HF Habs: The official 2023-2024 tank thread

[Boss Man Hughes]

They suck defensively, their goaltending is trash again, and all their young players have taken a step back.

Last year, Tkachuk & Stutzle put up crazy offensive numbers. This year, they're not. Stutzle had 39g last year. He has 7g this year, and 34 pts. Tkachuk 28 pts. He had 83 pts last year.

Then add in they also lost offense due to the trade of Debrincat, which has not been replaced. Ottawa thought Norris coming back & Tarasenko would equal Debrincat. It's not happening.

They're simply not a good enough team defensively to lose all that offense. They won a ton of games last year due to their PP, then offense. They had the 8th best PP last year. This year, 9th worst PP, and they're behind Montreal in that category.

Last year, defense sucked, but offense & PP were great. This year, it all sucks.

DeBrincat had 66 pts. Tarasenko is on pace for 50+ pts. He and Norris should have easily replaced Debrincats pts. Terribel defensive play and goaltenders is a given. Offense should have been alright if the line combinations were good.

 

[Lshap]

Goals by Gallagher, Monahan and Armia added with Monty's performance... so good for the future.

Well... the better Monahan looks, the more Hughes may be able to get for him.

As for Montembeault, rather than look at him as a stopgap who's hurting the tank, it might be time to look at him as our #1A or #1B goalie. Reliable goalies are at a premium. Monty's not as replaceable as some think.

 

[Nicko999]

Well... the better Monahan looks, the more Hughes may be able to get for him.

As for Montembeault, rather than look at him as a stopgap who's hurting the tank, it might be time to look at him as our #1A or #1B goalie. Reliable goalies are at a premium. Monty's not as replaceable as some think.

The issue is that goaltending is literally the easiest position to fulfill. Monty was picked of waivers and there are plenty of elite goalies picked in later rounds so their values are shit. Only 4 or 5 most elite might return a 1st rounder. The rest you won't get a lot in a trade.
Speaking of which, I still cannot believe we drafted 3!!! goalies last year. Those are pretty much guaranteed 2/3 wasted picks. I knew the scouting team is shit but not to the point of wasting picks!

 

[The Great Weal]

You guys are really getting worked up over this lol. We aren't even halfway through the season, we will be bottom 7 pre lottery and I actually think we will be bottom 5.

 

[Runner77]

Does he have a point? Who knows what some other goalie may have done plus there is a lottery to contend with.

 

[McGees]

I'm fine with being in no man's land / fighting for a wild card next year....but PLEASE let us have one more high draft pick to get a core forward first!

I think we will be lucky to pick 8th right now, likely later.

 

[CAUFIELD]

Imagine we tank enough to get Demidov.. in 2 years , with Gallagher on LTIR

Caufield- Suzuki-Slaf
Newhook-Dach-Demidov
Roy- Beck- Anderson
Tuch- Evans - F Xhekaj

Ghule Reinbacher
Hutson Struble
Xhekaj Mailloux
Harris

Montambault
Dobes

 

[Gravity]

Does he have a point? Who knows what some other goalie may have done plus there is a lottery to contend with.

I agree 100% with McKenna. I don't dislike Monty as a player (instead think he's a great feel good story), I dislike him because I can't think of him as anything other than the waiver wire goalie who keeps sabotaging the rebuild.

 

[The Great Weal]

I agree 100% with McKenna. I don't dislike Monty as a player (instead think he's a great feel good story), I dislike him because I can't think of him as anything other than the waiver wire goalie who keeps sabotaging the rebuild.

So he's clearly not a waiver wire goalie if he's doing it for two seasons in a row. You can't say that Monty is a worthless plug but also say he's costing us two full seasons of the tank, it's contradictory.

 

[Gravity]

So he's clearly not a waiver wire goalie if he's doing it for two seasons in a row. You can't say that Monty is a worthless plug but also say he's costing us two full seasons of the tank, it's contradictory.

He hasn't held the starters workload in either season. I'll wait until he plays 60+ games a year. Plugs can also jeopardize the tank by getting hot in smaller sample sizes: Belzile is a great example. Either way, I didn't call him a plug so the point is moot.

 

[Sorinth]

The issue is that goaltending is literally the easiest position to fulfill. Monty was picked of waivers and there are plenty of elite goalies picked in later rounds so their values are shit. Only 4 or 5 most elite might return a 1st rounder. The rest you won't get a lot in a trade.
Speaking of which, I still cannot believe we drafted 3!!! goalies last year. Those are pretty much guaranteed 2/3 wasted picks. I knew the scouting team is shit but not to the point of wasting picks!

If it's an easy position to fulfill why do so many teams struggle to find quality goaltending?

 

[The Great Weal]

He hasn't held the starters workload in either season. I'll wait until he plays 60+ games a year. Plugs can also jeopardize the tank by getting hot: Belzile is a great example. Either way, I didn't call him a plug so the point is moot.

