General 2025 Off-Season Discussion Thread

[Sasha Orlov]

They desperately need to address their slow starts. During the broadcast they mentioned we only lead after the 1st period 17 times this season, which was the least in the league.

No idea what the solution to this is… but definitely true

 

[Seb]

I don't see how we can let Dvorak go. Finding both a 2C and a 3C will be hard. He should come back on a 1-2 years deal.

 

[Benstheman]

Do you watch hockey? What kind of a take is this? BTW, tons of non Habs fans on main board last night were commenting on his struggles, it's quite obvious when you stop giving the guy a free pass.

He made so many mistakes last night it was mind boggling, especially in the first 40 minutes of play. Yes, when he's on he looks good but the problem with him is you never know what you are going to get. As I said earlier, no contending team will want this guy on their top 4. The margin between winning and losing is too slim at that level.

Matheson should play max 20 minutes as a no.4 D.

The thing is, we already have Hutson and Guhle on the left side and desperately need a top 4 RHD. Matheson is the guy to replace to get what we need. He will be 32 when his contract ends. I mean I might be okay with extending him if there are not other options but frankly, he is the odd man out.

 

[The Last Red]

Evans isn't gaining 10 lbs at this point. Lol He's fine. He is what he is. He needs to keep working on his skating each summer now to not lose what speed he has as he moves into 30+ range.

Hutson: Shot! He needs to work on all aspects of it.

Slafkovsky: release & skating. Shot is heavy & decently accurate. His release is what is holding him back. Watch Matthews clips.

His skating is improved, but he needs to continue to work on his startups & keeping his feet moving in crowded areas. He kind of gets stalled in heavy areas, which imo is a skating issue and not an effort/soft issue that people call him out for.

Footwork & startups, young man!

Heineman: strength.

Guhle: strength & puck skills.

Xhekaj: skating - all aspects of it & puck skills.

Demidov: strength.

Newhook: accuracy! Holy f***, man! He should learn to PK. His speed needs to at least be used as a weapon. Not sure where he fits on this team.

--- --- ---

Caufield, Suzuki, Slafkovsky & Demidov all in top 6 next year.

Anderson, Gallagher, Evans & Heineman should all be in bottom 6.

Guhle, Hutson, Carrier & Xhekaj should all be back on D.

Montembeault & Dobes in net.


UFAS: Dvorak, Armia, Pezzetta - all let go.

Unknown futures: Laine, Newhook, Dach, Matheson & Struble. All can be moved.

AHL: Kapanen. Or moved.

Retired: Savard.

--- --- ---

For now:

Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
XXXXX - XXXXX - Demidov
Anderson - XXXXX - Gallagher
Heineman - Evans - XXXXX

Hutson - XXXXX
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - XXXXX

Montembeault
Dobes

Reinbacher will be one of the 3 right D next season, assuming his knee is okay. And I can see Beck or Florian here as well. Time to move on from Mikey Math and Yo-Elle and Dvorak, and probably one of Dach or Newhook.

 

[rik schau]

I don't see how we can let Dvorak go. Finding both a 2C and a 3C will be hard. He should come back on a 1-2 years deal.

If you were him,would you take a 1 or 2 year deal when you can get more?

 

[Captain97]

Out: Savard, Matheson, Armia, Pezzeta
In: Reinbacher, Top 4 RHD, 2nd line C, 2nd line W

We can fill in the bottom 6 with what we have

2nd line wing can be a next year issue. Laine is fine as a stop gap and if he gets healthy maybe he stays.

Acquiring two 2nd liners and a top 4 D can be too much in one offseason and Laine can be on our 2nd line another year.

 

[Benstheman]

I don't see how we can let Dvorak go. Finding both a 2C and a 3C will be hard. He should come back on a 1-2 years deal.

I wouldn't be against it. 2 years to give Beck time to become a solid bottom 6 center. 2 years 3 M$ per. No problem.

 

[Seb]

If you were him,would you take a 1 or 2 year deal when you can get more?

Definitely not! I do wonder if any team will be willing to give him 3+ years. I hope we don't.

 

[rik schau]

Definitely not! I do wonder if any team will be willing to give him 3+ years. I hope we don't.

He's 29, a UFA in the NHL. From seeing other signings over the years,3 plus would not take me by surprise.

 

[The Last Red]

Dvorak had a good two month run . . . in the 4 seasons he’s been here, and just before he hit UFA. Hmm. Interesting timing on his part.

 

[Habs Icing]

Do you watch hockey? What kind of a take is this? BTW, tons of non Habs fans on main board last night were commenting on his struggles, it's quite obvious when you stop giving the guy a free pass.

