Playoffs?

[Miller Time]

Health is the biggest factor...

But with the addition of Laine, I'm that much more confident that with a middle of the pack or better injury affected season, we will be in the mix all year and likely squeeze in to a WC spot.

If we have a top tier season health wise, we might well be a lock.

Outsiders and fans alike are seriously underestimating the impact of roster consistency like we have heading into the season. That, plus a core that is a strong bet to be better this year than last given its age & development stage, and we have the recipe to be that 1-2 teams that greatly surpass pres season expectations.

Future is bright

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I think even with Laine, unless more moves come, 1st overall is more likely than a playoff spot.

 

[Mudz]

It's definitely possible. Especially with the Metro leaving the 2 WC spots open.

Goalies worry me tho. If NJ could go +124 in goal differential over a year, I believe MTL can do 60

 

[Milhouse40]

Health is the biggest factor...

But with the addition of Laine, I'm that much more confident that with a middle of the pack or better injury affected season, we will be in the mix all year and likely squeeze in to a WC spot.

If we have a top tier season health wise, we might well be a lock.

Outsiders and fans alike are seriously underestimating the impact of roster consistency like we have heading into the season. That, plus a core that is a strong bet to be better this year than last given its age & development stage, and we have the recipe to be that 1-2 teams that greatly surpass pres season expectations.

Future is bright

Health is everything, this should be the top 6 if healthy.

Slafkovsky (2022 1st overall) - Suzuki (2017 13th overall) - Caufield (2019 15th overall)
Newhook (2019 16th overall) - Dach (2019 3rd overall) - Laine (2016 2nd Overall)

In term of pure offensive skills.....this has the potential to be the best top 6 in the last 15 years.
Add Hutson to the mix on the PP, we have the players to have one of the most leathal PP in the NHL.

But then again....health is everything.

 

[Darz]

If the Habs stay healthy, and goaltending can be on par or better than last year, they make the playoffs.
Forward group is way better….basically adding 2 top 6 players (Laine and Dach). Slaf and Caufield gonna have better years than last year. Power play gonna be way better with Laine and Hutson. Defence should better with just the added experience.

 

[habamillions]

I say they will end up about 6-8 points out of playoff spot. Ultimately it will come down to health. Which this team is always top 5 in. Then whether monty and primeau can handle a full season

 

[TRG]

If the Habs stay healthy, and goaltending can be on par or better than last year, they make the playoffs.
Forward group is way better….basically adding 2 top 6 players (Laine and Dach). Slaf and Caufield gonna have better years than last year. Power play gonna be way better with Laine and Hutson. Defence should better with just the added experience.

Defence will suffer less if we have better forwards, that keep the puck further away from our zone.

 

[the valiant effort]

Division contenders. No one in the Atlantic can compete with their depth at each position, namely down the middle with Big Dicholas and Kirby “The Tripod” Dach

Not to mention Monty is out for blood this year, looking for Swayman’s 10 millie next contract

 

[Treb]

We will rank 7-12 in the east.

 

[le_sean]

The team still f***ing sucks, adding Patrik Laine does not move us out of bottom 5 lol

They are also adding Dach. Him and Laine alone are a good 2nd line. This isn’t a bottom 5 team anymore

 

[BJCOLLINS]

Yup…Move Get Out The Way!!!

Our first move to restore bleu-blanc-rouge dominance is for the kids to shock & surprise the league…..

 

[JIMVINNY]

The Habs were a one line team most of last year, and for the first third of the season, even the top line struggled with consistency. This year, the top line should hit the ground running, and if Gallagher, Newhook. and Armia keep up their solid play, the third line is set. If Laine and Dach gel with a guy like Roy, all of a sudden we have a very respectable second line as well. Put the scraps together for a fourth line of Dvorak, Evans, and Anderson, and while we'll probably scream in frustration with the chances Anderson will flub, they will be very effective as a fourth line, at both ends of the ice. That's a playoff-worthy forward roster, as long as not everyone slumps at the same time.

