General 2025 Off-Season Discussion Thread

[le_sean]

Momentum!?

Make the playoffs on the last game of the season while being a fairly healthy team all year to get taken out in 5 games by Tom Wilson.

1st legit playoffs in 8 years! Momentum?!

Why can’t Suzuki perform at the level?
Isn’t the kind of players we want on the team or more lazy Laine and Dach?

Why rush the process with instant gratification?

I don’t want the team to overpay for a#2 C unless it’s someone under 26 years old with size, speed, grit and excellent work ethic.

Now find me that guy.

Yeah momentum. It’s a young team getting experience. Why would you not help them out? Why would you not find a centre to help your new franchise forward? It would be stupid.

 

[BozoTheClown]

Yeah momentum. It’s a young team getting experience. Why would you not help them out? Why would you not find a centre to help your new franchise forward? It would be stupid.

we made the playoffs on our last season game while our top players being healthy most of the year then we got eliminated by Tom Wilson.
The team isn’t there yet until Matheson, Carrier aren’t in your top 4 and Gallagher, Laine are gone.

2026-2027 is what I would aim for if we see more progress next year.

 

[le_sean]

we made the playoffs in our last season game while our top players being healthy most of the year then we got eliminated by Tom Wilson.
The team isn’t there yet until Matheson, Carrier aren’t in your top 4 and Gallagher, Laine are gone.

2026-2027 is what I would aim for if we see more progress next year.

Saying they only made the playoffs in the last game of the season is disingenuous and completely ignores how they were one of the better teams since the Four Nations.

They were not eliminated by Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson was far more impactful. The Habs also lost their #1 goalie, which people seem to ignore.

Waiting another season to make a move is stupid. You want Demidov to play with Dach and Newhook all season? He’ll probably ask to get traded.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Laine is a top 6 player or bust.. there is no way on this earth he is able to be a 3rd liner. What don't people understand? You can't take a #2 overall pick, and tell him to grind like a 3rd liner.. never works. Ever.

It depends how you deploy your third line. The fourth line with Evans seems like a traditional grind/shutdown line. Depending on who they get for the 2C, both top 6 lines could be two way style lines and that leaves the third line which can be used as a sheltered offensive line

 

[HabsAddict]

Demidov will waste half his talent if he plays with grinders and 3rd liners.

I criticize SMarty but I give him full credit for swapping Suzuki and Evans. He see what we all see, that Demidov is wasted with grinders...and that we desperately need a 2C. So we basically traded a top 1st line and a 3rd line to form two 2nd lines. Not exactly winning playoff hockey.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Who is EP?

Elias Petterson

 

[Habs Icing]

seriously?
Do you not see...
- How many times he bobbles the puck in the offensive zone?
- How few times he can get a shot through from the blue line without hitting the first guy in front of him (it must be about 20%, max) ?
- How he complicates his zone exit by, instead of making an easy pass out, he tries to carry it himself, only to have it stripped from behind by the guy he knows is following him in the first place?
- How he seems like he can't see any one to his right when at the point?
- How for a fast guy he gets beat to the puck so easily on the back check ? (ok this one was mostly late into the season and the guy had been overplayed for too long)


I'm baffled by the reputation that Matheson has in the media. They talk about him as an offensive guy but I personnally see him as a very good defensive defensement. He's good at closing gaps, he blocks shots and I think he plays rougher than people give him credit for. Plus, obviously, he's incredibly durable.
I only wish he never had to carry the puck.

Don't tell me, I'm just a fan. Go tell Marty St. Louis. He's the one who uses him as a #1 defenceman. Do you think Hughes is going to unload his head coach's #1 defenceman?

 

[Habs Icing]

It's from watching Matheson play that one can see that his errors pop. But, as you say he's being used as a number 1 dman, for like 25 minutes a game. He's not in the right chair.

But can Matheson play second pairing LHD? Shouldn't that be Hutson's spot?

I think between 18 & 20 minutes tops is ideal. But I don't coach the Habs.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Don't tell me, I'm just a fan. Go tell Marty St. Louis. He's the one who uses him as a #1 defenceman. Do you think Hughes is going to unload his head coach's #1 defenceman?

 

[Sharknado2]

I think between 18 & 20 minutes tops is ideal. But I don't coach the Habs.

It doesn;t matter how many minutes he plays. Matheson gives away the puck as of the first period and is a huge liability. Aside from his skating, he has nothing to offer.

Caufield is another libability for us in our D zone and has lost us many games this season from missed coverage. People complain that Laine is a 1 trick pony so what exactly is Caufield?

Hutson is another one that has cost us games with missed coverages but I'll give him a pass for now since he's in year 1.

