Hab Fan That Cares.

Hard to believe!!

These things generally don’t happen to the Montreal Canadiens. We always seems to be involved with every big name BUT somehow always get played to leverage on getting more $$ or more in return for a player!

FOLKS, this is real.. our top 6 is substantially stronger than last year. The famous Brian Wilde said we need 50-60 more goals vs last year…..

Well, in analyzing on the surface:

Laine - 30 goals should be a lock
Dach - with 75+ games can easily hit 20

Caufield - with top minutes and pplay we can expect CC22 to score 5 more than last year.

Newhook with top 6 minutes and potentially playing with Laine and Dach (super line) will definitely score 5 more than l/yr.

The above will result in an improved pplay. Especially with a Lane Hutson potentially driving and QB’ing our 2nd pplay. To this end, can you imagine with his dangles and how many times he can find a LAINE on that pplay…..

Now Folks, I realize that I am being optimistic, However the actual reason the optimism is stronger than usual is that we don’t usually get a player the likes of LAINE…. Turns out he is the HIGHEST drafted player, after Slafkovsky, on the current roster

Slafkovsky - 1OA
Laine - 2OA
Dach - 3OA
Suzuki - 13th
Canfield - 15th
Newhook - 16th

AND to be added next season:

Demidov at 5OA

All this and we are not even mentioning our D-core which is one year more experienced and together and potentially be adding Reinbacher, Mailloux and Hutson…. With an already existing Guhle, Matheson, Savard, Xhekaj, Struble and Barron….

THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT and the playoffs could be in play!!

FANS, thoughts?

GO HABS GO!!!

UPDATED REBUILD !!!!

As stated in the past, could not be more excited as a Habs Fan in a rebuild….

As of right now….Absolutely all the pieces are in place as we speak to compete within the next 1-3 years

Offence, which was a pressing need, is now shaping into place

Demidov is the first LEGIT offensively gifted star since Guy Lafleur and along with Suzuki, Dach, Slafkovsky, Caufield, Hage, Roy, Heinemann and Beck now complete a SOLID TOP 6-9….!!!

The depth on defence is already in place with the upcoming Reinbacher, Hutson, Mailloux, Barron, Xhekaj, Engstrom, Konyushov and Struble to add to Guhle, Harris, Matheson and Savard….

Let’s hear your thought but I am soo pumped and hardly into JULY!!!

GO HABS GO. 💯

THE CORE….. Go Habs Go!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FANS

2024 and on promises to be good and GREAT for the Habs. Those who have patience and a little faith towards current management and staff that is.

HABS owner Geoff Molson decides to change the whole management team several years ago and gave them FULL Liberty for a rebuild. Fans who are NOT on board are fans who are WIN NOW ONLY fans….

I have been a fan for 45+ years and I can tell you this rebuild and the way it is being done is THE RIGHT WAY

1. BUILD from DEFENCE out. D wins championships. Great d also allows you the freedom to pay a GOOD Goalie a good salary and not a great goalie $10M + who was great BUT only hides your weaknesses. If you are questioning our depth in D, you need only to verify which team leads the league in scoring Defenceman….. and there is a plethora more coming.

GUHLE-BARRON-HARRIS-STRUBLE-KOVACEVIC-XHEKAJ
*Youth for Future currently in Team(NHL’ers)

HUTSON-REINBACHER-MAILLOUX-ENGSTROM-NORLINDER-KOSTENKO
*upcoming prospects with potential TOP 4/6

2. CENTER Position Strength
*SUZUKI - DACH - NEWHOOK - MONAHAN/EVANS

Suzuki may have his doubters however he has had that his entire young carrer….. he will undoubtedly be a point per Game Center and should he be beat out by Dach as first line C that is a VERY good problem to have and own. With BECK upcoming as a VERY strong shutdown Center this will allow Newhook to play wing as a goal scorer.

