Speculation: Habs finish 28th and bottom 5 in 24-25 season

[Bottle Rocket]

I prefer keeping expectations realistic. As long as I see progress, being tough to play against and making better teams lose precious points I will be happy even without qualifying.

If we do that, imagine what we will be when our core is in its prime.

 

[Trabdy2]

Having a healthy Dach, having that extra year of experience for all of our young defencemen, and not making certain decisions to "encourage" the tank near the end of the year should have us finishing significantly higher than we did last year at 5th last.

 

[habsterr]

I would love another bottom 5 finish. Teams often enough pick bottom 10, 3-4 times before improving.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Habs will miss Kovacevic.

 

[Rapala]

The young core will make huge strides. The off season has just started. The game is played on ice...not ready to concede the upcoming season just yet.
On paper many teams made many moves...whether they pan out...we shall see.

I'm setting my sights on the GF/GA differential as the measuring stick not the standings.
Take care of that and the standings will take care of themself.

With Burrows gone we should hope for a better PP and adding a Dach into the mix should pay off.
No more coddling non performers regardless of who it is we have options.

We had a number of very good possession PP's after the All Star break where PP one was able to extend their shift.
More of this please, It indicates players are remaining patient while tiring out the defenders not telegraphing passes or wasting useless shots.
The scoring chances were very very good on those occasions and we also maintained momentum.

The PK did improve decently in the back half of the season on the back of Armia's strong play.
We can all agree it's pathetic to not have an aggregate of 100% on special teams and I'd even go so far as to say it needs to be 110%.

Work towards giving up far fewer shifts where we get zoned and aim for far better second periods with shorter shifts for that long change.
These are all specific things we can look at to indicate progression. Not only on the ice but on the bench as well.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Brace yourself. Dach has a chance offset Monahans production. Rookie D dont move the needle in the NHL. Bottom five finish is lurking. No teams are trying to tank.

Still believe our core of young players is better than a lot of teams in the wildcard race. We are deeper at forward than people think. We have 5 forwards that have a legitimate shot at 50 points this year. Maybe 6 if Roy really takes another step.

And unlike teams like Buffalo or Ottawa, there is a good culture being built here. We will surprise people.

 

[schwang26]

A healthy team means a better finish. Dach, Newhook, Guhle, Arber all missed significant time. Anderson has to improve. He can’t be any worse. Pp should be better. Goaltending will be solid. Slaf will have a better start. If Armia continues from his second half last season, that’s big. Let’s see what Roy does with a full season. I’m thinking 10th last at worst if healthy.

 

[Goal Caufield50]

A healthy team means a better finish. Dach, Newhook, Guhle, Arber all missed significant time. Anderson has to improve. He can’t be any worse. Pp should be better. Goaltending will be solid. Slaf will have a better start. If Armia continues from his second half last season, that’s big. Let’s see what Roy does with a full season. I’m thinking 10th last at worst if healthy.

No Monahan, No Allen, rookie d mistakes, deadline trades result 28th or worse.

 

[morhilane]

A healthy team means a better finish. Dach, Newhook, Guhle, Arber all missed significant time. Anderson has to improve. He can’t be any worse. Pp should be better. Goaltending will be solid. Slaf will have a better start. If Armia continues from his second half last season, that’s big. Let’s see what Roy does with a full season. I’m thinking 10th last at worst if healthy.

If Anderson is the same as last year, they need to sit him, that's an improvement by subtraction move.

 

[Habs]

 

[GrandBison]

What if the Habs are the team that prevent Calgary to have the 11th pick on the last days of the season?

 

[HuGo Sham]

it's possible habs are bottom five even though it goes against how team has been trending the last two years..
Lots of ifs because of the lack of depth.
Can Dach stay healthy? Where do they find those extra 50 goals?
If anderson and Gally keep trending down and HuGo sells off Armia, Dvorak, Evans and savard, it's entirely possible team finishes bottom 5, certainly bottom 7-8.
I'd then expect a Gally buyout next summer and Anderson trade with sweeteners attached.
It will be interesting to see how much all the young players progress next season, but I don't expect a huge jump.

 

[BaseballCoach]

No Monahan, No Allen, rookie d mistakes, deadline trades result 28th or worse.

No Monahan hurts, but Dach would easily replace him and more if healthy.

No Allen HELPS!

