HF Habs: Off-Season Homework

[Steve Shutt]

Here's my list for HuGo over the coming months:

1) Goodbye party for T.Pearson, C.White, and C.Wideman
2) RFA Extensions for J.Ylonen, J.Barron, and A.Xhekaj
3) Mail final paycheques to K.Alzner and J.Edmundson
4) Evaluate Laval Rocket Coaching Staff
5) Trade one of our young dmen to make room
6) Continue adding quality Scouts and Player Development Staff
7) Extend Slafkovsky in July to an 8 year contract
8) Extend Guhle in July
9) Determine whether to extend RFA AHL talent F.Cederqvist, L.Andersson, A.Durandeau, and M.Norlinder
10) Determine whether to re-sign UFA AHL talent P.Maillet, M.Stephens, and B.Keeper.
11) Sign J.Davidson by June 1st
12) Assess if any of C.Guidon, P.Nurmi, M.Tourigny are worthy of a contract by June 1st
13) Work with our Scouts to align on draft list rankings
14) Scout World Championship for a hidden nugget
15) Assess if there's any NCAA free agents that might be worth signing
16) Look for opportunities to weaponize our cap space in 2024-25 (i.e. see Monahan example)
17) Add a solid UFA if cost affordable (i.e. Marchesseault, Teravainen, Lindholm etc)
18) Add a couple of AHL veterans to help Laval with their 2024-25 playoff push
19) Look for opportunities to ship out veterans eating cap space (J.Anderson, B.Gallagher, C.Dvorak, and J.Armia)
20) Look for opportunities to add top 6 forward talent (i.e.: see Dach & Newhook examples)

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[BLONG7]

It will be, one very busy offseason that's for sure..................I think we need to move 2 of our Dmen asap, and certainly adding to the top 6 is a huge must.

 

[Zorro]

In #13/#20, i would heavily look into using our draft currency to bring in a young gun instead of drafting.

 

[vokiel]

Extension for Ylonen? After signing Tuch and Florian? Doubtful.

Even Barron isn't insured.

 

[Mrb1p]

1. Trade Matheson or make it clear he's the 3rd LD and he's not getting PP1.
2. Trade Gally.
3. Trade Andy, if possible.
4. Resign Ax and Barron
5. Find someone better than JFH
6. Fire Burrows
7. Hire an actual head coach to mentor MSL. Needs to be a strong bench coach. If MSL doesn't want it, he gets canned.
8. Give 6.5 x 8 to Slaf and Guhle
8. Try to add Sam Poulin for the bottom line
9. Add scoring depth for the third line.
10. Add vet talent and ahl depth on two-ways in Laval.

 

[Habs Icing]

Here's my list for HuGo over the coming months:

1) Goodbye party for T.Pearson, C.White, and C.Wideman
2) RFA Extensions for J.Ylonen, J.Barron, and A.Xhekaj
3) Mail final paycheques to K.Alzner and J.Edmundson
4) Evaluate Laval Rocket Coaching Staff
5) Trade one of our young dmen to make room
6) Continue adding quality Scouts and Player Development Staff
7) Extend Slafkovsky in July to an 8 year contract
8) Extend Guhle in July
9) Determine whether to extend RFA AHL talent F.Cederqvist, L.Andersson, A.Durandeau, and M.Norlinder
10) Determine whether to re-sign UFA AHL talent P.Maillet, M.Stephens, and B.Keeper.
11) Sign J.Davidson by June 1st
12) Assess if any of C.Guidon, P.Nurmi, M.Tourigny are worthy of a contract by June 1st
13) Work with our Scouts to align on draft list rankings
14) Scout World Championship for a hidden nugget
15) Assess if there's any NCAA free agents that might be worth signing
16) Look for opportunities to weaponize our cap space in 2024-25 (i.e. see Monahan example)
17) Add a solid UFA if cost affordable (i.e. Marchesseault, Teravainen, Lindholm etc)
18) Add a couple of AHL veterans to help Laval with their 2024-25 playoff push
19) Look for opportunities to ship out veterans eating cap space (J.Anderson, B.Gallagher, C.Dvorak, and J.Armia)
20) Look for opportunities to add top 6 forward talent (i.e.: see Dach & Newhook examples)

Dear Steve Shutt,

It's the summer. F you. We quit.

Yours truly
HuGo

 

[26Mats]

It will be, one very busy offseason that's for sure..................I think we need to move 2 of our Dmen asap, and certainly adding to the top 6 is a huge must.

To me, the lineup started to solidify itself over the final stretch:

Caufield- Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Dvo (Dvo on the wing is my one interjection)
Gallagher - Newhook - Armia
RHP - Evan's- Anderson
Ylo, Pez

Matheson - Guhle
Hutson - Savard (Savard keeping Reinbacher's seat warm)
Xhekaj - Mailloux/Barron/Struble/Harris
Kovacevic

Montembault
Primeau

To me, Dvo, Anderson, Armia, and Gally are the main pieces that don't fit. But they're hard to move.

Ylo and Pez are after thoughts. They can be re-signed and sent to Laval for depth.

RHP is just fine as that 4th liner that can jump into the top 9 when needed. Do we need a bigger player on the 4th line? It's worth asking. But I'm ok with seeing how he does another year.

 

[Sorinth]

I doubt Ylonen gets re-sgined. I have nothing against him, I even kind of like him but we aren't going to use him so Hughes will do the right thing and let him become a UFA so the guy can try to find a spot somewhere.

Would be great to extend Guhle and Slaf this summer but in Guhle's case I don't think it will happen because it will be hard to find a number that makes sense for both sides that takes into account his high potential but is still rooted in what he's actually done. So they give it another year and then work out a long term deal. With Slaf it's a bit easier because you can give him a Suzuki/Caufield like contract which should make sense for both the player and the team.

