Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat Tampa at the Bell Centre.

[NewDef]

Thanks for the Slaf comments guys.

Geez, just watched the highlights. Really do not want to see Evans go. Hope he and team can reach an agreement.

Monty was great.

Suck an egg Kutcherov.

You know what, I'm pretty sure Evans feel the same. This group seem tight and is having fun. I would't be surprised Evans sees staying with the team is likely his best chance to win a cup before the end of his career.

And maybe Reinbacher and Fowler too!! Hehe!!

Indeed Kev, indeed! I'm really starstruck on Fowler. This guy is a gamer and born winner.

 

[admiralcadillac]

The cost of winning and trying to keep a roster together in a salary cap system. Tampa no longer has the talented depth players of their cup days and they probably lack the space to get better.

Kucherov, Hedman, Point and Vasy are now what is left of that once-dominant roster. We are one of the new kids on the block in the east and our rise is imminent. The future is very bright, blindingly bright.

I mean you’re just missing Stamkos and he’s been easily replaced by Hagel and Guentzel so I’m not sure what your point is here.

Tampa’s issue is their D. Mcdonagh is not getting any younger and Hedman has slowed down.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I mean you’re just missing Stamkos and he’s been easily replaced by Hagel and Guentzel so I’m not sure what your point is here.

Tampa’s issue is their D. Mcdonagh is not getting any younger and Hedman has slowed down.

...Tampa won those Cups as much on the back of their depth as their Stars, imo...and they lost most of that depth due to Cap restraints...that's what I imagine he means...

 

[Archijerej]

This place need some more Yo-Elle love.

He's been fantastic this year. Unironically one of my favorite players on this team.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

He's been fantastic this year. Unironically one of my favorite players on this team.

...now that he just concentrates on being good defensively and using his size properly, he's been great...what I'm worried about is old Army habits coming back (like playing like garbage when he's not playing for a contract)...

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

...now that he just concentrates on being good defensively and using his size properly, he's been great...what I'm worried about is old Army habits coming back (like playing like garbage when he's not playing for a contract)...

And that's why if you brink him back, it's for 1 year. 2 tops.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Never thought I'd say this but Armia has been great for most of the season. Like 2021 Stanley Cup Run Armia.

 

[Vapaatunnus]

Newhook finished from Patty's pass, impossibru :O

 

[HabsAddict]

Savard...that puck wasn't going to leave him...if he had to kill someone to keep it.

Monty..Jesus Price form tonight.

Slaf..he's back to late last season form.

Evans...4x4 is getting closerr

SMarty..discovered time outs.

X...he's a bully. He hits anyone any time he wants and funny enough, nobody jumps him. I wonder why?

Great character game. I'm resisting believing in them but they're wearing me down!

WHAT'S WITH THE YUPPI CORPSE? DID X ACCIDENTALY KILL HIM?

 

[Calendal]

This may entail a cavity search going through US Customs next during the next road trip.

That's what we call a win-win.

 

[Walrus26]

Agree. Slaf was solid tonight. Not flashy, but solid. No big gaffs.

Not to mention that elite shot selection to beat Vasi from where he did.

 

[Archijerej]

 

[Habs Halifax]

And that's why if you brink him back, it's for 1 year. 2 tops.

3 year deal takes him to age 34. I would personally bring back both Evans and Armia for 3 years which overlaps Demidov's ELC. This keeps our depth strong while we have development to guys like Beck, Kapanen, Roy, Hage and it also frees up cap space for when Demidov needs a raise.

The next 3 years is where we will have a cap advantage. After that, it's very possible that our cap structure gets tight. Raises to Hutson, Demidov, Henieman, Dobes, Dach, Newhook, Xhekaj are coming. And bridge deals to Reinbacher, Beck, Kapanen, Roy.

Agree. Slaf was solid tonight. Not flashy, but solid. No big gaffs.

Yup, One of the better games we have seen from Slaf lately. He's just plugging along and improving gradually. Pretty sure we have a 60+ forward in his prime but not sure how much more. I'm too chicken to pump it up more than that but it's very possible he can reach 60-80 range and be a complete winger with a physical edge.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The cost of winning and trying to keep a roster together in a salary cap system. Tampa no longer has the talented depth players of their cup days and they probably lack the space to get better.

Kucherov, Hedman, Point and Vasy are now what is left of that once-dominant roster. We are one of the new kids on the block in the east and our rise is imminent. The future is very bright, blindingly bright.

This past 20-30 games has been unreal. Basically, we have caught up to the Sabres, Wings, and Sens in our rebuilding process and they started years before us. I kind of said that heading into this season as well. We are not far off from where they are. We have to remember that we were around 8-10th last before we accepted tank strategy last year (Monahan traded). We were not a bottom 5 team but we finished bottom 5 because we played more youth again.

When you look at the top and bottom half of this roster and compare to a team like Tampa and others like them, you can clearly see that our top half is very competitive but the real difference is our bottom half. We actually have some of the best depth in the NHL. Overpaid yes but still. The mix of youth and vets on this roster is very solid.

