Where does Montreal finish in the Atlantic?

[Stripper]

5th.

 

[Roulin]

like Price, Patches, Subban, Eller, Galchenyuk, Gallagher ?

I wouldn't include Price, Patches and Eller in that group.

come on now, we're talking about a goalie with a SV% of 0.940 or something with a GAA of +/- 1.7... be serious for a sec...

Not sure if you understood my post. If Anderson's save % falls to .920 and Ottawa's shooting % improves to 9 (approx league average), their PDO remains the same.

 

[rafal majka]

and while Anderson's save % should come down, I'd bet on him remaining above average.

When looking at Anderson's career, his SV% seems to spike when playing fewer games. At a career .915% I would expect some regression, especially if he starts 60+ games.

 

[Top Corner2]

I think the FLA Panthers might surprise. They have added lots of great young talent much like we did last year.


I think this team may struggle to make the playoffs. I say 5th.

 

[Dharvey33]

1st or 2nd

Ottawa, Detroit or Toronto doesn't scare me. They are very beatable.

Toronto lacks solid goaltending plus have a very suspect blue line. Ottawa are just unproven, Detroit is aging and we usually do well against them. We are more complete than Detroit right now IMO.

Boston is a bit better but i'm i dreaming or did we finish in front of them last year?

The habs just don't have any respect anymore, good seasons are fluke whereas a bad season is normal. Guess what with this young core of Tinordi, Galchenyuk, Collberg, Gallagher, Beaulieu, Hudon... we won't be having a lot of bad seasons anymore. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[MathMan]

I wish that to be true but I believe its wishful thinking to lump toronto into the bottom grouping. Can it happen? Sure. Is it likely? No. I see them being in the middle of the division with montreal.

They're a terrible possession team. They have good goaltending, but unless they really improve their outshooting, or they keep shooting like the 09-10 Capitals (and only that team has shot that well over 82 games in the last 6 years), they're going to take a drop.

Oh, and they managed to make themselves worse in the offseason.

 

[MathMan]

Detroit will have a problem with NE type hockey, even Montréal is full of goons now, and playing Boston, Toronto and Ottawa all the time will wear them down.

IMHO, I think it's far more likely they'll exploit the Atlantic's foolish fascination with goons and beat them with skill, like they have in the West.

 

[Monctonscout]

1st or 2nd

Ottawa, Detroit or Toronto doesn't scare me. They are very beatable.

Toronto lacks solid goaltending plus have a very suspect blue line. Ottawa are just unproven, Detroit is aging and we usually do well against them. We are more complete than Detroit right now IMO.

Boston is a bit better but i'm i dreaming or did we finish in front of them last year?

The habs just don't have any respect anymore, good seasons are fluke whereas a bad season is normal. Guess what with this young core of Tinordi, Galchenyuk, Collberg, Gallagher, Beaulieu, Hudon... we won't be having a lot of bad seasons anymore. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

Toronto got very good goaltending last year, but their defense was/is mediocre.

 

[Captain Mountain]

IMHO, I think it's far more likely they'll exploit the Atlantic's foolish fascination with goons and beat them with skill, like they have in the West.

Goon culture isn't as prevalent in the west, and they will likely only exploit Toronto. Habs will likely only insert Parros against goons (and Detroit doesn't have any). Ditto for Ottawa and Kassian (Walrus comes from the Detroit org and understands advanced stats to well to have an everyday goon). Boston doesn't actually have any goons, all their fighters can play regular minutes effectively. That leaves Toronto (who if they were better coached, wouldn't have to rely on luck), Buffalo (who can't beat Detroit on talent) and the Sunbelt teams, who are also newcomers to the new Division.

 

[MathMan]

Aside, it's an interesting notion to me that teams should pick up goons for use against other teams with goons, and will set them aside against skilled teams, but yet somehow a skilled team without a goon is vulnerable to a team that uses them. There's an obvious contradiction there...

 

[Goldthorpe]

I think people are maybe overestimating Detroit in the Atlantic. Yes, they still have a good team but Lidstrom is gone and their core is aging. I think they'll have a period of adaption to the different style of hockey and will fight with Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto for the spots after Boston.

Can't wait to see them play this year, I wonder if we'll see some kind natural rivalry early on or if we'll have to wait for it

 

[teh doors]

The Habs can win the division. Three scoring lines, the best defenceman in the league, and the potential for a superstar in net.

I'm already getting tired of the Red Wings and the way everyone considers them such an automatic juggernaut. **** you and your 80 year old Alfredsson, and congrats on picking up a 55 point centre from the mighty Florida Panthers. CP31 over Jimmy Howard eight days a week.

The Leafs are going nowhere, Bozak and Kadri at the top of the lineup down the middle and an oaf in Phaneuf holding up the back end. Come on.

Boston has a great top six, good defenceman, and a great goalie. Hate them, but respect them, they'll be there battling with the Habs.

And Kanata is barely deserving of an NHL team, though I respect the skill in the lineup, gotta agree with Prust's assessment of their coach. Useless franchise that will go down in history with donuts in the Cup wins column.

 

[icerocket]

The Habs can win the division. Three scoring lines, the best defenceman in the league, and the potential for a superstar in net.

