Holes to Fill Next Season

[Miller Time]

In my mind he's useless, always was and always will be. He's a poor man's René Bourque. BargainBin made one of his worst moves by granting him that 7 yr deal. I called it back then that this contract will not age well. Moving goalposts is fun, you should try it out.

I've been quite critical of Anderson in recent years, and 100% agree that he has been a poor investment...

But to ignore his actual performance improvement this season seems odd.

Yes, he's expensive for what he brings.
And.
He's been an effective bottom 6 contributor this year in many facets of the game... perhaps our best bottom 6 contributor since we came out of that 6-game losing streak, making him a valuable part of our above .500 results the past 11 games.
That's not "useless" by any reasonable expectation.

If he can maintain the level of play he's provided this season, he's actually worth keeping around, especially with the big cap increase reducing the impact of his 5.5M hit.

 

[therocket9]

Yes, I'm the one who's struggling to understand how multi-response posts work in the thread.

Let me give you a.... clue. The response that directly follows what *you* said is a response to *you.*

The response that directly follows what *somebody else* said is a response to *somebody else.*

Go back and give it a read again and see if you can't crack it this time.

Good luck!

The fact is it is always about the money Anderson makes 5.5 million and he is terrible only good at PK....should be scoring at least 30 goals a year.......Good luck

 

[Vachon23]

Yes Anderson is overpaid

But he’s playing well in a bottom 6 role this year. Physical, play well on the PK, getting scoring chance

 

[Sorinth]

I've been quite critical of Anderson in recent years, and 100% agree that he has been a poor investment...

But to ignore his actual performance improvement this season seems odd.

Yes, he's expensive for what he brings.
And.
He's been an effective bottom 6 contributor this year in many facets of the game... perhaps our best bottom 6 contributor since we came out of that 6-game losing streak, making him a valuable part of our above .500 results the past 11 games.
That's not "useless" by any reasonable expectation.

If he can maintain the level of play he's provided this season, he's actually worth keeping around, especially with the big cap increase reducing the impact of his 5.5M hit.

He's played well with year but still not really worth the contract or worth keeping around with some caveats. Namely we shouldn't pay anyone to take Anderson, and I'd even hesitate to retain a significant amount unless we were getting something of actual value back.

 

[Chili]

Don’t think they will want to trade him to MTL though. Could be wrong

Someone can correct here but it looks like there has only been one trade of note between the Habs and Bruins since 1964 (when the Habs got Ken Dryden for minor leaguers).

Patrick Traverse for Eric Weinrich (2001?)

Boston was the only team Marc Bergevin didn`t trade with as Habs GM.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Are you even watching the team this season?

Josh Anderson is far from useless in the bottom six.

We’ve got Beck coming as well.

 

[dauv]

On Insider Trading Dreger mentioned that Waddell and Oliver's agent have started preliminary contract talks

yeah seen on the news this morning unfortunately.. Hopefully Olivier waits as he knows habs will come knocking, maybe a pipe dream now

 

[Kosseca]

Yes Anderson is overpaid

But he’s playing well in a bottom 6 role this year. Physical, play well on the PK, getting scoring chance

I would say that him and Gally have manage to embrace the need to change their game and have change the way the play and are now effective and useful players. As you pointed out, overpaid, but for now that is very much irrelevant.

 

[StCaufield]

Less than 30 games into the season and this thread exists. Classic hysteria and we have no clue and I bet management doesn’t know really either. The holes now could be filled by further development this year also

 

[Kosseca]

Top pair RD and 2C.

This!

I would add as secondary needs 4C with grit and faceoff skill and a backup G

 

[Rapala]

Less than 30 games into the season and this thread exists. Classic hysteria and we have no clue and I bet management doesn’t know really either. The holes now could be filled by further development this year also

This team has obvious needs regardless of how well the kids progress.
There is nothing earth shattering or hysterical about it.
Management do know what they need they've touched on it from day one.
If they don't know what they need as we speak they are in the wrong business.

 

[waitin425]

Like everyone else...Ill echo that we need a top 6 centre and a top 4 preferably RD.

If we can get that, I wouldn't mind seeing the following lineup next year.....

Caufield - Suzuki - Demidov
Slaf - ***** (Bennett?) - Laine
Heinemen - Dach - Newhook
Anderson - Evans - Gally

Hutson - ******
Guhle - Mailloux
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Monty
Dobes

Current young trade pieces for me are.....

Roy
Kapanen
Barron
Hage (must be a great piece like Rasmus Andersson coming back)

 

[26Mats]

Caufield - Suzuki - Demidov
Slafkovsky - Dach - Laine

That's HOLE #1 filled in with Demidov, the top 6 is fine for next season.

Hutson - HOLE #2
Ghule - HOLE #3
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Trade Savard this season, and I also would try to trade Matheson this season or in the off-season.

We're going to see a lot of good combos with that top six next year

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Slafkovsky - Dach - Demidov
Newhook - Evans - Heineman may be a good 3rd line (lots of speed!)
Gallagher - Kapanen - Anderson (give the rookie two vets)

On D, might as well give Barron a regular shift and see if he can hack it with time and reps:

Hutson - Rasmus Anderson/Struble
Guhle - Barron
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Montembault
Hughes

 

[Ozmodiar]

Like everyone else...Ill echo that we need a top 6 centre and a top 4 preferably RD.

If we can get that, I wouldn't mind seeing the following lineup next year.....

Caufield - Suzuki - Demidov
Slaf - ***** (Bennett?) - Laine
Heinemen - Dach - Newhook
Anderson - Evans - Gally

Hutson - ******
Guhle - Mailloux
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Monty
Dobes

Current young trade pieces for me are.....

