Line Combos: Early look at the 23-24 Habs

[26Mats]

Hoff, Armia and Gally for me..................boys just have to go.
I know we all keep hoping Gally can make a comeback, but as a fan of his, the honest truth is he can no longer skate with these guys, and is overpaid by 3M so it just makes it that much worse.

At least Gally and Army are often injured

Gally will retire as a Hab, there's no way someone takes on that contract.

I could see a schenario where the final 2 years are bought out.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Because of the effects of the cap era, the difference between a team finishing in the bottom 5 and being a fringe playoff team is marginal. One bad month or one important injury can have a telling effect. In any event, most of the young players that hold our hopes for the future Hutson, Reinbacher and Mailloux probably won’t even be playing in the NHL over the next few years. If and when they make the team and we remain a bottom feeder, that’s the time when we should begin panicking .

If we still are flat down the road, it's still not a reason to panic. You keep going with the draft. Right now today, we are emotionally tied to what our youth can be. I optimistic to some degree.

I do think we move up the standings. Heading into last season, I said bottom 5-10 or 8-12 range and I remained consistent. Most thought 1-5 for sure and argued over and over again. If not for the injuries last season, I'm sure our pick would have been worse.

I understand your every season is different narrative. I agree but this Habs roster should move up, not down. Regardless of what is happening around us. They are hungry with lots of positive energy. Stay away from massive injuries and I do think our pick will be 8-16 range.

 

[Belial]

If we still are flat down the road, it's still not a reason to panic. You keep going with the draft. Right now today, we are emotionally tied to what our youth can be. I optimistic to some degree.

I do think we move up the standings. Heading into last season, I said bottom 5-10 or 8-12 range and I remained consistent. Most thought 1-5 for sure and argued over and over again. If not for the injuries last season, I'm sure our pick would have been worse.

I understand your every season is different narrative. I agree but this Habs roster should move up, not down.

They will for sure move up if they can stay relatively healthy.

I think a lot of players on this roster are getting undervalued at this point due to the lack of success lately but if the majority of the players stay healthy they will do a lot better than people expect.

 

[Habs Halifax]

They will for sure move up if they can stay relatively healthy.

I think a lot of players on this roster are getting undervalued at this point due to the lack of success lately but if the majority of the players stay healthy they will do a lot better than people expect.

Agreed. If I had to guess, we are in the heat of things for the two wild card spots. Might just miss out like the Sens did last year.

* Lightning, Rangers, Canes, Leafs should be in.
* Hard to say with the Panthers and Devils. Lets say they are in too.
* 2 spots left. Habs would be battling the Pens, Bruins, Islanders, Caps, Sens, Sabres, and Wings.

 

[lamp9post]

OK, but it's $6.5M without the buyout.

Anyway, it's not brutal if we give him a coaching job instead of a buyout!

Is there any precedence of this happening in the NHL?

 

[BaseballCoach]

Burrows is not getting paid 6.5 M$ though...

Neither would Gally.

$2M per year for 6 years

 

[CHfan1]

There are not many Gallys, but every team has some guys who get Assistant coaching jobs after they retire. Is it a sham? No. It is a real full-time coaching job, show up every day just like Burrows. Hell, I'd be ok with him REPLACING Burrows! It's entirely reasonable for Gally to retire when he hits a wall. Tons of guys do that every year. What would be unreasonable would be for the league to insist Gally keep on playing when he can't keep up. That's the real issue, not the injuries.

How many players walk away from their NHL contracts to become assistant coaches?

Gallagher will finish his contract, maybe he ends up on LTIR down the road but I doubt he retires and walks from that contract.

 

[Belial]

Neither would Gally.

$2M per year for 6 years

Let's see what he does out there this year and we could reassess his buyout next summer.

Is there any precedence of this happening in the NHL?

I don't think so, Coaches are getting paid a lot less than players so I don't see why he would leave money on the table just to go coach for a lesser salary. That's wishful thinking.

