Pre-Game Talk: Countdown thread to 24-25 Season (T - 2 days)

[GrandBison]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843332450778525740

Gainey said that you are two goals away from winning when you lose by one.

 

[salbutera]

So in other words thinking that Hutson will be a top 5-10 dman in the league from the get-go. No pressure kid.

Never said that but Hutson without a doubt will get heavy PP and 3-on-3 TOI

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

So in other words thinking that Hutson will be a top 5-10 dman in the league from the get-go. No pressure kid.

This is the same guy last season who kept repeating we would finish between 11th and 17th. He's rarely on the mark.

 

[salbutera]

Gainey said that you are two goals away from winning when you lose by one.

Or 1G away to take it to 3-on-3 and allow their game changer to then takeover (Hutson)

 

[The Great Weal]

Never said that but Hutson without a doubt will get heavy PP and 3-on-3 TOI

Going from bottom 5 to playoff mix because of one player means that the player should be one of the best at their position in the league. You don't make that jump when the player is simply solid.

 

[Hannibal]

Would have taken a chance with Imama as 13th forward.

 

[Prettyisland]

Hoping All our young players take a major step forward.

 

[salbutera]

Going from bottom 5 to playoff mix because of one player means that the player should be one of the best at their position in the league. You don't make that jump when the player is simply solid.

It’s more a reflection of team strategy & depth at play. 2007-2008 team couldn’t score 5-on-5 but was dominant on PP despite not having much in the way of elite or secondary scoring finishing 1OA in Eastern Conf…

IF Laine actually does return to the lineup healthy in 3-4 months, I find it hard to believe Habs won’t be battling for a playoff spot

 

[Andy]

A lot of whining. The habs have two rookies who made the club. Heineman not a rookie, but also super young.

It’s going to be an interesting season. I’m looking forward to it

 

[morhilane]

What has changed since last year to "turn the tide on half the losses"? The only difference is Dach instead of Monahan, and Hutson in the lineup. It seems like a MB strategy to just pray for luck.

They stop hemorraging goals on the special units! PK, PP and defending 6v5. Habs 5v5 differential was -4 last year, but their total differential was -53.

 

[The Great Weal]

It’s more a reflection of team strategy & depth at play. 2007-2008 team couldn’t score 5-on-5 but was dominant on PP despite not having much in the way of elite or secondary scoring finishing 1OA in Eastern Conf…

IF Laine actually does return to the lineup healthy in 3-4 months, I find it hard to believe Habs won’t be battling for a playoff spot

Depth? What depth? Have you seen the lines after the top line? I don’t even know why you think it’s a slam dunk guarantee that the PP will be elite when we just went 0-30.

Assuming that Hutson will help the team have a net +30 goal differential from last year, Dach stays healthy all year, and Laine comes back early and doesn’t miss a beat after essentially 1.5 years of no real hockey is incredibly optimistic. I’d be shocked if we weren’t bottom 10.

They stop hemorraging goals on the special units! PK, PP and defending 6v5. Habs 5v5 differential was -4 last year, but their total differential was -53.

So ignoring the fact that our special teams was worse this preseason than last year, what makes you confident that we will go from bottom of the league to even above average while everything else remains the same?

 

[McGees]

I like you guys but you're crazy.
8th-12th draft pick incoming (and that is being generous)
playoff hopes are DED.

 

[overlords]

I like you guys but you're crazy.
8th-12th draft pick incoming (and that is being generous)
playoff hopes are DED.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Would have taken a chance with Imama as 13th forward.

He sucks but he would certainly help the "toughness" and take some pressure off Xhekaj which they said they wanted to do

 

[Habby4Life]

I like you guys but you're crazy.
8th-12th draft pick incoming (and that is being generous)
playoff hopes are DED.

I’m go with bottom 5

 

[McGees]

I’m go with bottom 5

I mean Dach and Hutson will contribute something but at the end of the day we are still a 1 line team.

I respect it - keep the dream alive. There are always wild seasons where teams surprise everyone

 

[gusfring]

The roster looks really poor. Bottom five.

At some point, the fans will demand more. Seeing Gallagher and Dvorak in the lineup again is very disheartening.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The roster looks really poor. Bottom five.

At some point, the fans will demand more. Seeing Gallagher and Dvorak in the lineup again is very disheartening.

Luckily the management team won't listen.. we're not paying 1st round picks to dump Gallagher.

 

[habsfan891]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843315787077226621

Sweet Jesus those pp lines are embarrassing

 

[1909]

Sweet Jesus those pp lines are embarrassing

Especially PP2. Outside Hutson, it is darn awful. I would had given a chance too to Guhle and Xhekaj, even Barron on PP.

 

[Ozmodiar]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843348210288672900

A lesson for Joshua Roy, hopefully.

 

[salbutera]

Especially PP2. Outside Hutson, it is darn awful. I would had given a chance too to Guhle and Xhekaj, even Barron on PP.

Which is why IMO there will be 1PP unit that’s put out there taking 70-80% of TOI and Hutson will inevitably end up being the QB w Matheson coming in for last 20-30% as other point option

 

[morhilane]

So ignoring the fact that our special teams was worse this preseason than last year, what makes you confident that we will go from bottom of the league to even above average while everything else remains the same?

When Mailloux is your most played PKer by ~4 minutes, I'm not sure you can compare the two pre-seasons (it was Savard and Guhle who lead the pre-season PK TOI last year). But 6 GA in both pre-seasons (and 4 of that in a single game this year), not actually worst.

The PP, the 1st unity only played 2 games this year compared to 4 last pre-season...and last year their PP QB was Norlinder when they scored (2 goals), not Matheson.

6v5/6v5 looked better this pre-season, but who knows what the season group will looks like. If Gallagher/Anderson are there expect goals against.

 

[the valiant effort]

Especially PP2. Outside Hutson, it is darn awful. I would had given a chance too to Guhle and Xhekaj, even Barron on PP.

It embarrasses me a little that MSL and/or the org as a whole thinks the 4F/1D deployment should apply to the 2nd unit. All three of those D you listed not only bring more to the potential of a second unit, but also simply deserve those opportunities more than two maybe even all 3 of those forwards not named Newhook.

I won’t lose sleep over it, it’s really not that serious, but it makes my eyes roll.

 

[ReHabs]

Looking forward to seeing Suzuki in “gritty veteran” mode. Caufield finally healed. Slafkovsky as “arrived”. Dach back. Guhle a year better. Lane Studson.

Laine back.

God, I love hockey.

Go Habs Go