HF Habs: Whats YOUR plan ?

scrubadam

Registered User
Apr 10, 2016
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The Habs are not the bench mark here though. I thought we sucked the last few years? They should win a round in the last 15 years before I think they're "turned around". Just one.

I wonder how much heat Babcock would be taking here if he had back 2 back 1st round exits.
 

McGuires Corndog

Marc Bergevin juju exorcist
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Feb 6, 2008
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Now that the draft order is established:

-Draft Zadina
-Trade Weber to Edmonton for their 10th OVR pick + RNH. We should be able to draft a good defenseman in this range.
-Trade Pacioretty for Borgstrom
-Sign John Carlson

That’s how you retool on the fly and set yourself up for the next 5-10 years folks.

Galchenyuk-RNH-Gallagher
Drouin-Borgstrom-Zadina
Hudon-Danault-Shaw
 
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yianik

Registered User
Jun 30, 2009
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Have to say that I am thinking things are not going to go well tbis offseason.

It does not have to be that way, but my no.1 concern ( no.2 being MB has messed about too many times and combined with his arrogance I have no faith in him ) is that Molson not only wants play off money next season, but has pretty clearly tied MBs job to that goal. As such, moves will largely be made to try to get us into the post season next season, even if they do not really bring us closer to a Cup.

Example, say the only centre we get is Stastny. Makes us better for now sure, maybe helps us squee into a play off spot, but that's it. The cost of that is tying up money for X amount of years in a declining ( my guess ) 2C, but also keeps us from having better picks in the upcoming drafts.

Patches trade. MB trades him for yet another no. 4 D man to play on the first pairing. Or trades for a veteran 3C to play as a top 6 , possibly even turning down deals for prospect Cs with real top 6 potential because they can't help now. That is one of the reasons I am so fixated on Borgstrom, because not only does he look like he has 1C potential, but if MB thinks he can help now, he is a guy he might be willing to try to get, as opposed to a Bonino equivalent ( tried to sign him as a UFA ).

People are worried about our picks being thrown away for help now, especially for pukers ( attitude I guess means guys who hate losing to the point they get physically sick ), and I think we should be worried. Even our 3rd IS, does it get used on say, Tkachuk ,because MB likes his game but also because there is a good chance Tkachuk can help now ? Or does he trade that pick for help now ?

The consequences of making short term/ sighted moves is burying us in mediocrity for years to come, and leaving a mess that will take years to untangle.

Dumb luck may be our only salvation. Tallon offering Borgstrom for Patches, signing Tavares as a UFA etc.

Sorry to be a downer, but Molson is setting the stage for this by not setting a longer term plan to get us into Cup contention, like the Rangers and Blues have.

This team made the 2nd most money in 2016-17 with $92M, and the 3rd most valuable at $1.25B. I get that Molson likely really has no interest in firing MB and paying him his $20M or whatever it is over the next 4 years and likely other personnel costs, but he is jeopardizing this money making machine if you look at it from a business standpoint. Already, no post season for 2 out of 3 years, and no ticket price increases.

We need competent people everywhere , and the money is there, no Cap . As people have said, why do we not have a lot more scouts, especially in Quebec, but for sure elsewhere also. Drafting And development is absolute key, and you need people to walk the walk ( notice how Chucky's game improved for the first time in 6 years under a coach who actually communicates and sees development as being part of his job ) And a plan for a Cup, with the time to implement it.

I so hope I am wrong about the teams plan. If I am not, hopefully we are at the right place at the right time for the right players.
 

Kent Nilsson

Imagine cringing at Brock Nelson like a moron
Jan 31, 2016
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The Habs are not the bench mark here though. I thought we sucked the last few years? They should win a round in the last 15 years before I think they're "turned around". Just one.

Damn now I understand why you would be anti-tank with such a low amount of patience. Building your team right is a process that takes a long time. None of Torontos important players are close to 25 yet except Andersen. Chicago / Pittsburgh / LA all had first round exits too. Life is the experience of learning.

Btw you are in for a rough next few years if you expect a playoff round win from this version of the habs.
 
