What are the Habs, and how realistic is it they challenge for the cup?

[HockeyVirus]

No top level talent but might just have the most balanced 4 lines than anyone

Playing in the all-Canadian division is a blessing for them, their record over past 3 seasons against other Canadian teams is really good and it’s impossible to argue they didn’t improve over the off-season

shortenened season, quality backup

I’d wager they take the North division and this is coming from a fan who has wanted Bergevin gone for years

Downside though are can 35 year old Weber play 20+ min at his level for a condensed schedule? Same with 33 y/o Price. Can he give you .920%
+ tending over 40 games? Recall Habs will face Leafs, Jets, Oilers for 1/2 those games. That's a lot of firepower for Allen to handle IMO.

Now does Suzuki hit a sophomore slump? Is Anderson healthy fully or will he be the next Ferland? How does Romanov adjust to NHL hockey, and how quickly? Is Toffoli the guy we saw in Vancouver or in LA? This is why this topic is so fascinating to me. I can go back and forth all day and flop between they can do it and "they need a lot to go right" as answers.

 

[joe dirte]

or maybe last season was a fluke and they aren't nearly as bad as their record indicates.

Theyve missed the playoffs (and would have last year as well) how many years in a row?

Justvall a fluke???

They lkkely miss again but the canadian dibision format gives them a shot.

 

[CupsOverCash]

They have a better roster than they did last year but I dont know how big of a step they take forward. If I had to bet, I would probably say that they won't be going to the playoffs but I think they will look like a decent team by the end of it. Trending up id say.

 

[Fisticuffer]

Mid-pack team and a very long shot at a cup.
IMO a high draft pick would be best. They’re young potential stars will hit their prime at the same time there 2 current stars are winding down.

 

[Jee]

Theyve missed the playoffs (and would have last year as well) how many years in a row?

Justvall a fluke???

They lkkely miss again but the canadian dibision format gives them a shot.

sorry I don't speak icelandic, but if I understood you correctly, then yes all flukes

 

[Face Of Bear]

Habs are a rebuilding team that's relying on a key group of young players to breakout and a key group of older players to not break down. Almost everyone is a wildcard except maybe Gallagher. Probably not a playoff team unless the stars align. Zero chance at a cup.

 

[WatchfulElm]

Domi was also one of your better PP players and Anderson really isn't that great on the PK. PK is much more reliant on goaltending and system than the actual players

11 points last year.
11 points the year before.
Despite being one of the most used player on the PP.
Domi was pretty awful on the PP. When at his best, he can be a pretty good 5 on 5 player though, because that's where he can use his speed. But on the PP? Not good.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Theyre in the Canadian division so they have as good a chance as any to come out of it.

Neither Edmonton nor Toronto have proven anything in the playoffs, so I wouldnt be surprised to see either of them lose out to whoever they draw in the first two rounds.

Pretty sure whatever Canadian team makes it to the conference finals gets stomped. But who knows.

All that aside, the habs roster isn't all that impressive. Mediocre team is mediocre.

 

[Mackiaveli]

People are more worried about the primary scoring instead of your great secondary scoring. I agree that montreals season hinges on kk and Suzuki primarily. If they can’t be a 50+ and 30+ point 1/3c’s. It’s a definite weak spot. And in the most important positions up front.

This team looks a lot like the '11 Bruins, which makes sense with Julien.

I think if the secondary scoring is there, the Habs will be dangerous. If their depth struggles, the team will fall apart at the seams.

 

[Kaynen Ouch Chhay]

Theyre in the Canadian division so they have as good a chance as any to come out of it.

Neither Edmonton nor Toronto have proven anything in the playoffs, so I wouldnt be surprised to see either of them lose out to whoever they draw in the first two rounds.

Pretty sure whatever Canadian team makes it to the conference finals gets stomped. But who knows.

All that aside, the habs roster isn't all that impressive. Mediocre team is mediocre.

This is said so often every year in PO series and it rarely happens.. An underdog getting straight up curb stomped just doesn't happen much in the nhl... Nhl isn't built like the nba where the lower seeds just has no chance.