 

[Hickflyer]

• Filling in the question marks from first post-Feb 22, 2023

Newhook-Suzuki-Caufield

RHP-Dach-Anderson

Slafkovsky-Monahan-Ylonen

Pitlick-Dvorak/Beck-Gally

Pezzetta



Defense

Guhle-Matheson

Harris-Sevard

Xhekaj-Barron

Kovacevic



Goalies

Allen-Montembeault



I ready to give up on the HUGO team. I wanted Wright over Slav and Michkov. Time will tell but IMO its not looking good.. Defense looks good not including prospects.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

• Filling in the question marks from first post-Feb 22, 2023

Newhook-Suzuki-Caufield

RHP-Dach-Anderson

Slafkovsky-Monahan-Ylonen

Pitlick-Dvorak/Beck-Gally

Pezzetta



Defense

Guhle-Matheson

Harris-Sevard

Xhekaj-Barron

Kovacevic



Goalies

Allen-Montembeault



I ready to give up on the HUGO team. I wanted Wright over Slav and Michkov. Time will tell but IMO its not looking good.. Defense looks good not including prospects.

i dont like the 1st line its way too small

Guhle and Matheson are both LDs

Ur also missing Hoffman and Armia

Wright looks like a worst pick today

 

[Habs Halifax]

i dont like the 1st line its way too small

Guhle and Matheson are both LDs

Ur also missing Hoffman and Armia

Wright looks like a worst pick today

Agreed.

Newhook would fit better with Dach IMO. Left handed shot and Right handed shot and they can share the faceoffs and center responsibility.

Put Anderson with Suzuki and Caufield and stay with it for more than 5 games. Anderson has been moved all over this roster since he was acquired and we are yoyoing him around like we did with Lehkonen.

 

[Habs Halifax]

What would you say if MSL tried this roster up front? Of course we prefer Dach at center but what if we try to match up against other teams best lines by going with our best? Not saying I like this, just a pondering thought. What I do know is what happens is quite often not something we predicted.

Caufield / Suzuki / Dach
Slaf / Monahan / Anderson
RHP / Newhook / Gallagher
Hoffman / Dvorak / Armia
Evans

Basically one legit top line, below average 2nd line, and two 3rd lines. That 4th listed line with Dvorak can really be an advantage against other teams bottom 6 IMO.

Not sure I like the idea of Slaf on the same line with Anderson though. Maybe you can swap RHP with Anderson. Ideally, I prefer to give Anderson top 6 minutes over a long span to truly get a better evaluation.

What is your unpredictable line-up?

 

[BaseballCoach]

How many players walk away from their NHL contracts to become assistant coaches?

Gallagher will finish his contract, maybe he ends up on LTIR down the road but I doubt he retires and walks from that contract.

Lots of players retire when they can't keep up anymore.

What would you say if MSL tried this roster up front? Of course we prefer Dach at center but what if we try to match up against other teams best lines by going with our best? Not saying I like this, just a pondering thought. What I do know is what happens is quite often not something we predicted.

Caufield / Suzuki / Dach
Slaf / Monahan / Anderson
RHP / Newhook / Gallagher
Hoffman / Dvorak / Armia
Evans

Basically one legit top line, below average 2nd line, and two 3rd lines. That 4th listed line with Dvorak can really be an advantage against other teams bottom 6 IMO.

Not sure I like the idea of Slaf on the same line with Anderson though. Maybe you can swap RHP with Anderson. Ideally, I prefer to give Anderson top 6 minutes over a long span to truly get a better evaluation.

What is your unpredictable line-up?

Dach should be at C instead of Newhook.

Evans should be in the lineup instead of Armia (or perhaps Hoffman, if Armia is better)

 

[Habs Halifax]

How many players walk away from their NHL contracts to become assistant coaches?

Gallagher will finish his contract, maybe he ends up on LTIR down the road but I doubt he retires and walks from that contract.