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admiralcadillac

Registered User
Oct 22, 2017
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Now that the draft order is established:

-Draft Zadina
-Trade Weber to Edmonton for their 10th OVR pick + RNH. We should be able to draft a good defenseman in this range.
-Trade Pacioretty for Borgstrom
-Sign John Carlson

That’s how you retool on the fly and set yourself up for the next 5-10 years folks.

Galchenyuk-RNH-Gallagher
Drouin-Borgstrom-Zadina
Hudon-Danault-Shaw

Good luck with that
 

NORiculous

Registered User
Jan 13, 2006
5,309
2,290
Montreal
Now that the draft order is established:

-Draft Zadina
-Trade Weber to Edmonton for their 10th OVR pick + RNH. We should be able to draft a good defenseman in this range.
-Trade Pacioretty for Borgstrom
-Sign John Carlson

That’s how you retool on the fly and set yourself up for the next 5-10 years folks.

Galchenyuk-RNH-Gallagher
Drouin-Borgstrom-Zadina
Hudon-Danault-Shaw
Its in the game.
 

SOLR

Registered User
Jun 4, 2006
12,558
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Toronto / North York
I don't know what you're talking about, but Nashville has never been a tanker. They are actually one of the best example of a team who has success while never tanking, along with Anaheim. Since 2004, they have only 1 top 5 pick (Seth Jones) and another top 10 (Colin Wilson). That's not what I call tanking. Nashville is strong because they have been well managed, made excellent draft picks and won most of their trades. Not because they tanked.

Almost every draft, they manage to find a gem in the later rounds.
2003 : Shea Weber (#49)
2004 : Pekka Rinne (#258)
2005 : Patric Hornqvist (#230) and Cody Franson (#79)
2008 : Roman Josi (#38)
2009 : Mattias Ekholm (#102)
2012 : Colton Sissons (#50)
2013 : Juuse Saros (#99)
2014 : Viktor Arvidsson (#112)
2016 : Samuel Girard (#47)

That's how you build a champion team!

That's so revisionist, it's funny. Yeah I got you, the Preds have been good for some time. BUT, they did draft top 7 like 5 of their first 6 years. Then they reloaded in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014. (Drafting top 12 for 10 of their 20 drafts). That asset value is still very much in the system.
 

Sorinth

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
10,937
5,387
That's so revisionist, it's funny. Yeah I got you, the Preds have been good for some time. BUT, they did draft top 7 like 5 of their first 6 years. Then they reloaded in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014. (Drafting top 12 for 10 of their 20 drafts). That asset value is still very much in the system.

In what world is the asset value of David Legwand, Brian Finley, Scott Hartnell, Scottie Upshall, and Ryan Suter is still very much in the system? That's over half of your 10 top 12 picks right there.

And really since when has drafting outside of the top-10 ever been considered tanking? I mean seriously, the line between tanking vs not tanking can't be making the playoffs.
 

Sterling Archer

Registered User
Sep 26, 2006
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Now that Dubas has been named GM and Hunter is likely pissed, I’d ABSOLUTELY go after him. He’s an elite talent evaluator and we stick it to the Leafs, and with Dudley gone we have an opening.

These are the changes that matter. Fire Churla, hire Hunter. Do it!
 

Sorinth

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
10,937
5,387
Melnick has Scott Cullen on right now discussing an article he wrote for TSN today about the Habs off season game plan. What do you guys think of this? Can't say I would be overly excited about the Habs next season if this happened.

https://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-montreal-canadiens-1.1078364

Alzner on the first pairing with Weber. Good lord.

It was a well written article and I have a feeling it will be a pretty accurate even though like you said it will be disappointing.
 

Cobra Commander

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
5,644
5,309
Bell Center
Now that the draft order is established:

-Draft Zadina
-Trade Weber to Edmonton for their 10th OVR pick + RNH. We should be able to draft a good defenseman in this range.
-Trade Pacioretty for Borgstrom
-Sign John Carlson

That’s how you retool on the fly and set yourself up for the next 5-10 years folks.

