LeBrun: Habs planning on being aggressive in free agency this year

[Spring in Fialta]

I believe the fans won't tolerate the losing that comes with a proper rebuild.

They've been losing for the past five years save one playoff run. Nothing happened that wouldn't happen in any other market. People bitched. That's it.

If Hughes and Gorton want to go big-name hunting in free agency, it's because they believe there's a piece there that can help them win games. They're not going to care about the optics of losing at this point. Especially not this early into their tenure. They have carte blanche and a ton of good-will.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

I’m sure the players are gonna be lining up to sign with the worst team in the league. hahahah

I bet a lot of players dreamed of playing for the Habs. If they can come up with competitive money, that boyhood dream might be the difference. At least it seems to have been so for Tavares and his Leafs dream.

You just never know.

 

[frederixx]

Of course. They will try to sign a bunch of decent players to 1 year deal and then trade them at deadline for bunch of prospects

 

[BLNY]

I believe the fans won't tolerate the losing that comes with a proper rebuild.

This fan, and most of the ones I know - spread all over the globe - would have zero issue with a proper rebuild. The absolute worst thing you can do is be bad enough to miss the playoffs but good enough to have next to no shot at top three picks. This was the Habs at the turn of the century. Absolute purgatory. Fans that lived through that period and talk about the club today have begged for a proper strip down.

The problem with doing a rebuild is tanking at the right time. Pittsburgh got MAF, Malkin, Crosby from three consecutive years of crap. Getting three cornerstones like that doesn't happen very often.

Does "being aggressive in free agency" automatically mean big fish? How many of those, in their prime, really hit the market?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

To be fair, muscle dummy was aggressive, too, but if you don't want to come here, you don't want to come here.

 

[1909]

They are going to go after midgets and French players.

WOW.... You're a genious

 

[KingsHockey24]

Romanov for Maatta.

It's fair because Maatta is +10 and Romanov is -9. That's like twice as good.

 

[tucker3434]

The Rangers did good with Panarin.

There aren’t any Hart candidates out there. And even with Panarin, the Rangers are going nowhere without Shersterkin.

 

[Kranix]

The latter. On your good days, your zingers per 60 makes Gretzky's point output look like a bitch. I legit thought it was you posting that

You're very kind. I just want to spread love. I love everybody.

 

[beowulf]

Kadri grew up a Habs fan. Gaudreau's favourite player was MSL. No shortage of interesting names at this moment.

all fine and dandy but you need cap room to sign people.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

WOW.... You're a genious

ur just mad he outed their plans lol

 

[HuGo Sham]

I still hold hope for this one.

who is that?

 

[OVO16]

Who are the big names in Free Agency this year

 

[admiralcadillac]

I cant wait to watch them give out albatross contracts left and right. It’s my favourite pass time.

Like which ones?

 

[HuGo Sham]

i think it's Lebrun clickbait. Hughes said in his presser they''d like to find some vets in the offseason. I don't see them trying to be major UFA players. Who's available?
It looks like they have a solid first line in Anderson / Suzuki / Caufield. They have nice young depth C's in Evans and Poehling. They don't know what they have with Dvorak yet.
They'll likely get a couple, maybe three first rounders this draft and try to get some quality up front. They will definitely rebuild the D but that is where habs best prospects are with Guhle, Norlinder, Harris, Mailloux, etc...
Why do they sign letang? they have his version in Petry, who wanted to be in the US, but is playing great under MSL.
Price looks like he's done and they'll get out from Weber contract.
I honestly don't think anyone knows exactly what hughes and gorton will do

 

[OVO16]

Also, Im friends with someone who knows Kadri.

I dont see him going to the Habs because apparently he really enjoys the Big City vibes. Not that Montreal isnt a big city, but he likes to be in a city where there are multiple other Sports teams and a huge metropolitan city and stuff to do with. He's a huge NBA fan so he def prefers being a market with an NBA team. It's one of the reasons he had no desire to go to Calgary in that reported deal involving Brodie.

Again, just my two cents from what I heard. Obviously, money changes a lot of things. If the habs go all out, then maybe he can't refuse lol.

 

[danyhabsfan]

with what cap space?

 

[habamillions]

I’m sure the players are gonna be lining up to sign with the worst team in the league. hahahah

Hey! 2nd worst team.
But yeah i agree. Mtl is hard to convince players to sign when they are decent. Will be even harder now

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

I hope not as a habs fan. We need to tank for 1 more year, and then we're good. Anyways I doubt the Forsberg, Lindholm, or Gaudreau would sign with a team that will finish bottom 5. So we likely wont end up making a big splash.

 

[Mitch nylander]

who is that?

Mcdavid

 

[HuGo Sham]

Mcdavid

Ah yes. Thx

 

[Runner77]

The Rangers did good with Panarin.

Destination team. Fox also wanted to go there.

There are no Panarins and Foxes tripping over themselves to sign with the Habs.

 

[Paddys Pub]

I bet a lot of players dreamed of playing for the Habs. If they can come up with competitive money, that boyhood dream might be the difference. At least it seems to have been so for Tavares and his Leafs dream.

You just never know.

Only people from Quebec dream of playing in a French speaking province.
Most players don’t want to play for bottom of the barrel, especially when they have a choice as UFA

 

[HuGo Sham]

Destination team. Fox also wanted to go there.

There are no Panarins and Foxes tripping over themselves to sign with the Habs.

True

 

[HuGo Sham]

Only people from Quebec dream of playing in a French speaking province.
Most players don’t want to play for bottom of the barrel, especially when they have a choice as UFA

Let’s temper the stereotypes a bit. They’re bad this year, your power of observation is correct. But when was the last time you were in or ever in Montreal for that matter? Yes part of the province is French speaking, but Montreal is fully bilingual with several English boroughs. I live in one of them. And as a bilingual anglophone, let’s not insinuate French is a bad thing, it gives a lot of the province a unique European feel