What is the team's biggest roadblock to make the playoffs next season?

[Rapala]

The Brass already know what we need. How they go about it given our situation is another thing.
We are way too soft and our special teams are in the toilet. Straight Up.

 

[holy]

Our own choices.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

No. You can sign free agents on July 1st, no problem and be over the cap. . But you have to be under the cap the day before the start of the season.

I think we could spend up to 8.7 million of Price's 10.5 because you can only go 10% above the cap

If you remember last offseason there was the whole drama of do we put Price on ltir in the offseason or at the start of the season, and we waited until the start of the season for no real benefit

 

[ReHabs]

I think we could spend up to 8.7 million of Price's 10.5 because you can only go 10% above the cap

If you remember last offseason there was the whole drama of do we put Price on ltir in the offseason or at the start of the season, and we waited until the start of the season for no real benefit

If Price is to be put on LTIR, the Habs would be able to use his entire cap-hit (obviously) and then exceed the cap ceiling by 10% as well. The thing with LTIR (which is much more confusing than I care for) is you should aim to utilizer every cent of it. Obviously Hughes had no such intention last summer so there was some debate, but Weber's contract was dealt to Vegas because Vegas knew for sure they wanted to utilize every bit of his 7.8m LTIR-enabled cap space.

 

[waitin425]

I voted other. I believe the biggest roadblock is health. If we can stay healthy, we could threaten the playoffs.

Everyone will be taking steps forward next year. The biggest step will Slaf. I expect him to be a dominant power forward next year and be around a PPG. With that level of expectation and the addition of Dach, spreading out the offence, we really will be threatening next year. Make your bets before the season starts guys, because we are going to be shocking some people next year.

 

[Rapala]

We need to improve more than a whole heck of a lot of teams ahead of us in our Division like Detroit Ottawa and Buffalo.
We also have to win in our conference against teams like Washington Pittsburgh Philadelphia Columbus NYI and NJD.
If we can't beat those teams regularly we aren't going anywhere.
I think it's safe to say third in our division will still be far out of our reach.

 

[expy]

Proper special teams coaching.

 

[angusyoung]

Don't know where else to put this but a friend mentioned that if Montreal does not make the the playoffs next season,it will be the first time that they miss 4 seasons in a row. I didn't verify it but sad if true.

 

[Beer and Chips]

Don't know where else to put this but a friend mentioned that if Montreal does not make the the playoffs next season,it will be the first time that they miss 4 seasons in a row. I didn't verify it but sad if true.

Another fact of the modern NHL we have to accept.

 

[rickthegoon]

Proper special teams coaching.

100% agree.
Just having a league average pp
League average pk
And league average 3vs3 overtime…….. as crazy as it sounds……. We would have been either in the playoffs or at the very edge.
More than ever Burrowes needs to be booted from behind the bench.

 

[dcyhabs]

They need a few players to take a step forward, and they need to add some second line scoring and some third line D. Ideally they would add a real #1D, but if they do it's at the draft. I'd lean toward doing that because they have a competitive first line and second/third line forwards are easier to acquire than top D. Long term they may be able to fill the forward spots, Beck and Kapinen can play third line, and Dach should be back. They need more forwards but they could get by with good forwards rather than elite ones. The habs need that top guy on D; it might be Reinbacher or Guhle or Hutson, but I see Guhle as a D specialist, Hutson on offence, while Reinbacher could make it.

Our pick this year will be very interesting.

 

[Tyson]

Biggest road block? Other teams

 

[WeThreeKings]

Biggest road block? Other teams

Islanders and Capitals are pretty pathetic and they made it. I'd say the road to the playoffs isn't as difficult as it seems but the road to contention is blocked by better teams, for sure.

 

[angusyoung]

Another fact of the modern NHL we have to accept.

The once proud historic winning franchise has been reduced to a run-of-the-mill carbon copy conglomerate. WAY TO GO Geoff.

 

[Beer and Chips]

The once proud historic winning franchise has been reduced to a run-of-the-mill carbon copy conglomerate. WAY TO GO Geoff.

The league and hockey changed, he put his faith in his gm, his gm was wrong, he hired a "modern" manager. Dynasties are rare now, we have to accept it.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

There's just too much dead weight contributing negative value. As a result it hurts on multiple fronts.

Gallagher, Dvorak, and Anderson are all terrible, but their untrability also means we can't replace them with anybody.

Our goaltending is also unspeakably terrible.