Pre-Game Talk: Red Wings @ Canadiens, Dec 21st 7pm ET

[schwang26]

Monty can't play all the remaining games until the end of the season. There is like 10 back-to-backs left and Habs basically play one game every other day starting in January until April outside the 4 Nations two weeks off...where Monty might be playing games anyway.

Habs will be out of a goalie by mid-January if they don't play a backup once in a while.

They may just end up keeping Primeau and letting him walk. We may be talking, what, another dozen games he could play anyway? He’s bound to win some and they aren’t making the playoffs anyway. Either that, or they send him down and call Hughes up. It’s unlikely they find a trading partner unless another team wants to shore up their ahl goaltending.

Give me my Laine goal!

Even strength this time please!

 

[WeThreeKings]

I think we can draw parallels with the red wings and Larkin to Suzuki and the Habs. I imagine the red wings look at Larkin as the oldest peice of their young core much like Suzuki in montreal. Perhaps the wings started feeling a couple years ago when Larkin was in his 26 year old season that they need to accelerate things in order to time it with the prime of a core peice. Their execution was poor but I would be able to understand what they were trying to do.

Suzuki will be 26 next year, so it will be a similar situation for montreal. I'm not saying the Habs are going to make moves thinking they need to win a cup right at that moment, but they might feel the need to turn a corner at that point where progression will also include more emphasis on wins and losses.

As long as they are targeting actual upgrades rather than filling the line up with Holl, Chiarot, Copp, Perron, etc.

 

[BLONG7]

I think we can draw parallels with the red wings and Larkin to Suzuki and the Habs. I imagine the red wings look at Larkin as the oldest peice of their young core much like Suzuki in montreal. Perhaps the wings started feeling a couple years ago when Larkin was in his 26 year old season that they need to accelerate things in order to time it with the prime of a core peice. Their execution was poor but I would be able to understand what they were trying to do.

Suzuki will be 26 next year, so it will be a similar situation for montreal. I'm not saying the Habs are going to make moves thinking they need to win a cup right at that moment, but they might feel the need to turn a corner at that point where progression will also include more emphasis on wins and losses.

Suzuki and CC have both said, they want to start winning!! Going to the Cup Final is their motivation which is great...................we now have a TEAM trying to get there, and not a team carried by CP31.
The comparison between Suzuki and Larkin are very accurate...............good post.

 

[morhilane]

They may just end up keeping Primeau and letting him walk. We may be talking, what, another dozen games he could play anyway? He’s bound to win some and they aren’t making the playoffs anyway. Either that, or they send him down and call Hughes up. It’s unlikely they find a trading partner unless another team wants to shore up their ahl goaltending.


Even strength this time please!

I think letting Primeau walk was always the plan or to trade him at the deadline if he looked
passable. But they need to play him once in a while, just so Monty isn't physically done by February.
And there is that Monty was replaced more often than Primeau this season (4 to 1).

Dobes should be the back-up next year and Fowler will be Laval new starter if all goes well.

 

[JuicyHam]

Even strength this time please!

It would be much funnier if he scored like 30+ goals all on the powerplay

 

[HabbyGuy]

As long as they are targeting actual upgrades rather than filling the line up with Holl, Chiarot, Copp, Perron, etc.

I think Demidov is going to make a very tangible difference next season, it's unfortunate Reinbacher lost a year of development due to his injury otherwise I'd think we were in much better shape rebuild wise in regards to Larkin and Suzuki at their respective ages.

Hopefully Dach can get back to where he was before his injury, if he does we're even farther ahead imo. There's absolutely no reason to be looking for filler at this time, especially of the ilk you mentioned here in your post.

If we can find a center that works for us with all our trade capital, that's fine. I truly believe Hage has what it takes to be that guy in the future, but we're going to need a bridge until he gets here, (if Dach is infact incapable) Other than that, just keep with the plan.

Don't rush it. A backup goaltender and perhaps one more veteran D to make Matheson expendable, that's it.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Continue....

Primeau?
Montembeault?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think we can draw parallels with the red wings and Larkin to Suzuki and the Habs. I imagine the red wings look at Larkin as the oldest peice of their young core much like Suzuki in montreal. Perhaps the wings started feeling a couple years ago when Larkin was in his 26 year old season that they need to accelerate things in order to time it with the prime of a core peice. Their execution was poor but I would be able to understand what they were trying to do.

Suzuki will be 26 next year, so it will be a similar situation for montreal. I'm not saying the Habs are going to make moves thinking they need to win a cup right at that moment, but they might feel the need to turn a corner at that point where progression will also include more emphasis on wins and losses.

I haven't followed Detroit's rebuild closely and can't really comment on how they're doing.

What I'll say about our rebuild is that Hughes has done a really good job of stockpiling picks/prospects. Not all have worked out but that's okay, some have. Hutson is the best example but we got Hage from a couple of rebuild trades as well. It makes such a difference if you embrace the rebuild, leverage cap space and take on bad contracts for picks. Hughes has done all of this really well.

Even if you make a mistake at the draft table, even if you make a mistake on a trade... it's all good if you're stockpiling picks. Some are going to work out for you.