I'm already getting tired of the Red Wings and the way everyone considers them such an automatic juggernaut. **** you and your 80 year old Alfredsson, and congrats on picking up a 55 point centre from the mighty Florida Panthers. CP31 over Jimmy Howard eight days a week.

The Leafs are going nowhere, Bozak and Kadri at the top of the lineup down the middle and an oaf in Phaneuf holding up the back end. Come on.

Boston has a great top six, good defenceman, and a great goalie. Hate them, but respect them, they'll be there battling with the Habs.

And Kanata is barely deserving of an NHL team, though I respect the skill in the lineup, gotta agree with Prust's assessment of their coach. Useless franchise that will go down in history with donuts in the Cup wins column.

This is one of most biased opinions I have seen.

 

[teh doors]

This is one of most biased opinions I have seen.

Whatever I'm tired of reading all these lame NHL Previews and their lack of respect for the Habs.

Instead of ******** on our players, so-and-so's inconsistency or question marks, etc I look at it like this...

The third line is three kids that are literally all breaking out into excellent top six players. Plekanec is one of the elite two-way top six centres in the world. Briere and DD are rejuvenated hometown boys who had great preseasons, playing with one of the best LW in the league in Pacioretty. The fourth line is tough as nails.

On D, Subban is an absolute freak. There isn't a player in the league like him. Markov is in great shape. Getting Emelin back while the team is just getting the engines going is going to be massive. A mobile 6'3 tank with untapped offensive potential who is gaining confidence every night.

Then there's Price, probably going to be the goaltender for the Olympic Gold Medal favourites with his new miracle worker coach.

You see Markov hit that crossbar in the practice and the team went nuts? The chemistry is unbelievable, this is a comfortable team that should get out of the gates nicely, by mid season I'm expecting some big time swagger in MTL

 

[CP31]

CP31 over Jimmy Howard eight days a week.

I'm flattered

 

[ECWHSWI]

I wouldn't include Price, Patches and Eller in that group.



Not sure if you understood my post. If Anderson's save % falls to .920 and Ottawa's shooting % improves to 9 (approx league average), their PDO remains the same.

they're in their 20's, still very young with many years ahead of them... only reason you wouldnt include them -> they dont fit your argument.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

This is one of most biased opinions I have seen.

Gotta respect the optimism

 

[Lebowski]

I don't see any of Detroit, Ottawa or Toronto as "better teams" than the Habs. Boston though... What are their weaknesses? Do they even have any at this point? One of the deepest offensive team with great, great two-way players to boot. Most definitely the toughest team in the league. One of the best defenseman in the league anchoring a solid, versatile group of defensemen with a possible breakout of Hamilton that would turn this already great defense into something ridiculous.... And to top it off, one of the best goalie in the league playing in a dream of a defensive system.

We can win the division, absolutely. We did it last season and we can do it again, but come playoffs time, Boston is the best bet out of the bunch.

Realistically, I see us making it as the third seed or a wildcard. One of Detroit or Ottawa should sneak in second.

 

[Roulin]

they're in their 20's, still very young with many years ahead of them... only reason you wouldnt include them -> they dont fit your argument.

The number of good years ahead of them is irrelevant in the context of this argument. Dramatic improvement in one season is very possible with Galchenyuk (19), Gallagher (21), Zibanejad (20), Wiercioch (22), Pageau (20), Cowen (22) and Lehner (22).

 

[Habs Icing]

The regular season doesn't worry me. I see us finishing 2nd. If expectations aren't met I can see us falling to 3rd; if some players (I'm looking at you Price) have career seasons I can see us nudging Boston out of 1st.

What has me worried are the playoffs. If nothing changes I can see another quick & bloody exit.

 

[ECWHSWI]

The number of good years ahead of them is irrelevant in the context of this argument. Dramatic improvement in one season is very possible with Galchenyuk (19), Gallagher (21), Zibanejad (20), Wiercioch (22), Pageau (20), Cowen (22) and Lehner (22).

Pageau is a 3rd liner at best and will remain that, one decent round of P.O. (yes only one) wont change that... as for Lehner, he'll be the backup so unless he becomes ridiculously awesome him being better will not help the Sens all that much...

it's great that you can look at age, but you also have to look at their potential, with who they'll play, the system they'll be in and al'...

 

[Phil Parent]

Well Chara is 36 and, to me, started slowing down last season. Bergeron is one concussion away from being done. Seidenberg is UFA at year's end.

The Bruins won the cup, but the window is slowly closing on them winning it again. Once Chara is gone, god forbid Bergeron is out, because if so they are done as an elite team and we can take them.

 

[Game]

The TSN PANEL for the 2013 NHL season preview just predicted that the Habs will finish 5th in the Atlantic, and won't make the playoffs, not even a wild card spot. Big surprise here #not

 

[Teufelsdreck]

Despite the brave talk, I think everyone knows it will be tough going for the Habs this season. They're not the worst team in the East but neither are they the best.

 

[overlords]

Despite the brave talk, I think everyone knows it will be tough going for the Habs this season. They're not the worst team in the East but neither are they the best.

It's not like you've presented an intelligent argument to the contrary.