Speculation: Offseason Free Agency thread

[Sterling Archer]

Normally you want your team to do good as a fan, but ok.

As a fan, you also want what's best for your team for the long run. In a year where you don't have the ponies to compete, you may be better off taking a knee and hope for a high draft pick that can have a meaningful impact on your franchise and start back up the following year. We're already down 2 major contributors and thin down the middle. So if we're faltering then aiming for the future over the immediate is the course of action. No one wants to end the season just out of the playoffs and picking mid pack, which is the worst case scenario.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Normally you want your team to do good as a fan, but ok.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

As a fan, you also want what's best for your team for the long run. In a year where you don't have the ponies to compete, you may be better off taking a knee and hope for a high draft pick that can have a meaningful impact on your franchise and start back up the following year. We're already down 2 major contributors and thin down the middle. So if we're faltering then aiming for the future over the immediate is the course of action. No one wants to end the season just out of the playoffs and picking mid pack, which is the worst case scenario.

I'm done celebrating over high picks.
Galchenyuk, Kotkaniemi. Ya. We repeatedly mess up those. I don't care about what anyone says with "weak drafts". 2018 was NOT a weak draft. Tkachuk is the next Ottawa captain. Quinn Hughes is, even with all of his weaknesses, a damn good top-pairing puck-moving D.

People here are getting overly excited based on web articles and some youtube highlight packages and come up with grotesque claims, as to how "they're done as a Habs fan if we get Tkachuk over Kotkaniemi". Remember that one? I do.

So yeah. When you have an head of amateur scouting who's not a total tool and knows what the hell he's doing, you can get optimistic about getting high picks. But in our situation? Yeah. I'll root for, you know, the team to actually play good hockey and get me entertained as a fan. I'm not enough of a boring guy yet to get a kick out of reading scouting reports.

 

[Sterling Archer]

I'm done celebrating over high picks.
Galchenyuk, Kotkaniemi. Ya. We repeatedly mess up those. I don't care about what anyone says with "weak drafts". 2018 was NOT a weak draft. Tkachuk is the next Ottawa captain. Quinn Hughes is, even with all of his weaknesses, a damn good top-pairing puck-moving D.

People here are getting overly excited based on web articles and some youtube highlight packages and come up with grotesque claims, as to how "they're done as a Habs fan if we get Tkachuk over Kotkaniemi". Remember that one? I do.

So yeah. When you have an head of amateur scouting who's not a total tool and knows what the hell he's doing, you can get optimistic about getting high picks. But in our situation? Yeah. I'll root for, you know, the team to actually play good hockey.

You're conflating one argument with another. No one wants to tank to get a higher pick over going deep in the playoffs. In fact, I didn't' read a single negative post about our pick this year after going to the finals.

The argument in question is IF Suzuki gets injured, our odds of being competitive drastically decrease and likelihood of going on a cup run all but disappear. IF that happens, the organization would be in a better situation drafting higher than lower, especially if you can draft a massive talent like Wright. All those high draft picks you mention, none were 1st overall and had the ability to change the franchise like Wright or Bedard can.

 

[sampollock]

Centre ice is not strong, missing PD will show.
KK has a lot to do to claim #2 role, MB can't be confident.
trade has to happen or a long season of face off losses

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

You're conflating one argument with another. No one wants to tank to get a higher pick over going deep in the playoffs. In fact, I didn't' read a single negative post about our pick this year after going to the finals.

The argument in question is IF Suzuki gets injured, our odds of being competitive drastically decrease and likelihood of going on a cup run all but disappear. IF that happens, the organization would be in a better situation drafting higher than lower, especially if you can draft a massive talent like Wright. All those high draft picks you mention, none were 1st overall and had the ability to change the franchise like Wright or Bedard can.

I mean, even if we finish last in the overall standings. drafting one of these two (or being in a position to do so) is far from a certainty.
Then, people are quick to forget that the future faces of our franchise, Caufield and Suzuki, are respectively 15th and 13th overall picks. A guy like Romanov, who's absolutely going to be a core player, is a 2nd round pick. The likely pick to be the next captain, Gallagher, is a 5th round pick. Weber, who was by all means our "big-name" player? A 2nd rounder.

In Tampa, except for Hedman, you have guys like Sergachev (9th overall), Point (79th overall), Kucherov (58th overall), Ryan McDonagh (12th overall), Ondrej Palat (208th overall) and Yanni Gourde (undrafted) who played bigger role than Steven Stamkos in their past 2 Stanley Cup wins.

