HF Habs: Out of Town Thread: Off-Season Edition

[Paddyjack]

Great. So tell me who are the 6 forwards up front without Drouin. Here are the first 5...MacKinnon, Rantanen, Nichuskin, Johansen, Lehkonen and?

Could be anybody. They signed him for 800k, there is absolutely no risk to this signing, and I would bet you that McKinnon asked for it as a favor to help his former teammate.

To me this whole story reeks of wishful thinking that Drouin could have been this or that "given a proper chance". He was given every chances he could get here, but still people can't see the guy can't just play NHL-level, at least anymore (mental stuff, wrist injury, etc).

 

[Rapala]

Lekhonen is def on their top 6, didn't he play with Mack last season?

Ptecisely when we were given a rundown of Newhook's play by an Av's fan he said Newhook's biggest issue was being bumped after they found better resources for the top six. I promptly told him you are welcome for Lehky and he confirmed it was exactly that.

I remarked on Newhook's play this past post season as lukewarm at best but I also understand his first objective and resposibility was to not "f*** Up".
That carries some weight with it for a youngster playing on a reigning Stanley Cup Championship team.
Our Pro scouting has been pretty good lately IMO I think we are good.

 

[Andy]

Could be anybody. They signed him for 800k, there is absolutely no risk to this signing, and I would bet you that McKinnon asked for it as a favor to help his former teammate.

To me this whole story reeks of wishful thinking that Drouin could have been this or that "given a proper chance". He was given every chances he could get here, but still people can't see the guy can't just play NHL-level, at least anymore (mental stuff, wrist injury, etc).

I think the issue with Drouin is that he was not well supported in his first few seasons with the habs, which affected the pressure and expectations in his remaining seasons with the club.

You don't acquire a player like Drouin and give him the keys to the offense (while throwing him atthe centre position).

I agree with you that he got all the chances with the habs, but the support from MB was awful. There is always an argument to be made that he was set up to fail.

 

[26Mats]

The KK pick could have been a lot worse!

Great. So tell me who are the 6 forwards up front without Drouin. Here are the first 5...MacKinnon, Rantanen, Nichuskin, Johansen, Lehkonen and?

Wow, would Drouin ever stick out like a sore thumb playing with those guys.

I mean I don't see him doing much with Ryan Johansen as his center. And if he plays with McKinnon, he'll make that line worse than it would otherwise be with all his turnovers.

Avs should have traded some D like Girard or Erik Johnson and kept Kadri or Burakowsky

 

[Belial]

The KK pick could have been a lot worse!


Wow, would Drouin ever stick out like a sore thumb playing with those guys.

I mean I don't see him doing much with Ryan Johansen as his center. And if he plays with McKinnon, he'll make that line worse than it would otherwise be with all his turnovers.

Avs should have traded some D like Girard or Erik Johnson and kept Kadri or Burakowsky

Drouin will do just fine when he's like the 7th or 8th forward on the team in terms of importance.

Bergevin brought him here and thought he could be our next first-line center! That's why he failed here IMO.

 

[26Mats]

Drouin will do just fine when he's like the 7th or 8th forward on the team in terms of importance.

Bergevin brought him here and thought he could be our next first-line center! That's why he failed here IMO.

I think the wrist injuries have impacted his abilities to shoot, stickhandle, protect the puck, etc..

 

[Belial]

@Andy



Here we go!

 

[Andy]

@Andy



Here we go!

Unlike most here, I don't hate Drouin. I wish him good luck and can see him getting back to a 50 point support winger.

 

[Paddyjack]

Unlike most here, I don't hate Drouin. I wish him good luck and can see him getting back to a 50 point support winger.

Honestly I don't think people hate Drouin here. People like him as a person, he is described as a nice person by most. But criticizing him as a hockey player is not hating on him, it is expressing an opinion on said skills, based on visual facts.

I've been burned many years, supporting his potential, etc, always to be disapointed by his results. I wish him the best in Colorado, but I don't think it will happen anymore. That is not hate. That is projection based on experience.

 

[Andy]

Honestly I don't think people hate Drouin here. People like him as a person, he is described as a nice person by most. But criticizing him as a hockey player is not hating on him, it is expressing an opinion on said skills, based on visual facts.

I've been burned many years, supporting his potential, etc, always to be disapointed by his results. I wish him the best in Colorado, but I don't think it will happen anymore. That is not hate. That is projection based on experience.

Okay, I'll rephrase here: I did not have as intense of an opinion on Drouin the hockey player as most did here. He was a middle 6 guy in my eyes. He played exactly as most middle 6 guys play, some days good, some days bad.

It sucks who we traded for him and it's quite clearly a loss. Once I adjusted my expectations of what Drouin could deliver, his role didn't bother me. And I think that the habs used him fairly in a middle 6 capacity during his final years with the club. I was not aggravated by his use like some were on this board.

 

[LaP]

True. I added him. Still 1 spot left. And that's also with the mindset that Johansen will be better than Newhook.

