HF Habs: If your HuGo, what's your next move?

[Rapala]

If we are content with allowing others to not have standards to abide by on the ice, it shouldn't be Arber that gets singled out, you know I am on the same page as you with this player. He clearly loves his teammates and will do anything for them but MSL isn't really a fan.

He was great in Laval and the coach there said he was a great player but for some reason he isn't doing well with MSL. I would hate to see him end up with another team a take off, he would be a menace to play against.

He was very good when he came back wingers were avoiding him...
They were feeling it when they weren't.

 

[Big Lurk]

Goaltending is not working out. When the bad luck shots go in several times every game, maybe goaltending is part of the problem.

Goaltending has to face a dozen prime scoring chances per period though

 

[HabsAddict]

There is a glaring item missing.

In the old country they use to put lighter fluid on an animals butt. The itch drove them into a 100 mph frenzy.

Now before you yell at me, I was a clean shaven 12 year old Canuck and never participated...however...if Marty just happens to have some lighter fluid.

(Although the NHLPA might disapprove!)

 

[McGees]

Hmmm...none of the above actually.
This isn't a team ready to win that is underperforming, you don't go postal at this stage.
I say trade a couple prospects he doesn't have the most belief in, and get a vet that can help now and for the next few years.

There is however a bit of attitude coming from players this year, being snarky with media on several occasions already....that, and Marty's country club vibe are 2 things I'd like to see addressed.

 

[Kimota]

Forget waiving, It's gonna be a f***ing typhoon if I'm there. A whole bunch of these vets gone.

Bob Hartley.

Bring in better more character vets.

Bring in more physicality across the board and a wolfpack mentality. Also you're not just gonna have to hit but learn how to get hit. Like being freaking aware of your surroundings. Like Ghule, freaking wake up, bro. People want your hide like you're supposed to want their scalp. They are not your friend so when someone is near you, get ready for anything. Protect yourself.

Make a wake up multi-player trade of sort that is fair for both teams. Something shocking, with a main player without being in our top elite. To continue changing the culture. It could even be a few players that we actually like. But you've got to give to receive.

 

[Hacketts]

trade for nhl players to play on our nhl team.

support our youth.

 

[RationalExpectations]

There's not much we can do when 4 of 6 d dressing every night are under 25. There will be growing pains.

Dvorak is going through the motions more than any player I've seen in a long time. He's a scratch for me.

Restore the first line. Put Dach back at centre with Newhook. Evans as 3c. Kap as 4c.

Because at 25 there is a magic switch and they'll go from 0 to hero ?

Let s stop with the magical thinking.

Hutson making a bad decision in the transition phase is growing pains, having nobody cover the slot, having no neutral zone support for the puck carrier are not growing pains those are systemic issues.

 

[HuGort]

I'd be looking around for veteran coach for next year. I can't see replacing Marty this season. Over the summer instead. . Everything had to go right for Habs to have good year. It hasn't, the season is toast.

Seeing what I can get for Evans and Savard at deadline. Try and sign Rantanen in summer. Draft be looking at trading what I got for Evans and Savard to move up with Florida pick. Offer Matheson and Laine, retained, for #1 right D.

 

[waitin425]

Missing the option to do nothing.

Do nothing

 

[Ozmodiar]

Minor trade for steady depth RD.

Too many young defensemen. Fire d coach if they can’t fix by Feb.

Major trade in offseason.

 

[HabsDood]

Bring in Vincent from Laval

 

[BLONG7]

Sorry mods if this can be merged with the other threads.

Pretty simple question and will give a decent glimpse of how each poster feels and the level of panic.

Your HuGo, seeing how the team is playing this year, what do you do?

2nd youngest team in the league.....................harsh reality.
Perspective Patience Pain....

 

[kyne]

Merely a bump ( pothole?) in the road for a team in transition featuring mostly kids. The expectations now rather than a month ago are perhaps more realistic. I like St Louis and he's going through some "growing pains "of his own. An experienced assistant coach similar to a Dave King for this year at least might be helpful but not critical.

 

[BLNY]

Because at 25 there is a magic switch and they'll go from 0 to hero ?

Let s stop with the magical thinking.

Hutson making a bad decision in the transition phase is growing pains, having nobody cover the slot, having no neutral zone support for the puck carrier are not growing pains those are systemic issues.

There's no magical thinking. MY expectations are rational. MSL is rotating a couple of guys in and out of the lineup each night, but the fact remains this is the second youngest team in the league and the youngest group of D montreal has had in more than 30 years. With youth comes communication issues - especially if both players on the pairing are young. That was clear on the second-in-as-many-games non-icing plays that resulted in goals against. This isn't absolution. It's recognition that trying to insert that many young players into one facet of a team is problematic. Coaching can't overcome panic and inexperience.

