Speculation: So ... What's Next?

[Zorba]

Continue with the youth. Ride Suzuki,KK,CC and Romanov next season. Continue to draft well and maybe add to the talent pool next year with a top draft. We're getting there. Just need to not rush it and think we're all in now.

Ride KK? Why do you add him in with suzuki and Caufield? Surely it’s just age. He’s no where near as talented as them. Anderson is a better player

 

[Zorba]

I like our forward group.

KK, Suzuki, Caufield, toffoli, Anderson, evans, lehknonen, Gallagher, danault, perry.

the issue is d and not the points. They struggled to move the puck quickly out of our end. It was bad. The points come with puck movement, we chip it out and hope for a miracle. Zero threat.

Edmundson is a great number 4.

Our forward groups is average. Still no number one centre. Suzuki is good. He’s not a number one
Kk is a long way away. Danualt is a black hole
We’re weak down the middle. This playoff run was nice but it was a mirage. The habs are an average team

 

[Gravity]

Ride KK? Why do you add him in with suzuki and Caufield? Surely it’s just age. He’s no where near as talented as them. Anderson is a better player

I'm not going to get into this with you. I see Suzuki-KK as the 1-2 punch in the future and he needs to be played.

 

[Nedved]

Our forward groups is average. Still no number one centre. Suzuki is good. He’s not a number one
Kk is a long way away. Danualt is a black hole
We’re weak down the middle. This playoff run was nice but it was a mirage. The habs are an average team

I think our d is the biggest problem. Every team we played had a better defensive lineup and it only got better each round.

 

[Zorba]

I think our d is the biggest problem. Every team we played had a better defensive lineup and it only got better each round.

The leafs and jets didn’t have better d. That’s laughable.

 

[Zorba]

I'm not going to get into this with you. I see Suzuki-KK as the 1-2 punch in the future and he needs to be played.

Ok. We will give kk three more years. No problem and I don’t think kk will be a number 2

 

[Deebs]

I think our d is the biggest problem. Every team we played had a better defensive lineup and it only got better each round.

Toronto and Winnipeg didn't for sure.

 

[Nedved]

Toronto and Winnipeg didn't for sure.

I would say it’s close but price hides a lot of problems.

The leafs and jets didn’t have better d. That’s laughable.

not laughable. Probably debatable. If we had a prime Weber maybe, but honestly our 5/6 guys played 5 minutes a night of sheltered time and still made mistakes.

no other team has that problem.

 

[Zorba]

I would say it’s close but price hides a lot of problems.



not laughable. Probably debatable. If we had a prime Weber maybe, but honestly our 5/6 guys played 5 minutes a night of sheltered time and still made mistakes.

no other team has that problem.

We need help on d. There’s no doubt. But we need help at C. Danualt and KK are basically 3rd line players. This run was fun and exciting but this team has huge holes

 

[Banjo Cat]

I think our d is the biggest problem. Every team we played had a better defensive lineup and it only got better each round.

Our D was pretty one dimensional. All big, lumbering physical guys. They did a great job through the playoffs, no doubt. But we need a couple fast, offensive D.

 

[Lolonegoal]

New GM, new coaches, rebuild.

No team gets rid of their GM and coaches and rebuilds after reaching the finals.

That's more of a pipe dream then us getting to the finals was at the beginning of the season.

 

[Nedved]

We need help on d. There’s no doubt. But we need help at C. Danualt and KK are basically 3rd line players. This run was fun and exciting but this team has huge holes

For sure. They can be better. I would even throw evans in the same category. I like the habs direction up front. Kk isn’t consistent enough and danault doesn’t have the offense but there’s talent. We could have Brayden point but the big difference is hedman and mcdonagh. Wish we just had 1 of them.

I was t impressed by sergachev.

 

[Zorba]

Our D was pretty one dimensional. All big, lumbering physical guys. They did a great job through the playoffs, no doubt. But we need a couple fast, offensive D.

Who’s available? Only Jones cuz he wants out. Teams don’t trade those types of players. How nice would Quinn Hughes have looked in a Habs jersey.

 

[Beaker]

Sign a star player.


and have Price magically return for game 1 of next year’s playoffs after a devastating season ending injury

 

[Nedved]

Sign a star player.


and have Price magically return for game 1 of next year’s playoffs after a devastating season ending injury

Lol. It would be funny if this became a trend in the nhl.

 

[JianYang]

Sign a star player.


and have Price magically return for game 1 of next year’s playoffs after a devastating season ending injury

Lol, I was thinking the same for Gallagher. Having him with one hand to start the playoffs didn't help.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

Our D was pretty one dimensional. All big, lumbering physical guys. They did a great job through the playoffs, no doubt. But we need a couple fast, offensive D.

