Prediction for this year - Playoffs or no Playoffs?

[McGuires Corndog]

I can’t help but feel like we will regress, the only way we don’t is if KK makes a huge step forward and RP/Suzuki make the team and have a good impact.

Most of the teams around us in the East got better this summer, the only way we can get better is by our prospects making the team and having impactful seasons.

I voted bottom feeder, but that’s only because I feel like we’ll finish bottom 5 in the east and thus not a bubble team. We were relatively healthy last year, you get an injury to Carey Price and it’s absolutely game over.

 

[LaP]

We finished with 96pts last year despite CP not doing well before december and Weber out in the first 2 months

I say we go over 100pts, should make the playoffs with that

We where 14th in the league when Weber returned and finished 14th in the league at the end of the season. Why are you so confident we will be in with Weber?

 

[Pickles]

It all boils down to the fact that he didn't improve the team enough to make the playoffs. I just hope prospects aren't rushed to fill holes Bergevin failed to fill during the summer.

 

[cphabs]

The only thing wrong with Carey Price was the AHL D in front of him. Weber came back and like magic his numbers took a huge bounce.

I posted a bunch of highlight clips in games where we got smoked. Watch Price's play and the goals scored on him. Our D was atrocious. We were good at limiting shots but 29th in the league in letting shots in close before Weber came back. That's going to kill any goalie's numbers. On most nights where Benn was on the first pairing it looked like he was playing for the other side.

And sadly... we've done nothing to improve the D group. It's the same old story and if Petry or Weber go down we're going to get absolutely smoked again because we've got ZERO depth on the back end.

The problem with Price? There is NO replacement for him as our franchise player. A team can mitigate the loss of franchise skaters because there are more players that can play the position, with some success.
A world class goaltender? With little supporting cast? Sounds like an easy nut to crack...

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The problem with Price? There is NO replacement for him as our franchise player. A team can mitigate the loss of franchise skaters because there are more players that can play the position, with some success.
A world class goaltender? With little supporting cast? Sounds like an easy nut to crack...

I think Kotkaniemi is our future franchise player. I see him as a Kopitar type. He wont' win a scoring title but he'll be a strong two way player.

 

[cphabs]

I think Kotkaniemi is our future franchise player. I see him as a Kopitar type. He wont' win a scoring title but he'll be a strong two way player.

He’s already better defensively than Kopitar at f***ing 18 years old. Me? I’d start developing him as an offensive center.

 

[OldCraig71]

Play the kids, who cares how we finish? Certainly not me.

 

[Mudz]

We where 14th in the league when Weber returned and finished 14th in the league at the end of the season. Why are you so confident we will be in with Weber?

Because 14th in a league where 16 teams makes the playoff should mathematically get you in. Usually.
You just solved the puzzle. Congrats

Honestly, I have no clue. The safe bet is barely missing the playoffs, since as of today the team didn't get any better.

But from experience I know that things never work out as expected. Watch Chiarot and Cousins become surprise hits, and Poehling emerge as a solid 3C. Or watch a couple of key injuries and slow development sink the team to the bottom. Neither scenario will shock me.

But that's the textbook answer

 

[PaulD]

The problem with Price? There is NO replacement for him as our franchise player. A team can mitigate the loss of franchise skaters because there are more players that can play the position, with some success.
A world class goaltender? With little supporting cast? Sounds like an easy nut to crack...

Habs two oldest players are also their most valuable players. The team has sucked for awhile sure........but they will get even worse.

Having Marc Bergevin as GM should have ensured a multitude of primo lottery picks.

Having Carey Price as goaltender prevented that.

Damn.

 

[NobleSix]

Bubble team. A few points worse than last year, but not terrible enough to be a bottom feeder.

 

[LaP]

Because 14th in a league where 16 teams makes the playoff should mathematically get you in. Usually.
You just solved the puzzle. Congrats



But that's the textbook answer

Mathematically? There's no mathematics there. Right now the east looks stronger than the west. 96 might not be enough in the east again this year. Nothing indicate it will be any different.

 

[TrapGod Jr]

By january 1st, we'll be bottom-10, by the TDL nearly bottom-5, some veterans will be traded, prospects will get playing time, and we'll get a needed superstar prospect in 2020.