 

[JianYang]

It seems right now Habs media is very very enthusiastic going into this year. I have to admit, their GM went from being one of the worst in the league a few seasons ago to putting a good product on the ice. However, I am wondering just how much of this hype can we expect to be reality from hope?

If we go back to last year, when the season ended the last 15 games of their season with a 5-10 record, which would have them finish solidly last in the league over 82 games. They were in 8th last place at the pause before the bubble brought them back into the picture. They come in hot and take out the Pens in 5 games, showing they have some fight in them and can win a series against experienced teams.

Since then, there have been a lot of changes.

In:
Edmundson
Anderson (extended)
Jake Allen
Toffoli
Frolik
Perry

Out:
5th rounder
Alzner (buyout)
Domi
2 x 7th round picks

Overall a great offseason for them. I don't think there is a question of if they make the postseason, they have a chance to beat any Canadian team in a 7 game series. So this is where things get tricky.

How much do those 5 games in the bubble impact predictions? Are these moves enough to bring the 8th last team, who was trending down at the pause, into top 3 in the North division? And if so, how realistic is it that they not only make the playoffs, but also win Canada and truly challenge for the cup?

What do you make of this team?

Cup winners typically have an elite center, or dman... Or both.

The habs don't really have an elite center, and it's not really known yet whether it's in the system. Suzuki is going to be a very good player, and he's probably the closest thing they have to getting into that elite class one day, but I don't think he quite reaches that level.

On defense, you have Weber. At this stage of his career, he's still a good top pair defenseman when healthy, but his days of norris contendership are behind him. The future sees habs loaded with defensive prospects, but certainly no slam dunk that any of them will have elite status.

What I see in the habs is a team that looks well built for a condensed schedule on paper, but they don't have the fundamental peices for a stanley cup in the near future.

It's a team that can potentially cause any club alot of problems if they make the playoffs, but stanley cup? No.

I should say though that I haven't directly seen a credible source pegging the habs as a stanley cup contender though. Does anyone have examples of this?

 

[Hunter368]

Not a cup contender.

 

[nbwingsfan]

The lack of intellectual integrity is staggering.

Toffoli was 107th in the league in points last season - forwards within 2 points of him include Keller, Cirelli, Tkachuk, Schmaltz. He had more points than players like Duchene, Rakell, Zucker, Strome, Mantha, Kessel, Zuccarello, Johansen, Hertl and other fantastic top 6 players. He was also 47th in goals, scoring as many as Svechnikov, Huberdeau, Konecny and Kreider.

Anderson was playing injured; is he a 30 goal 60 point guy? Of course not, but he should be expected to put up production similar to Tom Wilson. The value of Anderson is not the points he brings either, but the two-way reliability, penalty killing and physical contributions.

Allen started in 21 games last year and went 12-6, and spent the previous 5 years either being the primary netminder or splitting time as a 1/2 split - he is probably one of the best backup goaltenders in the League, and will offer relief to a goaltender who has had to shoulder all the weight for the last 5 years.

Frolik and Perry are bottom half of the lineup guys, but Montreal now has one of the strongest 3rd/4th lines in the League, and injuries to forwards will be of little issue to a team that has 14 NHL caliber forwards.

Edmundson was 7th for ATOI in Carolina during the regular season, behind only Slavin, Hamilton and Skjei defensively. In the playoffs, he was 3rd amongst defensemen, only behind Slavin and Hamilton (the latter by a minute a game)

It takes 2 seconds to google anything you said to realize you have no idea what you are talking about.



The success of the Canadiens will ultimately depend on a few different things

1. Are Suzuki and Kotkaniemi going to build upon their playoff performances
2. Can the new additions be what they were brought in to be (Toffoli - 25+ goal/82g pace - Anderson 40ish points/82 game pace + physicality)
3. Can Price stay healthy
4. Will the defense give up less 2-on-1/2-on-0s.
5. Can the PowerPlay figure it out

If the answers are favourable in all of those situations, then the reality is that Montreal is a very strong team in the East. They have great secondary scoring, they're a big physical team while also being one of the faster teams in the League. Their issue is center depth (which may not be an issue at all) and goal scoring, however with their current roster scoring should not be an issue anymore either.

