HF Habs: 2023 Roster, Schedule & Standings Thread

[Redux91]

View attachment 598217

Interesting,
So Marty needs to put the RIGHT people on the ice then
These 2 combinations dont work..

 

[BJCOLLINS]

<mod>

There is a long tradition on this board of blaming the assistant PP coach for the failures of the GM.

There is very little genuine play-making talent on this team.

Suzuki is not it, he's good, but he's far from a Ribeiro.
Caufield can score.
Drouin looks good on the PP because he has a modicum of that.
We don't have ONE D that should be on the PP.
Slaf has not arrived yet.
Dach might be the best playmaker we have.

PPs are good when they have playmaking talent, our last good PP units, all had Markov involved in one way or the other.

I would add PP’s are productive when offensive players have patience with the puck. As you noted Suzuki has the potential but unfortunately opposing PK’s do their homework, they have been very aggressive and attack our kids & less talented players forcing them to rush plays. Just watch Hoffman with the puck on the pp, he panicks & coughs up the puck 9-10…his only positive attribute is as a shooter.
The last thing I’d add is this, you’ll know our PP is starting to look like a pro unit when Wideman is on someone else’s team.
Cheers

ps I don’t dislike Wideman, he’s simply a stop gap right now

 

[HabzSauce]

This is why "tank fever" was premature all summer long. Habs are not a well built team and we need our future to mature but we are not a locked in bottom 5 team. A lot went wrong last year and this roster with kids growing and vets rebounding (while also getting healthy) is going to make us move up the standings a bit.

I'm expecting a 5-10 range pick. Maybe 8-12 range. Hard to say. Bottom 5 is not impossible but I have the same probability of making the playoffs the same as bottom 5. I say we fall in the middle of that somewhere.

Yeah I think we land #4-7. One huge reason for optimism though is that all the bad teams are out west so they will all share points. Most in the same division even! Whereas we are playing against a solid team out east almost every night. That will benefit us big time down the road.

 

[Beer and Chips]

Suzuki and Caufield should be racking up points on the PP. Caufield soon to get a major pay increase and the 8 m man can't score on the PP? That's worrying.

 

[CHfan1]

Suzuki and Caufield should be racking up points on the PP. Caufield soon to get a major pay increase and the 8 m man can't score on the PP? That's worrying.

Teams have been keying in on Caufield during the Habs power play and taking away that option. The Habs need to find a better way to create room for his shot.

 

[morhilane]

What is going on with the Pacific? Are all the teams in that division Trying for Bedard except for Calgary and Vegas?

And then in the Habs division, everyone is playing .500+, but we are last...

 

[Runner77]

It’s been crystal clear watching the Canadiens practice who is running the power play.

It is not Alexandre Burrows. It is Martin St. Louis.

It is St. Louis doing all the talking when the power play gathers prior to practice. It is St. Louis stopping things and explaining what’s gone wrong when the power play goes through its reps. It is St. Louis directing the orchestra.

Basu and Godin: Canadiens players come back to the city, locker placement in the room

Also in this week's Canadiens notebook the myth of the Montreal flu, a new wrinkle on the power play and David Savard's massive block party.

theathletic.com

Alex?

 

[Adam Michaels]

Winnipeg and Edmonton won their games. So they move ahead of Habs. They started the night in 20th place, now they sit 22nd.

 

[Belial]

Interesting,
So Marty needs to put the RIGHT people on the ice then
These 2 combinations dont work..

They should split Suzuki and Caufield IMO.

The best PP's in the league have two one-timer options on both sides.

I know Hoffman sucks but they should probably try it on the PP.

Cole on the left side ready for a one-timer and Hoffman on the right side also ready for a one-timer.

Cole is an underrated passer, if they cheat on him he should be able to find Hoffman on the other side with a cross-ice pass when everybody is expecting a shot from him.

