The pathetic lack of offensive players in Montreal since 97-98

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I blame Generation Z.

I blame you solely

 

[SlickHands]

God i miss Kovalev

that magnificent bastard

I can hear the echos in my mind of so many Habs fans talking about how many shifts he took off, how he didn't try all the time, how he (insert BS Russian stereotype...).

However, part of it is certainly an incompetence issue... Like letting Radulov walk.. But what's probably even sadder about that list is that most of the list is the same 3 guys (Pacioretty, Koivu, and Kovalev).. and then the drop off is so bad that you have a guy like Lang on the list who had one foot in retirement at the point that he was with Montreal.

 

[Mrb1p]

Were we even that better post Lafleurs Habs ? Seems like we've been at the bottom of the league for high end offensive players for even longer than that.

Nope. Since Lafleurs last peak season, we had one player finish in the top 10 of scoring and thats Naslund, once... and he was 8th.

Lafleur was in 79-80.
Naslund was in 85-86.

 

[BenchBrawl]

God i miss Kovalev

that magnificent bastard

Me too

 

[Mrb1p]

Exactly where the league want us. Sold out crowds revenue sharing for American expansion. All the while the talent is kept away

The FBI is coming for you

 

[Mrb1p]

I always mix up Ralph Backstrom and Mats Naslund and IDK why.

 

[Runner77]

Who cares!!!
As long as we have dl'attitude.

The PPG guys? Well, you know ...

 

[BenchBrawl]

The PPG guys ... "they're not available."

Clearly they're available to all other teams.

 

[Runner77]

Nope. Since Lafleurs last peak season, we had one player finish in the top 10 of scoring and thats Naslund, once... and he was 8th.

Lafleur was in 79-80.
Naslund was in 85-86.

During that span, how many of our amateur scouts could be objectively rated as top 10 if we'd go by the results some of them have been able to replicate over several years? Often times, it's not just about where you're drafting, it's who has done the scouting for you and how reliable their track record is.

 

[blarneylad]

The FBI is coming for you

NO conspiracy league wouldn’t stop us from sucking or winning. But they love us right where we are.

 

[ECWHSWI]

yeah, but you should celebrate, we have a good amount of players who are amazing at doing the little things, you know...

 

[SOLR]

Clearly they're available to all other teams.

Everytime we refuse to make a trade to go get a Barzal in the middle of the 1st round...x 20 years.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Incompetent management is to blame.

What I want to see is a manager come in and ruffle some feathers. Offer sheets please. We have cap space, money, and a need for skill. We can’t sign players at UFA because nobody wants to pay the taxes. Don’t have assets to trade for them and always finish dead in the middle. Drafting mediocre players in mid first. We get two games of playoff revenue to boost year end bottom line. Rinse repeat

"Rinse-repeat", LOL.

Since Gainey took over:
2003-04 lost in 2nd round, 5 home playoff games
2005-06 lost in six in first round, 3 home playoff games (Koivu eye injury)
2006-07 out of playoffs
2007-08 lost in second round, 7 home playoff games
2008-09 lost in four straight, 2 playoff games (Markov out and four other guys hurt)
2009-10 lost in 3rd round, 8 home playoff games
2010-11 lost in OT game 7 versus Cup Winner Boston, 3 playoff games
2011-12 out of playoffs
2012-13 lost in 5 to Ottawa, 3 home playoff games (Price hurt during series)
2013-14 lost in 3rd round after Price hurt, 8 home playoff games
2014-15 lost in second round, 6 home playoff games
2015-16 out of playoffs
2016-17 lost in six versus Rangers, 3 home playoff games
2017-18 out of playoffs

14 seasons, by league average should miss playoffs 7 times, and win 7 series in total
In fact missed playoffs only 4 times, and won total 7 series
Only one time in 14 seasons did we play just 2 home games, getting bounced in four/five after just making it into the playoffs, and it was due to massive injuries.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Everytime we refuse to make a trade to go get a Barzal in the middle of the 1st round...x 20 years.

Here is our list of players drafted after #10 starting with the Gainey era:
2004 - Kyle Chipchura
2006 - David Fischer
2007 - Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty
2008 - no first rounder, traded for Tanguay
2009 - Louis Leblanc
2010 - Jarred Tinordi (traded UP to get him!!!)
2011 - Nathan Beaulieu
2013 - Mike McCarron
2014 - Nikita Scherbak
2015 - Noah Juulsen
2017 - Ryan Poehling

Those type of odds are not great if we are going to trade proven NHLers for those picks.

 

[Habs]

Leblanc, Tinordi, Nathan, McCarron, Scherbak.. lol.

 

[Shabs]

"Rinse-repeat", LOL.

