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Playoffs Positivity Thread

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Will the Habs make the playoffs?

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Lshap said:
Laine and Hutson have been big factors in the team's progress, but don't underestimate overall defence. Adding Carrier, the gradual development of Guhle, Xhekaj, and Struble, a more responsible Matheson, plus Hutson, of course. We're giving up fewer shots, taking fewer penalties, and not getting hemmed in our zone as often. In nets, Dobes, as erratic as he's been, also won games that Primeau would've lost. For me, the maturity on the back end is the biggest difference in why the Habs are taking a modest step forward.

Yes, we've added a crazy amount of points from Hutson, but we've lost almost the same amount from Matheson's greatly reduced production.

Dach is a disappointment because he's injured again, not because he was a disaster on the ice. Yeah, he sucked for the first couple of months, but he was getting stronger as the season progressed and I believe he could've cemented himself on the top-6 had he continued playing. At this point it's moot, because we can't rely on him to be healthy.
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Carrier was HUGE. I don’t recall exactly but we started heating up around his acquisition, no?

This is going to sound ridiculous but I think it’s evident Heineman means a lot to the team in stabilizing that 4th line. Pez is pretty hopeless. The trickle down effect also meant screwing up other lines depending how the game is going.
 
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You blokes getting into heaps of barneys with the team in hockey purgatory or the lot of you getting along grand? Next year maybe the chiefs will get it right for some of ya.lol
 
Essenege said:
A mix of remaking schedule strength + 5v5 analytics and other.

NYR have top tier analytics, but a tougher schedule then Ottawa, which has easier schedule and good analytics.

Detroit has the toughest schedule, CBJ the worst analytics and 2nd worst schedule so they fall behind.

Habs’ combination of analytics & schedule isn’t too bad but not enough to gain ground in their model.
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Schedule strength to me is kind of a wet fart. Maybe too much emphasis is put on it, at least.

The Habs best stretch of success this year came during the hardest part of their schedule.
 
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Lshap said:
Laine and Hutson have been big factors in the team's progress, but don't underestimate overall defence. Adding Carrier, the gradual development of Guhle, Xhekaj, and Struble, a more responsible Matheson, plus Hutson, of course. We're giving up fewer shots, taking fewer penalties, and not getting hemmed in our zone as often. In nets, Dobes, as erratic as he's been, also won games that Primeau would've lost. For me, the maturity on the back end is the biggest difference in why the Habs are taking a modest step forward.

Yes, we've added a crazy amount of points from Hutson, but we've lost almost the same amount from Matheson's greatly reduced production.

Dach is a disappointment because he's injured again, not because he was a disaster on the ice. Yeah, he sucked for the first couple of months, but he was getting stronger as the season progressed and I believe he could've cemented himself on the top-6 had he continued playing. At this point it's moot, because we can't rely on him to be healthy.
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Such a good post from a great poster. Just about always bang on.
 
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I seriously doubt we’re trading anyone. Maybe try and add a D man I figure. We’re too close to a playoff spot to let go of 2/3 of one of our best lines.

Expecting that I think is just another way to find a reason to be pissed off about the team or HuGo
 
Hutson is awesome, but production wise he basically just replaced Matheson from last season. Last year the D scored 175pts and this year they are trending to finish with 184, which TBH is actually good production from the D core.

The 2nd line is truly where the problem lies. Laine was able to mask the ugliness of the 2nd line since he's the only one playing at a 60pt pace but the lack of a true 2C is undeniable. If we had a legit 2C, we would be in a safe PO position right now.

Our goalies are not horrendous and if their stats (I'm looking at you Monty) were a smidge better then wouldn't be talking about them. Now, obviously, someone like Price would be awesome, but it's not the goalies that are holding us back.
 
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sandviper said:
Carrier was HUGE. I don’t recall exactly but we started heating up around his acquisition, no?

This is going to sound ridiculous but I think it’s evident Heineman means a lot to the team in stabilizing that 4th line. Pez is pretty hopeless. The trickle down effect also meant screwing up other lines depending how the game is going.
Click to expand...
Heineman’s importance can’t be underestimated. When he was producing it gave us another line that could score. Then Dach got healthy and they started piutting pucks in. Adding Carriere was massive. Laine came back and was mint on the PP. All cylinders firing. Heineman was actually a big part of that. He brings an energy that every team needs.

I don’t see us making the playoffs but Beck is playing well and Heineman’s back. I’d be happy with a strong finish.

