HF Habs: The official 2023-2024 tank thread

[HuGort]

The Habs are in 9th right now but three teams (Coyotes, Wild, and Senators) behind them have games in hand. I suspect Newhook's return won't completely compensate for Monahan's departure and HuGo will make a few TDL trades that will further weaken the team. My gut tells me the Habs will finish between 5th and 7th.

(N.B. seeing as I suck with predictions, the Habs will finish in the last wildcard spot and make it all the way to the SC finals.)

It's pretty rare to get a crack at a Michkov or lesser extent a Leonard in the draft. They not many in draft and you have to be drafting real early. That ship has likely sailed in Montreal

 

[montreal]

I said last week this is going to be a tough spot for the tank as after Dallas you are at home vs blues, ducks, sabers, yotes, caps. Ouch. On the road this month it's just NYR, Panthers, NJ and Pitt. So I would think they lose 3 of the 4 but the home games are a big concern but after that Yotes game at the end of the month things get tougher.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I said last week this is going to be a tough spot for the tank as after Dallas you are at home vs blues, ducks, sabers, yotes, caps. Ouch. On the road this month it's just NYR, Panthers, NJ and Pitt. So I would think they lose 3 of the 4 but the home games are a big concern but after that Yotes game at the end of the month things get tougher.

At least trading Monahan early makes winning those games a little tougher than they would have been.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

How many goals in a season does Matthews have to score to gain respect from old curmudgeons like me and look passed him getting ragdolled in the playoffs like a doll and hanging out with bieber all the time 100 goals? 200?

 

[WeThreeKings]

How many goals in a season does Matthews have to score to gain respect from old curmudgeons like me and look passed him getting ragdolled in the playoffs like a doll and hanging out with bieber all the time 100 goals? 200?

He could score 100 goals he will revert into a Pacioretty level player in the playoffs.

 

[Tuggy]

Jets have been cursed by the Forum ghosts. Major losing streak incoming.

 

[Riggins]

I'm not really feeling the angst to finish as low as possible like I was last year. Increasing the Celebrini odds is nice but it's pretty minimal between 5th and 9th (8.5% to 5%).

Lindstrom, Demidov, Eiserman, Catton, Helenius... the guy picked last amongst them could easily end up better than the one picked first. Iginla is a solid option too.

On another note, Winnipeg free fall here we come! Would be nice to end up with a low 20s pick there.

 

[montreal]

I'm not really feeling the angst to finish as low as possible like I was last year. Increasing the Celebrini odds is nice but it's pretty minimal between 5th and 9th (8.5% to 5%).

Lindstrom, Demidov, Eiserman, Catton, Helenius... the guy picked last amongst them could easily end up better than the one picked first. Iginla is a solid option too.

On another note, Winnipeg free fall here we come! Would be nice to end up with a low 20s pick there.

I thought it was silly last year, it's completely out of your control so why focus on it so much, the Habs could have done things to help themselves more but are still trying to keep current players happy. There are so many factors and variables that fans just can't know that goes on behind the scenes.

The concern for me is still the drafting and development, while clearly things are much better development wise under MSL/Hughes then any other Habs HC for the past 20+ years, it still remains to be seen good or bad as enough time just hasn't passed yet. As long as they are making good picks and doing a much better job developing, things should start to look a good bit better in the next 2-3 years. If not then we got problems.

 

[McGees]

Flames win but Devils, Caps (and soon Yotes) lose.
I'm telling ya, Caps are coming in hot for that 6th pick.

 

[Runner77]

I thought it was silly last year, it's completely out of your control so why focus on it so much, the Habs could have done things to help themselves more but are still trying to keep current players happy. There are so many factors and variables that fans just can't know that goes on behind the scenes.

The concern for me is still the drafting and development, while clearly things are much better development wise under MSL/Hughes then any other Habs HC for the past 20+ years, it still remains to be seen good or bad as enough time just hasn't passed yet. As long as they are making good picks and doing a much better job developing, things should start to look a good bit better in the next 2-3 years. If not then we got problems.

Since this is supposed to be a scouting contingent that has seen the infusion of new personnel and certainly, new heads of scouting, the recent emergence of Slaf (small sample size and all, hoping it continues), is highly encouraging. Looking forward to Reinbacher.

Jury is still out on the likes of Barron and Newhook, but we won't know for some time yet, how astute those acquisitions really were. We're still too early in management's tenure, obviously.

Same with development but the steps taken so far appear to be more persuasive than whatever the previous regime was doing. Obviously, more of a track record is needed and as fans, we do tend to pass judgment without caveats and more to your point, we also tend to over-react to things we have no control over.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Yotes are back to sucking. They'll use up one of their games in hand tonight. One point back, one game in hand.

Caps used up one in their loss too. One point up, one game in hand now.

Islanders win puts them 4 pts up.

Devils win puts them 3 pts up on Montreal with a game in hand.


Winnipeg's loss, coupled with Carolina's win means Carolina is only 2 pts back of the Peg, but Jets have a game in hand.

