young future nhl star players. Just because a lot of things went wrong afterward we can't ignore how close we where to the cup. Looking back we looked set for many years to come.

Alexei Kovalev was a superstar in the league and other team actually feared for once one of our player

Saku Koivu was getting some decent teammates and getting the job done outside the spotlight mentoring young Kostitsyn and feeding Higgins.

Andrei Markov was a top 5 D in the league

Tomas Plekanec was still young and was getting better then Kovalev

Both Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn were dominant players and would contribute like the Sedin's for years to come with 80 points per season each

Chris Higgins was going to be a 40 goal per season player, he probably would have gotten 40 goals if he could score half of the perfect passes Koivu was giving him every night.

We had a 60 + point player in Mark Streit, he really helped us make us dangerous during the PP

Komisarek was a absolute monster, still young and maybe team captain one day

Roman Hamrlik was a ice time eating D and could easily fill the void for Markov

Latendresse was going to be our future star and rack up 80 points soon it was just a matter of time.

Huet was a all-star and a dominant #1 goalie

Carey Price was the second coming to Patrick Roy

Jaroslav Halak was a legit NHL caliber #1 goalie chilling in the AHL

This team was so good that we didn't even need or have space for players like Michael Ryder and Grabovski how crazy is that?

We had 7 players with over 50 points...not 2 or 3 but 7!

Looking back these predictions might be funny but it was very real during that time, our veterans had credibility around the league and we had talented young players ready to fill the void once they get older. Everybody was playing to it's potential!

If only we had kept Huet for the playoffs and won the Hossa derby

...? What? Nearly all of these facts are not true.

 

[Talks to Goalposts]

The 07-08 team wasn't well balanced at all, they were bad at ES and wholy reliant on goaltending and the PP to win.

This is the most balanced group since Pacioretty era 2010-11 which was also a great team but with a much better balance of all the elements

Cammalleri-Plekanec-Halpern
Pacioretty-Gomez-Gionta
Moen-Eller-Kostitsyn
Pouliot/Darche-Desharnais-White/Darche

Gill-Subban
Hamrlik-Wisniewski
Spacek-Weber

Price

PP
Pacioretty-Gomez-Gionta
Cammalleri-Plekanec-Kostitsyn
Wisniewski-Subban

PK
Plekanec-Moen
Halpern-Darche/Gionta
Gill-Subban
Hamrlik-Spacek

That lineup was good at everything, had a pairing for every role and 4 lines that could score to some degree and 3 lines that could defend.

 

[Mr. Hab]

For sure..

But let's wait and see how we fare up against the Rangers, Bruins, Penguins of this world before we talk about being the most balanced team the Habs have iced more or less since they've won the cup.

All it's going to take is one injury to Markov/Price/Subban/Plekanec for this team to implode.

I'll enjoy the ride like Habsterix mentioned but with a bit of caution...I'm praying we stay healthy, especially for playoffs.
As much as I love Pleks (so underrated)...if he gets injured (hopefully not long)...we can have fun with some line creativity with 3 centers (Prust-Galchy-Gallagher.....Bourque-Desharnais-Gionta...Pacioretty-Eller-Gionta). But, for sure...Pleks is in our top 5 (in importance for solid/consistent two-way play).

I hope we use this 48 game season to go as far as possible...win more than enough to get a good 1st RND position in the playoffs but pace it and then get HOT in playoffs. Sounds like a great plan! Why thank-you!

 

[Hockey Joe]

I think this year's team is better balanced. The 08 team relied heavily on the PP and beating the Bruins.

 

[the]

...? What? Nearly all of these facts are not true.

I know it's not true, I was just stating the general feeling during time.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

...? What? Nearly all of these facts are not true.

 

[bigtimehockeyfan999*]

since 1993....

 

[teh doors]

The team is healthy. And needed a fresh start. It's like breaking up with a good girl when things don't work any more. You hit the bottom, **** around for a bit, then find a new lady and everything hits stride again.

Four lines, with guys not in the lineup (White) that easily could be. It makes everyone play their ***** off in every shift and practice. The added benefit is that all of the players, especially ones in key roles (Plekanec, Gionta, Markov) already work their ***** off.

Two of these players (Gionta, Markov) had to work double hard to recover from annoying freak injuries. As a result Gallagher and Emelin have instant role models on the team. CBC touched on this today. It's a good example. The vets on this team are good players, and good people too.

Having healthy players in solid roles on the bottom six who play similar styles to eachother is good too. Moen, Armstrong, Prust, White.. it's comradery and they play like a unit of friends out there, stick up for eachother, etc.

It's called having a team! They got off to a good start, have better veterans than they are given credit for (note: this is the Internet and HF Boards, you're not allowed to like or credit the Habs unless you're a fan) and all of the young players that could've have more than lived up to their potential.

Great start, team in confident, and healthy and enjoying playing hockey.

 

[teh doors]

Last year was a transition year where everything went wrong. The team was a 6th-8th seed if healthy, like always. This year the momentum is in their favour, and theirs a positive attitude around. It benefits everyone and it is a credit to everyone involved with the team from top to bottom.

By the way noone should take anything away from 2007-2008 great team similiar vibe to this one with everyone rolling nicely and team taking advantage of great chemistry, good vets meshing with good young players. Benefit is this team is stronger in the bottom ranks of the lineup and if they get a nasty defenceman for the bottom pair who isn't a total cementhead will be a fun playoffs ride.