Out of Town Thread Part XXIV

[Miller Time]

You're a bigger fan of Simmonds than I am, but even without him I agree that NJ had a fantastic summer. They didn't lose a roster player or even a 1st-round pick and somehow ended up adding Subban and Gusev. They probably even have enough cap space next year to sign Hall and Hischier. Impressive. But the biggest difference this season, by far, will be a healthy Hall and Schneider. With a little luck, Devils could leapfrog past Carolina, Columbus, NYI and finish top-3 in the Metro division.

And I'm calling Florida to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic. It's going to be an entertaining season.

I'm a "fan" of good bets.
Simmonds, who is 30-31 and has only had 1 bad season in recent years, is a great bet on a 1-year deal for a team with need & cap space.

Would've been a perfect signing for us given our roster & cap situation...

But yeah, agree that top-3 is a realistic possibility for the devils with the upgrades they've made, hinging on their best player being their best player & getting good goaltending (kinda true for any good team though, isn't it?).

 

[angusyoung]

The setup really is perfect for the Habs to get a shot at Lafreniere with the draft in Montreal. The East is a monster and Habs had everything go right last year, I'm hoping to see decent progress from our youngsters and ideally a high pick in 2020.

I'm not thrilled that Marc has carte blanche to lead the rebuild (again) but I tend to not get mad at things I have no control over. Hopefully are highly touted propsects pan out and we keep adding skill.

How did everything go right last year with the Habs? Weber out,Price in the moon,PP sucked,Drouin cutting out early,etc

 

[CauZuki]

Unless Price goes down for an extended period, will be very hard for us to end up with a good lottery shot at #1.

Like last year, we're in that awful spot of being just mediocre...

Need a lot to go just right to squeeze into the PO's, or a lot to go just wrong to be a bottom-3 team.

MB is a master of mediocrity.

I would normally agree but we are not even top 5 in our own division and a lot of teams significantly improved. If any of Habs important players falls to injury it will have a severe impact on our outcome especially when you consider that everybody has to have a career year again just to finish out of a playoff spot.

If Habs can finish 11/12th we can have a legit chance at a top 2 pick.

 

[Kriss E]

Some will say that in NO WAY couldu you compare that to what we have now...by either not being here when it happened or having selective memory. I choose a mix of both.

Mind you, I do think we have a good one. BUt people who put the names of Fondstad, Olofsson, McShane, Evans, Hillis with the Romanov's, Brook and Kotkaniemi will have a hard awakening....Time will tell. But not everybody will make it. And that huge prospect pool of ours will be reduced to what, I hope, will be REAL top guns this time around. That's what we need. Not a huge one. A Productive one.

Kotka is by far our best prospect and he's not even a shoe in to be a top legit liner. So forget the rest, they like top out at top 6F and top 4D.

 

[Gustave]

The Sens are absolutely pathetic. They take shit contracts.... and get nothing in return. WTF

 

[angusyoung]

Habs need a Josh Anderson type winger and a LD, don't really care about Gusev.

Gusev is a big gamble,and we know MB does not do that. Anderson would be what the doctor ordered but few and far between to get one. Habs have big Mac, but is he,can he get to the next level? Play RW not center and plop him in front of the net on PP. On a regular line gonna need 2 guys that can skate like the wind to cover for him,unless he has turned it up a notch.

 

[417]

So if I understand correctly, Ottawa's job in the NHL is to help others, preferably their immediate competitors, to improve their salary cap issues. Good job Sens...lol

Pretty clear what the Sens did here and it's also clear what everyone of their trades involves...

Saving or putting more money in their broke owner's pockets.

Callahan will never play for the Sens or in the NHL again, he's going on LTIR...insurance will cover his salary (which is the key for Melnyk here), meanwhile his cap hit helps them reach the cap floor without having to spend any REAL salary dollars.

All while Melnyk and the Sens rid themselves Condon's actual salary that they were paying.

What a joke of an an owner

 

[417]

So much for all the "Tampa will be in cap hell this offseason". Hate to say I told you, but I did tell you they would be fine.