I agree with you but I would say we get a pick from 5 to 15th. Molson said we’re looking at 3 to 8 years. Plus with the draft in Montreal. Price doesn’t seem to be on the same page and I don’t blame him. Total rebuild not retool. He should do like NY and trade Petry for another high 1st rnd pick. But no he's a clown missing the window.

 

[L4br3cqu3]

Habs two oldest players are also their most valuable players. The team has sucked for awhile sure........but they will get even worse.

Having Marc Bergevin as GM should have ensured a multitude of primo lottery picks.

Having Carey Price as goaltender prevented that.

Damn.

Thompson isn't that valuable...

 

[Le Tricolore]

Habs go 82-0, followed by 16-0.

 

[GordonGraham]

Team is pretty much the same, not everyone will have another career year, finishing 10-11 make sense to me and hopefully with 4/5 years out of the playoffs this will mean bye bye to Julien and Bergevin

 

[Scintillating10]

Team has the skill for deep playoff run but such high risk of injury involving Price or Weber. If we lose either of those 2 long term - doubtful we will make it.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Atlantic Division: X = playoffs
Lightning_X
Bruins_X
Leafs_X
Panthers_X
Canadiens
Sabres
Red Wings
Senators

Metropolitan Division: X = playoffs
Islanders_X
Capitols_X
Devils_X
Rangers_X
Penguins
Hurricanes
Flyers
------------------------------------
As per above, the Lightning, Bruins and Leafs are shoo-ins. The Islanders, Capitols and Devils have more talent than the Habs. The only uncertainty is whether even with Panarin and Kaapo, can the Rangers edge out the Habs for the 8th playoff berth?

Due to the hiring of Coach Q, the signing of Goalie Bob, and the further development of Huberdeau and Barkov, the Panthers should finish ahead of the Habs.

 

[26Mats]

The fight for 15th!

Hey as long as we get another Caufield...

 

[Kriss E]

He’s already better defensively than Kopitar at ****ing 18 years old. Me? I’d start developing him as an offensive center.

Pretty sure KK would get creamed if we used him as a #1 center.
I get it, we're fans and excited about this young kid, but let's not act like clueless Leafs homers.
KK was used in a very very sheltered role last season, nothing indicates he is remotely better defensively than Kopitar. Don't be ridiculous.

 

[Kriss E]

Team has the skill for deep playoff run but such high risk of injury involving Price or Weber. If we lose either of those 2 long term - doubtful we will make it.

Skill for a deep playoff run? Lol...what?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Skill for a deep playoff run? Lol...what?

Smallest winger set in the whole league, talent blackhole on the left side of the D, but yeah, dem's got da skillz, i guess.

 

[Rapala]

The only thing wrong with Carey Price was the AHL D in front of him. Weber came back and like magic his numbers took a huge bounce.

I posted a bunch of highlight clips in games where we got smoked. Watch Price's play and the goals scored on him. Our D was atrocious. We were good at limiting shots but 29th in the league in letting shots in close before Weber came back. That's going to kill any goalie's numbers. On most nights where Benn was on the first pairing it looked like he was playing for the other side.

And sadly... we've done nothing to improve the D group. It's the same old story and if Petry or Weber go down we're going to get absolutely smoked again because we've got ZERO depth on the back end.

He was hung out to dry and no doubt. The opposition OWNED our net front and Price saw more cross crease passes in that time frame than in a normal season. It was easy to blame him because we happened to be scoring a ton of goals at the same time. But the truth was recognized and discussed in every GDT and PGT. Not that there weren't the regular detractors.

 

[Rapala]

Smallest winger set in the whole league, talent blackhole on the left side of the D, but yeah, dem's got da skillz, i guess.

I get a kick hearing how we will improve as the season progresses, Something we've done perhaps once during Bergevin's tenure. It was the Vanek deal which gave the Lads a clear BUY signal that moved the needle that year. The depth has been lacking ever since and we just don't have the horses to compete. It's so obvious... at least to me.

 

[swimmer77]

Same as last year, if anything, worse. No improvement.

 

[Rapala]

We where 14th in the league when Weber returned and finished 14th in the league at the end of the season. Why are you so confident we will be in with Weber?

But our GAA did go down.