HF Habs: 2023 Roster, Schedule & Standings Thread

[BaseballCoach]

0nce Price and Weber went down we weren't going to be competitive. Better to bottom out and get gems for the future than finish around 20th in the league.

If Gorton and Hughes really thought losing was better, why didn't they stick with Ducharme? They took such a "hughe" chance and almost did not finish last!!

Man, after watching the rangers and Tampa, and Vegas and LA play tonight, I think we have Bedard all locked up.

You would need to see the other bottom ranked teams to know more, and even a last place finish only gives a 25% chance at the first pick, finishing 31st only a 13.5% chance.

There is no way to "lock this up", that's the rules.

 

[26Mats]

If Gorton and Hughes really thought losing was better, why didn't they stick with Ducharme? They took such a "hughe" chance and almost did not finish last!!


You would need to see the other bottom ranked teams to know more, and even a last place finish only gives a 25% chance at the first pick, finishing 31st only a 13.5% chance.

There is no way to "lock this up", that's the rules.

When Hughes was first hired, he said he hoped to turn things around quickly. He hoped to attract UFA's in the summer. He even said he wasn't looking to take on bad contracts for 1st round picks. Then, once on the job, he realized just how bad the situation was. There was going to be no quick turnaround. Too many bad contracts. He even ended up taking on a bad contract for a 1st. And now, when asked what he wants to do as far as moves go: he said get another 1st round pick.

Perhaps the MSL hire was before he realized he'd need a full rebuild. Perhaps it was when he wanted to try to do a quick turnaround. Perhaps it was because he wanted a good coach for development purposes. Perhaps the toxic environment under Ducharme was unbearable. At any rate, the goal now is to trade vets for futures. And Hughes said to his daughter, if your dream of us getting Bedard were true, he'd be ecstatic. So I think he won't exactly mind making moves to give us the best chance at a top 3 pick - such as trading Edmundson for a 1st. We already know he wants a pick for Anderson (another non-deadweight contract). He's already said it.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Who gets the point on PP1? I don’t care at all about the train wreck that is PP2, but I’m curious about the scheme used by PP1. Umbrella up top I guess?

Doubt it they never did that in pre-season.

Only thing new is the Avalache type zone entry but we have no Makar or MacKinnon so it looks weird and clunky

 

[WeThreeKings]

When Hughes was first hired, he said he hoped to turn things around quickly. He hoped to attract UFA's in the summer. He even said he wasn't looking to take on bad contracts for 1st round picks. Then, once on the job, he realized just how bad the situation was. There was going to be no quick turnaround. Too many bad contracts. He even ended up taking on a bad contract for a 1st. And now, when asked what he wants to do as far as moves go: he said get another 1st round pick.

Perhaps the MSL hire was before he realized he'd need a full rebuild. Perhaps it was when he wanted to try to do a quick turnaround. Perhaps it was because he wanted a good coach for development purposes. Perhaps the toxic environment under Ducharme was unbearable. At any rate, the goal now is to trade vets for futures. And Hughes said to his daughter, if your dream of us getting Bedard were true, he'd be ecstatic. So I think he won't exactly mind making moves to give us the best chance at a top 3 pick - such as trading Edmundson for a 1st. We already know he wants a pick for Anderson (another non-deadweight contract). He's already said it.

He also said that things are bit different if you have a healthy Carey Price. There's a little bit of onus on the management group to do right by the franchise player and give him a chance to contend.

Once Price's career was in jeopardy and it was clear he wasn't coming back, it helped them lean further into this direction since it's basically turning over to a new core without that franchise player.

 

[MilesNewton]

I'm all for the future and the future needs to be playing on special teams not the vets who have already failed.o

I wouldn't say the vets have failed 2 coaches last season how about give it some time? I hope they prove your wrong tonight

 

[MilesNewton]

Everyone here is way too focused on the PP, why not worry about the 5x5 play and the ability to ge the "stars" scoring?

 

[Andy]

0nce Price and Weber went down we weren't going to be competitive. Better to bottom out and get gems for the future than finish around 20th in the league.

Not to be a debbie downer, but the habs weren't competitive with Price and Weber. The COVID seasons masked that fact. The play-in arrangement and the divisions permitted a bottom feeder to make the playoffs.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Well, in scheduling news, Chicago kicks off their inglorious 2023 season in Colorado vs the Avs. I think we can expect a loss there.

They're in Vegas tomorrow. Lol

 

[Rapala]

I wouldn't say the vets have failed 2 coaches last season how about give it some time? I hope they prove your wrong tonight

Yeah Okay. We've had the same fricking structure going well beyond last year. A player who can't handle the puck and or telegraphs plays should not be on anyone's PP. There is no need to wait it's a Universal Truth.

Well, in scheduling news, Chicago kicks off their inglorious 2023 season in Colorado vs the Avs. I think we can expect a loss there.

They're in Vegas tomorrow. Lol

So we start the season neck and neck.

 

[EveryDay]

Maybe it won't be Bedard but it should 100% be a top5 picks at the end of the season.

