Where would you rather the Montreal Canadiens finish this year?

[Kotkaniemi15]

I’d rather finish bottom 5 with a shot at Kakko or Hughes because there’s no chance we win a cup this year the way we’ve been playing recently. We can’t beat top teams now which means we definitely can’t beat them when they turn up a gear in April. We need defense too. Badly. We’re not even going to make the playoffs so it doesn’t matter.

 

[Kriss E]

Teams looking for offence could take Byron, or even Tatar if the return is good. The point is we need a higher 1st round pick and should do whatever it takes to get one. I have no problem adding our 1st to the deal if it means jumping from a later round pick to a top-10 OA, because that's where most elite talent lives. You're higher than I am on the mid-range picks, but our track-record with 1sts picked after the top-10 has been awful. I'll take a decent chance at a homerun over the possibility of two singles.

Do whatever it takes to get a top pick. That should be our priority this year and next one.
If we were to miraculously land say..Kakko and Lafreniere....well hot dang. Now we talking. Of course, that's lotto 649 odds, but we should really be working towards that. I dont care if it means trading Weber and Price. Do it.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Do whatever it takes to get a top pick. That should be our priority this year and next one.
If we were to miraculously land say..Kakko and Lafreniere....well hot dang. Now we talking. Of course, that's lotto 649 odds, but we should really be working towards that. I dont care if it means trading Weber and Price. Do it.

If we could get full value for either Weber or Price or both, I would do it as well. I just don't see it happening this early. Maybe in another year or two if there is continued struggles and we have a new President/GM with a different strategy. Our current management won't make this move IMO.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Hopefully they will finish dead last then you can wipe that smug stupid smile off Bergevin's face and fire his butt.

Last place last year: 62 pts (25-45-12)
Habs Current record this year: 41 pts (18-13-5)

- 46 more games left
- 21 more pts to get to 62 pts

We would have to go 10-35-1 in the remaining 46 games. It's more likely we play .500 hockey with the roster we have.... Something like 20-21-5 (45 pts). That would be 86 pts and according to last years standings, it's 20th spot. Pick would be 11th.

At this stage and based on what we have seen so far with 44% of the season completed, It's anywheres from 8-18 range for our 1st round pick. Very hard to predict the remaining 56% of the season but I just don't see us in the bottom 5 at this stage. A lot of negative needs to happen.

 

[yianik]

Last place last year: 62 pts (25-45-12)
Habs Current record this year: 41 pts (18-13-5)

- 46 more games left
- 21 more pts to get to 62 pts

We would have to go 10-35-1 in the remaining 46 games. It's more likely we play .500 hockey with the roster we have.... Something like 20-21-5 (45 pts). That would be 86 pts and according to last years standings, it's 20th spot. Pick would be 11th.

At this stage and based on what we have seen so far with 44% of the season completed, It's anywheres from 8-18 range for our 1st round pick. Very hard to predict the remaining 56% of the season but I just don't see us in the bottom 5 at this stage. A lot of negative needs to happen.

At 11th overall we would have a 1 in 10 shot at winning 1 of the top 3 spots, at 12th OA its 1 in 12 and then it continues edging away a percentage as you draft higher.

We would also get a good player at 11th or 12th, and if we throw in a 2nd a team 2 or 3 spots up may be willing to trade their pick.

But why should we only play .500 ? Add into it the high possibility if not probability that MB goes out and trades for a Weber partner upgrade and we could make the post season.

Unfortunately what we need is what many teams need and we will pay up dearly for such a defenceman.

I say unfortunately because I dont see us competing with the best teams, and its very likely we are out in the first round. Complete waste to do this.

 

[Habs Halifax]

At 11th overall we would have a 1 in 10 shot at winning 1 of the top 3 spots, at 12th OA its 1 in 12 and then it continues edging away a percentage as you draft higher.

We would also get a good player at 11th or 12th, and if we throw in a 2nd a team 2 or 3 spots up may be willing to trade their pick.

But why should we only play .500 ? Add into it the high possibility if not probability that MB goes out and trades for a Weber partner upgrade and we could make the post season.

Unfortunately what we need is what many teams need and we will pay up dearly for such a defenceman.

I say unfortunately because I dont see us competing with the best teams, and its very likely we are out in the first round. Complete waste to do this.

I'm not saying we should play .500 hockey. I am saying we play something close to it (worse case). It was just a projection based on how low we can go (possibly). This is why I think our pick is anywheres from 8-18 range. Maybe 8-20. That's the probability range we fall in after 44% of the season completed

 

[Lshap]

If we could get full value for either Weber or Price or both, I would do it as well. I just don't see it happening this early. Maybe in another year or two if there is continued struggles and we have a new President/GM with a different strategy. Our current management won't make this move IMO.