While I don't like everything about the Kypper and Bourne show, they had a strong segment this week where the NHL has become more and more the developmental league. It's common for teams - even those NOT in a rebuild - to have to insert players in the lineup before they're necessarily ready. Instead of prolonged AHL seasoning (which, incidentally, modern fans would consider a player busting out of impatience), players get inserted into NHL lineups and learn on the job.

That slot coverage you refer to is as much the responsibility of forwards as it is the defence, which is why I brought up Dvorak. He's been coasting around the ice like the unplugged controller Ovi meme.

Park the angsty virtue signaling someplace else.

 

[RationalExpectations]

There's no magical thinking. MY expectations are rational. MSL is rotating a couple of guys in and out of the lineup each night, but the fact remains this is the second youngest team in the league and the youngest group of D montreal has had in more than 30 years. With youth comes communication issues - especially if both players on the pairing are young. That was clear on the second-in-as-many-games non-icing plays that resulted in goals against. This isn't absolution. It's recognition that trying to insert that many young players into one facet of a team is problematic. Coaching can't overcome panic and inexperience.

While I don't like everything about the Kypper and Bourne show, they had a strong segment this week where the NHL has become more and more the developmental league. It's common for teams - even those NOT in a rebuild - to have to insert players in the lineup before they're necessarily ready. Instead of prolonged AHL seasoning (which, incidentally, modern fans would consider a player busting out of impatience), players get inserted into NHL lineups and learn on the job.

That slot coverage you refer to is as much the responsibility of forwards as it is the defence, which is why I brought up Dvorak. He's been coasting around the ice like the unplugged controller Ovi meme.

Park the angsty virtue signaling someplace else.

You misuse virtue signalling, it makes absolutely no sense. I don t see how this staetement has anything to do with that.

I cannot say if there is more or less development than before, I think some teams have been more or less prone to develop via nhl or ahl, not sure there is a trend.

Where we diverge is the degree of acceptance for mistakes and what is to be considered as a young player. Players in thei D+6/8 cannot be considered young to me. And as you mentioned Dvorak and other vets have been as bad as the young ones.

 

[Tyson]

You misuse virtue signalling, it makes absolutely no sense. I don t see how this staetement has anything to do with that.

I cannot say if there is more or less development than before, I think some teams have been more or less prone to develop via nhl or ahl, not sure there is a trend.

Where we diverge is the degree of acceptance for mistakes and what is to be considered as a young player. Players in thei D+6/8 cannot be considered young to me. And as you mentioned Dvorak and other vets have been as bad as the young ones.

While Dvorak has been bad, what about the leaders? Matheson, Savard, Anderson, Dach, you could even add Slafkovsky.
Dvorak is an easy scapegoat but I blame the core for serious underachieving. Yes Suzuki and Caufield have produced but their 200 foot game has been horrid. The leaders deserve the blame.

 

[The Great Weal]

Scratch Dvorak and Armia, and call up Roy.

 

[Big Lurk]

Hmmm...none of the above actually.
This isn't a team ready to win that is underperforming, you don't go postal at this stage.
I say trade a couple prospects he doesn't have the most belief in, and get a vet that can help now and for the next few years.

There is however a bit of attitude coming from players this year, being snarky with media on several occasions already....that, and Marty's country club vibe are 2 things I'd like to see addressed.

Word. It's not the medias fault the team suck donkey balls

 

[bsl]

i don't think a lot of those things really do much to help improve the team however i said scratch a vet if not both of Armia and Dvorak one of them anyway.

At some point MSL has to realize that these guys aren't putting enough effort to warrant them being in the lineup above Pezz at this point,at least he is psychical and tries to do something when hes on the ice.

If thats not something they do the only other thing i can think of they should do in house is bring up one of Beck/Tuch/Roy.

If i were in Managements Situation though i would go for a big trade and acquire a Solid Defensive RD that fits the timeline of the team,Whats the point of having all these prospects and draft picks and not package it together to acquire someone that can help you now and the future?

No team trades a solid young right d.

Replacing Dvorak-Heineman-Kappanen with Roy -Tuch and Davidson would bring both talent and grit to the lineup. Keep Beck in Laval for the season.

Roy Roy Roy. The saviour lol. Please stop.

 

[bsl]

Give Beck and Roy 3-4 games and sit Armia and Dvo for those games. Also change Hutson to PP1 QB. We all know its going to happen, get to it now!

In the summer I thought it was too early for big trades but maybe its time to use some of those picks and prospects to get some help. I do not want the young guys to get used to losing....

Talk to nick in private and ask him what he thinks about the team and the room.

 

[bsl]

There is a glaring item missing.

In the old country they use to put lighter fluid on an animals butt. The itch drove them into a 100 mph frenzy.

Now before you yell at me, I was a clean shaven 12 year old Canuck and never participated...however...if Marty just happens to have some lighter fluid.

(Although the NHLPA might disapprove!)

Uh. Gross dude

 

[Chili]

Try to find some help for the team, whether it be on or off the ice. Would think that management should be doing that all the time anyway. The best time to do that is in the off season so it could be another long year.