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

[habbubba]

If you want to make the playoffs,STOP TANKING to start with. Can't make the playoffs if the team is not doing all it can do to ice the best roster possible and the best line combinations, which has been the case for the last few seasons.

 

[Zorro]

health AINEC

 

[WeThreeKings]

If you want to make the playoffs,STOP TANKING to start with. Can't make the playoffs if the team is not doing all it can do to ice the best roster possible and the best line combinations, which has been the case for the last few seasons.

They were capped out from Bergevin, they had no room to improve the team.. they had to go the rebuild route, something we haven't fully committed to in 3+ decades. We know the try anything to just make it model rarely works, so let's let the new guys cook, they've done a fantastic job so far.

Everyone knows the real switch comes next Summer when most of all the cap drains and immovable pieces are gone.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Talent.

- The most talented young D will likely still be in Laval.

- The 2nd line has to be built. They were going to evaluate Dach as the 2nd line center. That didn’t happen. Roy promising but unproven. They might add a top 5 pick but likely not next season.

A year away on both points.

 

[ottawa]

Losing Dach next season will be enough to destroy us. He's been injured 3 out of last 4 seasons. Major importance he's healthy

You might be putting a little too much faith in Dach lol

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

It’s all about the D and health. Really if Dach and Guhle our healthy and can make those improvements then that’ll go a long way.

My guess is we’ll be a bubble team that’ll just miss.

 

[Laurentide]

A lack of talent.

If the Habs want to make the playoffs they need to acquire more talent and make room for that talent by getting rid of useless humps like Anderson, Dvorak, Ylonen, and RHP.

 

[Shutdown]

pretty sure it was their third healthiest season since 2016-2017 and they were close to league average for man games lost (bottom third of the league, but at the top of that tier). Dach skewed the numbers.

next year it'll be all about how:

1. the young defence adapt as guys like Hutson, Mailloux, and Reinbacher inevitably make their way up the roster through trades and injuries. as well as how Strubble, Xhekaj and Harris continue to develop.

2. secondary scoring - if Newhook and Roy can build on what they showed and if Gallagher and Anderson can be not useless. i think a trade is coming to help here.

3. divisional strength. it's arguably the best division in the league.

 

[Captain Mountain]

We made the playoffs with 88 points with Gomez so een if we don't count the play-ins/covid seasons that's not true. And last year the Islanders at 93 made the playoffs so again you don't need 95 points to be in the playoffs.

95 is a completely arbitrary number that doesn't necessarily mean you'd make the playoffs, but likely will based on most seasons. The Habs missed the playoffs in 2019 with 96 points.

And for reference, the season Montreal made the playoffs with 88 points, they had a -6 goal differential. Islanders had a +21 goal differential last season. The Capitals had a -37 goal differential this year. Its been almost 30 years since a team with a goal differential close to that bad has made the playoffs. The only teams in the NHL who had a worse goal differential are the Habs, Jackets, Ducks, Blackhawks and Sharks. They had fewer players with 50+ points than Montreal. They even sold at the deadline. The 2009-2010 Habs were definitely a better team than this year's Capitals, they just didn't get as clutch goaltending.

 

[Sorinth]

95 is a completely arbitrary number that doesn't necessarily mean you'd make the playoffs, but likely will based on most seasons. The Habs missed the playoffs in 2019 with 96 points.

And for reference, the season Montreal made the playoffs with 88 points, they had a -6 goal differential. Islanders had a +21 goal differential last season. The Capitals had a -37 goal differential this year. Its been almost 30 years since a team with a goal differential close to that bad has made the playoffs. The only teams in the NHL who had a worse goal differential are the Habs, Jackets, Ducks, Blackhawks and Sharks. They had fewer players with 50+ points than Montreal. They even sold at the deadline. The 2009-2010 Habs were definitely a better team than this year's Capitals, they just didn't get as clutch goaltending.

Goal differential isn't how you measure a team, Points are. Washington wasn't a bad team they were an up and down team that relied on depth scoring (Possibly led the league in number of 30 point players) but when they were bad, they were really bad which led to their goal differential making it seem like they were much worse then they really were. Of that -37, 20 of it came from 4 games where they just got blown out. 4 games out of 82 doesn't carry as much weight as you are trying to make it seem.