 

[Playmaker09]

Suzuki, Slaf, Caufield and Matheson all played 82 games last year, Guhle played 70 and Dach is pretty much just replacing Monahan.

This wasn't the 2022 leading the league in man games lost version of the Habs, we just stunk.

It's hard to see how this team turns it around when most of the core solutions may not even be in the lineup this year (Demidov, Reinbacher, Hutson).

 

[JC Superstar]

IMO the team is improving, especially at forward but there will be growing pains on defence, mostly on the right side. The thing is the Habs are in a tough division and every point will have to be earned while Calgary for exemple will have a rather smooth sailing.

On the other hand, I'm glad that that could make the Habs slide in the standings as the next draft would be the last of the good ones. Montreal has quantity picks in the quality zone and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.

So drafting between 5 - 10 will make me endure another rough season.

 

[The Last Red]

No Monahan, No Allen, rookie d mistakes, deadline trades result 28th or worse.

I think you've made how you feel pretty clear . . . and then some.

 

[The Real Timo]

dude... summer aint over yet. much can happen still.

Been said every year and nothing happens... I concur... another bottom 5 finish.

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

Im not sure where this team will finish.

Honestly they had a tonne of 1 goal games

if they dont have bottom 10 specialty teams, then all things equal, flip even 5 -7 games over a year and you are closer to 18-20 th spot. Hard to imagine they could be worse here

 

[Goal Caufield50]

I think you've made how you feel pretty clear . . . and then some.

in the marketplace you have to exceed the competition and the market place. habs have not improved. it is that simple but i do hear of pundits state they are on the playoff bubble.

 

[CGG]

it's possible habs are bottom five even though it goes against how team has been trending the last two years..
Lots of ifs because of the lack of depth.
Can Dach stay healthy? Where do they find those extra 50 goals?
If anderson and Gally keep trending down and HuGo sells off Armia, Dvorak, Evans and savard, it's entirely possible team finishes bottom 5, certainly bottom 7-8.
I'd then expect a Gally buyout next summer and Anderson trade with sweeteners attached.
It will be interesting to see how much all the young players progress next season, but I don't expect a huge jump.

These are not big losses. We traded Monahan and got worse, mostly because Dach was injured. We trade Armia, Dvorak, Evans, Savard, it's because we're giving minutes to younger guys who will probably be better.

 

[Kosseca]

Been said every year and nothing happens... I concur... another bottom 5 finish.

You are entitle to your opinon. I respect that.
I dont want to cast a judgement now as much can happen still before the season start. I prefer to beleive that we are not done... KH manage each year to pull interesting move over the summer. why would it be different now??

 

[Milhouse40]

Geez, some fans have no idea how a rebuild works......I don't kow what's the point anymore to finish bottom 5 and load up on picks and prospect if fans can't even realize that a team in a rebuild is evolving and the last thing you can do is take the past and print it on the future

Don't care we did nothing to add this summer...cause we don't need too, we will add a lot in Spetember cause that is acutally how a rebuild works

 

[FormerLurker]

We lost 16 games in overtime or shootout last year. Continued development of the young core, addition of Dach, fully healthy Caufield, and fewer injuries should be enough to convert 6 of those 16 losses to wins. That 6 point swing pushes us out of the bottom 10.

 

[Goal Caufield50]

Geez, some fans have no idea how a rebuild works......I don't kow what's the point anymore to finish bottom 5 and load up on picks and prospect if fans can't even realize that a team in a rebuild is evolving and the last thing you can do is take the past and print it on the future

Don't care we did nothing to add this summer...cause we don't need too, we will add a lot in Spetember cause that is acutally how a rebuild works

Some people believe you need to improve or you have a losing culture. See chicago providing insulation to Bedard. Buffalo did not support Eichel and they still are not in the playoffs

 

[Naslundforever]

I've had more fun watching this rebuilding team than any rendition of Paciorrety/DD era we had lmao no offence, but the *good old days* where we made the playoffs or fought for them , we were icing a bottom 10 lineup in the league with a bottom 3 on ice entertainment product with Minnesota and Arizona.

Watching Slaf and Suzuki every game is quite exciting

I don’t mind the losses if they’re trying and putting on a show. Add Hutson to the mix and the new D getting their footing and the on-ice product should be at least fun. Had to tune out when this team also had Drouin Dadonov Hoffman taking shifts.

I also would not mind a top RW and a bottom 10 finish instead of 5 gotta say.