Yeah, I'd bet money you're right. No way does Bergevin trade our second captain in two years or his franchise goalie. That's okay, Price and Weber can still play and the rebuild can continue with them on the team.

The good news is that most of our veteran players are playing really well, which makes them valuable trade pieces. Petry in particular is having a great year. It would hurt to lose him, but we have to keep our eye on the ball, which is two/three years from now. Fast forward to then and most of us will be happy with the upcoming top D or forward we got in exchange for then-33/34 year old Petry.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yeah, I'd bet money you're right. No way does Bergevin trade our second captain in two years or his franchise goalie. That's okay, Price and Weber can still play and the rebuild can continue with them on the team.

The good news is that most of our veteran players are playing really well, which makes them valuable trade pieces. Petry in particular is having a great year. It would hurt to lose him, but we have to keep our eye on the ball, which is two/three years from now. Fast forward to then and most of us will be happy with the upcoming top D or forward we got in exchange for then-33/34 year old Petry.

I've moved past the idea of trading Price and Weber. We can look into it more in a few years. I agree with you, Having them around to lead the young core is actually a good plan. All rebuilding teams need leadership and vets to learn from. Having Price and Weber with a young core is a solid plan IMO.

I'm 50/50 on trading Petry. Comes down to who we can get for him and unfortunately, none of us know what GM's are offering. And I also agree about the projections 2 or 3 years from now. Is Petry part of the plans after his 3 years in term is done at age 33? If so, what's the plans with all the other RD depth we have?

But we still have our current President and GM so I don't see them making the tough move to sell assets like Petry, Byron, Tatar now. I think they might do it but they will wait until it's too late and/or their trade value is reduced.

 

[Lshap]

Last place last year: 62 pts (25-45-12)
Habs Current record this year: 41 pts (18-13-5)

- 46 more games left
- 21 more pts to get to 62 pts

We would have to go 10-35-1 in the remaining 46 games. It's more likely we play .500 hockey with the roster we have.... Something like 20-21-5 (45 pts). That would be 86 pts and according to last years standings, it's 20th spot. Pick would be 11th.

At this stage and based on what we have seen so far with 44% of the season completed, It's anywheres from 8-18 range for our 1st round pick. Very hard to predict the remaining 56% of the season but I just don't see us in the bottom 5 at this stage. A lot of negative needs to happen.

Pretty reasonable breakdown. Thanks for the reality check!

 

[Habs Halifax]

Pretty reasonable breakdown. Thanks for the reality check!

Crossing my fingers we pick another Poehling or Juulsen type vs another Leblanc, Tinordi, McCarron, Scherbak, Beaulieu type with our 15 (+/-) first round pick. Trying to narrow down the range of pick we would get as the season moves along. Looks like 8-20 (safe range) or 12-18 (smaller range). 15 (+/-) is a good bet.

 

[bobholly39]

Crossing my fingers we pick another Poehling or Juulsen type vs another Leblanc, Tinordi, McCarron, Scherbak, Beaulieu type with our 15 (+/-) first round pick. Trying to narrow down the range of pick we would get as the season moves along. Looks like 8-20 (safe range) or 12-18 (smaller range). 15 (+/-) is a good bet.

Pfft what a crappy fan you are.....A real fan would know Poehling and Juulsen type players won't be available with the 31st pick...which i'm fine with.

 

[Kriss E]

If we could get full value for either Weber or Price or both, I would do it as well. I just don't see it happening this early. Maybe in another year or two if there is continued struggles and we have a new President/GM with a different strategy. Our current management won't make this move IMO.

I agree. Bergey will live and die with both those guys.

 

[Lshap]

Crossing my fingers we pick another Poehling or Juulsen type vs another Leblanc, Tinordi, McCarron, Scherbak, Beaulieu type with our 15 (+/-) first round pick. Trying to narrow down the range of pick we would get as the season moves along. Looks like 8-20 (safe range) or 12-18 (smaller range). 15 (+/-) is a good bet.

I see a big difference between placing our faith in any pick, versus placing our faith in a top pick. Sure, Poehling could be good, and Juulsen might become a 1st pair D. That would be great, but history's shown that the chances are very slim of them leaping over prospects with higher ceilings. More likely they become good players, but not great.

We, however, need great. That's why all phasers need to be locked on top-10. There's faith involved in every pick, but at least in the top 10 it's not blind faith.

