Respect to Montreal

[DannyGallivan]

One Canadian team was guaranteed a spot in the semifinals though. It's impressive that they beat Vegas, but in the end that's also all they did. In the finals they were without a chance, Tampa would have won the series ten times out of ten.

The Montreal city fathers are probably breathing a sigh of relief that the Habs didn't win. Imagine the carnage and property damage in Montreal if they did win.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Hard working group there. They didn't deserve to be in the finals, but they earned it.

...and the Lightening earned the win, except for the fact that they didn't deserve it.

 

[voldar]

nope. he's probably right in the sense it will be tough for us to make the playoffs. citing a lucky streak we had this year has no bearing on objectively viewing our chances going forward. i mean, unless you're a homer lol

You mean a 2019 repeat, when the Habs with 96 points didn't make the playoffs while three teams from the West made them with 93 (Stars and Vegas) and 90 points (Avalanche) ? And they say "playofss are the best 16 teams". My ass they are !

 

[57special]

Time for Montreal to go all in. You were 3 wins away from winning it all. Use up some of the pile of draft picks to pick up a playoff warrior and some offensive depth. You need more than one good line.

That would be the worst thing for them to do. The stars aligned for them this year, but if this series has shown anything, it's that MTL has some good young players that will need patience and one or two more younger supporting players, especially on D. Rushing things will mess them up.

 

[haseoke39]

That would be the worst thing for them to do. The stars aligned for them this year, but if this series has shown anything, it's that MTL has some good young players that will need patience and one or two more younger supporting players, especially on D. Rushing things will mess them up.

I mean, you have maybe 2 years left tops before Price, Weber, Petry, Gallagher, etc. are past it.

If you don't grab that window, I don't think Suzuki and Caulfield are somehow going to carry the team to contention status on their own. The kids were the seasoning on a veteran dish. You either give it another go without your veteran core now or you start looking at how to build a new core.

I don't think it's likely they get back to the Finals either way, but since we have to choose, I'd put 10x more trust in Price and Weber to do it than Suzuki and Caulfield.

 

[57special]

I mean, you have maybe 2 years left tops before Price, Weber, Petry, Gallagher, etc. are past it.

If you don't grab that window, I don't think Suzuki and Caulfield are somehow going to carry the team to contention status on their own. The kids were the seasoning on a veteran dish. You either give it another go without your veteran core now and you start looking at how to build a new core.

I don't think it's likely they get back to the Finals either way, but since we have to choose, I'd put 10x more trust in Price and Weber to do it than Suzuki and Caulfield.

IMO, Weber is already past it. He was an absolute beast when he was younger.
Price aside, I thought Suzuki was clearly the best player on the Canadians.

 

[haseoke39]

IMO, Weber is already past it. He was an absolute beast when he was younger.
Price aside, I thought Suzuki was clearly the best player on the Canadians.

Maybe, but you'll find no one saying the Canadiens made the finals on the strength of their scoring. Suzuki can lead a team into the playoffs. Suzuki can't carry a team to the Finals.

You want to build a contender 5 years from now, it'll be a completely different formula with 75% different players. Anybody can do that. Buffalo can take that approach.

 

[jfhabs]

IMO, Weber is already past it. He was an absolute beast when he was younger.
Price aside, I thought Suzuki was clearly the best player on the Canadians.

Weber was playing injured. He's not the number 1 D he once was, but he was very good in these playoffs. FYI I'm not his biggest fan either, he had a very rough regular season.

 

[jfhabs]

I mean, you have maybe 2 years left tops before Price, Weber, Petry, Gallagher, etc. are past it.

If you don't grab that window, I don't think Suzuki and Caulfield are somehow going to carry the team to contention status on their own. The kids were the seasoning on a veteran dish. You either give it another go without your veteran core now or you start looking at how to build a new core.

I don't think it's likely they get back to the Finals either way, but since we have to choose, I'd put 10x more trust in Price and Weber to do it than Suzuki and Caulfield.

Maybe 2 years with these guys but it's not like our prospect pool is depleted. We'll have new blood coming in as well. So many good prospects on defense we just need one or two to really pan out. With Romanov, Guhle, Harris, Norlinder, Brook, Fleury, Struble we should be ok for 2 maybe 3 capable dman.

 

[haseoke39]

Maybe 2 years with these guys but it's not like our prospect pool is depleted. We'll have new blood coming in as well. So many good prospects on defense we just need one or two to really pan out. With Romanov, Guhle, Harris, Norlinder, Brook, Fleury, Struble we should be ok for 2 maybe 3 capable dman.

That's fine, but it's the same gamble 20 or so other teams can take. Maybe that's our best path forward, but it's a pretty big continuity break after this run.

 

[ottawa]

I mean, you have maybe 2 years left tops before Price, Weber, Petry, Gallagher, etc. are past it.

If you don't grab that window, I don't think Suzuki and Caulfield are somehow going to carry the team to contention status on their own. The kids were the seasoning on a veteran dish. You either give it another go without your veteran core now or you start looking at how to build a new core.

I don't think it's likely they get back to the Finals either way, but since we have to choose, I'd put 10x more trust in Price and Weber to do it than Suzuki and Caulfield.

If this playoffs have shown anything it's that Weber and Price have easily ~5 years left in them. Petry is 31 and doesn't play a physical game, he'll be more than fine as well.