Where would you rather the Montreal Canadiens finish this year?

[bobholly39]

I'd be sick to my stomach if we lost to the Leafs in the 1st round and we were the team that allowed them to go to the 2nd round. I have a lot of Leafs fans as friends. I want nothing to do with this for a few years yet. Our team is not complete and not build for the playoffs yet.

A leafs/Habs series would be exciting as heck. And we always play them strong, so the series would be extremely entertaining. hockey is about being entertained - and the city and fan would be absolutely booming if this happens.

Leafs have a better team than us this year, so it's more likely they win, than we do, but far from a certainty. If this has a chance of happening I absolutely want it to. Wanting to avoid it because you'd feel bad if we lost seems kind of silly

 

[Habs Halifax]

A leafs/Habs series would be exciting as heck. And we always play them strong, so the series would be extremely entertaining. hockey is about being entertained - and the city and fan would be absolutely booming if this happens.

Leafs have a better team than us this year, so it's more likely they win, than we do, but far from a certainty. If this has a chance of happening I absolutely want it to. Wanting to avoid it because you'd feel bad if we lost seems kind of silly

Nah, I would just be sick to the stomach watching all my Leafs fans friends rub it in. Sorry, it's not silly, it's just something I prefer to avoid at this stage. I'm not desperate for a 1st round playoff exit. Been there, done that.

I'm in Halifax. The east coast is split pretty much on the Leafs and Habs with some Bruins fans as well. Of course there are other fans but it's mostly, Leafs, Habs, Bruins. Call me sensitive, I would not like seeing a see of Blue walking the streets acting all happy cause they beat us. I rather let them be happy beating another team while we snag another Kotkaniemi in the draft.

 

[bobholly39]

Nah, I would just be sick to the stomach watching all my Leafs fans friends rub it in. Sorry, it's not silly, it's just something I prefer to avoid at this stage. I'm not desperate for a 1st round playoff exit. Been there, done that.

I'm in Halifax. The east coast is split pretty much on the Leafs and Habs with some Bruins fans as well. Of course there are other fans but it's mostly, Leafs, Habs, Bruins. Call me sensitive, I would not like seeing a see of Blue walking the streets acting all happy cause they beat us. I rather let them be happy beating another team while we snag another Kotkaniemi in the draft.

too much of a pessimist.

Leafs/Habs series? Sign me up! Super excited. I also think we'd win.

I'm sure we'd all be upset if we lost - but i wouldn't want to avoid the matchup altogether for fear of losing. That's what's silly imo.

 

[eklund the clown]

The only way to right this ship is NOT to trade any of our young prospects for a quick fix.If they want to get this team past TRYING to get in the playoffs year after year is to trade Weber,Price,Petry for multiple picks and prospects or tank.Any other way is just a waste of time.This org has been doing this for the last 25 years.Where has it gotten us?

 

[GSP2018]

The only way to right this ship is NOT to trade any of our young prospects for a quick fix.If they want to get this team past TRYING to get in the playoffs year after year is to trade Weber,Price,Petry for multiple picks and prospects or tank.Any other way is just a waste of time.This org has been doing this for the last 25 years.Where has it gotten us?

Tank. Oh yay

 

[Habs Halifax]

Tank. Oh yay

With a middle of the pack strategy and a few holes preventing us to be better in the short term, another tank year could taste very sweet if we get another top 10 pick and a shot at a lottery win!

I get the Pride/Rebound year where we are too legit to tank when healthy. But now is the time to squash the middle of the pack strategy. It's not a smart road to go down in terms of building a potential cup contender for futures years. It makes some fans and the owner happy though cause they believe in hope over reality

 

[GSP2018]

With a middle of the pack strategy and a few holes preventing us to be better in the short term, another tank year could taste very sweet if we get another top 10 pick and a shot at a lottery win!