I'm a little less confident in the defense, but it's not all bad. Matheson-Guhle is a respectable first pairing. Hutson-Savard will let Lane get minutes alongside a very steadying hand, and Xhekaj-Reinbacher/Barron/Mailloux (depending on camp) gives us a young but promising third pair. This defense corp is definitely leaning into the idea of getting the puck out fast/ so forward support in the dzone is going to be important. We might not (probably won't) have the best GAA in the league, but this defense will put up a lot of points as well.

Speaking of GAA, neither of Monty or Primeau are elite. And that's okay. Habs recently had one of the best goalies of all time for a decade+, and all that got us was a decade+ delay to the rebuild we so desperately needed. Don't get me wrong, Price is my guy. I'm furious that we're going to have the team he deserved, but only because he suffered a career-ending injury. I hope they keep him around in a position that will get him his name on the cup, because he deserves it. More than anyone, but I digress... Don't need an elite goalie. Need a good goalie who is reliable at worst, with occasional flashes of great. That's it. just keep cycling through good goalies as they come through the system. Let them go when they get expensive. Either of these two are capable of playing well enough to get into the playoffs.

Point being, I voted yes, I think the chances are greater than even that things go well enough for them to get a WC spot.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

They are also adding Dach. Him and Laine alone are a good 2nd line. This isn’t a bottom 5 team anymore

40 games of Dach doesn’t take us out of bottom 5

 

[le_sean]

40 games of Dach doesn’t take us out of bottom 5

Adding Dach and Laine doesn’t give the team 2 extra points? Because that’s all it would have taken to get out of the bottom 5.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

40 games of Dach doesn’t take us out of bottom 5

Dach missed the whole season. So it's a new 2/3 of a 2nd line. Should easily finish top 20.

 

[le_sean]

Dach missed the whole season. So it's a new 2/3 of a 2nd line. Should easily finish top 20.

They are trying to be funny by saying Dach will get hurt again. Low hanging fruit

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

They are trying to be funny by saying Dach will get hurt again. Low hanging fruit

I know but then why not say 10 games of Dach? I am not convinced Dach can play a full season but then who thought Monahan would ever play a full season again.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don’t think we’ll make the playoffs. But it wouldn’t shock me if we did. We have so much young talent in the lineup, we might pull it off.

 

[Rapala]

I know but then why not say 10 games of Dach? I am not convinced Dach can play a full season but then who thought Monahan would ever play a full season again.

I did because I payed attention to what Monahan said about his health and didn't doubt him like most people.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

They are trying to be funny by saying Dach will get hurt again. Low hanging fruit

I don’t think it’s funny at all actually, it’s quite concerning that he’s never played a full season at any level

Adding Dach and Laine doesn’t give the team 2 extra points? Because that’s all it would have taken to get out of the bottom 5.

Just semantics, bottom 5 bottom 6 what’s the difference

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

There's a chance for sure

- We are adding Dach, Laine, and Hutson to the roster. Each has the potential to have a big impact this season
- The pp should be much better
- The kids could take the next step
- The top line was elite in the 2nd half, and they could be elite for a full season now
- it would be pretty easy for Dvorak and Anderson to have much better season than last years, so that should help with depth scoring

I don't any of our players having major regression from last season. Savard is a possibility because of his age. Matheson could produce less pts, but that would more have to do with him getting less offensive oppurtinities because of Hutson than to do with declining as a player.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Not even close , that defense is putrid

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Not even close , that defense is putrid

Putrid? No.

Green? Yes. Very much so.

The upside is there. This isn’t Schlemko and company like we saw in 17-18. THAT was putrid.

 

[le_sean]

I don’t think it’s funny at all actually, it’s quite concerning that he’s never played a full season at any level


Just semantics, bottom 5 bottom 6 what’s the difference

The difference is you’re just moving the goalposts.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don’t think it’s funny at all actually, it’s quite concerning that he’s never played a full season at any level

It’s concerning that he’s missed a lot of hockey.

Sucks that he’s been hurt so much but his injury last year was unrelated and seems to have a high success rate. If it was the wrist I’d be far more concerned. I think he’s probably going to have a healthy year.

That being said, if he doesn’t… we’re probably looking for another center.