Xhekaj's contract will be an interesting one to watch if they decide to go long term.

 

[calder candidate]

1. Trade Matheson or make it clear he's the 3rd LD and he's not getting PP1.
2. Trade Gally.
3. Trade Andy, if possible.
4. Resign Ax and Barron
5. Find someone better than JFH
6. Fire Burrows
7. Hire an actual head coach to mentor MSL. Needs to be a strong bench coach. If MSL doesn't want it, he gets canned.
8. Give 6.5 x 8 to Slaf and Guhle
8. Try to add Sam Poulin for the bottom line
9. Add scoring depth for the third line.
10. Add vet talent and ahl depth on two-ways in Laval.

I have no issue with Matheson not getting PP1, but he isn't still isn't the 3rd LD

 

[McGuires Corndog]

I have no issue with Matheson not getting PP1, but he isn't still isn't the 3rd LD

Trading Matheson is pretty viable given our strength at LD.

The issue is we don’t enough NHL ready RD depth for someone to play on the top pair with Guhle.

Savard is perfect to play with Hutson on the 2nd pair. Mailloux should probably go back to the AHL or start the season on the 3rd pair with Xhekaj/Struble at LD.

I guess it depends how much management values making the playoffs next season. Because if you can add a core age Top-6 player for Matheson you might stagnate next year but excel the following year when all of our young D are ready.

 

[Mrb1p]

I have no issue with Matheson not getting PP1, but he isn't still isn't the 3rd LD

Guhle and Hutson. Hutson is ready.

 

[Vachon23]

Ylonen can go

Don’t see a futur for him

 

[Mrb1p]

I'd also try to target Chatfield on the Canes. He'd fit in well on our RD.

Guhle-Chatfield/Savard
Hutson-Savard/Chatfield
Matheson/AX/Barron/Struble/Mailloux/Reinbacher/Engstrom/Harris

 

[morhilane]

I believe Letowski and Burrows were on their last contractual year too, it's not just the AHL coaches. I think Robidas has one more year.

Hopefully, MSL decide to find some new assistant coaches.

I have no issue with Matheson not getting PP1, but he isn't still isn't the 3rd LD

Guhle, Hutson, Matheson.
Won't be long before Hutson does less brain fart than Matheson defensively...

 

[Vachon23]

what I would like:

- Extend MSL
- Bring some experience in the coaching staff
- Bring Jarmo in the scouting staff
- Evaluate Laval coaching staff and hire Stephane Julien if they make a change
- sign William Carrier
- Trade a LD (could be Matheson if they have a big offer)
- Don’t try to panic and make the playoff next year
- Explore the RFA options
- Extend Guhle

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Still a lot of dead weight on the roster. Now some of the dead weight are younger though...

 

[Tabarouette]

-keep MSL but please bring in assistants who can actually help him get better, and who can improve PP
-aggressively shop some of our D depth to get better faster, this is *also* why you stack prospects
-try to trade gally and anderson for a bag of puck
-do NOT sign sam reinhart

 

[sampollock]

1. Scoring on the top 2 lines
2. tougher players to fill out lines 3/4 hard to play against (not goons)
3. need a very good asst coach to teach the PP, these young players deserve it

 

[Steve Shutt]

- Explore the RFA options

Do you mean offer sheet someone?

 

[sampollock]

Do you mean offer sheet someone?

no way habs do that. can't see it

 

[Vachon23]

Do you mean offer sheet someone?

No, find a trade like Dach/Newhook who where RFA

 

[calder candidate]

I believe Letowski and Burrows were on their last contractual year too, it's not just the AHL coaches. I think Robidas has one more year.

Hopefully, MSL decide to find some new assistant coaches.


Guhle, Hutson, Matheson.
Won't be long before Hutson does less brain fart than Matheson defensively...

I love Guhle and Hutson, but Matheson is head going into next year... I can also see a futur where people will sour on Guhle as soon as he sign is next contract and make way more than Matheson and Hutson size and skating (which I both are less of a issue than I expected) could still be an issue over 82 games.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Matheson at $4,875,000 for 2024-25 and 2025-26 seems like great value. I'm in no rush to move him. Let the young guys continue to develop before putting them in the spotlight of being on our top pair.

 

[Deebs]

Matheson at $4,875,000 for 2024-25 and 2025-26 seems like great value. I'm in no rush to move him. Let the young guys continue to develop before putting them in the spotlight of being on our top pair.

Absolutely. Even if his duties get scaled back as we move forward as a team, there's no rush to get rid of him.

There's always the possibility of a team coming at us with an offer we just can't refuse and if that happens, then I have no issue entertaining a conversation about a possible move.

 

[Captain Mountain]

To me, the lineup started to solidify itself over the final stretch:

Caufield- Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Dvo (Dvo on the wing is my one interjection)
Gallagher - Newhook - Armia
RHP - Evan's- Anderson
Ylo, Pez

Matheson - Guhle
Hutson - Savard (Savard keeping Reinbacher's seat warm)
Xhekaj - Mailloux/Barron/Struble/Harris
Kovacevic

Montembault
Primeau

To me, Dvo, Anderson, Armia, and Gally are the main pieces that don't fit. But they're hard to move.

Ylo and Pez are after thoughts. They can be re-signed and sent to Laval for depth.

RHP is just fine as that 4th liner that can jump into the top 9 when needed. Do we need a bigger player on the 4th line? It's worth asking. But I'm ok with seeing how he does another year.

I'm not sure its solidified (especially since that entire 2nd line has never played together), but Montreal's finally at the point under the current management were they actually have enough talent that you can project a reasonable roster and identify holes. I still think finding elite talent (or potentially elite talent) should be the priority, but they're almost out of the impossible hole Bergevin left them in.