HF Habs: Out of Town Thread: 2025 Playoff edition

[Kimota]

Carolina has no goaltending. Goalies usually big deal in playoffs

Goal tending is shaky in the playoffs nowadays, even for teams that wins. Oilers has a guy that gets blown out and then shut guys down. lol But the most reckless cop in town happens to be a freaking wall now.

 

[NMacrules]

Gotta love Carolina for being the model of consistency in the modern NHL. Every year they are guaranteed to make a 2nd round, maybe a 3rd round but will never make it past that

Well, they won the cup in 2006.

 

[salbutera]

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.

Even though I posted it here, I laughed off McGuire’s suggestion of Habs targeting Aho for their 2C solution.

Now that Canes are all but officially done….I really do wonder…. what does psycho owner order analytics wonder boy to do this summer?

 

[Guiness time]

The depth that Florida has of tough gritty players is unreal. They play such a great heavy hitting game. When Mikkola got rocked by Orlov, I thought here is the Canes chance to take over the game. But no, Panthers began pounding Carolina and Mikkola led the way with solid hits. I am really impressed with Florida's D. We won't come close to sniffing a conference final with guys like Matheson, Carrier, Evans, Newhook, Gallagher etc. In my opinion, there is no point overpaying for regular season stars that disappear in the playoffs. Continue building through the draft (or trade for guys in their early 20s) as we need a few big boys with some talent to join the Xhekaj bros. I'd keep developing Mailloux as well.

 

[hvac412]

looks like Brindamour like Maurice needs a change of scenery

 

[skidcells]

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.

While Knies is good and definitely over performed his draft rank I find it hard to argue he is better than Wyatt Johnston. Wyatt is hands down the best player of that draft.

 

[CzarDemidov]

The depth that Florida has of tough gritty players is unreal. They play such a great heavy hitting game. When Mikkola got rocked by Orlov, I thought here is the Canes chance to take over the game. But no, Panthers began pounding Carolina and Mikkola led the way with solid hits. I am really impressed with Florida's D. We won't come close to sniffing a conference final with guys like Matheson, Carrier, Evans, Newhook, Gallagher etc. In my opinion, there is no point overpaying for regular season stars that disappear in the playoffs. Continue building through the draft (or trade for guys in their early 20s) as we need a few big boys with some talent to join the Xhekaj bros. I'd keep developing Mailloux as well.

I know it’s a bit reductive but I really believe this stuff is part of the culture. You need to develop a culture of physical play. To play physical you need your leaders to be physical (Barkov, Jones, Tkachuk), you need the roster to be athletic, you need the coaches to gain the players’ trust: if you play tot he edge we have your back and support you.

We are very very far from that. A top6 with Laine, Newhook, and Caufield won’t ever manage this.

I don’t mind if we had a culture of tenacity or speed or whatever but so far that’s all still been out of reach. The next step is the hardest.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Well, they won the cup in 2006.

Different era, different core, different management, different owner

 

[Adriatic]

Embarrassing from Carolina. I don't care about the score but how you let your best player get abused like that and nobody getting in there to help out? Does analytics have a plan for when you get punched in the mouth

 

[Guiness time]

I know it’s a bit reductive but I really believe this stuff is part of the culture. You need to develop a culture of physical play. To play physical you need your leaders to be physical (Barkov, Jones, Tkachuk), you need the roster to be athletic, you need the coaches to gain the players’ trust: if you play tot he edge we have your back and support you.

We are very very far from that. A top6 with Laine, Newhook, and Caufield won’t ever manage this.

I don’t mind if we had a culture of tenacity or speed or whatever but so far that’s all still been out of reach. The next step is the hardest.

Sure, there is more than just getting the right players, but without the right players you can never get there. In my opinion Laine will be gone after this season, might even be a TDL move, unless he signs for a reasonable deal (which I am not sure if I really want this)
Caufield at least played with heart in the playoffs. You can play with a few smaller guys but they must contribute offensively come playoff time. With your reasoning, would you get rid of Hutson? Of course not. But these smaller guys must be surrounded with some big boys with skill.

And yes, I agree with you that Hughes has some very important and difficult decisions to make.

 

[The Real Timo]

f***ing oilers are going to the finals again, aren't they? LIke how the f*** do you explain Skinner getting shutouts?