Drafting high and tanking is incredibly overrated. You build a team with good amateur scouting. Not be going for high picks.

 

[salbutera]

I mean, even if we finish last in the overall standings. drafting one of these two (or being in a position to do so) is far from a certainty.
Then, people are quick to forget that the future faces of our franchise, Caufield and Suzuki, are respectively 15th and 13th overall picks. A guy like Romanov, who's absolutely going to be a core player, is a 2nd round pick. The likely pick to be the next captain, Gallagher, is a 5th round pick. Weber, who was by all means our "big-name" player? A 2nd rounder.

In Tampa, except for Hedman, you have guys like Sergachev (9th overall), Point (79th overall), Kucherov (58th overall), Ryan McDonagh (12th overall), Ondrej Palat (208th overall) and Yanni Gourde (undrafted) who played bigger role than Steven Stamkos in their past 2 Stanley Cup wins.

Drafting high and tanking is incredibly overrated. You build a team with good amateur scouting. Not be going for high picks.

Even w all their good amateur scouting TBay is nowhere without having the opportunity to draft Hedman 2OA and for a the longest time w Stamkos at 1OA

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Even w all their good amateur scouting TBay is nowhere without having the opportunity to draft Hedman 2OA and for a the longest time w Stamkos at 1OA

They're still miles ahead of teams like Edmonton, New Jersey and the Rangers, who have taken this route extensively. Even if you take all of their 1st round picks away.

Stamkos? Come on now. The guy was injured last playoffs and did sweet f*** all these playoffs.

 

[Adam Michaels]

You're conflating one argument with another. No one wants to tank to get a higher pick over going deep in the playoffs. In fact, I didn't' read a single negative post about our pick this year after going to the finals.

The argument in question is IF Suzuki gets injured, our odds of being competitive drastically decrease and likelihood of going on a cup run all but disappear. IF that happens, the organization would be in a better situation drafting higher than lower, especially if you can draft a massive talent like Wright. All those high draft picks you mention, none were 1st overall and had the ability to change the franchise like Wright or Bedard can.

While I agree if Suzuki gets hurt, Habs' chances lower. But also, it depends on two things:

One being if they acquire another center via trade or someone left in free agency that would add to the team's depth down the middle, so if Suzuki is out, guys can carry the load until he returns.

And the other being depending on how long Suzuki is out for. If he's out for a few games or a week, they should be fine if they add depth down the middle.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

While I agree if Suzuki gets hurt, Habs' chances lower. But also, it depends on two things:

One being if they acquire another center via trade or someone left in free agency that would add to the team's depth down the middle, so if Suzuki is out, guys can carry the load until he returns.

And the other being depending on how long Suzuki is out for. If he's out for a few games or a week, they should be fine if they add depth down the middle.

Absolutely. And since it's the offseason, it seems a LITTLE premature to say that "well, if Suzuki gets injured the season goes down the toilet and we tank".

What kind of fan wants that.

 

[salbutera]

They're still miles ahead of teams like Edmonton, New Jersey and the Rangers, who have taken this route extensively. Even if you take all of their 1st round picks away.

Stamkos? Come on now. The guy was injured last playoffs and did sweet f*** all these playoffs.

As I said for the “longest time w Stamkos”, the playoff experience and learnings from 2015-2019 were in great part due to Stamkos leading the way..

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

As I said for the “longest time w Stamkos”, the playoff experience and learnings from 2015-2019 were in great part due to Stamkos leading the way..

Seems to me we had some playoffs experience and learnings in the past two seasons. And we didn't require a former 1st overall pick to get them.

 

[salbutera]

Seems to me we had some playoffs experience and learnings in the past two seasons. And we didn't require a former 1st overall pick to get them.

I agree - but Habs don’t have a player other than their goalie, who happened to be a 5OA pick, who can dominate or takeover a game the way Hedman does presently and Stamkos used to

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

I agree - but Habs don’t have a player other than their goalie, who happened to be a 5OA pick, who can dominate or takeover a game the way Hedman does presently and Stamkos used to

This last run is not 100% on Carey Price and you know it. As for Tampa, they're not getting it done without guys like Kucherov, Point, or even Vasikevskiy who, you know, is a 19th overall pick. And the best goalie in the world by a fair margin.

 

[salbutera]

This last run is not 100% on Carey Price and you know it. As for Tampa, they're not getting it done without guys like Kucherov, Point, or even Vasikevskiy who, you know, is a 19th overall pick. And the best goalie in the world by a fair margin.