Best part is that they still have tradeable assets in Johnson, Palat and Killorn to clear further salary.

I said this years ago...but "cap hell" is a myth created by fans/media.

There's no such thing, there are always ways for teams/owners to bail themselves out.

 

[CDN24]

Why? I'd rather gamble on Gusev instead of playing a bunch of 3rd/4th liners with Kotkaniemi.

I wouldn't mind gambling a 2nd round pick and a 3rd on him. 2 years at 4.5 I would balk at though and i'm sure a lot of other teams did to which is why Vegas got so little for him.

Points in KHL don't always translate. In 2016-17 he played with Kovalchuk in KHL. Kovalchuk led the team with 78 pts, Shipachyov had 76 and Gusev had 71. Kovalchuk put up 34 pts in his return to NHL last year, Shipachyov did not work out or did not get a chance but Kovalchuck makes a good comparable. Would you risk 2 yr 4.5M on a guy likely to be a 35 point guy? Lehkonen can do that for $2.4M a year and play great defensive hockey.

 

[angusyoung]

I don't understand how we pass up on a Dman of Subban's caliber. I just don't get it. When we had the space and defense is a huge hole...it doesn't make the slightest sense. It's not like we're Toronto, completely strapped for cash and still need to sign a top forward..
But..ya...ego.

A side from no open spots to speak of unless moving 1 out, not the player that he was and sure MB et all don't care for the whole package that comes with.

 

[Runner77]

So much for all the "Tampa will be in cap hell this offseason". Hate to say I told you, but I did tell you they would be fine.

Best part is that they still have tradeable assets in Johnson, Palat and Killorn to clear further salary.

Team X will be in cap hell has to be the biggest fan-driven drivel on hockey sites. Teams usually find a way out.

Edit: just noticed 417 with a similar comment. Good point, dude!

 

[417]

The Sens are absolutely pathetic. They take **** contracts.... and get nothing in return. WTF

The owner gets more money in his pocket...which is goal #1 in any/every deal they make.

 

[CauZuki]

How did everything go right last year with the Habs? Weber out,Price in the moon,PP sucked,Drouin cutting out early,etc

Weber being out didn't have as huge of an impact , as Habs had relative success with him out and the rest of the teams still in offseason mode.
There is no indication that Carey Price will maintain elite numbers as he gets older , goalies like Lundqvist did fine in their later years but certainly not at the levels seen in their prime. (though I do still believe in Price's talent , I just don't think it's smart to pay him 10.5M until he is 38 but that's just me and another subject all together)

The following players had their best season statistically speaking:

Tomas Tatar
Brendan Gallagher
Max Domi
Philippe Danault
Jeff Petry
Andrew Shaw (no longer on the team)
Jamie Benn (no longer on the team)

Drouin was also having a career year until he hit his slump as well as Byron until he got injured. The momentum from everybody playing out of their minds and feasting on teams not yet awake (Stanley cup winner was a lottery team at this point) lead us to finishing 9th in our conference. The East is a lot more competitive , teams that have better prospects then us are maturing and getting better , Florida/New Jersey/Rangers are teams that have become a lot stronger just over the last summer.

The way I see it playing out:

- Atlantic:

Tampa
Toronto
Boston
Florida
Montreal/Buffalo
Detroit
Ottawa

- Metro:

Carolina
Washington
Islanders
New Jersey
Penguins/Flyers
Rangers/Columbus

Florida/Montreal/Buffalo/New Jersey/Penguins/Flyers/Rangers all fighting for the 7th and 8th spots, doesn't bode well for us...(That's a good thing we need more elite pieces)

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

How did everything go right last year with the Habs? Weber out,Price in the moon,PP sucked,Drouin cutting out early,etc

what does Price in the moon mean?

 

[417]

Team X will be in cap hell has to be the biggest fan-driven drivel on hockey sites. Teams usually find a way out.

Edit: just noticed 417 with a similar comment. Good point, dude!

I argued this vehemently for years...there's no such thing as "cap hell".

Owners made sure to design carefully plotted "out clauses" in contracts to avoid this.

They would never sign a CBA where they're backed against a wall...never.