Since Gainey took over:
2003-04 lost in 2nd round, 5 home playoff games
2005-06 lost in six in first round, 3 home playoff games (Koivu eye injury)
2006-07 out of playoffs
2007-08 lost in second round, 7 home playoff games
2008-09 lost in four straight, 2 playoff games (Markov out and four other guys hurt)
2009-10 lost in 3rd round, 8 home playoff games
2010-11 lost in OT game 7 versus Cup Winner Boston, 3 playoff games
2011-12 out of playoffs
2012-13 lost in 5 to Ottawa, 3 home playoff games (Price hurt during series)
2013-14 lost in 3rd round after Price hurt, 8 home playoff games
2014-15 lost in second round, 6 home playoff games
2015-16 out of playoffs
2016-17 lost in six versus Rangers, 3 home playoff games
2017-18 out of playoffs

14 seasons, by league average should miss playoffs 7 times, and win 7 series in total
In fact missed playoffs only 4 times, and won total 7 series
Only one time in 14 seasons did we play just 2 home games, getting bounced in four/five after just making it into the playoffs, and it was due to massive injuries.

I think you are taking the 2 playoff game thing too literally. I think the point is that in order to go deeper in the playoffs than we have in the past, we need star forwards and we haven't had much star power in the last 40 years.

This is a product of poor drafting, poor draft position and poor management (ie. trades).

 

[BaseballCoach]

I think you are taking the 2 playoff game thing too literally. I think the point is that in order to go deeper in the playoffs than we have in the past, we need star forwards and we haven't had much star power in the last 40 years.

Did Nashville have star forwards? Vegas? Not overachievers but stars?

 

[JianYang]

Were we even that better post Lafleurs Habs ? Seems like we've been at the bottom of the league for high end offensive players for even longer than that.

Yes, the last 100 point scorer is from the 80s, actually.

In the 90s, Muller, Turgeon, and Damphousse were very close to 100 point seasons but fell slightly short. Nobody has been close since, not even kovalev.

 

[DesmondDekker]

97-98 was 21 years ago !? Holy scheiss

Those numbers/stats are absolutely horiffic, we are more than due. Thing is, I do not see anyone on this team or in our system being a consistent 80+ point player.

 

[ECWHSWI]

"Rinse-repeat", LOL.

Since Gainey took over:
2003-04 lost in 2nd round, 5 home playoff games
2005-06 lost in six in first round, 3 home playoff games (Koivu eye injury)
2006-07 out of playoffs
2007-08 lost in second round, 7 home playoff games
2008-09 lost in four straight, 2 playoff games (Markov out and four other guys hurt)
2009-10 lost in 3rd round, 8 home playoff games
2010-11 lost in OT game 7 versus Cup Winner Boston, 3 playoff games
2011-12 out of playoffs
2012-13 lost in 5 to Ottawa, 3 home playoff games (Price hurt during series)
2013-14 lost in 3rd round after Price hurt, 8 home playoff games
2014-15 lost in second round, 6 home playoff games
2015-16 out of playoffs
2016-17 lost in six versus Rangers, 3 home playoff games
2017-18 out of playoffs

14 seasons, by league average should miss playoffs 7 times, and win 7 series in total
In fact missed playoffs only 4 times, and won total 7 series
Only one time in 14 seasons did we play just 2 home games, getting bounced in four/five after just making it into the playoffs, and it was due to massive injuries.

looking at this
- missing the PO twice, drafting 3rdOA, going to the ECF, etc...looks a lot like the Gainey era minus the arrogance.

So yeah! rince-repeat

 

[holy]

Prediction time: Habs offence explodes post ASG break. Domi looks like a man reborn.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Nuh uh! Phillip Danault's production is easily 2nd line worthy!

 

[BLONG7]

We lay this ALL on the goalies...............we build from the net in........... lol

I think we all knew we have had no one with offensive flair since Kovy, but wow. Maybe if we give MB 7 more summers, he can fix this.

 

[blarneylad]

Did Nashville have star forwards? Vegas? Not overachievers but stars?

Do the above mentioned have a Stanley cup?

 

[blarneylad]

Cup winners and their dynamic

Kings: kopitar, carter, doughty, quick
Blackhawks: toews, Kane, Keith, Crawford
Wings: zett, datsyuk, lidstrom, osgood
Pens: Crosby, Malkin, letang, fleury/Murray
Bruins: Bergeron, Chara rask
Caps: ovechkin, backstrom, carlsson holtby

Top forwards, top dman and a good to great goalie.

Habs lack the star forward in above equation. There is important guys I missed on all the above but the guys I listed were the core stars.

Contenders this year:

Leafs: Matthews, marner, Tavares, Reilly, anderssen
Tampa: kuch, stamkos, hedman, vasilevski
Pens
Caps

West:
Sharks: couture, pavelski, burns, karlsson, jones
Nash: forsberg, johanssen, subban, Josi, rinne
Flames: gaudreau, giordano, rittich (unproven, may be their undoing)