Official Tank Thread

[HabsCode]

To a tankophile, there cannot be any thing but more tanking. Losing above all else, for as long as it takes. If you make any mistakes and acquire the wrong player? Just lose for another five years more. Lose until you win.

Can’t this tank thread be free of these kind of strawman argument against « tankophiles » holy shit go complain about the rebuild in zillion of other thread that include these types of debate. This thread is just to relieve some stress and shoot the shit in what is again going to be an abysmal season for the Habs.

 

[Riggins]

Updated points projections:

Those two California teams will suck too bad. We need that #3 spot.

Chicago gets Minny at home today and CBJ is in Anaheim.

 

[HabsCode]

Updated points projections:

View attachment 928830

Those two California teams will suck too bad. We need that #3 spot.

Chicago gets Minny at home today and CBJ is in Anaheim.

I count on the Celibrini effect to give them a boost over us.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I count on the Celibrini effect to give them a boost over us.

Lane and Laine could counter that as they both get in NHL game form. Imo, the team will be better in the second half. We might end up around 5th last, again.

 

[Rapala]

The first thing that needs to happen at this point is someone in power needs to step in and set the record straight.
Given the set backs we've experienced since the start of our campaign our objectives have now changed.

Maybe something like going from being in the mix to actually being able to play equitable hockey by TDL.
That in itself would relieve some of the pressure building up.

The best thing you can do is set new goals when the old ones are unattainable.
The question is when will they admit that fact?

 

[HabsCode]

Lane and Laine could counter that as they both get in NHL game form. Imo, the team will be better in the second half. We might end up around 5th last, again.

Unless HuGo make the decision so sell some assets (Savard for example, Evans less likely). Losing Savard would most likely hurt us short term.

May I had that if Caufield and Slaf revert to a 50-60 points player, some of the offense gained by Laine will be nullified.

 

[HabsCode]

The first thing that needs to happen at this point is someone in power needs to step in and set the record straight.
Given the set backs we've experienced since the start of our campaign our objectives have now changed.

Maybe something like going from being in the mix to actually being able to play equitable hockey by TDL.
That in itself would relieve some of the pressure building up.

The best thing you can do is set new goals when the old ones are unattainable.
The question is when will they admit that fact?

From what Friedman said Montreal is shopping to fill some need, and there is still the wait for Laine to join the team. Maybe they still count on some move on the roster to try and shake things up before raising the white flag?

I do agree Kent Hughes should make a presser to take the edge of MSL and brief about what is going on

 

[Tyson]

You think this team's HFBoards site, the most active on HFBoards, is not a reflection of the pressure, from the fans, on our team? Of course, the media is fanning the flames to get clicks (their primary objective, not the well-being of the team), but we are as much responsible for being sucked into it, and not logically and patiently waiting for the plan laid out by management to unfold.

I just come here to chat with Habs fans. What i do doesn't move the pressure needle. The media however likes to flame things.

 

[teamfirst]

Dach was considered a key part of the rebuild. It would be a blow if he never regains his mojo. Montembeault looked like an upper tier goalie. It would be a blow if he can't become at least a solid 1B. It would be a blow if Slaf and Guhle stagnate or regress. It would be a disappointment if Suzuki and Caufield have reached their peak. Whoever our key guys are, they can't copy-paste last season. They need to progress.

So true

But it doesn't even matter what you and I think of each player. As a whole, this group of mostly young players went from 55 pts. to 68 to 76. Why would we expect them to be worse than last year?? Shouldn't one of the youngest rosters in the NHL improve with experience... even marginally?

So so true

You might be right, maybe some of us are overvaluing a bunch of secondary players. What worries me is that others are doing the exact same thing with our prospects – overvaluing a bunch of picks who will turn out to be no better than secondary players.

''Tru-est'' thing i read on HF since 2016

I'm in the same boat. I'm psyched about Demidov and about Hutson's development. I'll be thrilled if we get a great pick in 2025. But I keep circling back to the question: What kind of a team will these kids be joining? Our best players can't always be our future ones.

Also true, should have a trillions like button around here

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Unless HuGo make the decision so sell some assets (Savard for example, Evans less likely). Losing Savard would most likely hurt us short term.

May I had that if Caufield and Slaf revert to a 50-60 points player, some of the offense gained by Laine will be nullified.

You're right. I precipitated my post without thinking of TDL.

A top 3 pick in this draft would be most welcomed.

 

[Miller Time]

I disagree about Hutson. He's a future top pairing D, if not 1st D. Very few 20 year old dmen are as good as he is with barely 15 pro games in. He naturally needs to gain experience before we see the full breath of his impact.

Ditto Slaf.
Future elite winger, imo, barring injury-derailment, the only question will be how high he tops out.

It doesn't work well if you damage the existing young players by building a losing culture in a pressure packed environment like Montreal

The way Pitt, Edm, Florida, Tampa, Chicago etc. etc. did?

A losing culture is less about a few seasons of bad results and more about the internal (team & coaches) relationship and response to the losing.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

The new modus operandi for the Habs management are in these 4 commands :

Thinking of a proper way to draft the best players possible.

Adding some good vets when the occasion shows.

Never compromise on the Plan.

Knowing your strenghts and weakness.

 

[Habby4Life]

Getting your ass handed to you every night isn’t good for development. There is losing and there is being fed your lunch.

