Poll: Based on the first 14 games, Where do you think we finish now?

[Habs Halifax]

Now that we have seen the first 14 games, does the Habs play on the ice change your prediction on where we will finish? Took us 33 games to get our 7th win last year.

A few areas of context:

* Record from Oct to Dec 31 last season was 7-22-4 (33 games)
* Record after 14 games last season was 3-10-1
* Record so far this season after 14 games is 7-6-1

* PP% from Oct to Dec 31 last season: 11.3%
* PP% after 14 games last season: 12.8%
* PP% after 14 games this season: 15.8%

* PK% from Oct to Dec 31 last season: 71.2%
* PK% after 14 games last season: 68.6%
* PK% after 14 games this season: 81.6%

* 70 goals for and 118 goals against (Oct to Dec 31)
* 28 goals for and 48 goals against (first 14 games last season)
* 41 goals for and 44 goals against (first 14 games this season)

Click to read more...

 

[Canadienna]

Our goaltending should get worse, but I think our secondary scoring and team D should get better.

I'm predicting somewhere around 25th.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

No mans land because that is our lot in life

 

[The Great Weal]

Still bottom 5. That first line looks legit but it falls off a cliff after that. The defense has been excellent, especially in the transition game, which I don't think will last for the whole season. The goalies have been lights out which I also doubt will last for long.

 

[the]

I went from thinking bottom 5 to bottom 10 now.

 

[yianik]

I was going to vote bottom 6-10. we are doing better than that and Matheson will be back at some point, and the young guys are solid. However, then I thought that the young guys will no doubt start tiring out as their bodies are not used to the grind of the NHL. So I said bottom 5. by the sounds of it in terms of the draft, if we finish bottom 6, we get a great pick. and maybe even if we are bottom 8, we might be able to trade our way into a higher pick, depending on other teams think about the players left.,

 

[Licou]

I am leaning somewhere in the bottom 10.. with bottom 5 not out of the question.

Things are certainly going well, but with such a young team, there should be periods of pain as the season progress.

 

[1909]

Still 68 games to go. Anything can happen. Like injuries to key players as we are used to see in the last few seasons. Other teams are probably noticing how Habs are performing right now and will be ready to face them in the last half of the season. So, It's very hard to forecast where they gonna finish. Probably NOT bottom 5. Other teams are already in deep mud and will stay down there until the end.

Our D is way better than expected, but experience is thin. Goalies are performing quite well. But they are on any other teams #2 and #3 depth goalies.

 

[malton]

Hoping for bottom 5, but looks like 6-10.

 

[Sorinth]

Before the season I said 8-12 from the bottom, still think it's a pretty good guess but I wasn't expecting the young D to be as good as they have been so we could very well end up being in the wildcard race all year.

 

[PavelBrendl]

I’ll say bottom 6-10.

Suzuki - Caufield - Dach is emerging as a true #1 line, which this team hasn’t had for a long time. However, 1 line can only carry a team so far. They’re followed by a glut of complementary players who are paid like top 6ers. Love Slaf, but he’s got a lot of growing to do.

I believe the D is extremely flawed, but for the most part have looked better than they are. Love Guhle and Xhekaj, but they along with most of the D core on the whole are woefully inexperienced, and I expect the cracks to show in the back half of the season.

I also believe that the goaltending will regress. It’s hard to believe Monty will play like this all year.

I’m really happy with what some young players are showing and how much progress they’re making, but it’s a pretty poorly-constructed team for the most part.

 

[26Mats]

No mans land because that is our lot in life

If we're out of the playoffs, it will be interesting if Hughes will be a major seller and how much that affects where we end up finishing.

 

[waitin425]

Unfortunately we just fail to make the playoffs and Florida will make it.

We will have picks 15 and 22. Or something like that.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Our goaltending should get worse, but I think our secondary scoring and team D should get better.

I'm predicting somewhere around 25th.

Goaltending and team D go hand and hand. So if our goaltending gets worse, it's likely due to what happens in front of them.