Newhook ocnsistenly can;t finish no matter who sets him up.

Dach is made of glass.

 

[Treb]

UFA 2C: Duchene, Tavares, Nelson, Bennett, Granlund

UFA 2C (subpar): Giroux, Gourde

Trade 2C (High salary, need special circumstances): Kadri, Zibanejad, Pettersson

Trade 2C: Horvat, Lundell, Trochek, Beniers, Hayton, Lindholm, Strome

Trade 2C (subpar target): Stephenson, Zacha, Suter, Couturier, Pageau, Mittelstadt

___

UFA Top4 RD: Ekblad, Fabbro, Perbix

Trade top4 RD: Andersson, Bouchard, Dobson

 

[BergevinBurner]

If we don't sign Armia this summer then I'd be pretty open to signing Mantha to a cheap 1 year contract. His potential floor and ceiling are incredibly far apart. He could play 2 games and be injured the entire season, or he could be a 40-50 point guy that brings a physical presence to our middle 6 if he has a bit of health luck.

 

[BergevinBurner]

UFA 2C: Duchene, Tavares, Nelson, Bennett, Granlund

UFA 2C (subpar): Giroux, Gourde

Trade 2C (High salary, need special circumstances): Kadri, Zibanejad, Pettersson

Trade 2C: Horvat, Lundell, Trochek, Beniers, Hayton, Lindholm, Strome

Trade 2C (subpar target): Stephenson, Zacha, Suter, Couturier, Pageau, Mittelstadt

___

UFA Top4 RD: Ekblad, Fabbro, Perbix

Trade top4 RD: Andersson, Bouchard, Dobson

I'd love it if we could poach either Ekblad or Bennett from Florida in free agency and then package some futures to grab either Dobson or Horvat from the Isles. Either combination of Bennett+Dobson or Horvat+Ekblad would make us significantly better going into next season.

 

[HabsAddict]

UFA 2C: Duchene, Tavares, Nelson, Bennett, Granlund

UFA 2C (subpar): Giroux, Gourde

Trade 2C (High salary, need special circumstances): Kadri, Zibanejad, Pettersson

Trade 2C: Horvat, Lundell, Trochek, Beniers, Hayton, Lindholm, Strome

Trade 2C (subpar target): Stephenson, Zacha, Suter, Couturier, Pageau, Mittelstadt

___

UFA Top4 RD: Ekblad, Fabbro, Perbix

Trade top4 RD: Andersson, Bouchard, Dobson

In trade you can only afford 1 major target and that is a 2C otherwise it's dig a hole to fill a hole.

Signing is another matter. Again the target has to be 2C because if Suzuki ever goes down, we're picking top 5...AGAIN.

We have enough talent that we can fill RHD and wingers from within. Certainly not stars, though there is potential for really good.

 

[BozoTheClown]

Saying they only made the playoffs in the last game of the season is disingenuous and completely ignores how they were one of the better teams since the Four Nations.

They were not eliminated by Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson was far more impactful. The Habs also lost their #1 goalie, which people seem to ignore.

Waiting another season to make a move is stupid. You want Demidov to play with Dach and Newhook all season? He’ll probably ask to get traded.

They literally made the playoffs on their last season game, while their top players being healthy all season.

The team lacks many things to be successful in the playoffs, hence Thompson looking good. Protas only played one game, which is something people seem to ignore.

We missed the playoffs 7 year in a row and now that we squeezed in on our last season game, people think it’s time to go all out and overpay for players. Big big mistake. I know it feels good making the playoffs, but it’s always a possibility the team takes a step back next season.
I want to see a full training camp with a healthy Dach and Laine and a replacement for Matheson before overpaying for a #2C. Something to consider is the 2026 UFAs has a few good players we could target like Alex Tuch.

Demidov will be ok, he’s 19 year old.

 

[le_sean]

They literally made the playoffs on their last season game, while their top players being healthy all season.

The team lacks many things to be successful in the playoffs, hence Thompson looking good. Protas only played one game, which is something people seem to ignore.

We missed the playoffs 7 year in a row and now that we squeezed in on our last season game, people think it’s time to go all out and overpay for players. Big big mistake. I know it feels good making the playoffs, but it’s always a possibility the team takes a step back next season.
I want to see a full training camp with a healthy Dach and Laine and a replacement for Matheson before overpaying for a #2C. Something to consider is the 2026 UFAs has a few good players we could target like Alex Tuch.

Demidov will be ok, he’s 19 year old.

Lol you want Dach as the 2C with Laine? So you want the team to actively to get worse.

Depending on guys to get to free agency in two years is just silly. A lot of them will re-sign.