3. SPECIAL TEAM STRENGTH.

The hardest one to see at the moment…. However 3 key players that will play the largest role in this area are

REINBACHER, BECK and HUTSON

Hutson - The last above average Habs pplay was with Markov and the lone player with enough talent , vision and hockey sense to fill that role is HUTSON. He will be a pplay Quarterback and he will be a cross between Quinn Hughes and Torrey Krug….. BUT closer to Hughes…

Combine Hutson with Caufield, Slafkovsky, Suzuki and Dach and this is definitely a top 5-10 pplay in the NHL. Raw skill in Hutson and Suzuki. Size in Dach and Slaf and PURE scorer in Caufield and this is a 25% pplay.

REINBACHER - TOP pairing shutdown d with Guhle who will not disappoint and play Top penalty kill and 2nd pplay to HUTSON.

BECK - TOP penalty kill Center with great faceoff % at a young age….. has the tendances of Mr. Gainey/Carbonneau.

4. GOALTENDING

As mentioned prior, the D depth/strength you currently have will allow you to sign a GOOD goaltender to a GOOD contract 6-7M and not $10+.

Your current #1 Center and top Goal scorer are not making over $8.5M. You will sign Guhle long term to perhaps a $7.5-8M contract soo by signing a G to a 6-7M cap is $$ in the Cap Bank…..

5. COACHING

CURRENT coaching staff is doing a wonderful job of development primarily due to the fact that most were Undrafted NHL’ers who EARNEd their NHL stripes who check out their arrogance at the door. The Habs management has also psychologically drafted their FIRST rounders this way and are molding a team of very solid hockey minds who will work for one another and who are not better than anyone else. YOUR CAPTAIN 14 was selected primarily for that reason.

THE SO CALLED missed fifth overall pick who was drafted 7th overall as the 2nd best talent in his draft (mitchkov). The fear (IMO) however, is that he would be too big an ego to fit the current mold and CORE.

I applaud any management team that builds on a belief and sticks to their plan and ultimate belief.

A very so-son team is currently 500 with hardly a pplay, penalty kill, a first overall pick who has yet to play 82 games and fully develop and several YOUNG talents coming….. NOW IMAGINE a player like NYLANDER decides to sign here….. suddenly your TOP 6 is and will be a HUGE NHL threat

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOLKS and don’t let the one game naysayers tell you otherwise.

GO HABS GO!!!

Let’s talk Slafkovsky

Drafted first overall.
Played 54 games in the NHLnto date.
12 points in the NHL
Showing nice progress in overall play this season
Still only 19 years old.

In our organization is a 6’4 hall of fame CENTER that was drafted first overall. His name is Vincent Lecavalier…..

Lecavalier had 16 points in his first NHL season and it was not split between an injury and all came in the progress of consecutive 54 games….

The market in Montreal needs to chill on this kid….

There are several examples of top 2-3 picks that take time…. Lafreniere seems to have found his game several years into his career,…..

let us know your thoughts….

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Samira Sabra, Normand Boisclair, John Kusugak, Alfred Davis, Johnny Simard, Ozias Keagan, Pat Frenza

Welcome!!!

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Bruno Arcouette, Mariette BoucherTardif

Welcome

Ok Folks…Been a while BUT time for a post…..

SEAN MONAHAN - SIGN OR TRADE AT DEADLINE!!!!

My opinion— 1000000% sign him.

Reasons + elaboration

1. The team that is MOST seriously going for a CUP will pay the highest price for him. That price, AT BEST, will be a FIRST (24th to 32nd overall) + a prospect. Unless you get a cant miss prospect which will be VERY difficult to get from a TOP team it’s not worth moving him.

2. He just turned 29 and in the next 1-2 years when you are ready to compete, he will be an experienced 1-2-3C or top 6 winger who wins face offs…..

3. When ever he is in the lineup and healthy, have you not noticed this team is competitive and much better….AND winning games….. I don’t not look up the exact record with Sean in lineup BUT I am quite sure having watched all games they are …. If anyone has the record I will welcome it.

