HF Habs: Out of Town Thread: 2025 Playoff edition

[LesCactus]

Close game.

 

[Paddyjack]

Close game.

Well to be honest it was for two periods

 

[Rapala]

Not nearly good enough from players like Aho...
again.

 

[Kimota]

I would love to have a team that plays like Florida. They're kind of like Chicago used to be.

If you remember, Florida always a good team for years but people were saying "one of these days they are going to break through" but they never did. Similar to Caroline in a way. And then they got a true leader in Tkachuk and the right coach to put the right system in place and everything came together. (frankly I never thought Maurice was a great coach, he did not do great in TO, Columbus or Winnipeg but his simple system was what doctor ordered for the Panthers).

 

[the valiant effort]

At least the Nutty Professor was able to lock up Taylor Hall for 3 years after this

 

[ahmedou]

 

[tazsub3]

So happy for kk and the canes .that 15 dol on the contract was such a good karma

 

[LesCactus]

This is why I want Florian & Arber both playing for the big club next season.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

I still prefer losing the third round (Carolina) over losing in the first round. The Metro division is so weak right now.

The problem with Carolina is theyre in the middle of their window. It's by no means close to done. But I haven't seen any improvement whatsoever. Everyone and their mother had them making the 3rd round due to a weak path. But whenever it's time to actually play a dominant team, they fold...because they just aren't talented enough. I like Sebastian Aho but when he's the best player on your team, you're not gonna win anything. He's comparable in tier to Suzuki. We as fans are hoping by the time the habs are actually competing for cups, that Suzuki is the 3rd/4th best player on the team. Carolina is good enough to win a round or two but the talent level just isn't their to get them over the hump. And the crappy thing for them is, unless they either trade for it by giving up talent themselves, sign an overpriced free agent, or get ridiculously lucky in the draft due to not having a high pick, they'll probably never get out of this situation

The only top 5 picks they have on that team are from 2018 in Svech and Kotkaniemi, both of whom have been kind of to very disappointing in their respective careers (not counting Staal)

 

[PeteWorrell]

At least the Nutty Professor was able to lock up Taylor Hall for 3 years after this

Taylor Hall is a good example of a player that built their entire reputation around one amazing season.

He is small and injury prone but let's sign him and hope that he will repeat that great season again.

 

[WinterLion]

How Dickinson fell to the Sharks' second pick I will never understand.

LHD slip... and small wingers

 

[LesCactus]

This is why I want Florian & Arber both playing for the big club next season.

I know you guys might think Florian is not ready yet, but give me him in our bottom 6 over Newhook any day of the week.

 

[Ozmodiar]

I like Sebastian Aho but when he's the best player on your team, you're not gonna win anything. He's comparable in tier to Suzuki. We as fans are hoping by the time the habs are actually competing for cups, that Suzuki is the 3rd/4th best player on the team.

I think suzuki and the Habs is more like Barkov and the panthers. There’s similarities in their play, and while Barkov trails Tkachuk and Reinhart in point production at times, he’s still their best player, their glue piece.

 

[salbutera]

The brand of hockey they play is not attractive for talented offensive players. It stiffles them. That's why both Necas and Rantanen wanted out.

They can stick with Brind'amour and stagnate forever or they can get a coach that will bring a system that players will like.

Necas wanted to play C, Rod da Bod wanted him on W.

Rantanen wanted to play in 3-locations Dallas, Make Beliefs or Edm & apparently couldn’t believe he was offered a deferred long term contract from Canes vs bonus heavy front loaded deal

 

[Andrei79]

I think suzuki and the Habs is more like Barkov and the panthers. There’s similarities in their play, and while Barkov trails Tkachuk and Reinhart in point production at times, he’s still their best player, their glue piece.

Yeah, no kidding. Barkov is a top 10 player in the league and the best center in the Eastern Conference. It's not all that close either. Guy just plays the right way on top of being supremely skilled with the puck and a 6'3" tank. Suzuki is a pretty special player too, just not at that level. However, I think that as the team gets better and has more depth, many will realize just how much of a money player Suzuki is.

 

[red devil]

I missed it - why did Ketchup go after Aho?

Because Aho injured Reinhart in the previous game with a borderline hit

 

[CrazyBob]

Florida has a 4 goals per game average in the playoff. Even more than Edmonton

This is insane.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Canes are the hillbilly Leafs, might as well rebuild at this point your core just ain’t it. Such a waste of time watching them get obliterated in the ECF every year.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Yeah, no kidding. Barkov is a top 10 player in the league and the best center in the Eastern Conference. It's not all that close either. Guy just plays the right way on top of being supremely skilled with the puck and a 6'3" tank. Suzuki is a pretty special player too, just not at that level. However, I think that as the team gets better and has more depth, many will realize just how much of a money player Suzuki is.

The important thing is that Suzuki is right there with Barkov now (playing style, leadership, production), and if they’re using Fla as a template, they can check off that very important box.

 

[Miller Time]

Carolina

Canes are the hillbilly Leafs, might as well rebuild at this point your core just ain’t it. Such a waste of time watching them get obliterated in the ECF every year.

I hope they do go that route...

Svechnikov would be a the perfect addition to our top 6... I'd give up a lot of draft/prospect capital to bring him in.

 

[red devil]

 

[Team_Spirit]

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Damn this is insane, I did something else at 1-1, returned to the game and it's 5-1! Florida is such a well oiled machine.

Strange thing is that Carolina is a good team but they lack the killer instinct. If I were them, I would try everything to get Brady Tkachuk.

Carolina has no goaltending. Goalies usually big deal in playoffs

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Since HF Hates copying from EXCEL now; here's my bolded targets.

1st round:
Carter Bear
Brady Martin
Braeden Cootes
Malcolm Spence
Blake Fiddler
Kashawn Aitcheson
Ivan Ryabkin
Jack Murtagh
Cole McKinney
Vaclav Nestrasil

2nd round:
Ryker Lee
Theo Stockselius
Daniil Prokhorov
Mason West
Henry Brzustiewiecz
Shane Vansaghi
William Horcoff
Charlie Tretheway

3rd round:
Semyon Frolov
Mateo Norbert
Gustav Hillstrom
Mikhail Fyodorov
David Lewandowski
Mikkel Eriksen
Hayden Paupenakis
Matthew Gard

4th round:
Ethan Wyttenbach
Elijah Neuenschwander
Kale Dach
Owen Griffin

5th round:
Carter Amico
Peyton Kettles
Max Westergard
Jan Kucharcik

6th round:
Bryce Pickford
Linus Funck
Everett Baldwin

7th round:
Max Psenicka
William Belle
Yaroslav Bryzgalov
Tinus Luc Koblar
David Bedkowski

Finding somebody late is key to this draft. Can you imagine if we had took Matthew Knies? He went 57th overall, arguably the best player in draft.

 

[Kimota]

I mean conference finals means you are one series win to the SCF. That's actually pretty great for a franchise no matter what. Most teams would die for that kind of success.