You have a really narrow view on the potential of the team. They squeezed in when everyone thought bottom 10 team. One of the best 1st lines in the league, now adding Demidov. The time to go for it somewhat is when he’s still on an ELC, same with Lane

 

[Cole Caulifield]

I'm seeing so many Habs fan on here criticizing Matheson.....what am I missing? I thought he generally played really well in the playoffs. Not afraid to attack in the offensive zone either, which outside of Hutson is rare for our defenders.

I personally definitely want him back.

I am fine with Matheson completing his contract with us next year. In an ideal world he's pushed back to the 3rd pairing and he'd be just fine there :

Hutson-Defensive physical RD
Guhle-Carrier
Matheson-Reinbacher

That would be more than fine. Reinbacher will cover for Matheson in a lower role as a rookie. That would be a good spot to ease him in until he's ready to be Hutson's partner on the first. Maybe that will happen midway through the season.

 

[Treb]

In trade you can only afford 1 major target and that is a 2C otherwise it's dig a hole to fill a hole.

Signing is another matter. Again the target has to be 2C because if Suzuki ever goes down, we're picking top 5...AGAIN.

We have enough talent that we can fill RHD and wingers from within. Certainly not stars, though there is potential for really good.

They do not have the talent to fill RHD from within unless you plan to waste 2-3 years of the Habs window.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

I don't see how we can let Dvorak go. Finding both a 2C and a 3C will be hard. He should come back on a 1-2 years deal.

Evans is a fine 3C. Suzuki a fine 1C.

So you need a 2C and 4C IMO.

Neither spot are good for Dvorak. Need a much better player for 2C, and more of a Dowd type for 4C

 

[Treb]

Evans is a fine 3C. Suzuki a fine 1C.

So you need a 2C and 4C IMO

And 4C can easily be fixed by Beck/Kapanen next year.

 

[Doublechin]

First priority for me after these playoffs is to trade Matheson, I'd take anything at the draft and the LD is stacked

Then I'd try hard to trade for a 2C at the draft

I would really try and see if the Islanders are rebuilding and if they are I'm doing anything I can to get Horvat and Pulock (RD) in a package. I'm willing to give up a lot to make that happen and ideally I'm trying to dangle one of Newhook or Dach, let's say Newhook here

I'm trying to retain Dvorak for a 2 year deal, if he wants more, see ya

Finally, I'm trading Laine, I'm adding a 3rd or even a late second to make it happen

That leaves me with (assuming Newhook and Dvorak are out too)

CC - Suz - Slaf
Dach - Horvat - Demidov
Anderson - Evans - Gallagher
Heineman - Beck - Kapanen/Xekhaj

Hutson - Pulock
Guhle - Carrier
X/Struble - Reinbacher

Monty
Doves

I would then trade Primeau and have Fowler start most games in Laval

In the scenario where I can't strike a deal for Horvat, I draft my guys and go hard at free agency and if I can't then I'm doing anything possible trade wise to get a 2C, Bennett>Nelson>Duchene for me

As for the draft

I'm trying to trade down, 16 and 2 or 3 2nds for the chance to get Brady Martin with my second first I'm taking whoever I have as BPA regardless of need

 

[Gustave]

You need a left handed centerman, no team in the NHL goes into a season without having both handedness in the certerman group.

Whether that comes in the form of the 3C or the 2C needs to be seen.

Dach and Newhook cannot be either of those mentioned above. It would be the stupidest thing ever and I have faith in Hugo. Those two have no role on our team.

Dvo is the easy route for 3C and I wouldn’t oppose it for a short contract.

2C is dicey and costly but we need to make it happen. Horvat I’m partial to, and I won’t mention the guy on Pittsburgh which I would cry if he were to join this squad.

A RD that can play the PK is a must, and some size if can be.

I would still sport Laine in the top 6, I like his PP minutes, but he is a liability 5 on 5.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

And 4C can easily be fixed by Beck/Kapanen next year.

For the regular season. But in the playoffs I don't like it much.

 

[Saku K]

Dach, Laine, Matheson likely gone by the end of next year, then it will be Gallagher and Anderson. I don't know what will happen with Newhook and his rfa status in two years. A lot of bottom-six spot will be open and we will have the prospects to fill them up fortunately.

A lot of money still available even with Hutson and Demidov new contract extension.

Still need that stop-gas second line center for 2-3 years, hoping Hage can fill these shoes in a couple of years.

Glad to get rid of Bergevin's final bad contracts, and the damage of HuGo's bad (trade) gambles. Thank god for his contracts and drafts though. The core players are in place and will grow together. We should be in position to make the playoffs and be a force for many years to come in a couple of years.

 

[74 others]

Dach will do just fine on the wing, we just need a 2C