It's not working with Suzuki because he's also a right-hand shot.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Imagine a scenario where we draft Fantili/Carlsson and acquire Dubois

Our long-term roster could include
6'4 Dach
6'3 Slafkovsky
6'3 Anderson
6'2 Fantili/Carlsson
6'2 Dubois

6'4 Xhekaj
6'3 Mailloux
6'2 Guhle
6'2 Barron
6'2 Matheson

holy size

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Winnipeg and Edmonton won their games. So they move ahead of Habs. They started the night in 20th place, now they sit 22nd.

Last in our division, 3rd last in Eastern Conference only 2 pts out of last place, yet we're still only 11th worst because 8 of the bottom 9 teams are Western teams, including all of the bottom 5.

Holy moses!!

 

[Belial]

Imagine a scenario where we draft Fantili/Carlsson and acquire Dubois

Our long-term roster could include
6'4 Dach
6'3 Slafkovsky
6'3 Anderson
6'2 Fantili/Carlsson
6'2 Dubois

6'4 Xhekaj
6'3 Mailloux
6'2 Guhle
6'2 Barron
6'2 Matheson

holy size

We'll need it as Buffalo and Detroit in particular seem to be drafting some big boys lately...

 

[aresknights]

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.

I'm not against a rebuild but would prefer a quick turnaround while so. I'm not a tank it purposely person by nature BUT for those who believe in it its all good.
I just don't understand the part of this post "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"
Not just you but do people actually think Hughes had no idea the situation he was walking into? No idea about the bad contracts? Really. I'm pretty sure he knew exactly what was there and in great detail.
Now saying something to the media shouldn't be taken as gospel. Thinks change, good leadership pivots and knows there is no one cookie cutter to the top.

 

[NORiculous]

We want Bedard so we can have a couple Cup Finals of McDavid vs. Bedard

Yes. I would be happy with Fantilli too though.

 

[Adam Michaels]

If Habs lose but...

- Columbus win vs. Arizona
- Chicago win vs. Florida
- Seattle win vs. Buffalo
- LA Kings win vs. Tampa

IF all this happens, all the winners move ahead of the Habs in the standings and Habs would end the night in 26th place.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yeah I think we land #4-7. One huge reason for optimism though is that all the bad teams are out west so they will all share points. Most in the same division even! Whereas we are playing against a solid team out east almost every night. That will benefit us big time down the road.

I try to avoid schedule, and who are the "weaker" teams. I use to do this but the NHL season is very long and lots of good and bad things can happen to a team. Team confidence/momeuntum and injuries are a big factor and that area is very difficult to predict.

You're never as good as your best season and your never as bad as your worse. 4-7 range is reasonable. I just don't like this tank fever and obsession that we will get another top 5 pick. I'd love for another top 5 pick but that's something you look at once a few months go by. Lets look at that in Dec/Jan and see where we stand then.

* Heading into the season with the "Canadian Division", people were saying we would not even make the playoffs in that division (pre season) and if we did, it's a 1st round exit. False.

* Heading into last season, most said Habs were a bubble playoff team. False. We were worse but a lot of things happened that lead to last place.

* Heading into this season with last place fresh on our minds, our herd is thinking we are going to be there again. True or False? My gut tells me we land in the bottom 6-15 range somewhere. Not bottom 5 and no playoffs.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

feels so weird to be cheering to lose this early

 

[Redux91]

feels so weird to be cheering to lose this early

That's how good this years top10 is..

 

[HabzSauce]

I try to avoid schedule, and who are the "weaker" teams. I use to do this but the NHL season is very long and lots of good and bad things can happen to a team. Team confidence/momeuntum and injuries are a big factor and that area is very difficult to predict.

You're never as good as your best season and your never as bad as your worse. 4-7 range is reasonable. I just don't like this tank fever and obsession that we will get another top 5 pick. I'd love for another top 5 pick but that's something you look at once a few months go by. Lets look at that in Dec/Jan and see where we stand then.

* Heading into the season with the "Canadian Division", people were saying we would not even make the playoffs in that division (pre season) and if we did, it's a 1st round exit. False.

* Heading into last season, most said Habs were a bubble playoff team. False. We were worse but a lot of things happened that lead to last place.