If we're out of the playoffs, it will be interesting if Hughes will be a major seller and how much that affects where we end up finishing.

Hughes (hope he is listening) will sell regardless of where we are in the standings. I think the most important part is sticking with a plan and staying on it.

 

[Canadienna]

Goaltending and team D go hand and hand. So if our goaltending gets worse, it's likely due to what happens in front of them.

They affect eachother sure, but as we've seen having two of the best goalies in GSAE, they can change independently of eachother.

I don't expect either goalie to maintain their insane pace.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Still 68 games to go. Anything can happen. Like injuries to key players as we are used to see in the last few seasons. Other teams are probably noticing how Habs are performing right now and will be ready to face them in the last half of the season. So, It's very hard to forecast where they gonna finish. Probably NOT bottom 5. Other teams are already in deep mud and will stay down there until the end.

Our D is way better than expected, but experience is thin. Goalies are performing quite well. But they are on any other teams #2 and #3 depth goalies.

This is true but it took us 33 games to get 7 wins last year. I said this is not likely to happen again (all summer long).

I expect us to be in between the .400 - .500 winning %. Above .500%? That will be better than what I expected.

They affect eachother sure, but as we've seen having two of the best goalies in GSAE, they can change independently of eachother.

I don't expect either goalie to maintain their insane pace.

It will be a team accomplishment or failure. Hockey is not about individuals for the most part.

 

[Habs Halifax]

No mans land because that is our lot in life

Maybe Gorton/Hughes/MSL bring in a different type of energy/luck. Regardless of what anybody says, luck is a factor.

I'm hoping the Panthers finish 12th last (win the 2nd lottery) and the Habs finish 7th or 8th last and win the 1st lottery. Dreaming yeah but it's possible.

All I will say is it would not feel very good to get obsessed with a bottom 5 finish as fans and someone wins the lottery from the 7/8/9 spot where we finished 5th last.

 

[Habs]

we've mostly played awful hockey teams , what a stupid schedule. That Toronto team was hot garbage to start the year. they Arizona and the Penguins who have been brutal. Wins against the blues and sabres, wings were all well deserved, but then the Canucks walk in and its another win.

We really have played 3 good teams thus far, wait till we start playing some solid clubs on occassion and see where we stand. The losses are going to start piling up to be sure.

This is a dream schedule for Montreal, nothing mostly bad teams through Dec

 

[Stive Morgan]

Even though the team has improved, especially the youth, I still think we're overachieving right now and will come back to Earth soon. We can't have the first line win every game for us. Also we'll probably be a lot worse after the trade deadline. Probably finish like 6-15 unless we win the lottery again lol

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

The best-case scenario is us showing a ton of growth and finishing 11th last, but still winning the Bedard lottery. It's also the least likely scenario.

 

[Monsieur Miz]

I think we'll crash and burn in the second half.

 

[Paddyjack]

We will eventually sell some assets (Monahan, Edmunson, etc) which in the long run will hurt the team in the last half, so 6-10 bottom at best

 

[GrandBison]

Even though the team has improved, especially the youth, I still think we're overachieving right now and will come back to Earth soon. We can't have the first line win every game for us. Also we'll probably be a lot worse after the trade deadline. Probably finish like 6-15 unless we win the lottery again lol

That's unusual in Montreal but that's what some winning teams do. Look at Carolina, they have a 3 pts second line center.

I personnally think we'll be in the 22-18 range by the end of the year, with around 85 pts.

 

[Kennerback]

We’re bad enough for playoffs to be out of the question, but good enough to not get a good lottery slot.

 

[26Mats]

Goaltending and team D go hand and hand. So if our goaltending gets worse, it's likely due to what happens in front of them.



Hughes (hope he is listening) will sell regardless of where we are in the standings. I think the most important part is sticking with a plan and staying on it.

I doubt he sells if we're in a playoff race. But I hope I'm wrong - and I hope we're not in a playoff race to begin with.