Petry is usually that guy but his hand was mangled early on :/ need another defenseman with that skillset though, I agree

 

[Daniels45]

If I'm being truly honest and objective, even it hurts, we need to go towards a younger roster. Get rid of the players taking way too much cap space even if they are good players. Better to trade them while they have value then keeping them on a team that's unable to improve due to the cap.

So that means Price and webber. Yes these are excellent players but we have seen in the past these players even at their best are not good enough by themselves to push the team to reach the ultimate echelon.

I think Price has several more good years in front of him...Weber unless he retires, which is a possibility, can still be good enough to help a team that's close to a SC....I think Bergevin can get excellent picks for both.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Our primary targets this off season should be, Hamilton or Martinez. Either address a key weakness which is our inability to move the puck well from the backend. Obviously, Martinez is the less "sexy" pick but I think we could entice him with term. Hamilton is one of the few players I basically drive a dump truck full of money and ask how many years he wants.

I would also consider Barrie. Yes, I know he's a defensive blackhole but he can move the puck extremely well and generates offense. We have the players to cover his weaknesses. That said, I wouldn't overpaid him whatsoever. So if he's looking for the cash in option, he can find somewhere else.

 

[WatchfulElm]

Neutral fan I do not have a team just love the game. I'm stunned at reading some of the posts of a rebuild here and other places on HF....you guys were 3 wins away from winning it all people! Here is one persons take:

• Send Drouin to Seattle you do not need him....even it if it costs a late pick
• Your young guys are on entry deals so add one or two playoff warrior vets on short deals before the young guns contracts come up...and bring Perry back
• Build some quality offensive depth even if it means spending a few draft picks....Tampa gave away a lot of picks and prospects to win in twice and you have plenty of picks to get a good player on cheap deals or with retention

With Drouin gone you would have 20 mill over the cap to spend, Weber and Price are playing insanely good, and your team has the experience now. Basically have some continuity, add a few pieces, and take another run at it.

Great post.

Sadly, I think the same guy posting 20 messages about rebuilding and firing everybody might give you a wrong impression about this fanbase.

This was a great run. And with a few tweaks here and there, we can make another one next year.

 

[Archijerej]

So that means Price and webber. Yes these are excellent players but we have seen in the past these players even at their best are not good enough by themselves to push the team to reach the ultimate echelon.

When you face a team like Tampa there is only a miniscule chance that a core built through tanking would fare better than Price/Weber.

Hardly a justification for tearing the team down.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

If I'm being truly honest and objective, even it hurts, we need to go towards a younger roster. Get rid of the players taking way too much cap space even if they are good players. Better to trade them while they have value then keeping them on a team that's unable to improve due to the cap.

So that means Price and webber. Yes these are excellent players but we have seen in the past these players even at their best are not good enough by themselves to push the team to reach the ultimate echelon.

There really isn't a point discussing this though because it will never happen. Molson wouldn't even allow Bergevin to trade Price or Weber even if he actually considered it. Which we all know he won't. You also don't want to just throw kids in the lineup and hope for the best. Romanev stands a much better chance developing into a solid 2-3 defensemen learning from Weber than if we just slot him on the second unit and hope for the best.

 

[koivu2k1]

Would love if Bergevin could get Coleman and Goodrow instead of Drouin and Tatar

 

[JianYang]

Great post.

Sadly, I think the same guy posting 20 messages about rebuilding and firing everybody might give you a wrong impression about this fanbase.

This was a great run. And with a few tweaks here and there, we can make another one next year.

I like the team for the playoff makeup for the most part, but it's punching your ticket to the dance that concerns me.

That division is going to be hell next year, and I do feel like their build right now is more about getting through the playoffs, but you have to get through the regular season first, for which I don't think they are built quite as well for.

 

[Daniels45]

There really isn't a point discussing this though because it will never happen. Molson wouldn't even allow Bergevin to trade Price or Weber even if he actually considered it. Which we all know he won't. You also don't want to just throw kids in the lineup and hope for the best. Romanev stands a much better chance developing into a solid 2-3 defensemen learning from Weber than if we just slot him on the second unit and hope for the best.

I understand that but you need to trade when players still have value if you want good talented players in return.

Also I don't think trading Price will have the same negative effect that trading Roy had for obvious reasons.

Roy was a Quebec born player and he won 2 SC for us. Huge difference. I think that if and that's a BIG if..we were able to get one or 2 high end nhl rdy players along with a top first round pick and several second rounds it would be beneficial for the Habs going fwd and I think that's possible if a team that thinks all they need is a top end goalie to make it to the top.