Will the Habs fire their GM?

[Jigger77]

Umm...actually no...again, this is not about this past playoffs. The lack of a #1C has been going on for years. The lack of elite superstars has been going on for decades.

The only difference now is that we have one of the best goalies in the game with a fairly decent D group but they are all getting old so the window is closing fast yet we are no more closer to patching up the needs as we were years ago. That is the problem.

Unless the Habs somehow reigns in Kovalchuk and/or one of the other Russians or pull some miraculous trade for a #1 C (let alone a #2 C) what other practical way is there to shore up the offense? Again, this has nothing to do with the Rangers. It's a question of "What are the chances of winning the cup with this group of players" and the answer is, unless Price goes into God mode ala Roy, none, zip, nada.

Habs fan don't really care about coming in 2nd or some other close finish. It's been decades since the last cup, at this point the only thing that matters is going for the cup. Who cares about the Rangers, it's getting past everyone else that's the problem.

Well, I guess maybe we have a different perspective on how hard it is to get those players and on how good a team Montreal has. I think they are very close. I also think the Rangers could very well take the East.

And it's not like Bergevin didn't try at the deadline. Do you recall what the asking price for Duschene/Mckinnon was? It was insane. Nobody in their right mind would have done that.

All I'm saying is that it could be way worse. A lot of passionate NHL fans would love to have the team we have right now.

 

[Jigger77]

This team isnt good enough to win anything. It lacks 2 top centermen, a top 6 winger and a offensive dmen.

Our prospects pool isnt much to brag about beside maybe Sergachev who's at least 2 years of been able to make some kind of impact with the team.

The window is closing this season and i dont trust Bergevin's ability to improve the team significantly to make a serious push in the playoffs.

I agree that Markov, Plecky getting older sucks and needs to be addressed. But had Galchenyuk kept up the pace we would likely not even be talking about this right now.

I never meant to imply that everything is perfect, it's the sky is falling, fire Bergevin mentality that I can't hop on board with. And I base that on results since he's been here compared to many other teams.

 

[mariolemieux66]

Well, I guess maybe we have a different perspective on how hard it is to get those players and on how good a team Montreal has. I think they are very close. I also think the Rangers could very well take the East.

And it's not like Bergevin didn't try at the deadline. Do you recall what the asking price for Duschene/Mckinnon was? It was insane. Nobody in their right mind would have done that.

Bergevin had 5 years to improve the team. Other than Radulov, which was by chance( Lucic and Perron were his choices), he did not add top talent at forward. Trading Subbam was a dumb move since PK generated the most offense on the team that score less than 2 goals a game against the Rangers.

 

[mariolemieux66]

I agree that Markov, Plecky getting older sucks and needs to be addressed. But had Galchenyuk kept up the pace we would likely not even be talking about this right now.

I never meant to imply that everything is perfect, it's the sky is falling, fire Bergevin mentality that I can't hop on board with.

I could say the same thing about Lehkonen being a surprise in those playoffs, if he doesn't the serie isnt even close.

Bergevin and Therrien ****ed Galchenyuk development by keeping little dwarf DD at center for too many years instead of having Galchenyuk playing top minutes at C and learn the job in the big league by making mistakes. I will agree to a certain extend that Galchenyuk also need to take responsibility for some of it, but i say, at least 80% of it goes to management.

 

[Jigger77]

Bergevin had 5 years to improve the team. Other than Radulov, which was by chance( Lucic and Perron were his choices), he did not add top talent at forward. Trading Subbam was a dumb move since PK generated the most offense on the team that score less than 2 goals a game against the Rangers.

Of course, the best signing of the UFA season last year was "by chance" lol.

And yes, this will come down to the Subban trade, which I still think was a good move by Montreal. But now that we lost by 1 goal against a powerhouse offensive team, we can readily claim that Subban over Weber would have made a difference? Please.

They scored 1 more goal than we did!!!

 

[Jigger77]

I could say the same thing about Lehkonen being a surprise in those playoffs, if he doesn't the serie isnt even close.

Bergevin and Therrien ****ed Galchenyuk development by keeping little dwarf DD at center for too many years instead of having Galchenyuk playing top minutes at C and learn the job in the big league by making mistakes. I will agree to a certain extend that Galchenyuk also need to take responsibility for some of it, but i say, at least 80% of it goes to management.

BS.

Last resort bring up DD. Who's icetime was LOWER than Chucky's for the past 2 seasons. What did supercoach CJ do when he first got here? Put Chucky at center on the 1st line. How long did that last? A week?

At some point you need to clear the delusions man. The guy just isn't a #1 C.

Trust me. I wish he were just as the next guy!