He made so many mistakes last night it was mind boggling, especially in the first 40 minutes of play. Yes, when he's on he looks good but the problem with him is you never know what you are going to get. As I said earlier, no contending team will want this guy on their top 4. The margin between winning and losing is too slim at that level.

Wrap this post up in a text message and send it to MSL because he doesn't agree with you.

 

[Egresch]

I'm seeing so many Habs fan on here criticizing Matheson.....what am I missing? I thought he generally played really well in the playoffs. Not afraid to attack in the offensive zone either, which outside of Hutson is rare for our defenders.

I personally definitely want him back.

I do not have a problem with Mathseon, but we need to continue development of our team. We have Hutson, Guhle who can both play top4 minutes on left side. Plus we have Xhekaj and Struble who can play 3LD role. On right side we only have Carrier and Reinbacher. We need one RHD NHLer and I would like one prospect as well. Someone who can replace Carrier as 3RD in the future.
Realistically, they will trade Struble in package for RHD and that is it.

 

[eklund the clown]

Well let's see here the 1st line is great .We have to get a 2nd line centre to play with Demidov and hopefully Dach is healthy and can fill the 2nd line .That leaves Newhook for the 3rd line centre along with Anderson and Heineman ? 4th line Evans and whoever is left . With Reinbacher back hopefully healthy i don't think we need anyone else on Defense . Laine,Dvorak,Armia and possibly Matheson should all be let go or traded .Did i miss anyone?

 

[The Last Red]

Well let's see here the 1st line is great .We have to get a 2nd line centre to play with Demidov and hopefully Dach is healthy and can fill the 2nd line .That leaves Newhook for the 3rd line centre along with Anderson and Heineman ? 4th line Evans and whoever is left . With Reinbacher back hopefully healthy i don't think we need anyone else on Defense . Laine,Dvorak,Armia and possibly Matheson should all be let go or traded .Did i miss anyone?

Newhook is not an NHL center . . . on any line.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

I'm seeing so many Habs fan on here criticizing Matheson.....what am I missing? I thought he generally played really well in the playoffs. Not afraid to attack in the offensive zone either, which outside of Hutson is rare for our defenders.

I personally definitely want him back.

I completely disagree. He was good defensively but he was complete garbage with the puck. I don't usually harp on the guy I don't think anyone can say he played really well. IMO he was carried by Carrier in the series

 

[Hacketts]

We lost. It's over. Boo-hoo. Now time to get back to work so the results will be different next season...

Personal work to be done...

X...work on your skating. Compared to Math and Hutson you're an oaf. So now use the next 4 months to get faster, to improve first step and edge work. If you don’t do that work, you will be left behind as the team gets better defenseman to pass you. When you're a number 6, it's basically a death sentence. A few boxing lessons won't hurt.

Hutson...you're not going to be elite with a muffin shot. Back in the Lemaire era, they practiced with steel pucks. 10 bucks and can be made in any machine shop. So work on you skating a bit and on your shot a LOT.

Demidov...210 lbs minimum, more like 220 and work on your skating and shot. They're good but not elite. You need the size and stregnth to be able to fight off defenseman who are going to hang on you to stop you.

Suzuki...nothing.

CC...skating. If you can improve that you can step up to elite class.

Slaf...you can't start the season 40 games in. Work on your conditioning and shot accuracy.

Anderson...lay cones on the ice amd practice puck control while full speed. Your a cruise missile without a payload.

Newhook...puck control. See Anderson

Heinaman...skating and shooting. EVERYBODY can use more of that. Plus another 10 pounds. You got the height, now add the strength.

Dach...Last chance. Get in shape.

Evans...10 pounds. See above.

Kapanen...skating and shooting.

Now team wise...we need more horses...

2 defenseman and 3 forwards.

We need to get tougher.

We need Rein and Mailloux to graduate and supply another level of offense compared to Savard and Scarrier. That alone can win us several more games.

We need LX and Davidson to supply another level of net front presence, truculance and an effective 3rd line.

And on top of everything...WE NEED A 2C. At least as good as Cozens...but without stripping any future players we need. Good luck on that.

Instead of scraping in with our fingernails, 20 point improvement brings us the the Promised Land. With the above done, we dust off teams like the Craps in 4 straight.

What's your opinion?

(It's probably the first hockey thread I put in HF in a couple of decades)

That every poster should do at least 3 grams of mushrooms this summer.

And some of you should be doing it weekly until season starts.

The team is growing, now it's your turn.

