Pre-Game Talk: Countdown thread to 24-25 Season (T - 6 hours)

[Redux91]

People really hate Evans for some reason, I don't get it

Is it the voice?
I don't get it either lol

Don't think people hate Evans. But Evans is 28. He's not part of the future of this core.

But we can't get stuck in that "team full of 21 year olds foreverrrr!" mentality as well..

 

[salbutera]

No. But the prime years for a guy like him rarely extend past 30. Unless he's part of the exception he got 3 years left maybe so likely not part of this core whern this core will be ready.

Point being, from this season going forward it’s transition to playoff hockey thinking… rebuilding phase is over, that includes integrating vets. Evans is one of the few on this roster that has playoff experience

 

[LaP]

But we can't get stuck in that "team full of 21 year olds foreverrrr!" mentality as well..

It wont. There's something called aging. I think it will applies to Suzuki, Caufield, Roy, Slaf, Kapanen, Guhle, Xhakej, Demidov, .... i might be wrong biology might be suspended in a singularity over the Bell Center and our kids might remain 21 forever but i think it wont be the case i think they will all age. Might be wrong though.

By the 2025-26 season

Guhle 23
Suzuki 26
Caufield 24
Xhakaj 24
Roy 22
Struble 25
Mailloux 22
Primeau 26
Montembeault 28
Dobes 24

By that time Evans will be 29. I know it's extremely popular around here to think depth fringe players can play until 50 years old but history prove that i'M right about this and that most have their prime over by 30. They hang around for a while after that because of contract / experience but they are not very good anymore. I could make a list but i will create a merory leak on the forum database. Nobody hates Evans let's be serious here. He's just a fringe player who is much older than our core.

Point being, from this season going forward it’s transition to playoff hockey thinking… rebuilding phase is over, that includes integrating vets. Evans is one of the few on this roster that has playoff experience

Let's agree to disagree then. I think you're wrong. So let's revisit this next season. I think they will push in the 2025-26 season and i think they'll sell again this year. Laine is 26 (1 year older than Suzuki) that's why they were interested.

 

[Rapala]

Last audition before cuts

Handing out some milk and cookies there the top kids will play on.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Don't think people hate Evans.

Idk people have been trying to ship him out for 3 years, I don't really get it.

But Evans is 28. He's not part of the future of this core.

No but he's also just a perfectly OK bottom six C and they might keep him around for another 2-3 years.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Idk people have been trying to ship him out for 3 years, I don't really get it.

No but he's also just a perfectly OK bottom six C and they might keep him around for another 2-3 years.

We have Beck and Kapanen who already look like NHL players right now, and will definitely be NHL-ready next season. No reason to re-sign Evans.

 

[Habssince89]

A team will need a proven depth C at some point and hopefully that's what pushes Evans out. He's a solid player but not good enough that he can't be leapfrogged. It's just the right challenge for beck/kapanen

 

[JoelWarlord]

We have Beck and Kapanen who already look like NHL players right now, and will definitely be NHL-ready next season. No reason to re-sign Evans.

Sure, but we also have Dvorak, Armia, and Pezzetta as pending UFAs and I think we're getting close to the point they're going to try and dump one of Anderson or Gallagher next summer as well, it's not like there won't be any spots available or that it would be a terrible thing for Beck/Kapanen to spend some time as a winger like Suzuki did.

I don't really have a strong feeling about it either way. There's merit to just trading him and moving on from a 28 year old bottom six C but I also don't really think it's crazy to sign him for a couple years to have depth and a safety blanket for some of the young guys (and force them to beat a pretty solid NHL vet to win a spot).

 

[Rapala]

Is it the voice?
I don't get it either lol


But we can't get stuck in that "team full of 21 year olds foreverrrr!" mentality as well..

I disagree when the kids show they are better and they aren't far off you absolutely have to play them.
It's hard enough to win the cup as it is the more experience these guys get playing together the longer our window will be open.
It's not like we don't have leadership in the youth group.
A quick glance at just how many rookies are coming should be reason enough to filter them in asap.