 

[The Real Timo]

I know it’s a bit reductive but I really believe this stuff is part of the culture. You need to develop a culture of physical play. To play physical you need your leaders to be physical (Barkov, Jones, Tkachuk), you need the roster to be athletic, you need the coaches to gain the players’ trust: if you play tot he edge we have your back and support you.

We are very very far from that. A top6 with Laine, Newhook, and Caufield won’t ever manage this.

I don’t mind if we had a culture of tenacity or speed or whatever but so far that’s all still been out of reach. The next step is the hardest.

Fundamentally I don't think Habs leadership (mngt, coaches) believe that physically is the key in the playoffs.

 

[JianYang]

f***ing oilers are going to the finals again, aren't they? LIke how the f*** do you explain Skinner getting shutouts?

He's been subpar when you look at his body of work overall.

It's a very flawed roster but it just goes to show the power of mcdrai. They are trying to will their way to a cup despite their organization's repeated gunshots to their own feet.

Mcdavid's playoff numbers last year had not been seen since Mario and Wayne, and it still wasn't enough, but they were very close.

It almost feels like mcdrai versus oilers for the cup rather than oilers versus other team.

 

[CzarDemidov]

Sure, there is more than just getting the right players, but without the right players you can never get there. In my opinion Laine will be gone after this season, might even be a TDL move, unless he signs for a reasonable deal (which I am not sure if I really want this)
Caufield at least played with heart in the playoffs. You can play with a few smaller guys but they must contribute offensively come playoff time. With your reasoning, would you get rid of Hutson? Of course not. But these smaller guys must be surrounded with some big boys with skill.

And yes, I agree with you that Hughes has some very important and difficult decisions to make.

Fundamentally I don't think Habs leadership (mngt, coaches) believe that physically is the key in the playoffs.

I have my own preferences — I think I want to see a very fast rush team more than a heavy team or a tactical team or whatever — but I won’t begrudge that the Habs management have a different perspective.

What matters is building and reinforcing that identity. We have neither a heavy team, nor a fast one, nor a skilled one, nor a tactical one. We don’t have bullies, we don’t have superstars.

I think they’re gunning for a very professional, versatile team. The post-2011 Boston Model (that did very well but didn’t win the cup again). Maybe you could say it’s also the Carolina model.

Now Hughes’ job is to win games and build toward that model. We should have a lot turnover ahead of us if Hughes is serious about getting to an elite level.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Fundamentally I don't think Habs leadership (mngt, coaches) believe that physically is the key in the playoffs.

Why do you think they drafted Xhekaj? Protz?
Not sure they would win with the Panthers style. League kisses Panther hairy ass. They get away with hundreds of penalties a Canadian team wouldn't. See Kadri. What he got suspended for with toronto wouldn't even get penalized in Colorado.

 

[sheed36]

Hopefully all future hurricanes that may hit Florida be as weak as this current one hitting Florida right now and for us up here in Atlantic Canada as well.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

f***ing oilers are going to the finals again, aren't they? LIke how the f*** do you explain Skinner getting shutouts?

If they do, based on the last two years, that means they'll win the SC this year as they lost in the finals the year prior lol. Which means Florida will win it again next year

 

[AHShadow]

I know it’s a bit reductive but I really believe this stuff is part of the culture. You need to develop a culture of physical play. To play physical you need your leaders to be physical (Barkov, Jones, Tkachuk), you need the roster to be athletic, you need the coaches to gain the players’ trust: if you play tot he edge we have your back and support you.

We are very very far from that. A top6 with Laine, Newhook, and Caufield won’t ever manage this.

I don’t mind if we had a culture of tenacity or speed or whatever but so far that’s all still been out of reach. The next step is the hardest.

Yeah agreed with this, but I don't think that just because we have small players in our top 6 that automatically they won't play well in the playoffs.

Carolina does have a problem that most of their top 6 are small/soft, but Stankoven is the smallest of them, but he's been arguably one of their better playoff players and doesn't shy away from contact and going for rebounds (just look at his goal yesterday).

And let's not forget that before the Panthers, the Lightning made the trip to the finals three years in a row with a super soft team as well (Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Johnson, Palat) yet still won 2 cups.

We're never going to go far with Laine, Newhook and Caufield, but hopefully we do get bigger in our top 6 so our softer players are just Caufield and Demidov.