 

[BLONG7]

There are owners and GM's out there who know what they are doing.................not in Montreal, but alot of other teams know how to run their clubs, to get out of trouble, or create a contender....

In Montreal, these days none of that seems to matter, as long as the $$$ rolls in, who cares. Actions...........speak way louder than words. We have people who don't care...it's just that simple, they may say different, but they do nothing about it, so..................

 

[417]

Subban maybe be a lot about Subban, so what? He still does more on the ice than Habs all of 6 D combined.

Stop

Yes he is not a strong silent type like Shea Weber and his beard. He is just a type. A very good hockey player type that can move the puck... the type that Habs really need since they decided that Subban is not their type.

Not really a puck mover - more of a puck transporter.

Which are 2 entirely different things.

 

[417]

I don't understand how we pass up on a Dman of Subban's caliber. I just don't get it. When we had the space and defense is a huge hole...it doesn't make the slightest sense. It's not like we're Toronto, completely strapped for cash and still need to sign a top forward..
But..ya...ego.

Come on bro...you really don't understand how we didn't trade for Subban?

lol I mean....

 

[Lshap]

I'm a "fan" of good bets.
Simmonds, who is 30-31 and has only had 1 bad season in recent years, is a great bet on a 1-year deal for a team with need & cap space.

Would've been a perfect signing for us given our roster & cap situation...

But yeah, agree that top-3 is a realistic possibility for the devils with the upgrades they've made, hinging on their best player being their best player & getting good goaltending (kinda true for any good team though, isn't it?).

Both Simmonds and Subban looked like damaged goods last season. I have less faith in Simmonds recovering, but who knows? Impossible for us to guess how much was due to temporary injury and how much was permanent decline/wear & tear. For what it's worth, New Jersey's medical and scouting experts seem to agree with you on Simmonds, since they determined he was worth $5M. On the other hand, they determined Subban's value was lower, and Nashville obviously agreed. If both players were assessed correctly, Simmonds has a better chance for a comeback than Subban.

 

[Gustave]

The owner gets more money in his pocket...which is goal #1 in any/every deal they make.

Well, that much is obvious.

It’s a dumping ground of terrible contracts and as close to the rules I can remember.... without adding assets like the Yotes did. They are just content to save $, not even trying to get picks or prospects wow

 

[417]

You're a bigger fan of Simmonds than I am, but even without him I agree that NJ had a fantastic summer. They didn't lose a roster player or even a 1st-round pick and somehow ended up adding Subban and Gusev. They probably even have enough cap space next year to sign Hall and Hischier. Impressive. But the biggest difference this season, by far, will be a healthy Hall and Schneider. With a little luck, Devils could leapfrog past Carolina, Columbus, NYI and finish top-3 in the Metro division.

And I'm calling Florida to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic. It's going to be an entertaining season.

We'll see how things play out out for the Devils, i'm not as convinced as most. I still see them as a bubble team.

But one thing i'll give Shero credit for is that he's bold.

He wanted to make moves to really affect the dynamic of the Devils and he's done several moves to support that goal. He didn't wait for perfect deals to materialize, he provoked them.

Though I suppose, being bad enough to end up with #1 picks 2 out of the last 3 years and also picking in the top 12 5 times in the last 5 years helps.

 

[Le Tricolore]

The Sens are absolutely pathetic. They take **** contracts.... and get nothing in return. WTF

They're such a pathetic franchise. I love it.

I wonder what they'll give us for Alzner next year.

 

[417]

They're such a pathetic franchise. I love it.

I wonder what they'll give us for Alzner next year.

Probably Chabot if Molson fronts him some cash for a Presto Pass

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

They're such a pathetic franchise. I love it.

I wonder what they'll give us for Alzner next year.

I mentioned it before but after Alzner's $1.5M signing bonus next July, he's only owed $5M total over the last two years of his contract, guarantee Melnyk would love to only pay $5M while having a cap hit of $9.25M.

 

[habsfan891]

This forum is going to crash when that happens.

The forum would never work again if MB gets an extension the servers will permanently crash.