Post-Game Talk: Who are these guys? Habs stamp out Bolts 5-2!

[Schooner Guy]

Heineman replaced Lehkonen at a fraction of the cost and soon guys like Beck/Kapanen will replace Evans at a much lower cost.

Center is a totally different animal. It's a longer adjustment period than the wing. It will likely take Beck and Kapanen 2-3 years of NHL experience to get where Evans is now. That's if they get there.

Dach was a center taken 3rd overall and nobody's sure if he'll ever be an answer at center in the NHL over the long term.

Dvorak is gone after this season and I can't imagine the void if we go with Suzuki, Dach and rookies up the middle next year. Suzuki and others will give up on this management group and want out.

 

[le_sean]

Evans game is not about points, do I think Beck can walk into the NHL and be on the first PK? Hell no, and I don't think it's fair to him to give him that level of responsibility so early

If it’s not about points then he shouldn’t be paid like a good 3C. Not in today’s NHL and not on a team that has a clear issue offensively down the middle in the Top 6

If your 1C has never cracked a PPG, your 2C is only a 30-40 point player, your 3C cannot be a 30 point player.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Have you seen the amount of time it takes Hughes to make trades?

Yeah I don’t get it. It only takes me five minutes on my Xbox…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Habs have so many picks in the drafts coming up that trading Savard imo won't happen unless it's a trade that is simply too good to pass up which I don't expect. Who cares about adding a 3rd round pick for Savard? Savard isn't being moved, maybe not even Dvorak who is also playing some really good hockey currently.

I don’t think moving Savard makes sense at this stage. I think moving Matheson on the other hand is something that needs to happen ASAP.

I like Evans and I can understand the argument to keep him, but the comparison to danault who has done it for years and to call him some plain old "3C" over those years.... not so much

I’d love to keep Evans if his demands are reasonable. If he wants Dannault money then we need to deal him too.

Its not coincidence that the defense looks way better with Carrier.

We can't just go from Evans and Dvorak to Beck and Kapanen. Its not like Demidov where we can give him soft match ups, focus on scoring etc

Youd be tasking Beck and Kapanen to take hard defensive match ups. It's a recipe for disaster. Let them grow into that role over time.

Dvorak sucks and is definitely signing in the USA. That leaves Evans as the only option to retain. Otherwise you are paying for a UFA, and you're gonna overpay them the same you're overpaying Evans.

Evans has been great for us for a while now. He took so much shit and I never understood it. Really solid bottom sixer.

As with anything it depends on the money. I’d love to keep him if we can.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

If it’s not about points then he shouldn’t be paid like a good 3C. Not in today’s NHL and not on a team that has a clear issue offensively down the middle in the Top 6

If your 1C has never cracked a PPG, your 2C is only a 30-40 point player, your 3C cannot be a 30 point player.

He's an excellent 3C even if he wasn't getting as many points, once again I am left to wonder if you actually watch any games. Evans is a great PK and shut down guy, the coach has a lot of trust in him and his line. Once again stop watching the stat sheets and watch a game or two.

 

[Guess]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Habs be both buyers and sellers at the TDL. If Beck continues to play like he has in the AHL, I think they would trade Dvorak and replace him with Beck pretty easily.

If there is a RD that has a bit of term left that is on the block, I can see Hugo trading for them.

It will be an interesting TDL for sure if the Habs are IN DA MIX!

Yeah, I don't think they will trade Evans if we can get him at a reasonable (tradeable) contract, Dvorak is gone for sure though, and Savard if we can get something decent for him and a younger, solid 3RD to replace him for cheap.

Too much risk to get rid of assets and not have anything good to replace them, we can't keep on relying on bringing up young guys and giving them spots when they haven't ripened in weaker leagues, been sent up and earned them.

Just like how we should have resigned Danault, even at the contract LA gave him he would still have some value in a trade, he was totally elite as a shutdown D.

 

[Guess]

I don’t think moving Savard makes sense at this stage. I think moving Matheson on the other hand is something that needs to happen ASAP.


I’d love to keep Evans if his demands are reasonable. If he wants Dannault money then we need to deal him too.


Evans has been great for us for a while now. He took so much shit and I never understood it. Really solid bottom sixer.

As with anything it depends on the money. I’d love to keep him if we can.