 

[Redux91]

I disagree when the kids show they are better and they aren't far off you absolutely have to play them.
It's hard enough to win the cup as it is the more experience these guys get playing together the longer our window will be open.
It's not like we don't have leadership in the youth group.
A quick glance at just how many rookies are coming should be reason enough to filter them in asap.

But Evans is on an expiring contract and the kids aren't ready ready just yet so again
What's the rush lol

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Sure, but we also have Dvorak, Armia, and Pezzetta as pending UFAs and I think we're getting close to the point they're going to try and dump one of Anderson or Gallagher next summer as well, it's not like there won't be any spots available or that it would be a terrible thing for Beck/Kapanen to spend some time as a winger like Suzuki did.

I don't really have a strong feeling about it either way. There's merit to just trading him and moving on from a 28 year old bottom six C but I also don't really think it's crazy to sign him for a couple years to have depth and a safety blanket for some of the young guys (and force them to beat a pretty solid NHL vet to win a spot).

Next season:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Roy - Beck - Newhook
Gallagher - Kapanen - Anderson

There is no spot for Evans. The lineup is full, and Evans isn't going to sign to be a 13th forward.

Signing Evans isn't going to force Kapanen/Beck to beat him. He's just going to take away their spot in the lineup.

Gallagher and Anderson will need retention to be moved, so I don't see Hughes trading them with 2 years left on their contract to make room for a 29-year-old Evans. The only way Hughes trade them that early is if there is a prospect who forces their hand.

There are too many prospects close to becoming NHL players, so re-signing any of Dvorak, Evans, Savard, or Armia to a multi-year contract doesn't make sense.

 

[badfish]

For Evans I am pretty neutral. He's clearly an NHL caliber bottom-6 centerman. Does good with the PK and chips in occasionally offensively. My ideal fourth line center does all of these things, but is tough to play against/plays with an edge. That's what Evans is missing and I don't think he will ever develop that in his game. So for now it's not the top priority to move on from him, but if someone else came up who did what he did but with that tough to play against edge I'd be all over that.

FWIW, I also don't think Kapanen would bring that kind of game, and I am not sure if Beck will either - he's had his moments where he's been nasty/hard to play against (crushing Cowen in mem cup final, taunting the bench). Maybe Xhekaj or Merill eventually become that but it remains to be seen.

 

[Rapala]

But Evans is on an expiring contract and the kids aren't ready ready just yet so again
What's the rush lol

I didn't know you were so highly placed to make that determination?
The real test hasn't even started yet.

 

[Redux91]

I didn't know you were so highly placed to make that determination?
The real test hasn't even started yet.

Whoa whoa easy there bud.. lol
I'm not saying 'I know better than you'

I'm just telling you how it is and what's most likely gonna happen

And what's not happening is Evans *or* Dvo getting traded before the season starts no matter how good Beck or Kapanen look

But leading up to and during the TDL is a different story obviously
By this time next year
Fort probable that the 3rd line C is Kapanen and 4th line C is Beck

But thats not *this* year

 

[WeThreeKings]

You know you can sign Evans and then just trade him if he gets beat out? Imagine you trade him prematurely and then Kapanen or Beck need more development time?

 

[Archijerej]

Dvorak is not the answer in the top6, so if Dach doesn't work they'll go shopping.

No, he isn't the answer, but a healthy Dvorak is still the closest thing to a 2C on this team.

 

[morhilane]

No, he isn't the answer, but a healthy Dvorak is still the closest thing to a 2C on this team.

Dvorak about to get beaten by Evans for the 3rd C spot...

 

[waitin425]

Next season:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Roy - Beck - Newhook
Gallagher - Kapanen - Anderson

Agree with this. I have Kap on 3rd line and Beck 4th. But thats splitting hairs.

I'd like to see Tuch and/or Heinemen bump one of Gally/Anderson for cost purposes.

On defence.....next season I am hoping for something like this...

Guhle - Mailloux/Rein (both need to take huge steps)
Hutson - Rein/Mailloux
Xhekaj - Barron
Struble

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

You know you can sign Evans and then just trade him if he gets beat out? Imagine you trade him prematurely and then Kapanen or Beck need more development time?