 

[1909]

Right now: Playoffs

If they sink badly in the next month: bottom five.

 

[Deluded Puck]

Right now, The team is too good to be bottom 5. If so, Bergevin needs to then become a buyer. I’m beyond tired of the paper tiger/bubble team life.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I see a big difference between placing our faith in any pick, versus placing our faith in a top pick. Sure, Poehling could be good, and Juulsen might become a 1st pair D. That would be great, but history's shown that the chances are very slim of them leaping over prospects with higher ceilings. More likely they become good players, but not great.

We, however, need great. That's why all phasers need to be locked on top-10. There's faith involved in every pick, but at least in the top 10 it's not blind faith.

I'm not necessarily putting our faith into one pick. My focus is more like adding another grade A asset on top of what we already have vs taking a guy that will bust. The probability of a bust increases by each pick after the top 10. Could be a major difference between 11 and 20 in terms of our ability to hit with our pick. Hard to predict what will happen but I rather have a better probability

 

[Habs Halifax]

Right now: Playoffs

If they sink badly in the next month: bottom five.

We would need to go 14-28-4 in the remaining 46 games to get 73 pts which was bottom 5 last year. Basically win one/lost two rate.

Bottom 6-10 range is possible. Bottom 5? I think that's just as probable as the Habs snagging the 3rd spot in the Atlantic ahead of the Bruins and Sabres.

October: 6-3-2
November: 5-6-3
December: 7-4-0

There are no signs of a win one/lose 2 pace for a longer span than 10 games at this stage. Team is healthy too. A lot needs to go wrong to knock us off the middle of the pack group. Even November was a tough stretch and we were close to .500

What did it look like last year (month to month)?
Oct: 4-7-1
Nov: 8-5-2
Dec: 4-7-1
Jan: 4-5-2
Feb: 4-5-4
Mar: 4-9-2
Apr: 1-2-1

If we struggle, were looking at .500 hockey. Unless there is a few major injuries. That changes things. But look at Jan/Feb from last year? Still close to .500 hockey without Price and Weber. Going 46 games and on a win one/lose two pace for that entire stretch? I don't know man... that don't look probable to me

 

[Habs Halifax]

Right now, The team is too good to be bottom 5. If so, Bergevin needs to then become a buyer. I’m beyond tired of the paper tiger/bubble team life.

If Bergevin sells Petry, Byron, and Tatar, don't you think that increases our chances of getting close to the bottom 5? I know, easier said than done but we can go in either direction depending on what our GM decides to do.

However, It's middle of the pack strategy and I don't see us making any major moves. Bergevin will continue to focus on depth with the hopes he hits another Danault, Petry, or Byron.

 

[BLONG7]

Feb 25th is trade deadline day.........currently we have played 36 games, and 24 to go before deadline day. So, at game 60 let's say we are still in the wild card spot..............What does MB do? I say he will be a buyer of sorts without giving up his 1st round pick but could see a 2nd or 3rd going out the door...

 

[Habs Halifax]

Feb 25th is trade deadline day.........currently we have played 36 games, and 24 to go before deadline day. So, at game 60 let's say we are still in the wild card spot..............What does MB do? I say he will be a buyer of sorts without giving up his 1st round pick but could see a 2nd or 3rd going out the door...

I agree. I think he uses those 2nd's to try and make some moves. If we are still in a wild card spot moving forward.

 

[ECWHSWI]

I agree. I think he uses those 2nd's to try and make some moves. If we are still in a wild card spot moving forward.

hope not... a mid 1st round pick and no 2nd... meh

 

[tazsub3]

I would strongly hope this team make the playoff, as would be great learning for kk and the younger players going forward.

 

[ECWHSWI]

I would strongly hope this team make the playoff, as would be great learning for kk and the younger players going forward.

HE is the younger player, the others (Lehkonen aside) all have 3, 4 or 5 years pro...

 

[tazsub3]

HE is the younger player, the others (Lehkonen aside) all have 3, 4 or 5 years pro...

I believe if we make it , will be with players like Juulsen mete contributing , not stuck in Laval. Otherwise we won't make it if they don't progress . But a playoff battle is good for everyone even the young veterans like Gallagher , domi , Drouin ,

 

[ECWHSWI]

I believe if we make it , will be with players like Juulsen mete contributing , not stuck in Laval. Otherwise we won't make it if they don't progress . But a playoff battle is good for everyone even the young veterans like Gallagher , domi , Drouin ,

Mete did not progress, Juulsen is in Laval, Habs are in a playoff spot...

so why do you think Habs NEED them to make it ?