HF Habs: Out of Town Thread: 2025 Playoff edition

[le_sean]

I doubt the Leafs need that much. They don’t need an offensive contributor, they need a heart and soul vet or two who can set an example, put in visible effort, and get the stars to buy in or look bad in comparison.

No idea who that would be, but they didn’t need Pacioretty to come in and score, they needed a guy to dig pucks with some sandpaper and demonstrate playoff hockey.

They already tried the veteran thing multiple times and it doesn’t work. No one gets through to their core. Craig Berube couldn’t either (along with multiple other coaches). It was so bad that Ryan O’Reilly basically ran out of there. The team scored 4 total goals in the last 4 games. The Core 4 didn’t do a damn thing. It’s a rotten core.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Asston Assews and Bitch Marner can never compete with Dutch Gretzky

 

[CHfan1]

Just let go of Marner and JT. Move Nylander up and still have a dominant first line. Their D is set for at least another year. Use the next two years to retool. True to get good picks in 2026/27, even if it means tanking for a year. Hope certain prospects (Cowen, etc) hits. Offer sheet teams in cap he'll with multiple RFA signings pending. Sign a few ufas next summer.

They still have a window. They just need to execute properly. It's not a walk in the park and takes a decent amount of luck.

They don’t have 1st round picks in 2025, 2026, and 2027. They also don’t have their 2nd round pick in 2026. So that limits them from offer sheets and building through the draft the next few years.

We’ll also see what UFA’s they can sign this summer. Their isn’t a lot of good UFA’s this summer, so I’m not sure if that’s a good option for them either.

 

[donghabs98]

And you positively DO NOT want those star players who are afraid of pressure. It's a good thing that players afraid of pressure run away from our market we do not want them. We want guys who can handle the pressure.

Im still convinced it's one of the reasons why management passed on Wright. He seemed like someone who liked the idea of the Montreal spotlight but wouldn't actually handle it well.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He will have many offers and with good reason.

Sure. Some markets want to make the playoffs and Marner can help with that. But if you care about cups, this guy isn’t near worth what he’ll get.

There’s no way in God’s free earth that I’d pony up the 13-15 million he’ll want. f*** that.

 

[donghabs98]

You do need to be strong mentally to play here, especially if you're a local guy. We've seen quite a few crack under the pressure over the years. It's definitely something I would scout for, before signing or drafting a player, the ability to block all the noise is a big factor in whether a player does well or not in Montreal.

Drouin is definitely a cautionary tale as he was someone with a lot of talent and had a lot of pressure placed on him. Now a lot of what happened to him wasn't his fault as Bergy immediately made the team worse and inexplicably put Drouin in the worse spot imaginable for a young player (top line center). But Drouin wasn't built for the Montreal spotlight and the organization did a terrible job helping players with it.

 

[McGees]

View attachment 1039095
View attachment 1039096

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Why has he been playing if that's the case? I don't believe he's hurt because if so, he would have declined the invite to the 4 Nations cup and he didn't. BTW, he choked in that tournament as well. He had the game on his stick several times before McD eventually won it for us.

He’s not close to 100 percent. You don’t go from 70 goals to 30 without an issue. They consulted with doctors in Germany and the team is being super secretive about things - something is wrong with his wrist.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Why are you talking about playoffs when we're talking about regular season?

There are lots of teams that would love to have his goal scoring to make the playoffs.

It comes down to you goal. If it’s to make the playoffs then cool. If it’s to win cups, it’s a different story.

 

[George Lebay]

delete

 

[Heffyhoof]

Really strange way to think about this. Like, on every level

1) Marner is a 100pt scorer in the NHL. He’s a Canadian international. He’s going to get paid a very high wage regardless of the salary distribution among the rest of the team. That responsibility is on the GM, not the player.

2) “Yelling at teammates” is normal, happens all the time. It isn’t affected by take-home wage.

3) You’d find a way to criticise Marner if he didn’t try to lead his teammates (and often do)

4) An underperforming player still can try to encourage his teammates.

Neat list don't care. Dude is a useless crybaby and the guys making 1 mil or less and getting screamed at by the creampuff who avoids every hit is silly and you know it.

The fact you're pretending otherwise is the weird way of thinking or lack thereof.

 

[OldCraig71]

He’s not close to 100 percent. You don’t go from 70 goals to 30 without an issue. They consulted with doctors in Germany and the team is being super secretive about things - something is wrong with his wrist.

But the drop in playoff production isn't new for him, he disappears when the tight checking starts and never goes to the net with the puck like the other superstars in the league. When I watch him, I see Max Pacioretty during his playoff time in Montreal, and I am convinced that even at 100 percent health, we would not see anything different from Matthews.

 

[Doc McKenna]

I had to go visit Steve Dangle. He was happy to see everyone coming in for their annual 1 viewing of his channel

 

[Team_Spirit]

HFHabs celebrating @ahmedou @McGees @Sasha Orlov @HuGo Burner Acc @HuGo Burner Acc @Michelangelo @Sam de Mtl @Gaylord Q Tinkledink @saintflannel @JianYang @The Great Weal @LaP

 

[Doc McKenna]

Oh my god, lighten the f*** up sportsnet panel

But but they are so impartial when reporting on "Canadas Team"

 

[Tyson]

Just let go of Marner and JT. Move Nylander up and still have a dominant first line. Their D is set for at least another year. Use the next two years to retool. True to get good picks in 2026/27, even if it means tanking for a year. Hope certain prospects (Cowen, etc) hits. Offer sheet teams in cap he'll with multiple RFA signings pending. Sign a few ufas next summer.

They still have a window. They just need to execute properly. It's not a walk in the park and takes a decent amount of luck.

I think Reilly needs to be moved. Not sure there would be any takers though

 

[red devil]

 

[Sasha Orlov]

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

PPG is 67.

Curse confirmed.

Suzuki should be 5-2

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Doc McKenna]

Maybe the Leafs should try and sign Marchand just to keep him from owning their asses every time he plays them in the playoffs.

AH yes The Cole effect. We did this and it helped.

 

[ahmedou]

Im a Montreal fan now. The most heartless team in the league.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Adam Michaels]