So Hughes will promise Evans a spot in the top 12 and sign him to a multi year contract, but then trade him a couple months later before the season begins because Kapanen and Beck showed to be nhl ready at camp? That's a good way to lose the trust of players.

There is also no doubt that Beck and Kapanen will be nhl ready for the 2025-26 season. Both have games that project well to the nhl. Kapanen will be in his d+5 year and will have played 4 years of pro hockey. Beck will be in his d+4 year, and as an 18 year old he showed enough nhl readyness for the management to give him an nhl game during the middle of the season.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Next season:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Roy - Beck - Newhook
Gallagher - Kapanen - Anderson

There is no spot for Evans. The lineup is full, and Evans isn't going to sign to be a 13th forward.

That's an extremely green lineup down the middle for what's supposed to be the turning point year in the rebuild. Again I'm not pounding the table here saying we absolutely NEED to sign Evans but I don't think we should be assuming in September 2024 that a 2021 and 2022 draftee will be good NHL centers from day one for a team that's ostensibly going to be trying to climb the standings.

I think they're going to dump one of Anderson or Gallagher this summer (likely Anderson), and I think it's premature to just assume that Beck and Kapanen will seamlessly adjust as our 3/4Cs from day one. This time last year, everyone would have been including RHP in all these projections and now he's an afterthought. Roy or Newhook could easily be part of a trade for a big name RD at the draft or next summer too. Even Suzuki didn't start out as a C in the NHL. These things don't really pan out like clockwork and there are always going to be injuries.

There are too many prospects close to becoming NHL players, so re-signing any of Dvorak, Evans, Savard, or Armia to a multi-year contract doesn't make sense.

I agree about Dvorak or Armia because I don't like the fit they provide, but I can totally see the case for Evans and Savard. We're not gonna run Reinbacher Mailloux Barron on the right side next year and if Savard doesn't seem to be slowing down too aggressively I could see the case for something on a 1-2 year term at a lower dollar figure.

We're not going to ice an entire lineup of U25 players outside of Suzuki and Laine, they're going to sign some veteran depth players even if they aren't Evans and Savard specifically.

 

[WeThreeKings]

So Hughes will promise Evans a spot in the top 12 and sign him to a multi year contract, but then trade him a couple months later before the season begins because Kapanen and Beck showed to be nhl ready at camp? That's a good way to lose the trust of players.

There is also no doubt that Beck and Kapanen will be nhl ready for the 2025-26 season. Both have games that project well to the nhl. Kapanen will be in his d+5 year and will have played 4 years of pro hockey. Beck will be in his d+4 year, and as an 18 year old he showed enough nhl readyness for the management to give him an nhl game during the middle of the season.

Why would he promise him anything? Hughes is a clear communicator and wouldn't lie to Evans.

Any NHL role player knows the reality of the business.

 

[Treb]

No, he isn't the answer, but a healthy Dvorak is still the closest thing to a 2C on this team.

He's somewhere between 3rd and 6th in line for the 2C spot.

 

[vokiel]

You know you can sign Evans and then just trade him if he gets beat out? Imagine you trade him prematurely and then Kapanen or Beck need more development time?

We move Slaf to center

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Why would he promise him anything? Hughes is a clear communicator and wouldn't lie to Evans.

Any NHL role player knows the reality of the business.

Exactly. He is signing him to a contract, not promising him anything. Only top players would get some kind of guarantee in order to get them to sign.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Why would he promise him anything? Hughes is a clear communicator and wouldn't lie to Evans.

Any NHL role player knows the reality of the business.

Exactly. He is signing him to a contract, not promising him anything. Only top players would get some kind of guarantee in order to get them to sign.

Why would Evans sign a contract with the habs without being guaranteed a top-12 role? Plenty of teams in free agency will guarantee him that role...

Evans isn't a player that rotates in and out of the lineup like Pezzetta. He's a legitimate top 12 forward that should be playing 82 games per year.