 

[hvac412]

For the first time since they have been in montreal MSL, Gorton and Hughes will have pressure , if they miss the playoffs some or all of them will get fired

you can tweek this team any which way but your still stuck with a coaching staff that's still learning,thanks KH/JG for indefenitely prolonging the rebuild

 

[Miller Time]

The playoffs of '21 showed us value of size on backend. With the 4 Horsemen.

Price. Carey.

 

[waitin425]

I don't see how we can let Dvorak go. Finding both a 2C and a 3C will be hard. He should come back on a 1-2 years deal.

I don't necessarily disagree with you. But something will have to give if that happens. We will have too many forwards who in my opinion should be on the team.

Slaf - Suzuki - Caufield
Laine - 2C - Demidov
Anderson - Dvorak - Gally
Dach - Evans - Newhook

Then we will need to decide on where Heinemen or Kapanen go.

 

[knuck]

Do the Matheson haters watch hockey, or do they just parrot what they hear?

MSL used him as a #1 D-man. They have no one to take his place. Matheson is staying at least for another season.

seriously?
Do you not see...
- How many times he bobbles the puck in the offensive zone?
- How few times he can get a shot through from the blue line without hitting the first guy in front of him (it must be about 20%, max) ?
- How he complicates his zone exit by, instead of making an easy pass out, he tries to carry it himself, only to have it stripped from behind by the guy he knows is following him in the first place?
- How he seems like he can't see any one to his right when at the point?
- How for a fast guy he gets beat to the puck so easily on the back check ? (ok this one was mostly late into the season and the guy had been overplayed for too long)


I'm baffled by the reputation that Matheson has in the media. They talk about him as an offensive guy but I personnally see him as a very good defensive defensement. He's good at closing gaps, he blocks shots and I think he plays rougher than people give him credit for. Plus, obviously, he's incredibly durable.
I only wish he never had to carry the puck.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They need a 2C and another winger for Demidov though they could see who rises to the top after a summer to recover for Laine and Dach there so the wing isn't as pressing.

In the bottom mixture they need more physicality. Too many hits that were performative than meant to hurt or separate the puck in the bottom 6.

Need a right shot D who can kill penalties I'd suggest Gavrikov off UFA. They also need another defenseman who can shoot from the point, swapping Matheson for Andersson could work.

 

[Seb]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. But something will have to give if that happens. We will have too many forwards who in my opinion should be on the team.

Slaf - Suzuki - Caufield
Laine - 2C - Demidov
Anderson - Dvorak - Gally
Dach - Evans - Newhook

Then we will need to decide on where Heinemen or Kapanen go.

Kapanen might go to Laval next year, could also be traded to upgrade one position. Otherwise you're right he could be on the 4C next years and Evans bumped on the 3rd line until he's ready.

I really don't see Dach and/or Laine on this team anymore. Laine will definitely start on the 2nd line but unless he completely heals this summer, he will be moved out pretty fast.

 

[Karma Police]

Bo Horvat

Rasmus Andersson

Blake Coleman

Sam Bennett (If under 7 per year)

Aaron Ekblad

 

[Kosseca]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. But something will have to give if that happens. We will have too many forwards who in my opinion should be on the team.

Slaf - Suzuki - Caufield
Laine - 2C - Demidov
Anderson - Dvorak - Gally
Dach - Evans - Newhook

Then we will need to decide on where Heinemen or Kapanen go.

Heineman is a keeper in my book. text book 3rd/4th line player.

For me Laine should be traded, I dont like his play style (very slow) and dont think he fit in the culture. A team that need PP goal may be tempted. You retain 50% and get a 2nd for him. Problem beyond his play for me is his health. I wouldn't be surprised if we are being told at some point that he's getting major surgery and will be back next Dec. That kill any chance to trade him... and forces you to find another 2LW.

Regardless, I think Dach is the guy they want playing 2LW.

 

[Kosseca]

Do the Matheson haters watch hockey, or do they just parrot what they hear?

MSL used him as a #1 D-man. They have no one to take his place. Matheson is staying at least for another season.

If Matheson stay for another season, it's because they couldn't make a trade to bring a top 4RD.

Matheson's time with MTL as come to an end. Yes MSL played him like a no1, but he also played Savard on the 1stPK... when we all knew he was done. MSL plays the guys that are the most likely to help the team, but that does not mean that these are the best option EVER. heck... Newhook 2C was that... we all agree that he's not doing the best job there. Matheson as a no1 D is not doing the job and Kent should be looking to address that. With Guhle and Huston on LD, you dont really have a spot for matheson, so may as well trade him, but realistically, that trade only take place if a reliable 4RD is secure first.