Player Discussion Shea Weber Part II

[jaffy27]

Yes, I agree that if Edmonton had done anything right other than drafting McDavid and Draisatl then they would be a better team !

I think that your point is that the Habs also need to do things other than drafting an elite talent in the top-5, and that's true as well.

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[BaseballCoach]

He’s the best overall two way “Defenseman” in the NHL imo and I’m not being a homer.

Is that you, Commander Babcock?

 

[Cobra Commander]

Is that you, Commander Babcock?

I’m being serious.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I’m being serious.

Good to hear. It's too bad we don't have six fewer good players so that we could hopefully get one good one next summer at the draft.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Good to hear. It's too bad we don't have six fewer good players so that we could hopefully get a good one next summer at the draft.

I’m not down with tanking. I want to win. I believe we can win a cup if we move around the right pieces and make the right trades.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I’m not down with tanking. I want to win. I believe we can win a cup if we move around the right pieces and make the right trades.

It will take some work and some smarts and a little luck. Just like any other team. But we have a lot of young players, so I'm interested to see how much they can succeed (bad word, I know).

 

[Walrus26]

How could his breakouts be clean? I was told he has no skill other than banging some pucks and looking mean.

Now I realize some of the most rabid anti-previous-player fanatics oversold Weber's attributes, but he is still a very good defenceman who right now is tilting the ice in favour of the team. Let's hope he can keep it up for the rest of the year and a few more, even if he is not top-5 for the Norris anymore.

Can I just clarify that the Norris running you're referring to isn't the poll for the Chuck Norris trophy? Weber has that one sewn up.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Ottawa's biggest problem is their owner. Karlsson was probably never destined to remain there, even if their roster had avoided all that bad karma.

still, took em two years to go from "promising young team" to "hot garbage", shows it doesnt take much to take a dive.

 

[ECWHSWI]

He’s the best overall two way “Defenseman” in the NHL imo and I’m not being a homer.

so, he's the best D in the league then ?

 

[Cobra Commander]

so, he's the best D in the league then ?

He’s the best Defender, has the best slap shot, and best stare down.

 

[DangerDave]

Good to hear. It's too bad we don't have six fewer good players so that we could hopefully get a good one next summer at the draft.

We don't need to finish last to get a good draft pick. Just need to scout well and get lucky. Habs will have a lot of cap space to work with so maybe we can get something done in the free agency market.

 

[ECWHSWI]

We don't need to finish last to get a good draft pick. Just need to scout well and get lucky. Habs will have a lot of cap space to work with so maybe we can get something done in the free agency market.

we've been counting on luck the last 6 years. Did not work.

 

[FloJack]

“What a horse and what a shot”

 

[japhi]

He has three goals this year; a rocket off the back foot, which is a very difficult shot to make, a break away top shelf, and that bomb today that watching live was hard to see. Basically three highlight reel goals. At what point can we aknowledge that he is an offensive force?

If this team continues to play up tempo and scores in bunches this will be the most offensive team he’s played with, I think .75 ppg is realistic. Playing with a plug like Kulak.

And still the best 25 minute defender in the league.

So the question is if you are a top 5 defensive dman and a top 15 offensive dman where does that put you overall? Has to be top 10 IMO.

 

[admiralcadillac]

so, he's the best D in the league then ?

It doesn't appear any of the typical suite of Hedman, Doughty, Karlsson, Keith, Subban, Pietrangelo, Ekblad are taking the reigns this year

 

[Cobra Commander]

Can I just clarify that the Norris running you're referring to isn't the poll for the Chuck Norris trophy? Weber has that one sewn up.

 

[Walrus26]

Sorry Chuck, Shea beats you down on facial hair and Eye Of The Tiger ;-)

 

[Cobra Commander]

Sorry Chuck, Shea beats you down on facial hair and Eye Of The Tiger ;-)

Chuck has a very manly moustache though, you gotta give him that.

 

[japhi]

Kulak is horrible. Amazing they have a stud playing with an AHL second pair guy.

 

[Kriss E]

I agree with you we are a bubble team, which is better than I thought three months ago, but I am humble enough to recognize it is possible I am still wrong to some degree.