Btw Lehkonen is an awesome hockey player. And he's what 20? But again, let's completely not talk about that too loudly so we can keep discrediting anything good Bergy did.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Well, I guess maybe we have a different perspective on how hard it is to get those players and on how good a team Montreal has. I think they are very close. I also think the Rangers could very well take the East.

And it's not like Bergevin didn't try at the deadline. Do you recall what the asking price for Duschene/Mckinnon was? It was insane. Nobody in their right mind would have done that.

All I'm saying is that it could be way worse. A lot of passionate NHL fans would love to have the team we have right now.

It is hard. It's damn hard to get the players the Habs needs. That IS the problem. The Habs NEEDS those players and at this point it's damn near impossible to get with the current direction that Bergevin is going. We can't draft those players with where we place in the standings and we have no assets to trade for those players unless we take someone from our core to get them. So what do we do? According to Bergevin we just stay the course and not get those players.

And sorry, we are not contenders for the cup nor are we close to being one. We are very good regular season team (pretty much because of Price) but unless Price goes into God mode, the Habs are nothing. Look at it this way. With Price we can perhaps get past a round or two and if the stars align, maybe three. Without Price we are a lottery team. How many other teams rely so purely on one player that without said player they go straight to the bottom?

At this point, the Leafs are closer to the cup than we are. The Leafs! Yes, their team is not as good as the Habs are currently but I fully expect them to fly by us real soon. They have their superstar #1C, their additional elite(possibly superstar) top 6 forwards, a pool of young players to fill the rest if not shore up their defense via trade, and a very decent goalie. They have no holes that can't be reasonably shored up. The Habs? A blackhole in offense with nothing to shore it up without making more holes.

The Habs are a good team, no question...they just aren't good enough with not much more potential to get any better.

 

[Jigger77]

It is hard. It's damn hard to get the players the Habs needs. That IS the problem. The Habs NEEDS those players and at this point it's damn near impossible to get with the current direction that Bergevin is going. We can't draft those players with where we place in the standings and we have no assets to trade for those players unless we take someone from our core to get them. So what do we do? According to Bergevin we just stay the course and not get those players.

And sorry, we are not contenders for the cup nor are we close to being one. We are very good regular season team (pretty much because of Price) but unless Price goes into God mode, the Habs are nothing. Look at it this way. With Price we can perhaps get past a round or two and if the stars align, maybe three. Without Price we are a lottery team. How many other teams rely so purely on one player that without said player they go straight to the bottom?

At this point, the Leafs are closer to the cup than we are. The Leafs! Yes, their team is not as good as the Habs are currently but I fully expect them to fly by us real soon. They have their superstar #1C, their additional elite(possibly superstar) top 6 forwards, a pool of young players to fill the rest if not shore up their defense via trade, and a very decent goalie. They have no holes that can't be reasonably shored up. The Habs? A blackhole in offense with nothing to shore it up without making more holes.

The Habs are a good team, no question...they just aren't good enough with not much more potential to get any better.

Take away any team's best player and they aren't contenders. Can Pittsburgh win a cup without Crosby? Tbay couldn't even make the playoffs without Stamkos.

All I'm saying is that is was EXTREMELY close man. We certainly don't disagree. I agree with you on every point. I wish the Habs could get a #1 C tomorrow. I just think that Bergevin also agrees and tried. So did all the other teams.

I never said I though the Habs were cup contenders. Basically my point is that in the cap era, given the circumstances of the Montreal market, I think Bergevin has done a good job and I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

I think people are overreacting, and not realizing how difficult it is to build a championship team is all. Even then, you need some luck the way the league is structured right now. Getting a new GM doesn't magically change that.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Habs look like they are built like a rubcs cube. Two sides done and they are proud, but really have a ton of more moves to be made.

I don't think Bergevin gets it.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Take away any team's best player and they aren't contenders. Can Pittsburgh win a cup without Crosby? Tbay couldn't even make the playoffs without Stamkos.

You misunderstand. TBL lost Stamkos for most of the year. Plus the team was plagued with injuries. And they JUST missed the playoffs.
If the Pens lose Crosby, they are still a playoff bound team. At worst they would be like TBL and just miss it.
If the Habs lose Price for most of the year, who cares about the playoffs, they are in the running for the lottery as the WORST team in the league. That is a huge difference.

All I'm saying is that is was EXTREMELY close man. We certainly don't disagree. I agree with you on every point. I wish the Habs could get a #1 C tomorrow. I just think that Bergevin also agrees and tried. So did all the other teams.

I never said I though the Habs were cup contenders. Basically my point is that in the cap era, given the circumstances of the Montreal market, I think Bergevin has done a good job and I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

Where we disagree is that the Habs just aren't that close. Without Price the Habs are a lottery team. With Price we, all of a sudden become a decent team. Unfortunately, someone has to score goals in order to win playoff games and we are woefully lacking in that capacity.