Price dominated vs Leafs after falling behind 3-1 in the series and likewise vs VGK - Habs don’t sniff Cup finals without Price. Had Habs won the Cup - Price would’ve been the unanimous choice for Conne Smythe, not even a close second on the team...that’s the margin of difference

No other Habs player on the current roster or prospect pool, has that ability to takeover a series

Kucherov & Point did nothing after game 1. Habs got beat by TBay’s 3rd line and Vasilevsky

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Price dominated vs Leafs after falling behind 3-1 in the series and likewise vs VGK - Habs don’t sniff Cup finals without Price

No other Habs player on the current roster or prospect pool, has that ability to takeover a series

Kucherov & Point did nothing after game 1. Habs got beat by TBay’s 3rd line and Vasilevsky

Yup. A 3rd line which had 2 undrafted player, a 3rd round pick, and a goalie who was picked 19th overall. That's how they won the Finals.
So yeah. Definitely not putting all of their eggs on their high draft picks. For every Victor Hedman, you can get a Brett Connolly.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Normally you want your team to do good as a fan, but ok.

Bozak won't turn the needle and being in the middle of the pack is dumb. You either try to be top 15 or bottom 5 or bottom 10. 10-15 range is the worse range to be in and if Suzuki goes down, that's what will happen if you replace him with Bozak.

I'd shoot for a higher solution than Bozak and if you can't get a trade to happen, you stay put and live with the results. If Suzuki or Petry go down with injuries, just play the kids and have a tank year.

 

[slybel]

We are not starting the season with this lineup are we?

 

[McGees]

It would probably be a good idea to sign Suzuki now to a long term contract before riding him all year major minutes and watching his value increase stupidly.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

It would probably be a good idea to sign Suzuki now to a long term contract before riding him all year major minutes and watching his value increase stupidly.

...Bargain Bin isn't that smart and Slick Nick isn't that dumb...

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Bozak won't turn the needle and being in the middle of the pack is dumb. You either try to be top 15 or bottom 5 or bottom 10. 10-15 range is the worse range to be in and if Suzuki goes down, that's what will happen if you replace him with Bozak.

I'd shoot for a higher solution than Bozak and if you can't get a trade to happen, you stay put and live with the results. If Suzuki or Petry go down with injuries, just play the kids and have a tank year.

KK - Bozak for a short period of time on the top-2 lines is infinitely better than KK-Evans. It might not make us an instant contender but it sure helps us mitigate potential damage caused by injuries.
Saying that the plan is just to "play the kids and have a tank year" before the regular season even started is ridiculous.

 

[Wats]

I'd sign Jason Demers, local and good veteran for Romanov or can pair with Chiarot.

Edmundson - Petry
Chiarot - Savard
Romanov - Demers
Kulak/Wideman

Go with 8 D and leave Nolinder in AHL to get used to North American style/ice. Let's make this season about getting Romanov to top 4 level to replace Chiarot. No need to complicate things.

Feel like with Byron on LTIR, they can afford one more move. As much as a center would be ideal, maybe we'll use this season to give Kotkaniemi a huge leash. Perrault will probably get more icetime than many think judging by interviews, he wants to be C again.

Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield
Hoffman - Kotkaniemi - Gallagher
Drouin - Evans - Anderson
Lehkonen - Perrault/Paquette - Armia

If Montreal is going to be a good team, Kotkaniemi/Romanov/Caufield all need to become legitimate players this season. IMO their development should be main focus. Don't think Montreal is going to use much more cap this offseason.

 

[Habs Halifax]

KK - Bozak for a short period of time on the top-2 lines is infinitely better than KK-Evans. It might not make us an instant contender but it sure helps us mitigate potential damage caused by injuries.
Saying that the plan is just to "play the kids and have a tank year" before the regular season even started is ridiculous.

I don't hate Bozak but at age 35, I am not sure how much value you think you get from him at this stage. I rather stay put and go after a bigger fish.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Absolutely. And since it's the offseason, it seems a LITTLE premature to say that "well, if Suzuki gets injured the season goes down the toilet and we tank".

What kind of fan wants that.

I'm okay if they get high picks if they are legitimately a lottery team.

But at some point, a team has to stop aiming for the high picks and start winning games. No matter how good a draft is, you can't just keep looking at the draft. Because then you'll be stuck in a cycle.

In 2019, Habs ended up picking 15th. And it's not about having Caufield fall to their laps. It was more about that season, they fought to the very end for a playoff spot. And even though they missed out on them, it was worth it because the team was playing meaningful games.

 

[Rockomax]

We are not starting the season with this lineup are we?

I get the feeling that we actually are.