Yeah, Gallagher was on a value contract and then Bergevin caved and gave him that dreaded 30+ contract with term at an AAV that is not ideal. Gallagher is not going to just leave the money and retire. Not happening!

The area that concerns me is Gallagher overlaps Dach by one year. Something to manage later on but that could be a headache with cap space. Especially if guys like Guhle, Slaf, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Barron, Roy, Newhook get substantial raises during the next 4 years.

Dach should be at C instead of Newhook.

Evans should be in the lineup instead of Armia (or perhaps Hoffman, if Armia is better)

Read the post vs just looking at the line-up. It was a "unpredictable" line-up narrative bud.

 

[Hickflyer]

i dont like the 1st line its way too small

Guhle and Matheson are both LDs

Ur also missing Hoffman and Armia

Wright looks like a worst pick today

The first line is allways going to be to small with Caufield and Suziki no mater who you put with them but Anderson does not play well on their line. The defense has Two RD enough said there. Hoffman and Armia lose out this seaason but I dont expect Monahan to play 82. The only reason Wright did not play was there was not room for him, he is the real deal.

 

[CHfan1]

Lots of players retire when they can't keep up anymore.

It’s very rare for a player to retire and have his contract terminated. I highly doubt that happens with Gallagher.

 

[CHfan1]

Yeah, Gallagher was on a value contract and then Bergevin caved and gave him that dreaded 30+ contract with term at an AAV that is not ideal. Gallagher is not going to just leave the money and retire. Not happening!

The area that concerns me is Gallagher overlaps Dach by one year. Something to manage later on but that could be a headache with cap space. Especially if guys like Guhle, Slaf, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Barron, Roy, Newhook get substantial raises during the next 4 years.



Read the post vs just looking at the line-up. It was a "unpredictable" line-up narrative bud.

If Guhle, Slaf, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Barron, Roy, and Newhook are due substantial raises that means they are playing great which will be a good problem have. The salary cap when these players need contracts should be $90 million + as well, giving the Habs more cap space.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If Guhle, Slaf, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Barron, Roy, and Newhook are due substantial raises that means they are playing great which will be a good problem have. The salary cap when these players need contracts should be $90 million + as well, giving the Habs more cap space.

It's going to go hand and hand though. It's like thinking Dubois is only worth $7M or Danault is only worth $4M but forgetting cap growth and how agents chew into that in a % increase the more term there is.

Right now, we got lucky with both Caufield and Suzuki and other teams as well (J Hughes for example). But once the cap for 24/25 is revealed, salaries go up too. A 4 year bridge in 2/3+ years will not look like the 4 year bridge we got Dach on and what Newhook might be on.

We have options with our flexible cap space but that can change quickly at the 4 year mark. I would not be comfortable saying we won't have cap space issues in 4 years. Not yet. Suzuki will be our highest paid for a while yet but that won't last forever. Do you think he is the highest paid for the next 7 years?

Lots of players retire when they can't keep up anymore.

Quantify it with a list of players making Gallagher's salary?

 

[PhysicX]

I'm out of patience for the tank years. Not that I think we can win or some delusion like that.

Only, I can't stand hoping for losses. It's a disgusting way to go through a season... I'm out of those.

As for Hoff, DVo Hoff Armia Gally. No time for those 4. All others I can live with. Including Andy, I like him and his size. I think he fits this team. Shoot me

I hear you @Gustave loud and clear
Mais la reconstruction de l'equipe, il faut la finir
Meme si c'est ecoeurant et que ca n'a pas d'allure
One last season of tanking, you must endure

 

[ChesterNimitz]

If we still are flat down the road, it's still not a reason to panic. You keep going with the draft. Right now today, we are emotionally tied to what our youth can be. I optimistic to some degree.

I do think we move up the standings. Heading into last season, I said bottom 5-10 or 8-12 range and I remained consistent. Most thought 1-5 for sure and argued over and over again. If not for the injuries last season, I'm sure our pick would have been worse.

