Post-Game Talk: Habs lose, eliminated from playoffs.

[Miller Time]

Tons of respect for the coach.... listen to this...

Future is bright

 

[HabsDood]

Now, back to life, I always listen to this, yearly, since '93 or whenever

 

[Stive Morgan]

Overall a good season and exceeded my expectations. Can't wait to see what the future holds.

 

[JackZap]

Great season boys. Never in a million years did I think we’d make the playoffs

 

[Skip Bayless]

Now, back to life, I always listen to this, yearly, since '93 or whenever

 

[The Real Timo]

Sadly he won't be there to see it.

God I hope so.

 

[Kennerback]

After venting a bit….

I thoroughly enjoyed this season. The most in years. I love this team. Tons of talent. Now the task is building a solid supporting cast.

 

[Runner77]

You really think so ? Why do you think that ?

Because we already have several key pieces with high upside in place, we have cap room, more trading assets than past years, Bergevin deadwood on expiring contracts and the ability to approach free agents with the pitch that this team is playoff bound. Hughes can afford to overpay for that highly desirable target without gutting the team.

They only need to identify the right assets and do their due diligence.

I don’t recall the Habs being in this position in the last 30 years.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Tons of respect for the coach.... listen to this...

Love how he complimented some players who are often insulted here. Andy, Gally, Dvo, Armia.

Pricey? Yes. Important? Yes. Coach explains why. Can’t see all 4 leaving when the contracts are up.

 

[sampollock]

All good.
No frustration this team well
Just get rid of Matheson pls

 

[The Real Timo]

I just don't understand how the team with it's back against the wall can look like it's a tuesday night game in the middle of november and they're already out of the playoffs.

Sure, hats off this and that and some players indeed deserve all the accolades - e.g. Suzuki, Hutson, Montanbo, Anderson... on occasion Caufield. But collectively, as a team, they were not well prepared. And it was evident throughout the season. How many times everyone here was bitching team just not ready to play? Or all of a sudden looses focus? The readiness aspect has nothing to do with talent... we all know there is none beyond the first line + Demidov. It's how you best position your team for success given the lack of said talent. The lack of set plays in ALL zone is ridiculously apparent. That stupid passive box for like 2 minutes at a time that exhausts players to no end, is the reason why everyone looked out of gas. The passiveness and lack of any kind of aggression is why everyone is always on the receiving end. All of these things are coachable and not necessarily talent related.

Lack of skill, grit and talent falls on the GM, of course, who I am less than ready to give props just yet.
But even little bit of toughness that team does have, seems to be neutered by the coach ( think even Max Lapierre alluded to that).

So... if Habs are really serious about taking their game to the next level, it MUST include coaching changes. If Hughes and Gorton don't see it, be prepared for another beat down next spring, if Habs even make it.

To wrap this off, still huge props to Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Alex Carrier, Lane Hutson and Monty.

Matheson, Newhook and Evans can f*** off.

 

[sampollock]

They need grit and they need size on the back end
They need to get rid of Matheson and find a second line center ASAP
Tons of good things to come but lots of work for Kent before October

 

[admiralcadillac]

Not a playoff team

Yes in fact they were

 

[Hacketts]

See this is where I differ a bit..

We've added the talent imo

It's time to add some real toughness here n there

We definitely need toughness, but we need some real quality too.

How many playoffs teams don't have a 2nd line? lol

 

[austin316]

See this is where I differ a bit..

We've added the talent imo

It's time to add some real toughness here n there

I think we need both to be fair. We need talent and size throughout this roster.

Everyone knows we need a #2/1A centre. It will help moving and adding Dach to the wing with his size as well. But we also need at least two more top 9 forward with size and grit.

Adding Reinbacher and subtracting Savard will help, but we can hopefully also add another real tough SOB to our back end as we desperately need that.

 

[themilosh]

We definitely need toughness, but we need some real quality too.

How many playoffs teams don't have a 2nd line? lol

I think we have plenty toughness coming up the pipes. A true organizational push for homegrown 4th liners with some offence..