4. At 5.5 to $6M per season x 5 years, you cannot lose on this deal. IF DACH is and becomes the STAR that he was drafted to become (1C or 2C) then Sean will be either your 3C or top 6 fwd and that in itself smells like a championship CENTER position OR SOLID TOP 6/9

In 2024/25 or 25/26

Caufield. Suzuki. Roy
Newhook. Dach. Slafkovsky
Tuch. Monahan. Anderson
Gallagher. Beck. RHP/Heinneman….

I save the D core for another post however offensively, you will look back at this post in 12-18 months from now and realize what we have, HOWEVER if we are to actually trade away MONAHAN, who in our system currently fills that void and what benefit will it serve to our actual lineup…..

There may be some tweaks to the above BUT you all get the picture

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT….. GO HABS GO!!!!

PS. LOVE what Hughes and Gorton are building!!!

HABS CHANGES

Regardless of what you think about Bergevin (Love or hate) as the fan base is completely down the middle, what I fail to understand is certain coaching decisions….

1. Power Play - You have sucked the bag for years and since Markov has left and the BEST you can come up with this season Is BEN CHIAROT……. 400+ games in the NHL and 1 power play point in those 400 games and you don’t put Romanov or Norlinder to make then get their feet wet,… WTF are you actually thinking and how is that power play doing??

2. YOUTH - Lehkonen and Poehling are arguably your best players and yet a YOUNG Poehling is getting the least amount of TOI? Why? Are you scared to lose?? Well guess what you are losing game in, game out…. Why not EXPLORE what you’ve got…..

3. LINES…. It’s really not complicated at times… you have the following CENTERS(in no particular order)

SUZUKI, POEHLING, EVANS, DVORAK

YOU have 3 big bodies to go in the corners or Net from presence and create space (one per your top 3 lines)

ANDERSON, GALLAGHER, ARMIA

And then you have your PURE goal scorers and role players / spare parts

CAUFIELD TOFOLLI, HOFFMAN, DROUIN and others…….

HOW COMPLICATED Can it be to balance these lines

CAUFIELD-SUZUKI- ARMIA
TOFOLLI - DVORAK -ANDERSON
DROUIN - EVANS - GALLAGHER
LEHKONNEN - POEHLING - PEZZETTA

I have yet to see a BIG BODY playing with Caufield and Suzuki and it makes me ILL… you need a BIG BODY PRESENCE or GRINDER to create space for Caufield and Suzuki…to make stuff happen…. Give them Armia or Anderson to create room and alllow 5-10 games to see if there is any chemistry…. NOT one game or 2 periods….

Given the multitude of issues facing this team, your head coach needs to have reasoning for what he is doing as you cannot possibly save this season and as a result you need to make sure that players and chemistry develops by sticking to a plan…. By shaking the bingo balls and trying to find the right line matches night after night and hoping you get lucky does not help…

MOST Teams when facing one injury have just move one position up or down, with the Habs coaching it’s time to change it all up night after night…..

If we don’t use the balance of 60 games to do this next years gets lost as well

Go Habs Go

Lots to catch up on!

==> KK offer sheet:

Bothers me to see him go.

the problem in this case…. Habs did not draft KK third overall to be a Third or FOURTH LINE CENTER…. He was clearly drafted 3Rd overall to be a top 2C in the organization….

Carolina paying him 6.1 is showing confidence in the player OVERALL (not just 6.1M for one year) but also in the long term contract they will probably give him after Jan 1 (5-6 years at 4.5M per). If he he is developed correctly into a 2nd line C he will be a great bargain for a 2C behind AHO!!!

Regardless of what KK becomes this is a CLEAR fail on the development side of the Habs with this player!!!

Galchenyuk had his own personal issues and it shows in the balance of carrer since being traded by HABS. HOWEVER KK is a GOOD a kid that we drafted 3rd overall to be in our top 2C position… Suzuki and KK should have been our top 2C’s for years to come and yet again we will not see that from the Habs….