The amount of homerism in this post is STAGGERING

 

[nbwingsfan]

This team looks a lot like the '11 Bruins, which makes sense with Julien.

I think if the secondary scoring is there, the Habs will be dangerous. If their depth struggles, the team will fall apart at the seams.

Who exactly are your Bergeron/Chara/Krejci? It doesnt look anything like the Bruins. Montreal will be lucky to make the playoffs, let alone win the Cup.

 

[Trunz05]

I think the Habs will be dangerous if Suzuki and Kotkaniemi are as good as they looked in the playoffs and Carey Price has around a 0.915

If price only has a 0.915 I don’t think they’re going far. He’s gonna need a .920+ if not more. I just don’t see where the offence is going to come from. The D is solid if unremarkable easily one of the better ones in the division, but price is going to need to play like a vezina contender again for this team to go anywhere.

also 0% chance at a cup I think they could make the playoffs and make a series interesting.

 

[albator71]

Honestly the Habs will have a hard time just making the playoffs this year, They are weak down the middle, their D is suspect, the thing that might save them is Price and Allen, but one thing is for sure they are not a cup contender.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

This team looks a lot like the '11 Bruins, which makes sense with Julien.

I think if the secondary scoring is there, the Habs will be dangerous. If their depth struggles, the team will fall apart at the seams.

Man I love the off season optimism here but holy crap!

 

[Lshap]

Who exactly are your Bergeron/Chara/Krejci? It doesnt look anything like the Bruins. Montreal will be lucky to make the playoffs, let alone win the Cup.

Teams don't need to replicate Boston's model, not to mention the obvious that Bergeron and Krejci are older and Chara's gone. As an example of how successful rosters can be built differently, look at the NYI.

The realistic answer is that Montreal looks like a probable playoff team because they shored up their biggest weaknesses and look like they're building on their strengths. They have very good depth and some key young players. Are there question marks? Obviously. Welcome to the NHL. Are they a Cup contender? I doubt it, but I can say confidently that most of the predictions for next season will be embarrassingly bad. "Anything can happen" will turn out to be more accurate.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

If KK and Suzuki play like two top 6 centermen, Habs are in business.

I think Suzuki will, I have doubts on KK.

 

[albator71]

I could see my Sens finishing ahead of the Habs this season and we all know the Sens are no cup contender so...

 

[WetcoastOrca]

If their young players improve and they have no key injuries they could sneak into a playoff spot. Not likely imo but not impossible and that would be a huge improvement over last year. That’s the ceiling though I think for next year. If I was a betting person I’d say they are on the outside of the playoffs this year. Just not enough high end skill as they don’t have that top line Center.

 

[albator71]

sorry I don't speak icelandic, but if I understood you correctly, then yes all flukes

 

[The90]

This team looks a lot like the '11 Bruins, which makes sense with Julien.

I think if the secondary scoring is there, the Habs will be dangerous. If their depth struggles, the team will fall apart at the seams.

Goodness. What a comparison that is. Lol

 

[Trunz05]

This team looks a lot like the '11 Bruins, which makes sense with Julien.

I think if the secondary scoring is there, the Habs will be dangerous. If their depth struggles, the team will fall apart at the seams.

Ya can’t say I agree. The 2011 bruins were stacked and had a competent offence and special teams. The depth is decent but it’s all depth where is the primary scoring going to come from. Who is the habs elite offensive talent? I like Suzuki as a player but I don’t see a cup contending #1 C, Anderson the big addition scored less than domi last year and improvement is expected but he’s no first line winger. Toffoli will be as good as his line mates as per usual.

Anyways idk like I said in a post above I don’t get the hype.

 

[albator71]

I just want to say this though, this season is going to be crazy, who knows what is going to happen right? The fact that you play only in your division and its only a 56 game schedule its never been done like this before so no one knows exactly what to expect? I have a feeling that something crazy is gonna happen.