Just better than last year would be a start. I mean Johansen will turn 31 at the end of July and he had only one good season in his last 4. I like the gamble but it is just that a gamble. The guy might be done and 21-23 might just be a last hooray like we often see from vets on the decline.

I don't dislike what Sakic did this summer he's stuck in a bad situation with Landeskog who might retire at 30 but he gambled hard and if Newhook develop into a solid top 6 player in Montreal he'll look very bad.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[GrandBison]

Unlike most here, I don't hate Drouin. I wish him good luck and can see him getting back to a 50 point support winger.

He absolutely is a 50 pts winger. But he's not bringing much more and that's the problem. He'll be fine in a support role, I guess.

 

[Belial]

Are you alright Adam? That happened two days ago

 

[ReHabs]

He absolutely is a 50 pts winger. But he's not bringing much more and that's the problem. He'll be fine in a support role, I guess.

League min for a 50pt player is quite good value.

Problem is if he needs a ton of TOI and OZ-Starts and PPTOI to get to 50pts.

Same problem as with Desharnais. If you’re a soft AND unidimensional player AND you’re bad at scoring goals, it’s very likely 50 pts (pace) doesn’t seem worthwhile even if it should. Mind you Drouin hasn’t hit 50pts in four seasons. He’s also incredibly injury prone.

Tomas Tatar is actually much better than Drouin and got 48pts last year and he’s still unsigned. Interesting.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Are you alright Adam? That happened two days ago

It just showed up on my timeline. I thought it just happened.

I should stay in bed. Been feeling under the weather the last few days.

 

[Belial]

It just showed up on my timeline. I thought it just happened.

I should stay in bed. Been feeling under the weather the last few days.

If Sorokin extended for 8 years shows up on your timeline anytime soon I think I have some bad news for you...

Ninja posting is a tough metier!

 

[LaP]

League min for a 50pt player is quite good value.

Problem is if he needs a ton of TOI and OZ-Starts and PPTOI to get to 50pts.

Same problem as with Desharnais. If you’re a soft AND unidimensional player AND you’re bad at scoring goals, it’s very likely 50 pts (pace) doesn’t seem worthwhile even if it should. Mind you Drouin hasn’t hit 50pts in four seasons. He’s also incredibly injury prone.

Tomas Tatar is actually much better than Drouin and got 48pts last year and he’s still unsigned. Interesting.

Tatar is a proven Ghost in playoffs. If he was not he would have been signed on the first day. Drouin stats in playoffs are actually not that bad. They are not great not terrible. Tatar stats in playoffs are straight out terrible. It's a gamble because of Drouin's mental health issues mostly if he was able to deal with NHL pressure he would be an okay player imo.

Tatar playoffs

52GP 7G 13P

Drouin playoffs

33GP 6G 21P
Over 52GP : 9.45GG 33.09P

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Core 4 won't be together much longer now...

How is Muzzin not a LTIR candidate?

 

[ReHabs]

Tatar is a proven Ghost in playoffs. If he was not he would have been signed on the first day. Drouin stats in playoffs are actually not that bad. They are not great not terrible. Tatar stats in playoffs are straight out terrible. It's a gamble because of Drouin's mental health issues mostly if he was able to deal with NHL pressure he would be an okay player imo.

Tatar playoffs

52GP 7G 13P

Drouin playoffs

33GP 6G 21P
Over 52GP : 9.45GG 33.09P

I assure you Drouin’s reputation as a playoff style player is non-existent.

 

[salbutera]

Because Drouin won't play on the first two lines, if at all. He will start on the 4th.

Drouin has apparently been told he’ll start the season w MacKinnon

 

[Sterling Archer]

How is Muzzin not a LTIR candidate?

Apparently he’s not out for the year as he’s recovering. But even if he was, it wouldn’t be enough. They need to drop more salary.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This is not accurate either. Look at the AVs lineup they have room for a 2nd liner. In fact they need a 2nd liner. Landeskog is out of all of next season. Atm Drouin is their option in the top 6. I'm sorry but Drouin is a hope for the best prepare for the worst option.

Avs top 6 atm :

Drouin-Mac-NIchuskin
Lehkonen-Johansen-Rantanen

This is not winning anything in playoffs unless Landeskog is back and it's far from certain he will.

They just added Johansssen and are trying to win it now. Newhook will likely be stunted there. They cashed out on an asset.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If they felt he'd be a 2nd liner, and since he won't be able to ask for much money....why were they able to make room for Jo Drouin and not him? So they feel that a 31st and Ross Colton and Jo Drouin was better than developing Newhook?

Newhook is not a 2nd liner at this stage. He hasn’t been able to crack that top 6 and it’s a cup contender. So, they packaged him out. He’s like Dach was - a project for a rebuilding team.

Personally I’d like to have seen us do this for Lafreniere but maybe the Rangers are we willing to let him go.

 

[LaP]

I assure you Drouin’s reputation as a playoff style player is non-existent.

As is Tatar outside of Montreal (and should be in Montreal too). The difference might be Tatar wont sign for minimum salary though.