Roy
Kapanen
Barron
Hage (must be a great piece like Rasmus Andersson coming back)

1.a. Beck is coming
1.b. Bennett is not*
2. Hage isn’t a trade piece

* I can’t think of a big name free agent that the Habs pried away from a warm weather team. Let alone from a tax friendly state.

 

[Kosseca]

We're going to see a lot of good combos with that top six next year

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Slafkovsky - Dach - Demidov
Newhook - Evans - Heineman may be a good 3rd line (lots of speed!)
Gallagher - Kapanen - Anderson (give the rookie two vets)

On D, might as well give Barron a regular shift and see if he can hack it with time and reps:

Hutson - Rasmus Anderson/Struble
Guhle - Barron
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Montembault
Hughes

The way I see it right now is that you have a group of top 6 players and a group of bottom 6 players and you move them around until you have max chemistry.

1.a. Beck is coming
1.b. Bennett is not*
2. Hage isn’t a trade piece

* I can’t think of a big name free agent that the Habs pried away from a warm weather team. Let alone from a tax friendly state.

Beck may need another season in Laval.

 

[26Mats]

The way I see it right now is that you have a group of top 6 players and a group of bottom 6 players and you move them around until you have max chemistry.


Beck may need another season in Laval.

And Roy and Beck may not be too far off...

But Hughes may want to add size to the bottom six...

Imo Dach should get all of this year and next year to see if he can come back to the pre-injury Dach.

 

[waitin425]

1.a. Beck is coming
1.b. Bennett is not*
2. Hage isn’t a trade piece

* I can’t think of a big name free agent that the Habs pried away from a warm weather team. Let alone from a tax friendly state.

I agree with all of that. However there is a price to be paid for most players in the league, and Hage, although an amazing prospect is not untouchable.

If for some reason, we were scored a big free agent centre (ie. Bennett) and then had a shot at Andersson with the main piece going back being Hage, we would be stupid to at least not consider it.

Hage --- is very enticing --- but still a mystery box.

 

[BLONG7]

Yes Anderson is overpaid

But he’s playing well in a bottom 6 role this year. Physical, play well on the PK, getting scoring chance

Defending his team mates...........
We have all jumped on this guys play, but this year, he has morphed into his role, very well. A real good vet to have around.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Beck may need another season in Laval.

You might be right.

There’s Kapanen too. Between them, I think 3C is covered.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

just tank every year, problem solved.

 

[Ozmodiar]

just tank every year, problem solved.

I’d like to see a team make “the tank” their primary objective. Put it in their mission statement.

Fans cheering on the visitors. Acquire bad - high Cap / low salary - players. Trade away players on the rise.

Celebrate last place with a parade. Little coronation ceremony for the 1st OA pick.

Why not? Just another perspective.

 

[Canadienna]

1) Do we have a top15 starting goalie?

Is Monty going to be able to build some more consistency into his game? When does Fowler play his first NHL game? Is there a FA/trade that makes sense to fill the interim if Monty can't get it done?

2) Can Demidov step immediately into a productive top6 role?

I think we all believe yes, but it's rarely so easy. Without another productive winger the top6 is lacking.

3) Has any of Reinbacher, Mailloux, Guhle, Xhekaj, Barron taken a developmental leap?

Trying to project out our d squad makes my head hurt. We have too many guys that are too many years away from their prime. We need some progression among this group to start filling holes otherwise external help needed.

4) Do we have adequate C depth?

What's going on with Dach? Depending on how he finishes this season, it will help inform whether we can depend on him. Is Evans sticking around? He's become quite useful. I've got a feeling Evans is going to get a lot of money with the way the cap is poised to raise and the year he's had.

Like a lot of our holes can still be filled internally, but some of these guys, especially on defense, are going to require likely years of patience that the fanbase and or management may not be willing to give them.

 

[Theodore450]

Forget 2C.
They should look for another 1C to overload this team.

Thats the priority right now. I would honestly make a pitch for Barzal

Then add a veteran RD
Maybe Anderson from CGY
Keep Evans



Dump: armia, dvo, Dach, Matheson and Barron

 

[Miller Time]

He's played well with year but still not really worth the contract or worth keeping around with some caveats. Namely we shouldn't pay anyone to take Anderson, and I'd even hesitate to retain a significant amount unless we were getting something of actual value back.

I disagree re."not worth keeping around", and, assuming he can maintain this level of performance, not being worth the contract from the pov of the next 2 seasons...


He's well liked/respected in the room, has bought in fully to his role/utilization, and adds a size aspect to the forward group that are all aspects that won't be easily replaced.

Finding a vet replacement for those aspects isn't impossible, but won't be easy, and any bit of upgrade will likely require more than the 5.5M$ cap hit in an offseason where the cap is set to rise by 10M$.

I went into the season hopeful we'd find a way to jettison him, but his play and night to night consistency has improved enough to shift my thoughts on that. If he reverts, then sure, the value he brings might well crater... But for now, he's won me over.

At 31 & 32 year old seasons, he may slow down a bit but I wouldn't expect a big physical decline. So imo there's probably just as good oods that his play and impact actually keeps improving as he continues to get comfortable to the style of play MSL is asking as there is that he regresses before the contract ends.

Him and Gally are pricey bottom 6ers, but they are delivering solid performance impact from those roles. With so many ELC & RFA forwards in the lineup now & next 2 seasons, we can afford that pricey luxury

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

I’d like to see a team make “the tank” their primary objective. Put it in their mission statement.

Fans cheering on the visitors. Acquire bad - high Cap / low salary - players. Trade away players on the rise.

Celebrate last place with a parade. Little coronation ceremony for the 1st OA pick.

Why not? Just another perspective.

now that seems like an achievable goal.