Official Tank Thread

[morhilane]

Yeah, we're 8 pts back now. To make that up we'd have to go on a streak this team seems completely incapable of, especially considering they haven't won more than 2 consecutive games.

Last week, we were only 3 pts back, but in our last 5 games we went 1-3-1. That killed any notion of being "in the mix" this year unless we're talking about 1st overall.

The win and OT was when Matheson wasn't playing.

The Habs haven't been able to win more than three in a rows since they acquired Matheson.

Three games seems to be the max Matheson can play well in a row, but this year every 4 games he's extra bad.

 

[ReHabs]

Patience is a skill that isn't being taught anymore and it shows.

High standards and high expectations are not a cultural value any more and it shows.

Despite the prevailing cultural winds, there is actually nothing wrong with virtuous appeals to being better than yesterday and constantly improving. It's a hidden secret but it's in plain sight -- our society doesn't highlight appeals to greatness but it doesn't mean greatness is somehow less valuable or worthwhile.

In fact the best possible practice for a rebuilding team that has a blank slate is to insist on iterative and constant improvement, have metrics and try to beat them, engage with players and coaches to cycle up. This season: we've seen regression, stagnation, more mistakes, and a decline in morale. Chastising everyone that it's normal in a rebuild and we should simply be patient when the stakeholders involved have not made any attempt to change anything about their process is hard to tolerate and swallow for people who know better.

I work in this field, I would lose my clients if I gave them worse results YoY but insisted that I've actually been building capacity even though I didn't change anything about my approach YoY. At the very least it requires deeper evaluation and thoughtfulness to see what's really happening under the hood.

Rebuilding team sells workhorse veteran players and has worse performances as a direct result? Tolerable. Rebuilding team has many young players regress YoY? Not tolerable.

 

[Lshap]

This board cried and cried for years about a rebuild. They finally got it and they dont like how it tastes.

This is how it is. Your team is bad. For awhile. Your young players look good, then they look bad before they look good again.

We are watching every shift and every game of a team and player but when we see other rebuilds that pan out, we don't see that, we see the odd snapshot in time before we watch them in the playoffs after they've gone through this.

No rebuild was ever gonna be finished by now. We've graduated a total of two players we've drafted as part of this rebuild.

Patience is a skill that isn't being taught anymore and it shows.

Yes, patience is crucial. So is progress.

Finishing at the bottom for the fourth straight season isn't something to celebrate. If that happens, it'll be a concerning sign that a percentage of our future core – players already on our team – may not be as good as we hoped. I'm not writing anyone off and there's lots of season left to play, but some growth is expected.

People are fooling themselves if they believe Demidov, Hage, and a 2025 pick will turn this team around. First and foremost, this team needs to turn itself around. Banking on prospects and future picks is a fun game, but our real future is taking shape – for better or worse – with our current roster. It's not too soon to see signs of what they'll become.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Man every thread feels like the tank thread now. It's like a gigantic call of duty lobby. Everyone is dogsh*t and sucks a$$ I love it

Habs fans becoming more toxic by the day. Players could learn a thing or two from us.

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That's because there is literally 0 progress. Also isn't this the tank thread?

 

[HabzSauce]

That's because there is literally 0 progress. Also isn't this the tank thread?

No, all threads are the tank thread

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Yes, patience is crucial. So is progress.

Finishing at the bottom for the fourth straight season isn't something to celebrate. If that happens, it'll be a concerning sign that a percentage of our future core – players already on our team – may not be as good as we hoped. I'm not writing anyone off and there's lots of season left to play, but some growth is expected.

People are fooling themselves if they believe Demidov, Hage, and a 2025 pick will turn this team around. First and foremost, this team needs to turn itself around. Banking on prospects and future picks is a fun game, but our real future is taking shape – for better or worse – with our current roster. It's not too soon to see signs of what they'll become.