Team is currently on pace for 86 points. Right around where many of us thought we’d be - but not the way we though it would happen :laugh:

Still possible but unlikely. And I’d like to see us move players like Dvorak, Savard, Matheson (that might wait until next year though.)
 
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ReHabs said:
An undeniable factor in your "yet we are just 3 points out..." is Patrik Laine. He's providing depth scoring of a 60pt player (much, much better than Newhook, Dach, and Slafkovsky) and has four GWG to his name already. Despite it being ugly, compromised, and disappointing stylistically -- Laine's provided much more than we hoped when we got paid to acquire him. We'd be in the bottom rungs if we lost his scoring.

Another major, major factor has been Hutson. Probably the number 1 factor imo. A 60pt pace season dman tilts the ice in a major way.

The lack of 2C has been painful, we could've had a serious season if we had a 2C and Dach hadn't been a disaster all season long.
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There are definite positives which i didnt put in as Im hoping they will continue.

Hutson is a grandslam. End of story. And yes, when Laine has played he has put up goals at a real good pace and more recently it isnt just all power play goals. Im hoping next year he has a 2C and Demi on his line and is at his best.
 
Lafleurs Guy said:
Heineman’s importance can’t be underestimated. When he was producing it gave us another line that could score. Then Dach got healthy and they started piutting pucks in. Adding Carriere was massive. Laine came back and was mint on the PP. All cylinders firing. Heineman was actually a big part of that. He brings an energy that every team needs.

I don’t see us making the playoffs but Beck is playing well and Heineman’s back. I’d be happy with a strong finish.

Team is currently on pace for 86 points. Right around where many of us thought we’d be - but not the way we though it would happen :laugh:

Still possible but unlikely. And I’d like to see us move players like Dvorak, Savard, Matheson (that might wait until next year though.)
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Even if Heineman isn't scoring, he just adds stability to the bottom 6. There's just a feeling of comfort that he's going to make the right play that won't backfire into a rush the other way.

I would be interested to see him get top 6 time every nlw and then. He just seems like a guy who can add a spark to a line when things go stale.

Rapala said:
How many of those easy games we already struggle to win become that much harder as they assume a spoiler role.
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Yep, I think results become even more randomized late in the season.
 
Lafleurs Guy said:
Heineman’s importance can’t be underestimated. When he was producing it gave us another line that could score. Then Dach got healthy and they started piutting pucks in. Adding Carriere was massive. Laine came back and was mint on the PP. All cylinders firing. Heineman was actually a big part of that. He brings an energy that every team needs.

I don’t see us making the playoffs but Beck is playing well and Heineman’s back. I’d be happy with a strong finish.

Team is currently on pace for 86 points. Right around where many of us thought we’d be - but not the way we though it would happen :laugh:

Still possible but unlikely. And I’d like to see us move players like Dvorak, Savard, Matheson (that might wait until next year though.)
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As long as he doesn't get hit by a zamboni.
 
JianYang said:
Even if Heineman isn't scoring, he just adds stability to the bottom 6. There's just a feeling of comfort that he's going to make the right play that won't backfire into a rush the other way.

I would be interested to see him get top 6 time every nlw and then. He just seems like a guy who can add a spark to a line when things go stale.

Yep, I think results become even more randomized late in the season.
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He may well get a call up to the top six when a player gets hurt.
 
Often I wonder where we'd be if the coaching staff and the players had shown up from day 1 of the season.
We wasted our preseason playing the insufferable Senators and spending more time throwing fists than refining the defensive concepts. When the season started, it took us 15 games to get a grip - points we'd love to have right now.
That's a young-team-and-green-coach type of mistake but next year we gotta do better if we want to graduate from "in da mix".
 
Benstheman said:
So Habs win, Wash win and NYI win tonight?? Or NYR?
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If Habs, Caps, and NYI win tonight, it places us ahead of Ottawa, NYR and Boston. Montreal then sits 1 point away from Detroit... the last WC spot.

At the very least, winning tonight means we pass Boston, which would be sweet. Even if Ottawa and NYR win, we'll still be one point from the WC spot, although there will be three teams tied with that extra point.
 
Lshap said:
If Habs, Caps, and NYI win tonight, it places us ahead of Ottawa, NYR and Boston. Montreal then sits 1 point away from Detroit... the last WC spot.

At the very least, winning tonight means we pass Boston, which would be sweet. Even if Ottawa and NYR win, we'll still be one point from the WC spot, although there will be three teams tied with that extra point.
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On the long range, 14 wins over 22 games should get the Habs in at 91 pts. That's not impossible.
 
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