Pre-Game Talk: 2023-2024 Habs Rookie Camp & Training Camp

[Tyson]

31 wins may be a tad overly optimistic.

You think that if they stay relatively healthy that they could be worse than last year? They won 31 games last year with over 700 man games lost....

 

[Redux91]

It's kind of a win/win situation this season. If the habs suck, they can get their hands on the final piece of the puzzle offensively... a skilled top line player.

If they somehow become a bubble team, they will accomplish it without being pretenders considering the strength of their division, and that in order for them to achieve that, the young core would have to take huge strides forward.

Agreed
I mean I'm sick of losing, but we're still in that retool window, so you can actually afford to finish dead last again and grab one of that top3 should it happen

And should it not, well it would hopefully mean some of the guys broke out which is also great

 

[26Mats]

I'm pretty sure RHP/Dach/Slaf will be a line on October 11th.

It's more the 3rd wheel with CC/Suzuki and who is on the 3rd line that is in flux.

And also that they have 27 healthy players up and MSL act has if he can carry that many around instead of just 23.

If that line is together on October 11th, the puzzle is pretty clear.

Caufield - Suzuki - Monahan/Newhook/Anderson
Slaf - Dach - RHP
Peason/Gallagher + the two of Monahan/Newhook/Anderson that don't play with Nick and Cole.
Peason/Gallagher - Evans - Armia/Ylonen/Pez

I really like that RHP is playing with Slaf or Anderson. Given RHP isn't playing with Anderson, I think Newhook should.

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - Kovacevic
Harris - Xhekaj
We'll see who stays from Lindstrom, Norlinder, Barron

Montembault
Allen/Primeau

I'd be a savage and cut Allen and Armia. And then I'd cut Norlinder and Barron and give them top pairing in Laval, alongside Trudeau and Mailloux. Struble and Tourigny would be my 3rd pair in Laval, but still get good minutes. When Dvo comes back he completes the 23 man roster.

You think that if they stay relatively healthy that they could be worse than last year? They won 31 games last year with over 700 man games lost....

Health and what kind of steps the young guys take (and Anderson and Monty) are the big unknowns.

 

[Miller Time]

CC Suzuki Monahan
Slaf Dach RHP
Anderson Newhook Ylonen
Pearson Evans Gallagher
Pez, Armia

I think that's what I'd roll with to start... see if Ylonen can translate playing with some skill/speed into production

 

[BJCOLLINS]

I'm still complaining about the Wickenheiser pick

Who would you rather have Coffey (6OA) Kurri (4th round) or Savard (3OA)?

mcphee was a good pick in the 6th round

 

[Captain Mountain]

You think that if they stay relatively healthy that they could be worse than last year? They won 31 games last year with over 700 man games lost....

Depends on what other teams do. They had a lot of injuries, but the only guys they lost that would have helped them win more are Matheson, Dach, Caufield and Monahan. Often times, they got more from call-ups than the regulars (Barron, RHP, Belzile, Ylonen, etc.)

 

[BLONG7]

Cap Compliant.............
When is the drop dead date for being under the cap, with Price included, to start the season?
October 10th............just a guess?

 

[ReHabs]

It's kind of a win/win situation this season. If the habs suck, they can get their hands on the final piece of the puzzle offensively... a skilled top line player.

If they somehow become a bubble team, they will accomplish it without being pretenders considering the strength of their division, and that in order for them to achieve that, the young core would have to take huge strides forward.

This doesn’t consider the consequences of the first scenario: if we find ourself very bad again, and it isn’t a catastrophic man-games lost situation, then it means our young core players hadn’t developed up sufficiently and that’s actually a big problem and will indicate that the prospective core isn’t the core.

If Suzuki appears to top out as a 65pt player that’s very bad.
Dach has to show growth.
Newhook has to earn his trade value back.
Guhle has to prove he can play D, because he was smoked last year.
Slafkovsky…
Etc.

 

[26Mats]

CC Suzuki Monahan
Slaf Dach RHP
Anderson Newhook Ylonen
Pearson Evans Gallagher
Pez, Armia

I think that's what I'd roll with to start... see if Ylonen can translate playing with some skill/speed into production

I like this a lot. Even if Pearson is on the 3rd line and Ylonen on the 4th, last year Gallagher-Evans-Ylonen were good together in the small sample size. Evans plays his best when he has speed on the wings. And though Gallagher isn't fast, he brought a veteran presence to the trio.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

You think that if they stay relatively healthy that they could be worse than last year? They won 31 games last year with over 700 man games lost....

The competition in the East has gotten much better. There will be few easy wins. And after this preseason, are you so confident about our goaltending? If it slips to any degree, we're drafting in the top 3.

 

[CHfan1]

Cap Compliant.............
When is the drop dead date for being under the cap, with Price included, to start the season?
October 10th............just a guess?

Monday, October 9th.

 

[Tyson]

The competition in the East has gotten much better. There will be few easy wins. And after this preseason, are you so confident about our goaltending? If it slips to any degree, we're drafting in the top 3.

