HF Habs: The official 2023-2024 tank thread

[JoelWarlord]

Can a 2nd line centered by Newhook be reasonably successful,

IMO no unless Slafkovsky has like 60+ points this year and becomes the key driver because he could plausibly offer the size/cycle play that Newhook would need. Otherwise though I just think they're going to be way too one dimensional and reliant on rush scoring. Monahan helps but we can't really count on him being healthy and we kinda don't have an Andrew Shaw right now even if we wanted to try recreating the Drouin-Domi-Shaw sheltered offensive rush scoring line with Newhook at C.

a ie Newhook having 55ish points, and his wingers being say 20 goal scorers?

FWIW I do think these specific numbers are plausible. Mainly because now Dach is gone from PP1 and Newhook is the obvious next guy up that will benefit, and if his wingers are two of Slafkovsky, Monahan, and Anderson I could plausibly see two of those guys putting up 20G in 2nd line minutes.

Overall though I think that would be more of a thing where Newhook just gets PP numbers and that line isn't super effective at evens, combined with the reality that even a miserable 32nd place team is still going to have around 200 goals and SOMEONE needs to score.

 

[ReHabs]

I find that when you make the right decisions and plan correctly, things tend to go your way, exponentially.

Conversely, when you make dumb decisions, like prioritizing WiNniNg CuLtUrE over properly tanking or drafting talented players, things start to go wrong for you... also exponentially.

I don't know if it's karma, but it's definitely some rule of the universe related to the manufacturing of your own destiny.

I am always against tanking but that first firesale should’ve been a proper firesale. When bozo Hughes didn’t trade Anderson it was a sign we were going down the middle road.

Not tanking properly, not building, not doing anything.

Sure enough…

 

[austin316]

This is really unfortunate for Dach’s development, but the silver lining might be we properly do a rebuild now.

I’d be looking to maximize the value of Monahan, Savard, and Anderson this deadline to acquire more picks. Should be able to get a late first for Monahan, a couple seconds for Savard, and a decent haul for Anderson if we go down that path.

 

[Sorinth]

IMO no unless Slafkovsky has like 60+ points this year and becomes the key driver because he could plausibly offer the size/cycle play that Newhook would need. Otherwise though I just think they're going to be way too one dimensional and reliant on rush scoring. Monahan helps but we can't really count on him being healthy and we kinda don't have an Andrew Shaw right now even if we wanted to try recreating the Drouin-Domi-Shaw sheltered offensive rush scoring line with Newhook at C.

FWIW I do think these specific numbers are plausible. Mainly because now Dach is gone from PP1 and Newhook is the obvious next guy up that will benefit, and if his wingers are two of Slafkovsky, Monahan, and Anderson I could plausibly see two of those guys putting up 20G in 2nd line minutes.

Overall though I think that would be more of a thing where Newhook just gets PP numbers and that line isn't super effective at evens, combined with the reality that even a miserable 32nd place team is still going to have around 200 goals and SOMEONE needs to score.

I mean we haven't really had a team that could generate offence off the cycle in 20+ years so it's hard to buy the argument that not having one now due to Dach's injury means we go straight to being a bottom-5 team.

If we are getting the production mentioned from our 2nd line on top of Suzuki/Caufield being healthy it's hard to imagine us somehow being worse then last year where we only had a single player over 40 points. Now if other injuries start to pile up sure that will become a big problem, but the question was about whether we could handle a single injury to Dach, which we likely can, if multiple key players go down then yeah we can't handle that.

 

[The Great Weal]

We were gonna suck balls with or without Dach, the real issue is how this will affect his career. A 6’4 talented physical center that has 2nd line upside isn’t exactly easy to find.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Good thing we drafted a forward this year

oh wait , let's draft another dman

 

[Redux91]

Silver linings :
-Better draft pick
-And, it may Kickstart sooner than planned the need to trade for another top 6 forward with all the ammo we have, it's time to start targeting potential real candidates
So be it

 

[Ezpz]

TBH if Dach is having his career altered we suddenly need to rebuild a lot longer than just this year. We have zero notable forward prospects and without Dach we have 2 top six players and 3 question marks. I don't think Slaf or Newhook look as good sans Dach.

 

[zx81]

I don't think Slaf or Newhook look as good sans Dach.

Slaf played his best NHL game while playing with Dach and looked a bit lost Saturday without him.
I thought Newhook still looked good without Dach Saturday though.

 

[morhilane]

Slaf played his best NHL game while playing with Dach and looked a bit lost Saturday without him.
I thought Newhook still looked good without Dach Saturday though.

Slaf has looked fine playing with Newhook, Monahan and RHP in pre-season/season. It's mostly Anderson that confuse him on both side of the ice.

 

[Seven7]

Celebrate 4 Celebrini

 

[Team_Spirit]

Celebrate 4 Celebrini

Best I can do is an European currently unranked.