Can anyone imagine this team in 2-3 years going forward if we are lucky enough to win the 1st OV pick??? I hope we pick the best RD available with the Panthers pick or even move ahead to draft one by adding a 2nd +++

Caufield-Suzuki-Bedard
Slafkovski-Dach-Mesar
Farrell-Beck-Anderson
RHP-Evans-Heineman
Roy-Kapanen-Ylonen


Guhle-Panthers 1st pick
Matheson-Mailloux
Xhekaj-Barron
Harris-Hutson

UFA starting goaltender
Dobes
Primeau

I really like the potential of this team going forward. The only contract over 3 years that will needed to be move is Gallagher.

GHG!

 

[26Mats]

Not to be a debbie downer, but the habs weren't competitive with Price and Weber. The COVID seasons masked that fact. The play-in arrangement and the divisions permitted a bottom feeder to make the playoffs.

Well whether medicro, bubble team, or "once you make the playoffs anything can happen", whatever you want to call that era, thank god it's over!!!

I can't wait to see who we get in the draft when we finish bottom of the league again- and to see what Hughes will get for the vets like Eddy, Dvo, Anderson, Monahan, etc... And do a proper rebuild.

 

[Seb]

We're currently in front of the Lightning in the standings. SUCK IT TAMPA!

 

[BaseballCoach]

Maybe it won't be Bedard but it should 100% be a top5 picks at the end of the season.

Can anyone imagine this team in 2-3 years going forward if we are lucky enough to win the 1st OV pick??? I hope we pick the best RD available with the Panthers pick or even move ahead to draft one by adding a 2nd +++

Caufield-Suzuki-Bedard
Slafkovski-Dach-Mesar
Farrell-Beck-Anderson
RHP-Evans-Heineman
Roy-Kapanen-Ylonen


Guhle-Panthers 1st pick
Matheson-Mailloux
Xhekaj-Barron
Harris-Hutson

UFA starting goaltender
Dobes
Primeau

I really like the potential of this team going forward. The only contract over 3 years that will needed to be move is Gallagher.

GHG!

That list is nothing special if Caufield, Suzuki, Dach, Anderson, Evans, Guhle, Matheson, Xhekaj and Harris are not very good.

On the other hand, if several of those are really good, we will not be getting Bedard.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

So we cheer in the GDT thread and hope for a loss here?
Am I getting this right?

 

[Gravity]

Great win! Now go 0-81 plz thanks.

 

[WeThreeKings]

One acceptable win down.

Now we can lose.

 

[SwiftyHab]

Great win! Now go 0-81 plz thanks.

Yaaa…I’m not sure anymore. What we thought of was our biggest weakness …the young D, we’re probably better than the vets last night. We’ll eventually get Matheson and Edmonton back too. I think overall we may not be that bad.

 

[Gravity]

Yaaa…I’m not sure anymore. What we thought of was our biggest weakness …the young D, we’re probably better than the vets last night. We’ll eventually get Matheson and Edmonton back too. I think overall we may not be that bad.

It was one game. When Suzuki and CC cool down this team is going to shit.

 

[Tuggy]

It was one game. When Suzuki and CC cool down this team is going to shit.

That was a big issue last season. When they weren't scoring, there was no secondary scoring.

Will the new guys (Dach, Monahan) change that? We'll see.

 

[Miller Time]

Yaaa…I’m not sure anymore. What we thought of was our biggest weakness …the young D, we’re probably better than the vets last night. We’ll eventually get Matheson and Edmonton back too. I think overall we may not be that bad.

Yup...
With MSL & Hughes in charge, 2 things are very unlikely... purposely "tanking" & giving ice time to uninspired vets just bc of their contract.

They are building a culture of excellence, and this roster has enough talent to be competitive with the middle tier rosters in the league unless the goaltending implodes or we see a rash of lomg term injuries to key players.

I think an 8-12 finish is more likely than a bottom 5, with +/- 5 spots either way being the outliers if things go really well or really poorly.

Guhle, Dach, Monahan & Harris are 4 big ? that could swing it positively if they have big years.if they give us quality top 4/top 6 caliber play (which they did in the tiny opening night sample), Habs will be in the playoff hunt far longer than most expect

 

[Deebs]

It was one game. When Suzuki and CC cool down this team is going to shit.

That's the spirit lol

 

[Captain Mountain]

Yaaa…I’m not sure anymore. What we thought of was our biggest weakness …the young D, we’re probably better than the vets last night. We’ll eventually get Matheson and Edmonton back too. I think overall we may not be that bad.

The Vets on the roster were Savard, who is clearly on the decline and Wideman, who is a PP specialist. All of the young D showed glimpses of good upside, but they all have a lot of work to do.

Its only game 1.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The tank will be just fine. This team will not sustain an effort like that many nights and we won't have a sleep walking contender every night either.

 

[HostileCapSpace]

 

[jrom]

Yaaa…I’m not sure anymore. What we thought of was our biggest weakness …the young D, we’re probably better than the vets last night. We’ll eventually get Matheson and Edmonton back too. I think overall we may not be that bad.

Wait till Allen gets injured after playing 5 games and Monty is our starter + either Suzuki or Caufield misses a few games