I get the Pride/Rebound year where we are too legit to tank when healthy. But now is the time to squash the middle of the pack strategy. It's not a smart road to go down in terms of building a potential cup contender for futures years. It makes some fans and the owner happy though cause they believe in hope over reality

Sorry to burst your bubble. But you can’t control how the players play. This isn’t xbox

 

[habsfan891]

Sorry to burst your bubble. But you can’t control how the players play. This isn’t xbox

Sorry to burst your bubble but middle of the pack strategy is the most useless strategy in all of professional sports it has never once been sucessful

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Agreed. I just like the idea of a entertaining team that plays fast and the D helps limit the goals against. I am a bit concerned about exposing Price too much and he wants a divorce.

Took Bergevin how long to get the center depth we have? Wonder how long it will take to get the LD PMD?

We're also missing a true complete elite winger for the future to go with Kotka or Domi later on.

The way I see it, we'll need 2 more drafts to stock up on high picks, to stack as much as we can. Not have one future probable option for the wing in Suzuki, better to have more than one. Same with an elite PMD. We have Brook as a probable, let's find a second one on the left side. Draft more centers while we're at it.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

I'd like to see them finish in the bottom 5 and trade Petry for another 1st. The first pick get another center(Hughes/Dach/Cozens) if available or one of the top left defensemen(Broberg/Byram). With the 2nd first get the BPA(preferably not a goalie). That may be where they pick up a left defenseman. Then keep adding depth in the second round. More assets means more opportunities to hit and be competitive very soon.

 

[Lshap]

A leafs/Habs series would be exciting as heck. And we always play them strong, so the series would be extremely entertaining. hockey is about being entertained - and the city and fan would be absolutely booming if this happens.

Leafs have a better team than us this year, so it's more likely they win, than we do, but far from a certainty. If this has a chance of happening I absolutely want it to. Wanting to avoid it because you'd feel bad if we lost seems kind of silly

I know where you're coming from, but.... no thanks. Habs aren't ready for the playoffs, let alone a signature series against the boys from across town.

It would be like my band trying to perform a Motown set with a ukulele, toy piano, and a recorder. Let's get the right equipment, then we'll talk.

 

[GSP2018]

Sorry to burst your bubble but middle of the pack strategy is the most useless strategy in all of professional sports it has never once been sucessful

Ok cool. So you going to walk in the room and tell the players hey boys stop trying. We are tanking? Lol

 

[HabsFan76]

My heart says playoffs, even as a wildcard seed but my brain is telling me bottom 5 in standings.

 

[mariolemieux66]

I want long term success and a very legit chance at the cup. Bottom 3 for a few more seasons is the only way to go.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Bottom-5 for the better of our long term success.

 

[Lshap]

I'd like to see them finish in the bottom 5 and trade Petry for another 1st. The first pick get another center(Hughes/Dach/Cozens) if available or one of the top left defensemen(Broberg/Byram). With the 2nd first get the BPA(preferably not a goalie). That may be where they pick up a left defenseman. Then keep adding depth in the second round. More assets means more opportunities to hit and be competitive very soon.

Realistically, the Habs won't get a top-5 pick. The only way to get close would be to package Petry along with our 1st for a higher 1st round pick. Even then, no team will lose their top-5 pick, so the logical targets would be teams in the 6-10 range. Look for the impatient teams that are hungry for playoff credibility and/or already have good prospects, like Arizona, Philly, Edmonton. Decent chance those teams would be tempted to beef up their defence for next season with a solid guy like Petry at the cost of a slightly later pick.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

So if the average is 24th, i.e. a contender's first round pick, and if look at all the guys picked 24th the last 15 years, the average will be worse than Tatar's production long-term.