I think people are overreacting, and not realizing how difficult it is to build a championship team is all. Even then, you need some luck the way the league is structured right now. Getting a new GM doesn't magically change that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those who things Bergevin is total crap. He has done some wicked moves and some not so good moves like everyone else. In general I think he has done fairly well...except he's now stuck with a glaring problem with offensive help and doesn't seem to know how to get out of the hole he got himself into.

 

[smack66]

As a Bruins fan, I hope Bergevin remains the Habs GM. He inherited a team 5 years ago with all the potential key pieces to be a Stanley Cup contender.
Star Goalie in Price
Markov still strong and young Subban on D
Pacioretty and a recently drafted Galchenyuk along with young Gallagher .

If you look at the team he has as of right now I'm not sure its any better nor any worse. It seems his goal is to simply get by which I think will eventually be his demise

 

[number72]

I'd rather see Patrick Roy given the reigns then Bergervin.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Price Is good enough to keep them out of the top 10, not " God" like enough to completely win them a cup. They are in the worst spot you can be in professional sports.

 

[branch]

I still can't believe how bad he got fleeced in the Subban/Weber trade. That guy WAS Montreal. He should've been fired based alone on how ****** of a PR move it was. If any other corporate executive publicly crucified their organization like that, they would be canned immediately. But for some reason, Marc Bergevin still has a job.

 

[BruinLVGA]

According to a Montreal fan in the trade section, the Habs could potentially acquire Tavares, Seguin and Kovalchuk in the off season. So I guess he will be GM of the year...

 

[TedLundy]

Btw Lehkonen is an awesome hockey player. And he's what 20? But again, let's completely not talk about that too loudly so we can keep discrediting anything good Bergy did.

What "good" did Bergy do with Lehkonen? Draft him? Lehkonen had his break out season in Sweden. So if anything, you should give credit to Frolunda for the development.

 

[Channelcat]

Yeah I think it might be time for the Habs to shake it up. If Radulov isn't re-signed and goes elsewhere in free agency, Bergevin is going to have little to no support from the fans.

I'd be careful with Radulov. It could also turn into one of those franchise killer deals. Radulov has always had the ability to turn it on when he felt like doing so and this was clearly a showcase season for him as he gets set up for his sunset deal.

 

[Menzinger]

They need a new GM and a full rebuild. But won't happen. They'll just keep treading water for the next couple seasons

 

[Leafs24Seven*]

While it is true Mtl lacks big time center help, there is another issue at hand as to why they are now going on 25 years w/o a cup, the language issue. As a professional sports franchise your only goal is to win championships so you need to hire the best ppl out there, yet if the GM and coach are not francophone then sorry, you do not qualify to lead the team. Personally I hope this policy continues until the end of time

 

[NobleSix]

According to a Montreal fan in the trade section, the Habs could potentially acquire Tavares, Seguin and Kovalchuk in the off season. So I guess he will be GM of the year...

You do realize that the trade proposal board is completely hypothetical and not prediction based right?

While it is true Mtl lacks big time center help, there is another issue at hand as to why they are now going on 25 years w/o a cup, the language issue. As a professional sports franchise your only goal is to win championships so you need to hire the best ppl out there, yet if the GM and coach are not francophone then sorry, you do not qualify to lead the team. Personally I hope this policy continues until the end of time

Just dont. You're going to regret starting this.

 

[Leafs24Seven*]

Just dont. You're going to regret starting this.

Well, it is true you know, they do need a legit top center.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think Bergevin should be fired mostly because he really hasn't improved the team all that much from the first time he took over, they're still that middling team that lives or dies by their goaltending.

I would say Galchenyuk's issues are him and not so much the coaches or the GM, two coaches saw the same thing in him, they should move on from him to acquire what they actually need from someone while they still can. Maybe even dangle Pacioretty, but that Subban trade, definitely didn't need to be done, Weber is solid but that window of his is smaller than PK's.

The worst thing about this is that Bergevin probably won't be fired, he'll then sign Price to some ridiculous contract that will handcuff his team the way Luongo did Vancouver and then he'll be fired, that will be his legacy.

Montreal should really try to acquire Duchene.

 

[aufheben]

Habs look like they are built like a rubcs cube. Two sides done and they are proud, but really have a ton of more moves to be made.

I don't think Bergevin gets it.

I don't think he'd even get the analogy.

 

[BLONG7]

Bergevin is in over his head, in english, or french...it really doesn't matter.

 

[Kimota]

Habs would have an horrible owner if they fired their GM after 5 years.

This is not how you run a sport franchise but you kiddies don't get that, right.