 

[Andy]

This team is fun to watch. What a change from the MB era

 

[Tyson]

Come on. Beck will be far better than them by the beginning of next season. They are both crap.

Comedians...gotta love em

 

[Unclewhalebone]

Evans would need to take a discount for it to make sense for the habs to re-sign him.

He's already started to slow down offensively. He only has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 11 games.

If we pay Evans and judge him on offensive output we are very likely to be disappointed. If we judge him for playing winning hockey and holding a key role on the team then his value looks higher, regardless of whether he has an unsustainable shooting %.

To me, the only thing that would make an Evans contract a true disaster is if it made him a negative asset or untradable.
He is an important piece of this team and brings a lot to the table.

 

[BLONG7]

Winning!! Feels good!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[salbutera]

Come on. Beck will be far better than them by the beginning of next season. They are both crap.

Keep in mind, after this uptick in team play, expectations going forward will exponentially increase which means “prospects coming up” will be expected to perform and keep the progression towards winning more & more and not simply play in a development environment…. that completely changes the dynamic relative to last 3 years

NHL roster is now about contributing to winning not individual pro development

 

[waitin425]

3 year deal takes him to age 34. I would personally bring back both Evans and Armia for 3 years which overlaps Demidov's ELC. This keeps our depth strong while we have development to guys like Beck, Kapanen, Roy, Hage and it also frees up cap space for when Demidov needs a raise.

The next 3 years is where we will have a cap advantage. After that, it's very possible that our cap structure gets tight. Raises to Hutson, Demidov, Henieman, Dobes, Dach, Newhook, Xhekaj are coming. And bridge deals to Reinbacher, Beck, Kapanen, Roy.



Yup, One of the better games we have seen from Slaf lately. He's just plugging along and improving gradually. Pretty sure we have a 60+ forward in his prime but not sure how much more. I'm too chicken to pump it up more than that but it's very possible he can reach 60-80 range and be a complete winger with a physical edge.

I'm with ya Halifax. Let's resign Evans and Armia if they take reasonable 3 year deals. Any longer cuts into our cap flexibility. I may do 4 for Evans.

They are just perfect bottom 6 grinders right now. I'd give them an A+ on the season for excelling in their role beyond expected performance.

We need Gally and Andersons current deals to drop off. I am even down for resigning both those guys on a fraction of what they currently make and for no more than 2 years.

Dvorak and Savard must to make room for our future.

Matheson can still until we finally get a top 4 RD. That remains the last piece in my mind.

 

[Habs Halifax]

This team is fun to watch. What a change from the MB era

The smurf sized obsession is gone. Better mix of skating/skill/size and youth heading towards their prime.

The beauty of all of this is we had solid youth pieces from MB when we let him go. This was not a 100% rebuild on Hughes and Gorton only. Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov, Guhle, Dobes, Mailloux, Kapanen, Roy was a good starting point. And assets like Toffoli, Chiarot, Petry to trade. The deadweight like Anderson, Gallagher, Dvorak, Savard are still with us and providing excellent depth and vet leadership.

We are at a tipping point where the Hughes draft picks and player trades are starting to shine. Hutson, Slaf, Dach, Laine, Newhook, Matheson. Only going to improve with Demidov, Reinbacher, Hage, Beck,

Interesting debate.. What youth pieces are worth more?
* Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov, Guhle, Dobes, Mailloux, Kapanen, Roy
vs
* Hutson, Demidov, Dach, Laine, Newhook, Reinbacher, Hage, Beck, Fowler

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm with ya Halifax. Let's resign Evans and Armia if they take reasonable 3 year deals. Any longer cuts into our cap flexibility. I may do 4 for Evans.

They are just perfect bottom 6 grinders right now. I'd give them an A+ on the season for excelling in their role beyond expected performance.

We need Gally and Andersons current deals to drop off. I am even down for resigning both those guys on a fraction of what they currently make and for no more than 2 years.

Dvorak and Savard must to make room for our future.

Matheson can still until we finally get a top 4 RD. That remains the last piece in my mind.

I was not a fan of the "blocking" narrative we had during our rebuild. Obsessively wanting to trade out vets to insert youth learning on the job. I love how we assembled a very solid pool but we should not be rushing them so it makes us feel better at penciling them in the roster. Let them earn their way up through competition. Find out who they are from age 20-23. Manage the RFA and waiver exempt years well.

Dvorak and Savard are gone yes. Gallagher is the anchor contract. Anderson is actually not on a bad contract now that the cap will increase to $92M+ next year... I guess that is basically how his contract was set up. Evans and Armia are solid parts to our team and they are not easily replaced.

 

[morhilane]

The holding the stick part is the cherry on top. Good trolling, Screw you Tampa!

Now, now, Savard was asking the guy to help lift him up.

 

[HespelerGreenFlash]

Savard...that puck wasn't going to leave him...if he had to kill someone to keep it.

I like how one of the Habs players put his stick out for Savard to use as leverage to pressure the puck under him. LOL Now thats teamwork!!

 

[CHwest]

One day I’d like to see this team score first and hold the lead

Meh, come backs are so much more fun.