Speculation: Would you give Duchene 8M x 7 years in free agency?

[Scriptor]

I'd definitely offer Duchene 8M for 7 years, but as some point out, I doubt it would be enough to get him. It's a myth, outside of less than a handful of US markets, that star players (because of the team's willingness to structure contracts appropriately) will pay more taxes by playing in Quebec. I don't believe that the mark-up, if there is one, for playing in Montreal, would be based on this. Perhaps the pressure in Montreal could well warrant the extra little bit of cash, though.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

Hi visiting Blue Jacket fan who follows the Habs. I think Duchene is at his best when the team doesn't have to depend on him as their leader/best player. He is effective in Columbus because Panarin attracts the other team's best defenders and there is plenty of star power with Jones, Werenski, Atkinson and PLD. Duchene doesn't need to carry the team.

 

[26Mats]

Hi visiting Blue Jacket fan who follows the Habs. I think Duchene is at his best when the team doesn't have to depend on him as their leader/best player. He is effective in Columbus because Panarin attracts the other team's best defenders and their is plenty of star power with Jones, Werenski, Atkinson and PLD. Duchene doesn't need to carry the team.

yeah in Ottawa, he played with one of the better players in the league - Mark Stone. Stone's a winger who drives the play. If he doesnt' re-sign with you guys I would love him in a Habs uniform. I think he could do well with Domi (Domi-Duchene-Shaw) or Tatar and Galalgher.

 

[Andrei79]

yeah in Ottawa, he played with one of the better players in the league - Mark Stone. Stone's a winger who drives the play. If he doesnt' re-sign with you guys I would love him in a Habs uniform. I think he could do well with Domi (Domi-Duchene-Shaw) or Tatar and Galalgher.

Stone wasnt playing with Duchene. He was mostly playing on another line.

 

[26Mats]

Stone wasnt playing with Duchene. He was mostly playing on another line.

Interesting, not what I saw, but I only saw so much. Who did Duchene play with?

 

[Dominator13]

Domi-Duschene-Shaw? Yes please.

 

[montreal]

Domi-Duschene-Shaw? Yes please.

If they did sign him i'd want to see them try Domi Duchene Suzuki

 

[Dominator13]

If they did sign him i'd want to see them try Domi Duchene Suzuki

Sure, whatever works best.

It's just really hard to split Domi and Shaw. Their chemistry was insane all year.

 

[Scriptor]

Sure, whatever works best.

It's just really hard to split Domi and Shaw. Their chemistry was insane all year.

Shaw's next concussion will take care of that on its own

 

[26Mats]

Sure, whatever works best.

It's just really hard to split Domi and Shaw. Their chemistry was insane all year.

Yes, I highly doubt Shaw gets anywhere close to the number of points he had this year without Domi. Anytime you have a guy like Shaw producing that well, it gives you a better chance to have 3 lines that are dangerous offensively - you can take a more offensive player that would have been on Domi's line and play him on another line.

About Suzuki, in my books, he has to steal Byron's spot, if the forward corps is the same 12 as it is now.

Tatar Danault Gallagher
Lehkonen Domi Shaw
Byron KK Drouin
Weal Poehling Armia

 

[Hfbsux]

Hi visiting Blue Jacket fan who follows the Habs. I think Duchene is at his best when the team doesn't have to depend on him as their leader/best player. He is effective in Columbus because Panarin attracts the other team's best defenders and their is plenty of star power with Jones, Werenski, Atkinson and PLD. Duchene doesn't need to carry the team.

Duchene was at his best in Ottawa, where he had to carry the team.

 

[Hfbsux]

If they did sign him i'd want to see them try Domi Duchene Suzuki

I was legit thinking about this line a few months ago. Suzuki slowing the play down feeding Domi and Duchene on the fly. Even if we dont get Duchene, I think Suzuki and Domi would make a good duo.

 

[montreal]

Sure, whatever works best.

It's just really hard to split Domi and Shaw. Their chemistry was insane all year.

I don't have any problem splitting them since Domi Duchene Suzuki would give us a line where any player can score or set up plays. Shaw's never had more then 20 goals. That said I don't think Julien would do it. But Shaw has had a lot of problems staying healthy with us as he's played just 114 games in the last 2 years and since joining the Habs he's never played more then 68 games and has missed 65 games over 3 years.

 

[No More Subban]

Yes, I highly doubt Shaw gets anywhere close to the number of points he had this year without Domi. Anytime you have a guy like Shaw producing that well, it gives you a better chance to have 3 lines that are dangerous offensively - you can take a more offensive player that would have been on Domi's line and play him on another line.

