HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread: From Here to Free Agency

[Runner77]

That's my point.

Sometimes we overthink things, adjustments, forechecking, bigger, blah, blah, blah...

Sometimes you lose because the other team is just better.

Sometimes you mix it up after the same recipe failed acutely and consecutively. At that point, why not throw caution to the wind and allow players waiting for an opportunity, to gain some playoff experience at the same time.

The coach’s system which was settled over a whole season, was not going to change. Only salvageable thing is to see those players who contributed during the regular season but were limited in their playing time in the playoffs, to get into the lineup.

 

[The Real Timo]

So you did mean swapping low impact players in and out of the lineup....

No one's talking about swapping the first line in and out of lineup... the lowest impact players in the series. But if your team clearly cannot do shit for 2, 3 and then 4 straight games, you make adjustments. Doesn't matter what and who.

 

[Runner77]

I don't believe that Carolina is a vastly superior team to the Habs. I think that the Habs won 3 of 3 in the regular season.

It may have been injuries. But in my opinion, if players are too injured to play, maybe they shouldn't be playing. Dobson was pretty bad for example. Maybe he just shouldn't have played.

Maybe Rod the Bod’s system, having the right players to play it and having had so many attempts at fine tuning it, plus a veteran squad, made them unbeatable. MSL should be looking at what Rod was doing and why it worked. There may be some valuable lessons toward next season.

 

[HFFO]

Maybe Rod the Bod’s system, having the right players to play it and having had so many attempts at fine tuning it, plus a veteran squad, made them unbeatable. MSL should be looking at what Rod was doing and why it worked. There may be some valuable lessons toward next season.

We play a pretty similar system and style. We went through two wars of a series, they got Ottawa and Philly. They're also just better than us at the moment, turns out the team that's made 4? consecutive ECFs is pretty good who'd have thought.

 

[417]

Sometimes you mix it up after the same recipe failed acutely and consecutively. At that point, why not throw caution to the wind and allow players waiting for an opportunity, to gain some playoff experience at the same time.

The coach’s system which was settled over a whole season, was not going to change. Only salvageable thing is to see those players who contributed during the regular season but were limited in their playing time in the playoffs, to get into the lineup.

Because I don't think MSL is wired in a way where he's just going to throw in players who have barely played for the team, at this stage of the post season., just to get experience.

I don't think most coaches are.

He was putting the lineup he thought gave him the best chance to win, and it's hard to argue, at least with any conviction, that the options available to him was going to contribute to that objective in any meaningful way.

 

[yianik]

He's being realistic.

You honestly think that after all we've seen so far that Robidas will play LESS of Matheson at any point in this 5 year extension? You think for a second, even after all of the dumb, idiotic, hair-pulling inducing plays we've watched him make without his ice time being lowered a fraction that it will happen now?

Guhle is as good as gone IMO. I don't want it, @Hannibal do8kx6eesn't want it either. But management seemingly made their choice re-signing MM.

Robidas won't sit or demote this dude.

As I have said, get rid of Robidas. He was a smaller D who played a pretty effective defensive finesse game , which is hard to do I must say. However , I think our D is too reflective of Robidas' style and lacks the physicality that is needed.

 

[HFFO]

Because I don't think MSL is wired in a way where he's just going to throw in players who have barely played for the team, at this stage of the post season., just to get experience.

I don't think most coaches are.

He was putting the lineup he thought gave him the best chance to win, and it's hard to argue, at least with any conviction, that the options available to him was going to contribute to that objective in any meaningful way.

But then how can I call him Smarty and arrogant?! You must be wrong!

 

[417]

No one's talking about swapping the first line in and out of lineup... the lowest impact players in the series. But if your team clearly cannot do shit for 2, 3 and then 4 straight games, you make adjustments. Doesn't matter what and who.

So you just want the appearance of adjustments?

If they don't matter, than what are we discussing?

 

[Emkay]

I don't believe that Carolina is a vastly superior team to the Habs. I think that the Habs won 3 of 3 in the regular season.

It may have been injuries. But in my opinion, if players are too injured to play, maybe they shouldn't be playing. Dobson was pretty bad for example. Maybe he just shouldn't have played.

Fatigue over time isn't linear, when you close in on a 100 games, the decline is exponential... Having played 6 games more than an opponent at the beginning of a season is a nothing burger... Having played 14 games vs the 3rd and 2nd seed compared to playing 8 vs the bottom seeded teams followed by a 2 weeks break in the spring is a massive hurdle to overcome, and it's not one you fix by churning the bottom of the roster imo.

 

[417]

So you just want the appearance of adjustments?

If they don't matter, than what are we discussing?

The Canes didn't change the way they played, they just executed at a higher level from.game 2 on.

I keep hearing about "adjustmemts" but when people talk about what adjustments, it sounds more like "tinkering".

And we were so far off from that this series.

 

[Runner77]

We play a pretty similar system and style. We went through two wars of a series, they got Ottawa and Philly. They're also just better than us at the moment, turns out the team that's made 4? consecutive ECFs is pretty good who'd have thought.

Maybe their players are a better match to their system. For instance, someone like Xhekaj appears better suited to a zone defence system. Hughes could also add players who are better defensively.

This whole thing of gifting a team so many days off is an unfair competitive advantage and should have never been allowed to happen. This playoffs model is broken.