Zero franchise players, less than half averaging over 44 points per season in their career

Here is the list

2017	Kristian Vesalainen	FORWARD	Winnipeg Jets
2016	Max Jones	FORWARD	Anaheim Ducks
2015	Travis Konecny	FORWARD	Philadelphia Flyers	151	35	40	75	95
2014	Jared McCann	FORWARD	Vancouver Canucks	166	19	34	53	66
2013	Hunter Shinkaruk	FORWARD	Vancouver Canucks	15	2	2	4	4
2012	Malcolm Subban	GOALIE	Boston Bruins	24	0	0	0	2
2011	Matt Puempel	FORWARD	Ottawa Senators	79	10	5	15	28
2010	Kevin Hayes	FORWARD	Chicago Blackhawks	310	73	101	174	88
2009	Marcus Johansson	FORWARD	Washington Capitals	530	107	197	304	76
2008	Mattias Tedenby	FORWARD	New Jersey Devils	120	10	20	30	42
2007	Mikael Backlund	FORWARD	Calgary Flames	543	108	165	273	257
2006	Dennis Persson	DEFENSE	Buffalo Sabres
2005	T.J. Oshie	FORWARD	St. Louis Blues	665	187	277	464	340
2004	Kris Chucko	FORWARD	Calgary Flames	2	0	0	0	2
2003	Mike Richards	FORWARD	Philadelphia Flyers	749	181	306	487	585

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

We'll need to at least get rid of one of Byron and Tatar, because we have waaay too many small players and our best winger prospect is also yet another player on the small side. I'd rather keep Tatar for sure, he's also the youngest of the two and bigger than Byron.

 

[montreal]

Ok cool. So you going to walk in the room and tell the players hey boys stop trying. We are tanking? Lol

do you really believe that's what happens?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Sorry to burst your bubble. But you can’t control how the players play. This isn’t xbox

I think you interpreted my post incorrectly. No bubble to burst.

 

[Rapala]

My heart says playoffs, even as a wildcard seed but my brain is telling me bottom 5 in standings.

December looks to be the pivotal month. Like someone pointed out 6 of 9 at home to start. 6 divisionals including Ottawa 3 times who seem to tank for everyone but us; And finally that crappy road trip over the Christmas season that lasts almost half a month ending in Florida and Tampa where we never seem to win in recent years.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Ok cool. So you going to walk in the room and tell the players hey boys stop trying. We are tanking? Lol

No, not like that. But we can make small decisions throughout the season to position ourselves to be bottom 10 vs middle 10. Of course you don't tell the players to tank. It's a management strategy that I am talking about.

1) Rest Price as much as you can
2) Play the kids (DLR and Scherbak for example)
3) Alzner should of been waived before we lost DLR
4) Get on the phone and look for possible deals for Petry, Byron, Tatar. Not saying trade all of them right away but we should be looking to sell vs buy.

What I hope vs what I think will happen are two different things. You can interpret what I hope as what I think will happen if you wish.

 

[GSP2018]

do you really believe that's what happens?

Nope thats why it won’t happen ! Too many guys hate losing on this team.

 

[GSP2018]

No, not like that. But we can make small decisions throughout the season to position ourselves to be bottom 10 vs middle 10. Of course you don't tell the players to tank. It's a management strategy that I am talking about.

1) Rest Price as much as you can
2) Play the kids (DLR and Scherbak for example)
3) Alzner should of been waived before we lost DLR
4) Get on the phone and look for possible deals for Petry, Byron, Tatar. Not saying trade all of them right away but we should be looking to sell vs buy.

What I hope vs what I think will happen are two different things. You can interpret what I hope as what I think will happen if you wish.

DeLaRose ?

 

[montreal]

Nope thats why it won’t happen ! Too many guys hate losing on this team.

so do you think the posters here are suggesting that? That management should tell the players not to play hard?

 

[Habs Halifax]

We'll need to at least get rid of one of Byron and Tatar, because we have waaay too many small players and our best winger prospect is also yet another player on the small side. I'd rather keep Tatar for sure, he's also the youngest of the two and bigger than Byron.

I agree 100%

1) We need to make room for the younger assets to play NHL games
2) We need to buy low and sell high with vets who are trending well and might not fit the future plans
3) We need to be careful with too many small players as you mentioned.

We agree on how to build a winner vs a team with hope.