 

[Riggins]

Flames win but Devils, Caps (and soon Yotes) lose.
I'm telling ya, Caps are coming in hot for that 6th pick.

Probably 5th. They are so bad. Look at their upcoming schedule too, it's a gauntlet. They will be well below .500 in no time. We're definitely passing Washington.

 

[WinterLion]

Yotes are back to sucking. They'll use up one of their games in hand tonight. One point back, one game in hand.

Caps used up one in their loss too. One point up, one game in hand now.

Islanders win puts them 4 pts up.

Devils win puts them 3 pts up on Montreal with a game in hand.


Winnipeg's loss, coupled with Carolina's win means Carolina is only 2 pts back of the Peg, but Jets have a game in hand.

How does it work for picks? Would Jets need to win their division in order to trump other teams with higher points?

 

[Sorinth]

More so then previous years I think the tank focus needs to be on the teams above us and not as much on the teams below us. Washington, Calgary, and Seattle are as big of a concern as Minnesota, Arizona, Buffalo.

If the goal is a top-10 pick, then there's basically 7-8 teams fighting for 5 spots.

 

[Gravity]

This draft is loaded with so many good D that it repeatedly raises the question of why we didn't go F last year and D this year instead.

 

[rahad]

We have to watch out for Washington and Arizona for the bottom 5-8 finish....

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This draft is loaded with so many good D that it repeatedly raises the question of why we didn't go F last year and D this year instead.

We felt RB was BPO.

 

[RationalExpectations]

This draft is loaded with so many good D that it repeatedly raises the question of why we didn't go F last year and D this year instead.

First it s hard to know what you ll get from one year to the next, given the fact that some players drop during their draft year see Kiviharju this year. Also if the Habs end up with 6OA I prefer any of the forward available there (e.g. Catton Helenius Iginla maybe even Demidov Eiserman) to Leonard or Dvorsky last year to be frank.

 

[Draft]

This draft is loaded with so many good D that it repeatedly raises the question of why we didn't go F last year and D this year instead.

You draft what’s in front of you. Trying to “strategize” based on a full year of development for kids this age and a league with this much parity is asinine. It can happen with other sports but it just doesn’t make sense for hockey. Outside of Dickinson and Levshunov, there are some big question marks. Draft day last year Kiviharju and Mews were still considered top-10 players and there’s a fairly strong chance neither will be taken in the 1st this year.

 

[Lshap]

Packed in tight between the 6th and 10th spot. I'm looking at the teams immediately in our way – Arizona, Minnesota, Buffalo and Ottawa – and started humming them like a Gilbert & Sullivan number:

Arizona, Minnesota, Buffalo and Ottawa
Kindly win some games and let the Habs out-tank the lot of ya'

 

[Naslundforever]

Del. Still no hockey today.

 

[Milhouse40]

This draft is loaded with so many good D that it repeatedly raises the question of why we didn't go F last year and D this year instead.

Cause it wasn't written in the sky that we would get another top 10 this year....

 

[MarkovsKnee]

How does it work for picks? Would Jets need to win their division in order to trump other teams with higher points?

Yes, 32 & 31 are Stanley Cup finalists. 30 & 29 are the Conference finalists. Then division winners that did not make final four. Rest of playoff teams in descending order of points.

Currently, Winnipeg is not a division leader, as long as they don't go to final four, we should get picks 20-25, with 24-25 being the highest current probability.

 

[WinterLion]

Yes, 32 & 31 are Stanley Cup finalists. 30 & 29 are the Conference finalists. Then division winners that did not make final four. Rest of playoff teams in descending order of points.

Currently, Winnipeg is not a division leader, as long as they don't go to final four, we should get picks 20-25, with 24-25 being the highest current probability.

Amazing! A pick in the early 20's would be huge!!

 

[Gravity]

We felt RB was BPO.

Well obviously. Although they did admit to picking for need as well. The premise is that was an error.

First it s hard to know what you ll get from one year to the next, given the fact that some players drop during their draft year see Kiviharju this year. Also if the Habs end up with 6OA I prefer any of the forward available there (e.g. Catton Helenius Iginla maybe even Demidov Eiserman) to Leonard or Dvorsky last year to be frank.

Sure but it's quantity as well. There's like 8 defenceman in the top 15 this year. It was also labeled as a F heavy strong draft last year when we went for a dman.

You draft what’s in front of you. Trying to “strategize” based on a full year of development for kids this age and a league with this much parity is asinine. It can happen with other sports but it just doesn’t make sense for hockey. Outside of Dickinson and Levshunov, there are some big question marks. Draft day last year Kiviharju and Mews were still considered top-10 players and there’s a fairly strong chance neither will be taken in the 1st this year.

You are correct. Last year was labeled as a F heavy strong draft so clearly it's not entirely a case of playing the cards in front of you, especially when they admitted to drafting for need.

Cause it wasn't written in the sky that we would get another top 10 this year....

I mean it's very easy to ensure that without hurting the kids development.