 

[Runner77]

Because I don't think MSL is wired in a way where he's just going to throw in players who have barely played for the team, at this stage of the post season., just to get experience.

I don't think most coaches are.

He was putting the lineup he thought gave him the best chance to win, and it's hard to argue, at least with any conviction, that the options available to him was going to contribute to that objective in any meaningful way.

Veleno over Oliver Kapanen, who played 82 regular season games? Veleno is a plug who might not even be back next year. That’s who I had in mind.

 

[HFFO]

Maybe their players are a better match to their system. For instance, someone like Xhekaj appears better suited to a zone defence system. Hughes could also add players who are better defensively.

This whole thing of gifting a team so many days off is an unfair competitive advantage and should have never been allowed to happen. This playoffs model is broken.

This comes from having time to make adjustments over time with the system you run, absolutely.

Veleno over Oliver Kapanen, who played 82 regular season games? Veleno is a plug who might not even be back next year. That’s who I had in mind.

Kapanen's last 20 regular season games + his playoff appearances were less than inspired. He was gassed.

 

[Andy]

And Pius Suter wouldve been an upgrade on the centers we had this year. Does it change the fate of the team ? Probably not, but it wouldve helped.

So if he wouldnt have changed the team's fate, then why the meltdown over a player who produced less than Oliver Kapanen?

 

[Vachon23]

As I have said, get rid of Robidas. He was a smaller D who played a pretty effective defensive finesse game , which is hard to do I must say. However , I think our D is too reflective of Robidas' style and lacks the physicality that is needed.

The guy had multiple 200 hits seasons, not sure about that

 

[Runner77]

This comes from having time to make adjustments over time with the system you run, absolutely.

Kapanen's last 20 regular season games + his playoff appearances were less than inspired. He was gassed.

Kapanen played only 7 out of 19 games in the playoffs. He was as well rested as any Canes player.

Agreed that Kapanen struggled but playing Veleno was not going to give you anything at all. At least you give Kapanen more playoff experience since he’s likely to be around for the long term.

 

[Adriatic]

Canucks seem desperate. Hronek would be a great here. Good player, brings physicality, right handed, can rip the puck and signed long term.

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

We should just trade Dach for Cayden Lindstrom

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Canucks seem desperate. Hronek would be a great here. Good player, brings physicality, right handed, can rip the puck and signed long term.

At the deadline it was reported everyone except for him was available.

 

[JustStopThePuck]

I don't believe that Carolina is a vastly superior team to the Habs. I think that the Habs won 3 of 3 in the regular season.

It may have been injuries. But in my opinion, if players are too injured to play, maybe they shouldn't be playing. Dobson was pretty bad for example. Maybe he just shouldn't have played.

Playoffs are different game entirely though. Roster depth, game to game adjustments, matchups, fatigue, physicality accumulates, different reffiing calls....everything is magnified. You can tell we were emotionally fatigued from rounds 1/2, that's when experience helps.

 

[Adriatic]

At the deadline it was reported everyone except for him was available.

But that was before they announced they're going full rebuild and before they hired new coach and new gm.

 

[scrubadam]

More I look at it, I think a better option is Zacha. He is popping up on trade lists. He checks almost all of the lists. Decent defensively, 6'4", 210+ lbs, scores goals. He would be solid protection for Demidov and would look good with either of the other 2 rookies on the wing.

If Bruins were going to trade him he is the guy to get.. Makes less than 5 million as well on a killer contract. But I don't think the B's move him until TDL. Last off season was the time to get him when the Bs just came off missing the playoffs and maybe would have shaken up their roster.

 

[Runner77]

At the deadline it was reported everyone except for him was available.

Might have been the case then but as per a recent The Athletic article, Hronek would appear to be available given the Nucks’ commitment to a full rebuild.

Canucks offseason primer 2026: Cap space, trade chips, UFA targets and more

For the rebuilding Canucks, this offseason offers an opportunity to begin laying a new foundation.

www.nytimes.com

How far should the Habs go in pursuing him? He’s soon to turn 29 and has a $7,250,000 cap hit until 2031-32.

 

[scrubadam]

I agree with you that there could've been changes, but I feel like it wouldn't have been enough to make up for the fact our top players simply ran out of gas. The team has been leaning on their top line and top half of their D-core all season long, at some point, you just run out...

And Habs don't have the type of depth that can takeover with any kind of consistency. Evans as a 2C, Strubble/Carrier in the top 4, these warts show up when the dudes that carried the team all season lose their legs. Sure, when you get that far, you should try everything, the whole kitchen sink as not doing anything looks like giving up. But ultimately, we simply didn't have the horses to match the SC winners anyway.

MSL mistake was not making a roster change after the heartbreaking loss in game 3.
Would the team have gone on to beat the Canes? Probably not but who is to say.
But after that loss they were totally dejected and the next 2 games it looked like they totally gave up. They needed something for game 4. Maybe its X, maybe its Galley. But MSL sat on his hands and basically it looked like the team gave up.
Carolina were cup champs with only 3 loses all playoffs for a reason so I don't know if X would have swung the series but they could have used a shot of life in game 4.

 

[scrubadam]

I read that Hyman was pushing for it (they are friends from what I understand).

actually I heard the BabCock was pushing the Hyman... bada bing bada boom I am here all night folks.