Galchenyuk-RNH-Gallagher
Drouin-Borgstrom-Zadina
Hudon-Danault-Shaw

MaxPac-Chucky-Gally
Drouin-RNH-Sherback
Byron-Danault-Zadina
D'Lo-DelaRose-Shaw
 

The Great Weal

Phil's Pizza
Jan 15, 2015
52,019
64,406
For the draft, I would love to trade Pacioretty for Oilers 10 to take Kotkaniemi. Draft both Zadina and Kotkaniemi and have them play in Europe for 1 year and see where it goes. During that time, sign free agents to 1 year deals and overpay if needed only to flip them at the deadline. Ideally we would remain near the bottom in the league and have package up for another 1st next year where the centers are deep.
 

Adam Michaels

Registered User
Jun 12, 2016
77,252
123,931
Montreal
With Kyle Dubas now named Toronto GM, and the reports that Lamoriello will join the Islanders, I'm wondering where Mark Hunter ends up. Will he stay in Toronto, where he was probably hoping to be Lamoriello's successor? Or maybe he will follow Lou to the Isles as his Assistant GM again?

Either way, if I'm Montreal, I'm looking to see if Mark Hunter wants to join the Habs organization in a key role. He is one of the best in the game at evaluating talent. But Hunter surely has his eyes on being an NHL GM one day. And if Habs do bring in Joel Bouchard as GM of Laval and Assistant GM to Bergevin, then he will surely be seen as the next Habs GM. And Hunter may not want to be somewhere where he won't be next in line.

Nevertheless, I'd take a look into bringing him in. I'd also do the same with Ron Francis.

I doubt Mark Hunter would accept, but in my perfect world, Eric Crawford would get the axe and Hunter would run the Pro Scouting department.
 

HBDay

Registered User
Jan 28, 2013
2,945
1,465
Now that the draft order is established:

-Draft Zadina
-Trade Weber to Edmonton for their 10th OVR pick + RNH. We should be able to draft a good defenseman in this range.
-Trade Pacioretty for Borgstrom
-Sign John Carlson

That’s how you retool on the fly and set yourself up for the next 5-10 years folks.

Galchenyuk-RNH-Gallagher
Drouin-Borgstrom-Zadina
Hudon-Danault-Shaw

This is a fair plan. And not un-realistic. It's just a shame that I actually have come to like Webers bullet on the powerplay quite a bit. I've actually come to like Weber quite a bit as a Canadien despite the dirt that gets thrown on him occasionally here. Granted I am not working off as big a sample size on John Carlson in terms of how often I've watched the player.. Is he a realistic replacement for Weber?
 

Habs Icing

Formerly Onice
Jan 17, 2004
19,519
11,178
Montreal
All off-season plans just point to the fact the Habs are ****ed.

Bergevin is a dead man walking.


Although there's a very good chance you're correct in your pessimism, The Idiot has proven the odds wrong so far. He eliminated Dudley, JJD, Lacroix, & Sly. He brought in Ducharme and it looks like Joel Bouchard is the next hire. I'm hoping against hope that his streak doesn't end with Ducharme's hire.
 

Scintillating10

Registered User
Jun 15, 2012
18,762
8,357
Nova Scotia
If the salary cap comes in around the rumoured 80 million? We will have around 18 million in cap room. NOw, Danault will get a raise, and Carr, DLR slight raises, eating up about 5 million of that. But if we trade Pacioretty for futures?? That's a big if, we will have around 17.5 million in cap space.

More than enough room to potentially do some damage on the UFA market. If we can get a Stastny or Tavares to sign here.
 

Spearmint Rhino

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
8,851
8,484
If the salary cap comes in around the rumoured 80 million? We will have around 18 million in cap room. NOw, Danault will get a raise, and Carr, DLR slight raises, eating up about 5 million of that. But if we trade Pacioretty for futures?? That's a big if, we will have around 17.5 million in cap space.

More than enough room to potentially do some damage on the UFA market. If we can get a Stastny or Tavares to sign here.
One of these things is not like the other, would rather tank than overpay for and oft-injured Stastny, had enough of 50 pt $6MM Cs
 

Deluded Puck

Registered User
Jun 17, 2013
3,857
2,134
London, UK
I wonder how much heat Babcock would be taking here if he had back 2 back 1st round exits.
It depends what on stage the process appears to be at and not the just the results.

For instance fans here reacted far more negatively to the 2017 1st round exit compared to the 2011 & 2013 ones.
 

Scriptor

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
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