And them having fewer 50 point players then Montreal is exactly my point, the fringe playoff teams aren't filled with star players that we don't have a hope of matching. If 50 point players is the arbitrary measure then we have more Washington. The NYI have five 50 point players compared to our 4 (And it's a safe bet that had Dach and Newhook remained healthy we'd tie or be ahead of them) and bubble teams like Detroit were tied with us at 4, etc...

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Talent and grit. And a few too many boat anchors at forward.

 

[Mayday1980]

We're a Patrick Kane & Brett Pesce FA signings away from competing for a playoff spot IMO, barring any serious regression or plateauing from most of our key young players.

The problem is if we want to sign them we'll have to overpay and extend our current "cap hell" of leftover bad contracts of Bergevin.

Secondary scoring and one good RHD and we make the playoffs. But what we'd need to spend on salaries would handicap us.

I expect Hughes to find us a decent fwd prospect/young player with some of our dmen/draft picks. (Preferably Martin Necas) and then sign a veteran RHD for a year to stopgap the position and be tradeable at the deadline.

My one dream is that Pittsburgh tanks hard next year and Crosby walks. If he's gonna sign anywhere other than PIT it's probably with us. The team just has to show enough potential next year that Sid thinks he can push us over the top (And doesn't preemptively re-up with the Penguins)

 

[Omar]

Hello all,

I would say this year was a success all things considered as far as the rebuild is concerned.

In your opinion, if you had to choose 1 thing out the following, what represents the biggest roadblock or what needs to improve the most in order for the Habs to make the playoffs?

a) Continuous improvement of the special teams: 27th for PP as of today & 24h for PK.

b) Improved secondary scoring (26th for Goals For, 6 players on pace for 50+ points, not much else after)

c) Defense and ability to defend a lead (record of the team in 1 goal games + 3rd in the league for Shots against per game).

d) Coaching staff (lack of a veteran presence)

e) Division (hope for some of the better teams to take a step back and for OTT/BUF to continue to swim in mediocrity

f) 5 on 5 play: lack of regulation wins (30th in the league for regulation wins)

g) More luck/success in extra time (10 wins, 16 losses)

h) other (please comment)

Division
Experience
Scoring
Plan - we don’t want to be a one hit wonder, we want to be built for continuous success so until we’re ready management won’t add

 

[Walrus26]

Having some sort of system for 5 v 6 would bank us a few more points on it's own.

That and adjusting the PK when teams park a guy a few feet off to the side of the net, who gets a free pass to then walk in front and score.

 

[Andy]

Needs:
1. A bonafide #1 d-man
2. Another top 6 forward, maybe even a little more (like 70 point, 30g scorer)
3. Two young d-men to step as reliable top 4 d-men. We have a few good young d-men but they are still very inconsistent.
4. A middle 6 centre.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Injuries
Secondary scoring
Defense

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

They need two top-6 forwards badly

 

[Omar]

If you want to make the playoffs,STOP TANKING to start with. Can't make the playoffs if the team is not doing all it can do to ice the best roster possible and the best line combinations, which has been the case for the last few seasons.

Say you’re a fetus without saying you’re a fetus. The club wants to actually compete for a Cup over a long period of time not just be a bubble team and never really have a shot.

 

[NORiculous]

Other: primary (not secondary) scoring.

 

[1909]

They need to have a simpler, more effective d-system in their own zone.

Better PP and PK are must for next season.

 

[HABitual Fan]

The money tied up in Price, Gallagher and Anderson

 

[1909]

The money tied up in Price, Gallagher and Anderson

Price's salary is off the book at the beginning of each season. Gally’s and Andy’s are of course pretty bad. Anderson could have some (low) value on the trade market. Getting rid of Dvorak would help also.

 

[HABitual Fan]

Price's salary is off the book at the beginning of each season. Gally’s and Andy’s are of course pretty bad. Anderson could have some (low) value on the trade market. Getting rid of Dvorak would help also.

The problem with Price's contract is that you can't sign anyone with the money until the season starts. No free agent is attending camp on a PTO only to sign once Price goes on LTIR

 

[1909]

The problem with Price's contract is that you can't sign anyone with the money until the season starts. No free agent is attending camp on a PTO only to sign once Price goes on LTIR

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.

 

[HABitual Fan]

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.

If you do that you cannot accrue cap during the season and any bonuses are carried over to the following season amongst other things. That is why teams try to unload their LTIR contracts with a sweetener.