Confirmed with Link: 6 year extension for Kaiden Guhle (5.5m AAV)

[26Mats]

22 years old and playing on his wrong side, Guhle looks like the kind of blueliner who will be able to do it all. However, we’ve got an Uber offensive defenseman who’s probably going to take all the Pp minutes. That’s not going to help Guhle’s point production and some will point to that as evidence he’s not a number one.

I think he has all the makings of a number one. Needs to get bigger and needs to start playing on his natural side but I think he’ll be a number one caliber guy even if he doesn’t get the PP time.

As far as us not being able to win with him as our number one, we have such a whack of good blueliners, I don’t think it’s a valid argument. We have to wait and see how this all pans out but I think our blueline will be a strength whether Guhle becomes a stereotypical number one or not. There’s just such a depth of talent back there.

It's going to be fun to see where all of Guhle, Xhekaj, Hutson, Reinbacher, and Mailloux's offensive games are when they are 25. What we see now is not the fully developed version by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Habs10Habs]

You're arguing alone and creating fake arguments.

Sounds like married life.

After a few days, I still really like the contract. I can't see it not being a bargain, in the future.

 

[cphabs]

But are you aware he’s the only player in the league that gets body checked regularly?

Regularly? He's our best defenseman. That has been asked to play defense on his off side. He crushed it! Also, if I was an opposing coach? I would hammer him on the forecheck.

 

[Mrb1p]

Sounds like married life.

After a few days, I still really like the contract. I can't see it not being a bargain, in the future.

I'm not married and it also sounds like my life.

 

[donghabs98]

Those games in 2014-15 were so bad. Price was so amazing not based on his stats but based on what he had to deal with in front of him and still led the Habs to a division title and 2nd in the east. Truly brutal times

Thinking of the 14-15 team pains me because of the wasted potential of that season. Price was in pure god mode stealing games we had no reason winning. Bergevin knew all season we had one glaring issue that if addressed could give us a shot at the cup which was offense. All he did to fix it was to get Smith-Pelly, Mitchell and Flynn. Same issue in 2017 when we had a good team that had scoring issues. All Bergevin did was to add grinders in King, Ott and Martinsen. While I get there wasn't great rental forwards at the deadline in 2015 and 2017, Bergy should have swung for the fences. Instead he wasted 2 great chances at the Cup based on how Price played.

2021 is evidence that if Price had a decent supporting cast, he could drag a team to the finals (even when not healthy). Unfortunately outside of 2014 and 2021, he never had a team with a supporting cast who could deliver in the post season.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Thinking of the 14-15 team pains me because of the wasted potential of that season. Price was in pure god mode stealing games we had no reason winning. Bergevin knew all season we had one glaring issue that if addressed could give us a shot at the cup which was offense. All he did to fix it was to get Smith-Pelly, Mitchell and Flynn. Same issue in 2017 when we had a good team that had scoring issues. All Bergevin did was to add grinders in King, Ott and Martinsen. While I get there wasn't great rental forwards at the deadline in 2015 and 2017, Bergy should have swung for the fences. Instead he wasted 2 great chances at the Cup based on how Price played.

2021 is evidence that if Price had a decent supporting cast, he could drag a team to the finals (even when not healthy). Unfortunately outside of 2014 and 2021, he never had a team with a supporting cast who could deliver in the post season.

Yup. I may get roasted in for this bold take but give Price any Roy or Dryden team and he performs better than either of them besides maybe the gross exceptions of a certain run (71/93)

 

[donghabs98]

Yup. I may get roasted in for this bold take but give Price any Roy or Dryden team and he performs better than either of them besides maybe the gross exceptions of a certain run (71/93)

From 2007-2021, Price never had a PPG player, experienced at least 4 roster resets, his best center was Koivu (only 2 seasons) and Pleky. The fact he got us 2 deep runs despite a lack of talent around him and injuries is impressive and leaves you wanting more.

Unfortunately for him he didn't get the Gorton/Hughes management team earlier in his career.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Sounds like married life.

Nice.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

From 2007-2021, Price never had a PPG player, experienced at least 4 roster resets, his best center was Koivu (only 2 seasons) and Pleky. The fact he got us 2 deep runs despite a lack of talent around him and injuries is impressive and leaves you wanting more.

Unfortunately for him he didn't get the Gorton/Hughes management team earlier in his career.

Tragic. What a goalie.

It will never happen but I'd have been so happy if he could make a comeback with this core. I can't believe we didn't win a cup with Price in our lineup. Just unreal how badly managed everything was.

On the flipside, I feel well positioned with guys like Guhle coming in. We may not have a franchise superstar who reaches the heights that Price did but we've got so much talent spread throughout the lineup that I think we have to potential to become contenders for a long time.

 

[Mrb1p]

I came in expecting to defend Guhle from people who don't know what a good player is but here I am reading about the greatness of Carey Price.

 

[habbubba]

Interesting contract, could end up being a bargain, or even a blunder, time will tell. Depends on if he attains to the heights many expect him to achieve or not, if he regresses or stagnates or is oft injured, oopsie! Of course you can say that also about Slafskovsky and Caufield as well.
Something that I'm a wee bit disappointed in is that the coaches or whomever didn't curtail his physicality knowing he was not ready to play the game that way until he is stronger and ready for that style.