* Heading into this season with last place fresh on our minds, our herd is thinking we are going to be there again. True or False? My gut tells me we land in the bottom 6-15 range somewhere. Not bottom 5 and no playoffs.

Well sir I hope you are dead wrong

But yeah I agree it's still too early to tell. I'm hoping Vancouver gets it together asap tho they are really starting to worry me

 

[Habs Halifax]

Well sir I hope you are dead wrong

But yeah I agree it's still too early to tell. I'm hoping Vancouver gets it together asap tho they are really starting to worry me

I would love a top 5 pick and also for our kids to grow during this season. However, that's difficult cause if the kids are that good, it's harder to tank. If they are not that good, that means we are in a world of hurt with this rebuild.

I'm OK with a pick from 5-10 range and a lottery shot. You don't have to build a contender with just top 5 picks. It helps but there is lots of talent that comes from 6-15 range.

 

[HabzSauce]

I would love a top 5 pick and also for our kids to grow during this season. However, that's difficult cause if the kids are that good, it's harder to tank. If they are not that good, that means we are in a world of hurt with this rebuild.

I'm OK with a pick from 5-10 range and a lottery shot. You don't have to build a contender with just top 5 picks. It helps but there is lots of talent that comes from 6-15 range.

Yeah we really can't complain about this draft. Going to be great picking anywhere in the bottom half really. Except the top 5 this year is just toooo good to miss out on. It would be MONUMENTAL for the Habs to snag one of those players for our rebuild.

I would be shocked if we finish higher than #7. I don't think we are that good even with our half decent start. It's a long season and I can see us having a hard time keeping up especially in the much tougher eastern conference.

Matheson and Eddy will help a lot though I will admit.

 

[Vachon23]

Imagine a scenario where we draft Fantili/Carlsson and acquire Dubois

Our long-term roster could include
6'4 Dach
6'3 Slafkovsky
6'3 Anderson
6'2 Fantili/Carlsson
6'2 Dubois

6'4 Xhekaj
6'3 Mailloux
6'2 Guhle
6'2 Barron
6'2 Matheson

holy size

I never saw a big Habs teams

 

[LaP]

Interesting,
So Marty needs to put the RIGHT people on the ice then
These 2 combinations dont work..

MSL doesn't have the right people. We have 0 offensive dmen. We have two offensive forwards in Suzuki and Caufield. The rest of our forwards are supporting cast and not very good at it outside of Monahan. There's nothing MSL can do for this PP it will be bottom 5.

 

[SwiftyHab]

I would love a top 5 pick and also for our kids to grow during this season. However, that's difficult cause if the kids are that good, it's harder to tank. If they are not that good, that means we are in a world of hurt with this rebuild.

I'm OK with a pick from 5-10 range and a lottery shot. You don't have to build a contender with just top 5 picks. It helps but there is lots of talent that comes from 6-15 range.

Not like top 5 picks are the only players that develop into superstars but looking at it another way, We already have Dach and Slaf who are top 3 picks and a bunch of promising 1st round prospects (Mesar, Guhle) and at least 5 more 1st round picks in the next 3 drafts.

I’m not even mentioning all the other prospects we have in the system right now that everyone knows

 

[SwiftyHab]

Yeah we really can't complain about this draft. Going to be great picking anywhere in the bottom half really. Except the top 5 this year is just toooo good to miss out on. It would be MONUMENTAL for the Habs to snag one of those players for our rebuild.

I would be shocked if we finish higher than #7. I don't think we are that good even with our half decent start. It's a long season and I can see us having a hard time keeping up especially in the much tougher eastern conference.

Matheson and Eddy will help a lot though I will admit.

So while its obvious why our players shouldn’t tank, I think HuGo should start to think about what player movements to make to not only get us good value but also so that winning is a little harder without hurting morale and development. That’s a super fine line I know but I think That might be something like moving Harris down and putting in Shuneman.
Trading a vet for a pick.
Sending down Slaf to let Pezz play.
Etc