It's possible that Matthews or Kucherov or Ovechkin get snakebit against us, but if they even get to the point where they make the playoffs before they win a round, it means the team is better than you or I think right now. I bet you think that from here to the end of the season, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto and Tampa Bay are all ahead of us, and that there will be at least four teams from the Atlantic that beat us out. So if you (and I) are wrong about that, then the players might be better than we think.

Why should we be shocked? It's not that crazy. Drouin was a #3 pick, and I bet if he works out you will say "you see, elite talent comes at the top....". Well, we have him. Domi was a #12 pick who dominated his peers at the WJC and could have gone higher if not for his size and diabetes. And it took a former #3 to get him. Kotkaniemi is a #3 as well. Price was a #5, and Weber is an 8 time top-10 Norris candidate. Also within the leadership group, the feisty Gallagher is on pace to be a 30 goal scorer for the second straight year, and Byron is on pace to score 20 for the third straight time. Tatar looks like a 25/50 player and is only 28. Juulsen, Danault and Armia were also first rounders and not slugs. Petry, Lehkonen and Tatar were second rounders.

The roster is not as bad as we thought this past summer, and it may be better than we even think now. The weakest link, the defence, has been transformed with the return of Weber, giving us 45-48 minutes per game with either him or Petry on the ice.

Whatever happens this season, so long as they don't sacrifice futures for a mirage, the team should get better if managed properly. They just need to avoid the blunders the Sens made, and even then the biggest problem might have been a career altering injury to their super-elite player.

The roster is better. I expected Domi to be a 15-20g / 50pt player..Tatar to be more of a cap dump than anything, and Drouin to continue his inconsistent 50pt play. Those three have stepped up their games and are the main reason we improved.
But again, despite this and everything you like to list....Habs are still just a bubble team. Are we going to be wrong about that like we were before the season? Maybe, sure, but evidence doesn't point in that direction.
If it weren't for that hot streak in Oct..Habs would be battling with Detroit and Ottawa for the 12th spot.

So again, making it to the 2nd round could mean a bunch of things. It doesn't necessarily mean that this team is on the right path, on its way up for the following years.

 

[Kriss E]

I would too. But why would St Louis give up a 3/4OA pick who would likely start the season and become a future star? 2019 has excellent talent on top -- no team is giving up a player who projects to be that good. Weber would help them a lot, but a young potential star would help them even more, for much longer, and without the cap hit. I doubt any GM would lose a player like that for a win-now vet like Weber.

I mean, if we're really that bad we'll end up picking in the top-5 the old fashioned way -- by sucking. But we don't appear to be that bad, nor is trading Weber likely to make us bad enough to sink that low. Realistically, I'd rather aim for a target we could hit. That's why I'm focusing on the 6-10 range. Trading Weber plus our 1st might be worth it for a team that's already loaded with prospects and needs success. Philly, Edmonton, NJ, Arizona, Carolina -- those teams and a few more have suffered long enough; their GMs might be looking for established roster help for a playoff push.

I assume you meant Buffalo?..Why would they move the Stl's pick? Because it would give them Weber, who'd be a perfect addition for them, not only would he improve their D, but he'd be terrific on Dahlin's right side.
We could also target the Avs who have Ottawa's 1st I believe.
I think those guys could be willing to part with those picks.

 

[Kriss E]

I’m not down with tanking. I want to win. I believe we can win a cup if we move around the right pieces and make the right trades.

I mean...ya...isn't that what every team says?
You essentially just said we can win a cup if we build the team properly. Great.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I mean...ya...isn't that what every team says?
You essentially just said we can win a cup if we build the team properly. Great.

Even if the GM gets a high pick, he STILL has to build the team properly.

I think the real problem is that most of us don't trust the GM to make the right moves, but he is going to have to make the right moves even if he lucks out with a top-5 pick.

 

[japhi]

I’m a huge Weber fan but would move him in a heartbeat for a top 5 pick. Sabres or Avs with Weber are Cup faves.

 

[Cobra Commander]

I mean...ya...isn't that what every team says?
You essentially just said we can win a cup if we build the team properly. Great.

We need to add 1 very solid LD and 1 top 6 forward, that’s it. We can go ahead and start trying to win cups.