 

[malcb33]

Interesting contract, could end up being a bargain, or even a blunder, time will tell. Depends on if he attains to the heights many expect him to achieve or not, if he regresses or stagnates or is oft injured, oopsie! Of course you can say that also about Slafskovsky and Caufield as well.
Something that I'm a wee bit disappointed in is that the coaches or whomever didn't curtail his physicality knowing he was not ready to play the game that way until he is stronger and ready for that style.

Who exactly are the coaches giving #1RHD minutes to, if not Ghule?

Playing Ghule on the right side isn't where he is most effective, it's because the other options the coaches have are way worse than Ghule on his off-side, so unfortunately, he is the sacrificial lamb for the betterment of his team.

 

[habbubba]

Who exactly are the coaches giving #1RHD minutes to, if not Ghule?

Playing Ghule on the right side isn't where he is most effective, it's because the other options the coaches have are way worse than Ghule on his off-side, so unfortunately, he is the sacrificial lamb for the betterment of his team.

What does any of that have to do with anything what I mentioned?

 

[Toene]

Tragic. What a goalie.

It will never happen but I'd have been so happy if he could make a comeback with this core. I can't believe we didn't win a cup with Price in our lineup. Just unreal how badly managed everything was.

On the flipside, I feel well positioned with guys like Guhle coming in. We may not have a franchise superstar who reaches the heights that Price did but we've got so much talent spread throughout the lineup that I think we have to potential to become contenders for a long time.

And for what we know, Fowler may well be a stud #1

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

And for what we know, Fowler may well be a stud #1

I hope so. But I’d have liked to see Price win one with us.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

And for what we know, Fowler may well be a stud #1

As is the case with goaltenders, any of our prospects could be stud #1's.

We are loaded at forward and especially at C as well as D and G.......there are no holes in this pool. There are some who will surprise and some who will disappoint but we absolutely have enough quality pieces at every position to give us a better chance than maybe any team in the league at having a future elite player in our pool at every position.

The goalie situation appears to be an enormous strength as we have a ton of quality depth with #1 potential as well as the fact that it is the easiest position to fill in FA as it only takes one player.

Goaltending is not a concern in any way and people applying draft pedigree to future success with goaltenders simply have not been paying attention. Fans pretending to be goalie gurus and putting a cap on these players is nothing short of asinine. We all have our opinions but at this position they are little more than noise that can not be substantiated.

People were writing off Primeau as though he was a finished product and a bust between the ages of 22-24 which is borderline criminal considering his previous seasons and his extremely young age relative to the position.

Both Montembault and Primeau still have the potential to be high end #1's,this is not to say that I believe that this is likely but it is possible and this is what separates the goalie position from every other position as it is almost entirely mental which is why it is nearly impossible to scout.

 

[26Mats]

As is the case with goaltenders, any of our prospects could be stud #1's.

We are loaded at forward and especially at C as well as D and G.......there are no holes in this pool. There are some who will surprise and some who will disappoint but we absolutely have enough quality pieces at every position to give us a better chance than maybe any team in the league at having a future elite player in our pool at every position.

The goalie situation appears to be an enormous strength as we have a ton of quality depth with #1 potential as well as the fact that it is the easiest position to fill in FA as it only takes one player.

Goaltending is not a concern in any way and people applying draft pedigree to future success with goaltenders simply have not been paying attention. Fans pretending to be goalie gurus and putting a cap on these players is nothing short of asinine. We all have our opinions but at this position they are little more than noise that can not be substantiated.

People were writing off Primeau as though he was a finished product and a bust between the ages of 22-24 which is borderline criminal considering his previous seasons and his extremely young age relative to the position.

Both Montembault and Primeau still have the potential to be high end #1's,this is not to say that I believe that this is likely but it is possible and this is what separates the goalie position from every other position as it is almost entirely mental which is why it is nearly impossible to scout.

And it will be interesting to see how Hughes uses free agency and trades to build a team based on all the assets in the prospect pool. We saw a team like the Panthers largely built on trades and free agency win the cup.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Kaiden Guhle have all tools to be a true #1 defenseman.

I think, the only reason he don't having the "Jake Sanderson contract" he is healthy status. That's it.

But in term on only talent hockey, Guhle is a amazing two-way defenseman, he can do everything on ice. His skating ability? Amazing. His passing ability? Really good. Defensive IQ? Amazing. This guy is a stud.

The best comparable would like a Jaccob Slavin type of impact for Habs and I'm 100% confident that he can reach that.

 

[salbutera]

From 2007-2021, Price never had a PPG player, experienced at least 4 roster resets, his best center was Koivu (only 2 seasons) and Pleky. The fact he got us 2 deep runs despite a lack of talent around him and injuries is impressive and leaves you wanting more.

Unfortunately for him he didn't get the Gorton/Hughes management team earlier in his career.

Kovalev 2007-2008 season, but that was a PP dependent regular season team that couldn’t score 5-on-5 nor suited for playoff hockey

Your point still holds…