Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2
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Grate n Colorful Oz
The Hutson Hawk
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
They always have been but until the defense improves, there's a reason to be skeptical. At least he doesn't fall on the ice every time he's defending a rush. So he has improved.
Grate n Colorful Oz
The Hutson Hawk
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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Frankly, in today's sport world, two years is a lifetime.
If in two years Matheson is still producing and performing at a high level, Hughes will extend him. If he's not, or his salary expectations are unrealistic, then Hughes will take a pass. Hopefully, the combination of the growth/development of our current young defencemen, those seven high draft choices over the next two years and possible free agent acquisitions resulting from greater cap flexibility will provide Hughes, the chess master, with suitable, if not palatable, options.
Everyone should take a deep breath and relax.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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There wasn't anything puzzling about Hughes' decision to trade Kovacevic. While Kovacevic was a good stop gap measure on a team that was minimally competitive, he was and will never be more than a journeyman at the NHL level. Kovacevic lacked the mobility that Hughes and MSL prize in their defecemen and, more importantly, Kovacevic was taking up a roster spot and playing time that would be better given to any number of promising defencemen who were knocking on the door.
What is more puzzling is that Kovacevic was on the roster as long as he was.
SannywithoutCompy
Registered User
- Dec 22, 2020
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Yeah I like Kovacevic but you can find him on waivers every year if need be.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Yeah the word is out by now that this kid is special
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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You'd have to have been living under a rock for the past two years to have not know that this kid was special.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Sure but now its probably NHL players on the habs saying how unreal this kid is , and the word is getting around, he's clowning everybody in practices
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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I don't know if that proposed defence is sh*t, but to put some perspective to the proposal, it should be pointed out that as of this writing, the defence as proposed, has scored a collective 74 goals in the NHL.
Matheson on his own, has scored 68 goals in his NHL career.
Draw your own conclusion.
If the intent is of eventually returning Guhle to the left, then your RD line is Savard (probably) Mailloux and Barron with Reinbacher likely starting in laval.
I dont know what to expect from Barron or what his ceiling is, but I haven't seen anything that tells me he will be more reliable than Kovacevic at #3 RD. He was #6 or 7 D on the habs in Mtl, and he was in laval for the other half of the season.
The guy is reliable enough and cheap enough to keep in such a situation; ergo, it is puzzling in what the implications are of what this move means - that at the time of the trade management had determined Guhle will start RD this season or that both Reinbacher and Mailloux will likely make the lineup or that Barron really is "Good enough".
Naslundforever
43-67-110
- Aug 21, 2015
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Not sure about how to evaluate these stats against each other, but pair Matheson with a stud vet RHD instead of a kid rushed too young and playing off his wing, cut his minutes by 25%, replace him on special teams with actual specialists (like Hutson, here), and we’re all looking at a different defence.
My eval of the D being shit without him starts with one of the worse teams in the nhl and removing it’s best defenseman to pencil in a goon with potential upside. We’re all excited about the team’s potential, me first. I love Mailloux, Xjekaj, Reinbacher and the gang. As it stands they have accomplished nothing and are collectively being eaten alive by the world’s best forwards, and their prime is 5 years away.. They need to start winning before that. Matheson has silky smoothe skating and will be able and keep it up for many years still.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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If you are correct that Matheson can keep up his elite skating abilities 'for many years' to come then it would be foolish to trade him. And Hughes is anything but foolish.
As I have often posted, you trade away elite skating at your franchise's peril.
I would respectfully suggest that anyone who believes Hughes and MSL will be trading Matheson, a player who has elite skating ability, plays 25 to 28 minutes each game in all game situations, provides 60+ points production, is a team leader and is local boy who wants to play in the fish bowl that is Montreal, at any time while still playing for a contract that pays him less than $5m per year, is missing the thread.
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LaP
Registered User
Matheson is not being traded before next summer. And whatever he is taded or not next summer will depend on :
1) How well he plays next season (was last year a fluke?)
2) How greedy he is in his next contract negociation (does he want 6.5+ for 5+ years which means we'll have to renegociate Demidov/Dach/Newhook/... while there's still many years left on Matheson's contract)
1) How well he plays next season (was last year a fluke?)
2) How greedy he is in his next contract negociation (does he want 6.5+ for 5+ years which means we'll have to renegociate Demidov/Dach/Newhook/... while there's still many years left on Matheson's contract)
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
Nah, Matheson is here as long as it takes for Hutson to firmly establish himself.
Guhle-Hutson-Engstrom/Xhekaj/Struble down the left side is an eventuality.
Guhle-Hutson-Engstrom/Xhekaj/Struble down the left side is an eventuality.
Toene
Y'en aura pas de facile
- Nov 17, 2014
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Something's gotta give though, it's not sustainable to keep so many left-side Ds. Ideally, Matheson and Struble should be traded.
Estimated_Prophet
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2003
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I really like all of our LHD's so it will be tough to lose any of them.
I think trading Struble will come back to bite us as he has elite shut down potential while also having some intriguing PMD skills and has playoff warrior written all over him.
From a building strategy perspective we really need to get our young RHD's some NHL ice time as well as only Barron has any NHL experience (Mailloux's one game aside). Even after moving Savard, Reinbacher and Mailloux will immediately block any thoughts of trying LHD's to the right side.
It is going to be difficult to get the value that Struble deserves in a trade without him having the opportunity to showcase his play. If he does earn the playing time it will mean that we either have injury issues or that Xhekaj and/or Hutson are struggling which is far fromn ideal as you don't want to trade them either especially with diminished value if they struggle. It becomes enticing to consider trading Matheson as he is older but I really like his game and leadership and I have a difficult time seeing Hughes wanting to do that.
I could see Struble straight up beating out Xhekaj and Hutson in pre-season and making HuGo's decision really tough. I think most people will default to the idea of sending Struble down and that may happen but he will make that decision extremely difficult imo.
Canadienna
Registered User
- Jan 27, 2015
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give the cameraman a raise
That's just unbelievable. Wow