True but the Habs were dominated by the teams in their division last season.

 

[Treb]

WHAT?! I distinctly remember that we got a lot of depp. Who lied?!

We have depth, but a lack of top end talent.

We can deal with any injury at forward who isn't Caufield or Suzuki.

Same at D except Matheson and Guhle.

For the goalies, it depends what happens with Primeau and how Dobes goes as a pro.

 

[HABitual Fan]

This doesn’t consider the consequences of the first scenario: if we find ourself very bad again, and it isn’t a catastrophic man-games lost situation, then it means our young core players hadn’t developed up sufficiently and that’s actually a big problem and will indicate that the prospective core isn’t the core.

If Suzuki appears to top out as a 65pt player that’s very bad.
Dach has to show growth.
Newhook has to earn his trade value back.
Guhle has to prove he can play D, because he was smoked last year.
Slafkovsky…
Etc.

I could live with Suzuki remaining a 65 point player for another season, if it meant that he also is a plus player 5 on 5. Can't win if you give up more points 5 on 5 than you score which is the case with NS and CC. Pond hockey is fun, but you do need to keep the puck out of your own net as well.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Cap Compliant.............
When is the drop dead date for being under the cap, with Price included, to start the season?
October 10th............just a guess?

As mentioned, the 9th.

If Pinto isn't signed by then, I wouldn't be surprised if the Habs use that space right away to "help" Ottawa.

I imagine they want Pinto signed and Bailey. Bailey they can get for league min, so around 800k.

 

[Mrb1p]

The competition in the East has gotten much better. There will be few easy wins. And after this preseason, are you so confident about our goaltending? If it slips to any degree, we're drafting in the top 3.

Regardless, the young roster is going to take huge steps forward this year. Guhle and Dach especially. And having both healthy for a season will have an immediate impact too. Montambeault should be slightly above replacement which will drag us out of a PO spot but I dont think this roster is much weaker than Washington, Boston, NYI, Detroit, Ottawa, CBJ and it is clearly better than Philly. We should compete for top 10 in the east and likely miss the POs by ~ 6 points.

 

[26Mats]

We have depth, but a lack of top end talent.

We can deal with any injury at forward who isn't Caufield or Suzuki.

Same at D except Matheson and Guhle.

For the goalies, it depends what happens with Primeau and how Dobes goes as a pro.

It's why I was ready to overpay for Dubois and was hoping we'd draft Michkov, with all the young dmen we already have. Though I like Reinbacher.

 

[Captain97]

I could live with Suzuki remaining a 65 point player for another season, if it meant that he also is a plus player 5 on 5. Can't win if you give up more points 5 on 5 than you score which is the case with NS and CC. Pond hockey is fun, but you do need to keep the puck out of your own net as well.

I mean it's kind of hard to be + when you have 3-4 rookie/sophmore dmen and no starter goalie.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

True but the Habs were dominated by the teams in their division last season.

So where's the growth? Who are we beating this year that we couldn't last year?

 

[Treb]

So where's the growth? Who are we beating this year that we couldn't last year?

A few games of each. Just staying healthy should make a decent difference.

 

[Tyson]

So where's the growth? Who are we beating this year that we couldn't last year?

Perhaps other teams in other divisions. I still think we will get at least 31 wins as long as the injuries don't mount up.

 

[The Real Timo]

I predict Habs will be in the playoffs spot by end of Oct. there.

 

[HABitual Fan]

I mean it's kind of hard to be + when you have 3-4 rookie/sophmore dmen and no starter goalie.

Ok, I'll rephrase it, I want to see more of an effort from the team in playing a two-way game and it needs to start with Suzuki and Caufield. If it comes at the price of them not scoring more, I can live with that for now. I want to see them be able to win games when.they score 3 goals,, not need 5 because they give up 4.

 

[salbutera]

So where's the growth? Who are we beating this year that we couldn't last year?

A couple of wins vs TBay & Bruins that weren’t there for the taking last year, a few more points t from a weaker Metropolitan division and most importantly it will all come down to health

The lineup with both Monahan & Savard playing had close to .500 record…. thats not a contender but likely out ot top-10 pick category

 

[Captain Mountain]

A couple of wins vs TBay & Bruins that weren’t there for the taking last year, a few more points t from a weaker Metropolitan division and most importantly it will all come down to health

The lineup with both Monahan & Savard playing had close to .500 record…. thats not a contender but likely out ot top-10 pick category

Montreal picking up a few extra points against vastly better opponents and a Metro division that isn't actually worse than last season, and that they were barely a .500 team (which may still be bottom 10 or near it) when healthy with a soft schedule and when they were vastly outperforming their expected results is not a recipe for not being a bottom-10 team.

By most models, Montreal should be a bottom 5 team. Most talking heads think Montreal will be an awful team. Most rankings, data driven or not, have Montreal comfortably in the bottom-10. The only path for Montreal to not be bottom-10 is if multiple young guys take huge jumps forward. Which would be great, but shouldn't be expected.