About Suzuki, in my books, he has to steal Byron's spot, if the forward corps is the same 12 as it is now.

Tatar Danault Gallagher
Lehkonen Domi Shaw
Byron KK Drouin
Weal Poehling Armia

Lehkonen is my 4th line LW next season. I am done with him as a top 6 forward.

 

[montreal]

Lehkonen is my 4th line LW next season. I am done with him as a top 6 forward.

If they don't put him at RW, I hope they trade him as he just seems to do better there and teams were calling about him.

 

[HSF]

yeah in Ottawa, he played with one of the better players in the league - Mark Stone. Stone's a winger who drives the play. If he doesnt' re-sign with you guys I would love him in a Habs uniform. I think he could do well with Domi (Domi-Duchene-Shaw) or Tatar and Galalgher.

They didnt play together 5 on 5. Duchene can def drive play

Duchene usually played with dzingle

 

[26Mats]

If they don't put him at RW, I hope they trade him as he just seems to do better there and teams were calling about him.

With Nick Suzuki being a right hand shot, we're stacked on the right: Gallagher, Shaw, Suzuki, Armia - plus Weal. I would also look to move Byron - he's older and has more trade value, I would imagine.

Tatar Danault Gallagher
Domi Duchene Shaw
Suzuki KK Lehkonen/Drouin
Weal Poehling Armia/Byron

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I mean we have Price and Weber in their 30s. Price still has at least 5 good years, but Weber doesn't. At some point, you have to go all in with these players or decide to move on. MB is straddling the middle and doesn't want to make a decision in either direction.

Completely agree. It's a win now signing. If we don't get him and there's no else then rebuild.

With an expected big jump in the cap, if his agent is any good he should get over 8M imo, I'd be surprised if he got less then 9M at least if he signed here. 7.5 seems more reasonable for a guy that for the previous 4 years put up 214 pts in 317 games. Outside of the lockout, in 9 years he's only played 82 games twice, though his first 2 seasons he missed only 3 games total. But if he's in high demand while coming off his best season ever in goals, 3rd in assists and tied for best in points it's certainly going to be in his favor.

I think he wants $9m. That's a lot for a guy who hasn't been a ppg player or even close to it for most of his career. In Ottawa, he was just another product of Stone.

However, I do think he fits well in our system. But, we already have Price at $10,5m, and Weber at $7,8m. We also have to sign Domi next year and Gallagher, Danault and Kotka the year after that.

We do have some Tatar and Petry coming off the books. If we sign him at $9m long term, get up to the cap and miss the playoffs, we're screwed.

 

[Guns n Roses]

With Nick Suzuki being a right hand shot, we're stacked on the right: Gallagher, Shaw, Suzuki, Armia - plus Weal. I would also look to move Byron - he's older and has more trade value, I would imagine.

Tatar Danault Gallagher
Domi Duchene Shaw
Suzuki KK Lehkonen/Drouin
Weal Poehling Armia/Byron

How dare you slot Danault in the 1C spot. Shame on you.. shame on you...

 

[1909]

Danault on the first line for sure.... Just to annoy a certain Danault hater around here.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Duchene only makes sense if you plan on putting Domi to the wing because neither Domi or Duchene should be facing the opposition's best lines as centers and Kotkaniemi needs to play at center too.

We need a backup goalie who can play 30-35 games (fewer games will allow Price to post better numbers in both regular season and playoffs), a top 4 LD, and one elite scoring winger in that order.

 

[Guns n Roses]

Danault on the first line for sure.... Just to annoy a certain Danault hater around here.

I love Danault in the 3C spot where he belongs. That’s because I know what I’m talking about. I’m not clueless and in love with him because he’s French.

 

[Guns n Roses]

Duchene only makes sense if you plan on putting Domi to the wing because neither Domi or Duchene should be facing the opposition's best lines as centers and Kotkaniemi needs to play at center too.

We need a backup goalie who can play 30-35 games (fewer games will allow Price to post better numbers in both regular season and playoffs), a top 4 LD, and one elite scoring winger in that order.

Domi belongs at wing anyways. Anyone with half a hockey mind sees that. If we had no option at center like last season then sure by all means let’s play Domi there.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

Stone wasnt playing with Duchene. He was mostly playing on another line.

That's not the point. Other teams aren't stacking their D to stop Duchene. In Ottawa Stone was on another line; in Columbus Duchene plays mostly with Dzingel and Bjorkstrand, while PLD, Panarin and Atkinson are on another line. Even when they change it up, it's Atkinson, Bjorkstrand and Anderson switching up at RW.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

"Domi sucks, he's just another Shaw"



"Duchene sucks, he's just another Drouin"