Most of the players we’ve acquired form these drafts aren’t with the team yet. It’s not just Dwmidov. It’s him, Rb, Beck, Hage, Mailloux… there’s a huge influx of young talent on the way.

Totally agree that this year’s been a huge disappointment but I don’t think it’s an indication that we’re on the wrong track.

We badly need a 2nd line center. Fix that and you fix a lot of issues.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yes, patience is crucial. So is progress.

Finishing at the bottom for the fourth straight season isn't something to celebrate. If that happens, it'll be a concerning sign that a percentage of our future core – players already on our team – may not be as good as we hoped. I'm not writing anyone off and there's lots of season left to play, but some growth is expected.

People are fooling themselves if they believe Demidov, Hage, and a 2025 pick will turn this team around. First and foremost, this team needs to turn itself around. Banking on prospects and future picks is a fun game, but our real future is taking shape – for better or worse – with our current roster. It's not too soon to see signs of what they'll become.

Right, but let's examine some things here.

Nick Suzuki is on pace for his first PPG season of his career, this is with a revolving door on his wing that was supposed to be occupied by Slafkovsky.

Cole Caufield is top 3 in goals scored, a year after most people here wrote off his ability to score goals at a high clip again due to an injury and shoulder surgery.

Juraj Slafkovsky, who has dipped off of where we wanted him to be, is still a 20 year old with a 50 point season to his credit last year and would be 4th in scoring on a Toronto Maple Leaf's team currently pushing to win their division.

Lane Hutson is a certified calder finalist who probably finishes 3rd behind Michkov and Celebrini.

Emil Heineman has emerged as a great bottom 6 player with size, speed and physicality and is finding his touch around the net.

Kaiden Guhle remains a stalwart at a young age on a discombobulated blueline and team whose structure is often in disarray.

It's not all concerning, there are some very positive things on the roster as it is.. it's just struggling because Newhook hasn't picked it up from the back end of his season, the defense and forward group is not executing well defensively a lot of that has been veterans like Matheson and Dvorak, Dach has struggled for longer and harder than we anticipated from a major knee injury and lost time.

Laine who was the only ADDITION to the roster hasn't played a snap yet.

The biggest concerns are on the structure side of thing and with Marty's lack of accountability for the roster.. but we've seen Xhekaj come back from the brink of ineptitude to really finding his identity as a player again. Maybe we wait longer than 2 months on a still very green roster, to declare things as more than things to note and monitor.

 

[SwiftyHab]

Next summer should be huge toward a palpable turnaround. Lots of cap room, another early pick plus Demidov joining the fold.

Nashville also had lots of cap room this summer and went big fish hunting and are now sleeping with the fishes.

If we dont get our shite togther internally, well be adding good money to bad

 

[1909]

Nashville also had lots of cap room this summer and went big fish hunting and are now sleeping with the fishes.

If we dont get our shite togther internally, well be adding good money to bad

Right. High priced UFA players is NOT the way to go.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Nashville also had lots of cap room this summer and went big fish hunting and are now sleeping with the fishes.

If we dont get our shite togther internally, well be adding good money to bad

I think the goal with the cap room and the amount of picks and prospects they have is to look for a trade opportunity. But they should be willing to pay big money to Rantanen if he hits the market.. but nothing like overpaying for Sam Bennett, as an example.

Kinda like what Utah was able to do to get Sergachev.

 

[KevSkillz4]

If Habs can't draft Misa, Schaefer, Hagens or Martone... my target would be Caleb Desnoyers for sure.

I think after the top 4, Desnoyers should be selected at this point. He looks way more promising than PLD to me. His skillset are very mature. At worst scenario, I see a very good top 6 two-way C in NHL level.

This guy is very very legit!

 

[WeThreeKings]

If Habs can't draft Misa, Schaefer, Hagens or Martone... my target would be Caleb Desnoyers for sure.

I think after the top 4, Desnoyers should be selected at this point. He looks way more promising than PLD to me. His skillset are very mature. At worst scenario, I see a very good top 6 two-way C in NHL level.