Hugo hasn’t done a good job. Huge mistake hiring clowns pretending to be NHL coaches. Don’t care if he was a hall of fame player, Bombay is one of the worst coaches they have ever had. Quickly chasing down Dom and Mario.

Some just want to keep drafting top 5 over and over, just need one more year. Lol.

Team is garbage and it is all on Hugo. Time to put down the kool-aid and start holding them accountable.

 

[HabsCode]

Getting your ass handed to you every night isn’t good for development. There is losing and there is being fed your lunch.

Hugo hasn’t done a good job. Huge mistake hiring clowns pretending to be NHL coaches. Don’t care if he was a hall of fame player, Bombay is one of the worst coaches they have ever had. Quickly chasing down Dom and Mario.

Some just want to keep drafting top 5 over and over, just need one more year. Lol.

Team is garbage and it is all on Hugo. Time to put down the kool-aid and start holding them accountable.

 

[Guy Larose]

I disagree about Hutson. He's a future top pairing D, if not 1st D. Very few 20 year old dmen are as good as he is with barely 15 pro games in. He naturally needs to gain experience before we see the full breath of his impact.

Crazy that some geniuses wanted to trade him because they said his game wouldn't translate well to the NHL

 

[ReHabs]

Can’t this tank thread be free of these kind of strawman argument against « tankophiles » holy shit go complain about the rebuild in zillion of other thread that include these types of debate. This thread is just to relieve some stress and shoot the shit in what is again going to be an abysmal season for the Habs.

Gimme a break -- someone saying that 12 years of losing isn't sufficient because the team made the wrong decisions while losing and you take umbrage that a fan doesn't approve of such a notion.

I removed the phrase, it wasn't fair to use it in this discussion.

I don't disagree with the tank this year, we're forced into it so might as well go full-bore, but it's the notion that we need to do it at all times and not expect to compete that is abhorrent.

 

[rahad]

Lane and Laine could counter that as they both get in NHL game form. Imo, the team will be better in the second half. We might end up around 5th last, again.

I hope not. I feel like this year has a solid tier 1 in the top 4 and a tier 2 from 5-8.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I hope not. I feel like this year has a solid tier 1 in the top 4 and a tier 2 from 5-8.

Here's hoping Hughes sales sooner rather than later.

 

[rahad]

Here's hoping Hughes sales sooner rather than later.

We have nothing to sale this year. No one want Armia or Dvorak. We also need Evans and Savard as vet. I can see Kent signing Jake Evans for 3-4 years.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Dach was considered a key part of the rebuild. It would be a blow if he never regains his mojo. Montembeault looked like an upper tier goalie. It would be a blow if he can't become at least a solid 1B. It would be a blow if Slaf and Guhle stagnate or regress. It would be a disappointment if Suzuki and Caufield have reached their peak. Whoever our key guys are, they can't copy-paste last season. They need to progress.

But it doesn't even matter what you and I think of each player. As a whole, this group of mostly young players went from 55 pts. to 68 to 76. Why would we expect them to be worse than last year?? Shouldn't one of the youngest rosters in the NHL improve with experience... even marginally?

You might be right, maybe some of us are overvaluing a bunch of secondary players. What worries me is that others are doing the exact same thing with our prospects – overvaluing a bunch of picks who will turn out to be no better than secondary players.

Some players will not work out. Worse still, some will get hurt and not work out.

As I’ve said before, this is Dach’s make or break year for 2nd line center. If he gets hurt or underperforms, we have to ensure have have a second line center ready going forward. Doesn’t mean we dump Dach or that he’s finished here, just means that we don’t rely on him to be that guy.

People are screaming about this player or that…. Calling for Suzuki to forfeit the captaincy. Bottom line is that it’s not one specific player, the whole club went south. To me, this is a year you try to salvage as best you can.

Change the system, get a vet, fire the coach if you have to… but do something. They shouldn’t just plan on losing the next sixty something games. To me it’s counterproductive at this stage.

This team is better than it’s shown. We’ve seen it already. We know these guys can play better than they are. Maybe a vet does the trick, I don’t know but there’s no way we should just punt the season on purpose. If we lose, it’ll suck but at least we’ll get a high pick. That’s great and all but we should try to avoid it as best we can.

 

[CHwest]

Yeah ok...we chat on this site to have fun and talk about the Habs and that makes it pressure packed...get a grip

Well what do you think makes it pressure packed if not the fans and media?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Feels like this team will just pull a Toronto from like 14 years ago and be terrible and then when it really doesn't matter start playing well, rattle off some wins, move up to like 7th and suck the next year, too.

 

[Tyson]

Well what do you think makes it pressure packed if not the fans and media?

We are passionate but the blame is squarely on the media who have a microphone much more powerful than some guy like me. Fans are still packing the Bell Center (why..I have no idea).

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

We have nothing to sale this year. No one want Armia or Dvorak. We also need Evans and Savard as vet. I can see Kent signing Jake Evans for 3-4 years.

Not sure Savard stays. Or Matheson. Habs need to start aligning partners that are suitable to Hutson and Guhle. Because of this, I believe one of the two will go. A more fitting stop gap will be signed. Preferably Savard, to sign a different RD.

 

[Rapala]

This thread feels like home