Seems on any given year we either draft the wrong player or if we get it right we lack developing that player!!

It’s an organizational lack that as Arpon Basu from the Athletic mentioned HAS to be addressed immediately so that the same does not transpire with Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov and others!

Lastly, with the addition of Dvorak to the club as a go between replacement to Danault or KK (17 Goals in 56 games last season and 50% + faceoffs) you have improved at that position as BOTH Danault and KK combined gave you 10 goals vs 17 by Dvorak (in Arizona)

==> Last year vs This year

Minus(-)

WEBER *Injured
Danault
Tatar
KK
Perry

Plusses (+)

D. Savard
Dvorak
Hoffman
Paquette
Perreault

As Bergevin has stated there is no replacement for WEBER, however Savard is a solid Dman and it is finally time for Petry to be rewarded and show him much of a leader he can be at this stage in his career.

Edmondsun ans Chiarot come as advertised and are MONEY to play sound defensivly. Romanov has another year under his belt and ready to morph into a puck moving DMan with some pplay looks. Norlinder may also make the squad and he is dynamic.

From a winger perspective, we are very solid with Caufield, Toffoli, Hoffman, Anderson, Gallagher, Armia, lehkonen and BYron! With your C group arguably equal to or better than last year

Evans can be a Danault 2.0 and TRUE 3C and Poehling is now pushing to make it tough on HABS decision which can only be positive.

==> Special Teams

Pplay will definitely be better this year with 2 canon options in Hoffman and Caufield. More importantly with Dvorak very strong on Faceoffs possession is key on pplay!!

Penalty kill may suffer a touch depending on how well Armia, LEhkonen ans Evans step into their role in filling in for Danault. Again WEBER will be missed but Savard on the Kill can help fill part of the void.

==> Coaching

This is now Ducharme’s team and he seems to be a winner so the reins are now fully his.

Conclusion

HABS have the team makeup to be in every single game. They will need to gel as a team to win the close ones. Boston will take a step back IMO this year and will likelynfight fight for a playoff spot without Rask and Krecji…. See the Habs in playoffs and given they are playoff built and we went to finals last year, One never knows.

Go Habs Go

BERGEVIN nominated for GM of the year…

Well deserved!!!

It’s been a while and what a perfect Time to post….

The following needs to be said:

-Bergevin is 100% responsible for the TEAM that is today in the Semi Final! He has been fired and criticized several times in his tenure as a GM and by many of you!!!

-Price is your current playoff MVP and playing the BEST Hockey of his career. He has been traded, asked to be put on waivers, available on expansion draft, traded for picks etc etc again by many of you.

-The D-Core is one of the strongest and most reliable in the NHL. - Constantly and Heavily criticized in Reg season by most of you…..

-Our Forwards, who were heavily criticized in the first 4 games of the Toronto series, all have assignments and following our game plan to perfection…. Until PRICE showed confidence many did not believe our youth and vets had what it took….

You have often heard the term, the pieces of the puzzle with the Habs. I can tell you that some large pieces to that/puzzle are:

YOUTH = Suzuki, KK, Caufield, Evans and now Romanov.

CUP WINNERS = PERRY, STAAL, EDMONDSON and TOFFOLI

VETS = Weber, Petry, Chiarot, Danault, GAllagher and Price

Role players = Anderson, BYron, Armia, LEhkonen

6 MONTREAL DRAFTED PLAYERS!!!!
4 PREVIOUS STANLEY CUP WINNERS
6 CORE VETS who have yet to win a CUP.

This is The team that BERGEVIN put together at start of season and they have been successful to date in playoffs. OUR Course the goal is the Stanley Cup, however no one is disappointed with final 4!!!!

7 straight victories
4 short handed goals in the playoffs
437:53 without trailing. (2nd longest in all NHL history - Habs in 1960 with 488:38 at #1)

GO HABS GO
🔴⚪️🟣