Clearly Hugo is going to have to acquire a 2C.. i think hell have to overpay for a trade but we have the assets and picks to land a solid vet.

RHD addition is a close second.

After that, i'm looking forward to next year.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Tons of respect for the coach.... listen to this...

Wow sounds like Bergevin did a great job

 

[austin316]

Have to think there is a very good chance our 16th and 17th overall picks are traded in a package for a 2C and/or RD.

 

[Hacketts]

I think we have plenty toughness coming up the pipes. A true organizational push for homegrown 4th liners with some offence..

Clearly Hugo is going to have to acquire a 2C.. i think hell have to overpay for a trade but we have the assets and picks to land a solid vet.

RHD addition is a close second.

After that, i'm looking forward to next year.

There's definitely nothing wrong with that, and I welcome our depth pool setting us up going forward. In saying that we're already one of the youngest teams in the league, and I think you need to balance that out with some NHL players too. It would be cool to add a player like Martin Pospisil, or someone in that mold.

 

[Kennerback]

I didn’t want it to happen but the upside about being eliminated early is that this team will be fresher next season with the core one year older. They’ll have a longer summer to prepare and nurse injuries.

They didn’t have the soldiers to make a real go at the Cup this season. It was just delaying the inevitable. Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable process.

 

[the valiant effort]

Carbery lapping up the limelight, next Cooper confirmed

 

[austin316]

I just don't understand how the team with it's back against the wall can look like it's a tuesday night game in the middle of november and they're already out of the playoffs.

Sure, hats off this and that and some players indeed deserve all the accolades - e.g. Suzuki, Hutson, Montanbo, Anderson... on occasion Caufield. But collectively, as a team, they were not well prepared. And it was evident throughout the season. How many times everyone here was bitching team just not ready to play? Or all of a sudden looses focus? The readiness aspect has nothing to do with talent... we all know there is none beyond the first line + Demidov. It's how you best position your team for success given the lack of said talent. The lack of set plays in ALL zone is ridiculously apparent. That stupid passive box for like 2 minutes at a time that exhausts players to no end, is the reason why everyone looked out of gas. The passiveness and lack of any kind of aggression is why everyone is always on the receiving end. All of these things are coachable and not necessarily talent related.

Lack of skill, grit and talent falls on the GM, of course, who I am less than ready to give props just yet.
But even little bit of toughness that team does have, seems to be neutered by the coach ( think even Max Lapierre alluded to that).

So... if Habs are really serious about taking their game to the next level, it MUST include coaching changes. If Hughes and Gorton don't see it, be prepared for another beat down next spring, if Habs even make it.

To wrap this off, still huge props to Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Alex Carrier, Lane Hutson and Monty.

Matheson, Newhook and Evans can f*** off.

I think that inconsistency you see is because we are exactly what everyone knows we are, one of the youngest teams in the NHL.

These players need to grow and learn how to win, how to prepare for games, etc. Give it time, MSL is the perfect coach for this team. There will be growing pains for this team, coaching staff included.

 

[expy]

I just don't understand how the team with it's back against the wall can look like it's a tuesday night game in the middle of november and they're already out of the playoffs.

It's easy, they overachieved and made the playoffs even though they weren't anywhere near ready for them.

 

[Habssince89]

Welp you have to be lucky to be good, and boy were the capitals lucky in this series:
-Blown icing in game 1 hands them the win
-Refs in their pocket; illegal head hits without consequence
-Habs hitting posts
-Montembault hurt

They were the better team, but let's not pretend the scales didn't get tipped in their favour. Sucks to lose to a mid team like that, but we have so much to be proud of and we know our star is rising.

Random thought but I thought Kapanen played a good game.

I think the sky's the limit for this team. Literally the youngest EVER to make the playoffs. Ignore the trolls friends

 

[Redux91]

The biggest loser tonight is Primeau for having to miss game 1 for Laval

And we care...why?

Primeau is being let go at the end of the year and Fowler is the future of the franchise

Tell me what mattered more, Fowler or Primeau getting game 1 of the playoffs?