 

[LaP]

Blake lost his footing and Luostarinen finished his check. Unlucky.

Still a clear as day boarding. Rules are rules.

 

[windycity]

Don't like the Panthers but I am enjoying watching the Canes get bitch slapped

 

[CzarDemidov]

Yeah agreed with this, but I don't think that just because we have small players in our top 6 that automatically they won't play well in the playoffs.

Carolina does have a problem that most of their top 6 are small/soft, but Stankoven is the smallest of them, but he's been arguably one of their better playoff players and doesn't shy away from contact and going for rebounds (just look at his goal yesterday).

And let's not forget that before the Panthers, the Lightning made the trip to the finals three years in a row with a super soft team as well (Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Johnson, Palat) yet still won 2 cups.

We're never going to go far with Laine, Newhook and Caufield, but hopefully we do get bigger in our top 6 so our softer players are just Caufield and Demidov.

It’s less to do with being tough than it does with having an identity and reinforcing it and also not having a flaw that’s insurmountable (ie like being impossibly soft or impossibly slow).

Tampa’s team wasn’t necessarily soft imo — you forget Hedman, McD, Killorn, etc — but they were skilled as heck top to bottom, extremely well coached, lethal on the PP, and inexplicably hard working.

We have a hard working team but lack the high end skill, the depth skill, and overall speed. I don’t think it’s easy to replicate them at all.

Slaf is not a high end skill player. Reino is not on track to be an all tools Hedman type. The only high end skill player we have is Demidov. Otherwise Suzuki is not as good as Point and Caufield is not as good as Stamkos and so on and so forth.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

The only high end skill player we have is Demidov. Otherwise Suzuki is not as good as Point and Caufield is not as good as Stamkos and so on and so forth.

*Hutson. There I fixed it for you

Also Suzuki not being as good as point is a laughable statement. Point is almost 3 and a half years older than Suzuki and has only had 3 seasons better than Suzuki by a few points on a loaded Tampa team playing on the same line as a multi Art Ross winner and former Hart winner. And while I'm not saying he's bad defensively, Suzuki is better. Place Suzuki on those Tampa teams and he probably breaks 100 points. Also while he's an elite defensive player, Cerelli has only broken 50 points once in his career. He's basically Phillip Danault on an elite team. While I agree with you on Stamkos being better than Caufield, I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say prime slaf will be better than Killorn/Palat were. Also you mention Hedman. Fair enough. But who on Tampa's D was as impactful as Hutson probably will be in his prime? Prime Guhle will probably cancel out McDonaugh. So it's not the core that's lacking, it's the depth of the team. And it's the depth of Tampa's team that was ultimately the deciding factor in why they won chips and why Florida is so dominant. That and Vasy was on fire

 

[BenchBrawl]

Teams in front preferred Yakemchuk Parekh Silayev.

I see a lot of mocks with only 2 Ds picked before 16...there will be more

THN draft preview is out anyone got it?

View attachment 1041878

I remember watching Dickinson the season before his draft year and it was obvious he was gonna become a #1D in the NHL, imo. He did nothing to change that perspective afaik.

I would have taken him 3rd overall, behind Celebrini & Demidov.

 

[samsagat]

I remember watching Dickinson the season before his draft year and it was obvious he was gonna become a #1D in the NHL, imo. He did nothing to change that perspective afaik.

I would have taken him 3rd overall, behind Celebrini & Demidov.

Personally, I like him but I like Buium more.

Buium is basically a 6' 185 pds Hutson, their playing styles are alike.

Lots of creativity, reliable defensively for his size (finds original ways to defend), and a knack to make the big plays in key moment... but to play it safe when the game ask it.

He has an up to the roof hockey IQ, he's a special player.

P.S.: he was my 2nd choice for Habs if Demidov was already Taken.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Personally, I like him but I like Buium more.

Buium is basically a 6' 185 pds Hutson, their playing styles are alike.

Lots of creativity, reliable defensively for his size (finds original ways to defend), and a knack to make the big plays in key moment... but to play it safe when the game ask it.

He has an up to the roof hockey IQ, he's a special player.

I like Dickinson because he was so reliable even as he was 16 years (I think). That's what I prefer in my #1D to win championships, but it's great to have a gamer like Lane too.

We'll what the future holds for Buium and Dickinson. I predict multiple championships for SJ.