Enjoy le tank

 

[Twisted Sinister]

I am always against tanking but that first firesale should’ve been a proper firesale. When bozo Hughes didn’t trade Anderson it was a sign we were going down the middle road.

Not tanking properly, not building, not doing anything.

Sure enough…

Yes indeed, sir. Not trading Allen and then resigning him. Not playing Primeau at all. Refusing to trade Anderson for a first + (allegedly), bringing your first overall up to the main team because of optics and then giving him no puck touches because MSL had to Coach Bombay and win as many games as possible. Playing Caufield while he was injured. Playing Monahan while he was injured. Playing Suzuki while he was injured.

Lots of fun things.

 

[Gustave]

Silver linings :
-Better draft pick
-And, it may Kickstart sooner than planned the need to trade for another top 6 forward with all the ammo we have, it's time to start targeting potential real candidates
So be it

Let’s have fun; gimme your list!

I’ll start and ignite the war; Lafreniere.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I see because of that idiotic Bergevin everyone is much my skeptical and it's as it should be.

Gorton, Hughes and Co. have done some good, but they've done some bad and it's pretty clear there isn't an actual agenda ro suck absolute ass.

Whether that's purely on Molson, or the new regime agreed or suggested this was better.

Too many down the middle moves. It sucks to lose Dach for a long time, but the injuries might save this team to getting the top end talent they don't have.

 

[SlafySZN]

Slaf played his best NHL game while playing with Dach and looked a bit lost Saturday without him.
I thought Newhook still looked good without Dach Saturday though.

Slaf looked fine, it's a little confusing having his linemate change every shift but he did some great plays, one i can remember with suzuki and newhook and another great pass to newhook. But with Dach it's easier for everyone because Dach is so good at forechecking and keep the puck in the o zone so Slaf could get more touches.

 

[JoelWarlord]

This whole idea that we're not actually tanking or did too many middle ground moves is very strange to me. This team has finished 32nd and 28th in consecutive years and are in tough to finish higher than 28th this year. The only roster players we've traded for have either been cap dumps, Matheson who was somewhat a cap dump type of move, and 20/21 year olds. The only inherited veterans left are Gallagher, Anderson, Dvorak, and Savard. Hardly some murderer's row.

Chicago didn't trade Jones, Johnson, or Athanasiou, Anaheim didn't trade Henrique, Fowler, Shattenkirk, or Silfverberg, etc, and I don't think our veterans are any better than those guys. RHP scoring at a 40G pace, Belzile producing at a 40P pace after Dach/Caufield got hurt last year, and an AHL scrub goalie like Montembeault getting hot is not evidence of the team "not tanking". Are we even talking about any of this if the Montembeault hot streak comes two years ago and we pick 5th in 2022 and 1st in 2023?

I guess what I'd say is I think this upcoming season is going to dispel the notion that David Savard or Josh f***ing Anderson is too good to tank with, if 22-23 somehow didn't completely demolish that idea.

 

[rahad]

Good thing we drafted a forward this year

oh wait , let's draft another dman

This year draft has multiple Dman in the top 15....

 

[rahad]

Glad everyone could make it , tanking is BACK on the menu!!

It only took us 2 games to be back in the tank! We had back to back record breaking injury season .

Are we going for the 3 peat?

 

[Habbietat]

I honestly dont know what their plan is to find offensive talent, the only reasonable way is UFA, no one is going to trade it, Peterson and Nylander obvious ones, any other? I can see this turning very quickly on them if Cooley goes off this year and some of the other talent starts to come into the league while were looking at a 65 top point producer throughout the entire team

 

[McGees]

Sorry folks - we still aren't gonna be tankalicious without Dach.
bottom 10 perhaps but too much mojo for a proper tank.
I think Crapitals are poised for a bottom 3 finish tho.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Nothing ain't stopping this tank! (Aside of San Jose)

 

[The Real Timo]

So tank is back on? Yes?

How lovely. TBH team did t look like anything changed with Dach in the lineup either. So… moar winning culture, more pulling an occasional win out of their ass, moar needlessnpiints, moar useless picks. I’m stocked!

 

[Colezuki]

All aboard, I thought I’d get to enjoy hockey until at least Christmas this year

 

[ReHabs]

I honestly dont know what their plan is to find offensive talent, the only reasonable way is UFA, no one is going to trade it, Peterson and Nylander obvious ones, any other? I can see this turning very quickly on them if Cooley goes off this year and some of the other talent starts to come into the league while were looking at a 65 top point producer throughout the entire team

Hughes was recently interviewed and he admitted there is no plan. He just has to acquire high-end talent whenever he can, if ever.

We don't know if Caufield is a 70pt sniper or a 90pt sniper. We don't know if Suzuki is a 65pt C or a 80pt C. We don't know if Newhook is a 40pt middle6 player or a 60pt+ player. We don't know about Dach. And we definitely don't know about Slafkovsky.