6 goalies in the league had over 60 games last season. It's not his fault we are doing a 3 goalie rotation.

Yes Belzile was a plug, it's why he's back in the AHL. You called monty a waiver-wire goalie, if you don't consider that a plug I'm not sure what is, but regardless you clearly don't think he's an above average NHLer if he's a waiver-wire goalie.

 

[McGees]

I'm comfortable picking anywhere in the top-7. Imo there are 5 forwards who can change our offense, and there should be at least 2 D in the mix before our pick.

Too bad I don't see us picking top 7

 

[Gravity]

6 goalies in the league had over 60 games last season. It's not his fault we are doing a 3 goalie rotation.

Yes Belzile was a plug, it's why he's back in the AHL. You called monty a waiver-wire goalie, if you don't consider that a plug I'm not sure what is, but regardless you clearly don't think he's an above average NHLer if he's a waiver-wire goalie.

I called him a waiver wire goalie because he was claimed off waivers. He's definitely improved since but I'm still not convinced he's an NHL starter.

 

[The Great Weal]

I called him a waiver wire goalie because he was claimed off waivers. He's definitely improved since but I'm still not convinced he's an NHL starter.

But what does that have to do anything with now? Is he playing like a waiver-wire goalie? No. Good players get picked up/clear waivers all the time. I mean look at Carter Verhaeghe.

 

[Gravity]

But what does that have to do anything with now? Is he playing like a waiver-wire goalie? No. Good players get picked up/clear waivers all the time. I mean look at Carter Verhaeghe.

It doesn't. Re-read my original text. I said I can't help but think of him as the waiver wire goalie who's gone on to sabotage the rebuild. He is a goalie that was claimed off waivers and has subsequently gone on to sabotage the rebuild. There's nothing debate worthy in that.

 

[The Great Weal]

It doesn't. Re-read my original text. I said I can't help but think of him as the waiver wire goalie who's gone on to sabotage the rebuild. He is a goalie that was claimed off waivers and has subsequently gone on to sabotage the rebuild. There's nothing debate worthy in that.

I mean you claimed that you think of him as the waiver wire goalie and the only valid reason for someone to think that is if they believe he is still playing like a waiver wire goalie. Him being on waivers is a thing of the past, and the state of the team's competitiveness has nothing to do with how good he is performing as an NHL player.

 

[McGees]

If it's an easy position to fulfill why do so many teams struggle to find quality goaltending?

cause they only offer 6th round picks for them apparently

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

The issue is that goaltending is literally the easiest position to fulfill. Monty was picked of waivers and there are plenty of elite goalies picked in later rounds so their values are shit. Only 4 or 5 most elite might return a 1st rounder. The rest you won't get a lot in a trade.
Speaking of which, I still cannot believe we drafted 3!!! goalies last year. Those are pretty much guaranteed 2/3 wasted picks. I knew the scouting team is shit but not to the point of wasting picks!

Gaolie is the HARDEST position to fil now. There are very very few good goaltenders in existence. Canada is developing none. And it is very difficult to evaluate goaltenders. So the only way is to draft several and hope for the best.

cause they only offer 6th round picks for them apparently

The reason they are getting nothing with 6ths is because there are so few of them.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

Too bad I don't see us picking top 7

View attachment 798310

Let's circle back in 1 month. Currently tied for 7th with all underlying numbers suggesting that we should be much worse. Regression has already started.

 

[McGees]

Let's circle back in 1 month. Currently tied for 7th with all underlying numbers suggesting that we should be much worse. Regression has already started.

It's an argument I hope to lose.
But I've been saying all year 8-12.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

It's an argument I hope to lose.
But I've been saying all year 8-12.

As much as I've been cheering for the tank all year, I think in the end it won't matter that much. There's at least 5 forwards worth picking, and others will rise. The number of D available is encouraging as well.

Look at the past 4-5 drafts, there's definitely a way to draft an elite player at 8-12, provided we make the right pick. Demidov and Catton may very well be this year's Michkov and Benson.

Also, I think the scouting staff (rightly or wrongly) really like "their guy". i.e. they might make the same selection at 6 as they would at 11.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I can't believe freaking Calgary lost to the Blackhawks! Almost their entire top 6 is injured, including Bedard, Hall, Raddysh, Beauvillier & Foligno.

Calgary's loss means Montreal passes them based on games played. Ugh.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I'm very confident that Habs will be at bottom 5-10 by the end of the season.

Will always be surprised with the lottery day. Soo I'm happy that Habs will pick high again.

The most encouraging thing so far in this year is the progression of Slaf, right now we all see a top line player play. Struble is very very good so far and Montembeault play like a true #1. Big surprise to me is Monty, he is very very good goalie!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Let's circle back in 1 month. Currently tied for 7th with all underlying numbers suggesting that we should be much worse. Regression has already started.

Again, I always cheer for us when we play. But that would’ve been a nice loss.