This guy is very very legit!

Frondell would be great as well.

 

[ReHabs]

Right. High priced UFA players is NOT the way to go.

Last summer’s spending spree was horrific. It’ll only get worse. I completely agree that UFAs are not the way to go.

If there is a Chara available, sure. But there are no more Eugene Melnyks.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Frondell would be great as well.

Yes. But injuries scare me at this point. So I would rather have Desnoyers at 5. If Frondell is still there at 12-14, we can trade up with CGY pick.

Will see, but I really like his skillset. Frondell reminds me of Draisaitl in term of style (I speak only about style), huge potential, for sure.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yes. But injuries scare me at this point. So I would rather have Desnoyers at 5. If Frondell is still there at 12-14, we can trade up with CGY pick.

Will see, but I really like his skillset. Frondell reminds me of Draisaitl in term of style (I speak only about style), huge potential, for sure.

His left side one timer would be great, strong kid, smart kid.

I still have him ahead of Desnoyers. Like both a lot, definitely options emerging outside of the top 4.

 

[Kennerback]

Lots of Matheson, no more healthy scratching Barron, go 50/50 Monty/Primo. I’m in! Let’s do this!

 

[Runner77]

Re-calibrating FFS

There it is after …

Resetting
Retooling
Rebuilding on the fly
Rebuilding, period (reluctantly admitted by Molson)

Stay tuned for the next Marketing Stratagem … Re-calibrating!

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

This board cried and cried for years about a rebuild. They finally got it and they dont like how it tastes.

They are cowards , I'm ready to go to war with the anti-tankers , I've been waiting for this for 20 years and they want to take away my rebuild , it sickens me.


These dudes miss Therrien DD and Patches , You can't even make it up

 

[Runner77]

Nashville also had lots of cap room this summer and went big fish hunting and are now sleeping with the fishes.

If we dont get our shite togther internally, well be adding good money to bad

How do you feel about HuGo’s chances of getting it right? Next summer is a huge spotlight on them as they won’t be able to use toxic contracts as an excuse (there will be a lot less of them).

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Nashville also had lots of cap room this summer and went big fish hunting and are now sleeping with the fishes.

If we dont get our shite togther internally, well be adding good money to bad

Slow and steady wins the race

 

[themilosh]

They are cowards , I'm ready to go to war with the anti-tankers , I've been waiting for this for 20 years and they want to take away my rebuild , it sickens me.


These dudes miss Therrien DD and Patches , You can't even make it up

Im all for 1 more tank year (this year), and starting next season i expect a legit playoff push

 

[WeThreeKings]

They are cowards , I'm ready to go to war with the anti-tankers , I've been waiting for this for 20 years and they want to take away my rebuild , it sickens me.


These dudes miss Therrien DD and Patches , You can't even make it up

Pining over Jonathan Kovacevic.

Depth defenseman.. what are we even doing here.

 

[SwiftyHab]

How do you feel about HuGo’s chances of getting it right? Next summer is a huge spotlight on them as they won’t be able to use toxic contracts as an excuse (there will be a lot less of them).

I don’t know. The step back this year and lack of effort is really concerning. Especially since it’s coming from players and possible resulting from a coach that he brought in.

So far we’ve given him credit for fixing Bergy’s mistakes but we haven’t seen if he’s capable of recognizing and then fixing his own.

If he goes veteran UFA shopping, he has to get sure fire winners at centre, and RD that understand the hybrid system won’t make the same mistakes our players keep making.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

No, all threads are the tank thread

I mean most people are keeping it there tbh

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Pining over Jonathan Kovacevic.

Depth defenseman.. what are we even doing here.

I just don't understand the argument that going 20 years with a team good enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a round but never a cup is fine and dandy but a 3-5 year rebuild is where we draw the line .


The line was drawn a decade ago , we all knew we never had a shot , and the one time we made our fluke covid run we got dismantled by what? The most talented team in the league absolutely obliterated us