I understand your every season is different narrative. I agree but this Habs roster should move up, not down. Regardless of what is happening around us. They are hungry with lots of positive energy. Stay away from massive injuries and I do think our pick will be 8-16 range.

Your prediction may well come to pass. My concern is that any improvement in the few promising young players that will be on the roster over the next few years will be offset by the decline of the underperforming veterans that have and continue to impede our team’s development. I can see several more years of stagnation until the level our younger players’ contribution surpasses that of our overpriced and fading veterans.

 

[NORiculous]

i dont like the 1st line its way too small

Guhle and Matheson are both LDs

Ur also missing Hoffman and Armia

Wright looks like a worst pick today

Hughes said Newhook plays heavy. So I think he will get time with Suzuki Caufield.

Caufield Suzuki Newhook
Skafkovsky/RHP Dach Monahan



Guhle can play both sides btw.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

The first line is allways going to be to small with Caufield and Suziki no mater who you put with them but Anderson does not play well on their line. The defense has Two RD enough said there. Hoffman and Armia lose out this seaason but I dont expect Monahan to play 82. The only reason Wright did not play was there was not room for him, he is the real deal.

not if you put Anderson/Dach on that line you need a big presence to go win puck battles in the corner and Josh was great in the 2nd half of the season before hes injury

Dont see Guhle with Matheson they will be on different lines

Guhle - Savard
Matheson - Barron
Xhekaj - Harris/Kovacevic

Hoffman and Armia will for sure be in the line up first game of the season ( unless traded )

Wright is far from the real deal Bedard is the real deal Shane coudlnt even dominate the OHL matter fact he was a ghost in the playoffs and for TC

 

[Habs Halifax]

Your prediction may well come to pass. My concern is that any improvement in the few promising young players that will be on the roster over the next few years will be offset by the decline of the underperforming veterans that have and continue to impede our team’s development. I can see several more years of stagnation until the level our younger players’ contribution surpasses that of our overpriced and fading veterans.

Who are the overpriced vets that are around after 2 more years? Gallagher? Then who? Anderson is not overpriced to me for what he brings. All of Hoffman, Dvorak, and Armia are gone in 1/2 years. That's not a 3+ year narrative.

The only two I see being potentially blocked are Farrell and Heineman. They are at the age where you would consider them NHL ready. And neither of them have played a full AHL year. I actually prefer them playing big minutes in the AHL vs bottom 6 min's in the NHL. Is Roy ready? Maybe. I'd manage him like Patch managed Bergevin/Therrien. He basically told them he wants to play AHL if he does not have a top 6F role in the NHL.

Aside from Gallagher, I see good timing with the expiry dates of Allen, Savard, Hoffman, Armia, and Dvorak. It's a good situation, not a bad one. It allows us to have our Laval team with talent playing top roles. Talent playing with talent is not something our AHL team has had in decades.

In 2+ years, our vets are what? Gallagher and Anderson. Guys age 30+. Why are we in a rush to have a roster with everyone younger than Suzuki?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Hughes said Newhook plays heavy. So I think he will get time with Suzuki Caufield.

Caufield Suzuki Newhook
Skafkovsky/RHP Dach Monahan



Guhle can play both sides btw.

You have Monahan playing RW as a left handed shot on Dach's line? That's a different one I have not seen yet. Interesting.

I'm very curious if they have Dach as a C/RW type or if they push him to center full time. For all we know, they put Dach back with Suzuki/Caufield. Doubt it but I would not be surprised.

 

[Dr Quincy]

Lots of players retire when they can't keep up anymore.


Dach should be at C instead of Newhook.

Evans should be in the lineup instead of Armia (or perhaps Hoffman, if Armia is better)

Name the ones who retire when they have multiple years of multiple millions of dollars on their contract.

He's not retiring.
He's not quitting to be a coach.