Matheson still has another full year left on his contract and he's not doing as badly as Barron on RD, plus it's not like we're expected to compete for the cup next season anyways. I think they'll wait to trade Matheson next season at 50% retained to get a decent haul, teams already know what he's capable and won't grade him on playing his off-side and it'll be easier to find someone to replace Savard as 3RD then someone to play 1RD for us.

If we can package him in a trade for a 1RD this season for him then of course go for it!

In an ideal world I see Carrier as a 3RD, Reinbacher as 2RD and (insert future D) as 1RD.

 

[Rapala]

Cheery on the cake would’ve been Guhle slamming Doucherov’s head into the glass for payback otherwise I’m a happy camper for a FLA trip for first time in what seems like a decade

Suzuki decking him was a message don't doubt it.
The game changed on that hit the Habs took over.
Our Captain takes a lot of flak for being a soft leader but that was perfect in every way.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Matheson still has another full year left on his contract and he's not doing as badly as Barron on RD, plus it's not like we're expected to compete for the cup next season anyways. I think they'll wait to trade Matheson next season at 50% retained to get a decent haul, teams already know what he's capable and won't grade him on playing his off-side and it'll be easier to find someone to replace Savard as 3RD then someone to play 1RD for us.

If we can package him in a trade for a 1RD this season for him then of course go for it!

In an ideal world I see Carrier as a 3RD, Reinbacher as 2RD and (insert future D) as 1RD.

He’s a LD playing on his wrong side and is bad defensively. I’d deal him. Do that and you can bring in Mailloux next year. Moreover you can start playing Struble a lot more this season.

We probably wont be able to get a RD for him so get picks/prosoects that you can use to get that RD. Hughes is hurt in Vancouver, he could help them as a depth move.

 

[le_sean]

He's an excellent 3C even if he wasn't getting as many points, once again I am left to wonder if you actually watch any games. Evans is a great PK and shut down guy, the coach has a lot of trust in him and his line. Once again stop watching the stat sheets and watch a game or two.

What a lame response. I don’t want to overpay for a guy with a career high 28 points which means I don’t actually watch him play. You’re not even being serious. If you have nothing to say, respond to others since you’re clearly not responding to anything I said, just throwing out little strawman arguments.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

What a lame argument. I don’t want to overpay for a guy with a career high 28 points which means I don’t actually watch him play. You’re not even being serious. If you have nothing to say, respond to others since you’re clearly not responding to anything I said, just throwing out little strawman arguments.

You're so obsessed with points you don't seem to understand anything about defensive hockey and anything outside of your precious points. Thinking a third line player should be judged on points is comical, third line is almost always a shut-down line. This is basic hockey knowledge, you can be an excellent third liner and get very few points. Stop crying, you don't like it block me.

 

[le_sean]

You're so obsessed with points you don't seem to understand anything about defensive hockey and anything outside of your precious points. Thinking a third line player should be judged on points is comical, third line is almost always a shut-down line. This is basic hockey knowledge, you can be an excellent third liner and get very few points. Stop crying, you don't like it block me.

Perfect suggestion. A great gift for 2025 for me

 

[TennisMenace]

Trading Evans and losing all momentum towards playing meaningful games in April is asinine at this phase of development when 53% of the present roster needs to experience it for future push but if Evans deal can net assets without impacting present + future that’s another matter…and that’s the “in da mix” path I expect HuGo will follow

Dvorak & Savard are the only assets I expect to be dealt at deadline

A mid-late 20s pick in a weak draft cuvée will not help present in anyway and Beck isn’t ready to step in & deliver as Evans is - now if Evans price point for a new deal is $5M+ longterm…. that can’t happen

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this tremendous logical brilliantly thoughtful post of yours Sal.

Like you, I see no reason why we can’t be thinking about 2025 instead of just 2026 and beyond. Guys like EVANS, Armia, and Savard have been very important to our recent success. Let’s not throw all of what we have gained away for a few more draft choices. Don’t we have enough already…and I believe we still have two #1s this coming draft.

Listen friends, we have just beaten Florida, Tampa, and. Vegas in their rinks. And we are doing it with guys we expect to perform starting to do just that. So why mess this newfound chemistry up? Please don’t tell me about how promising Beck, Roy, and Kap are….they aren’t as promising as Slafkowsky and look at what he has done this year. And finally I’m very content not having one of the worst PK units in the NHL. Keep it that way. -TM