I like Beaulieu a lot and I feel he's so much better than he showed last year. What happened is the result of a coach like Therrien sticking to his vets unconditionally. Beaulieu turns the puck over once and he gets benched. Emelin does the same 12 times and he still gets 24 minutes next to Weber. There was no possibility to move up regardless of his play. I thought he looked great next to Weber early in the season, coincidentally when Weber was going nutty.
MB opted for Benn over Beaulieu but didn't want to lose a former 1st round pick for nothing, hence the trade.
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My favorite part is Benn was a regular healthy scratch on a basically expansion caliber defence in Dallas and then became so vital (read: not actually vital) to MTL that they protected him in the expansion draft lol. That was so insane. Dude went for a fourth round pick at the deadline. At least when St. Louis protected Reaves they got Kostin out of it.
I simply just do not understand the direction of this team. I believe a team's culture and vision should be obvious (and communicated) to its fan base. Anyone who can decipher what that is, I invite you to share it here, because I sure as hell can't see it.
About the only positive signs are that 1) we (miraculously) retained Carey Price, when I would have completely understood (and endorsed) a decision from him to walk away from this mess and 2), we (miraculously) ended up landing Claude Julien as coach. I attribute none of those miracles to Bergevin, as the latter is happenstance and I have no idea how anyone convinced Carey to stay. No way Bergevin did.
So once again, I have no idea where this team is headed and I have felt like that pretty well since they traded Roy. I actually don't really know why I cheer for the Habs at all, save my French-Canadian upbringing, my distaste for Tie Domi and anything Leafs from my generation other than Mats Sundin, the fact that I enjoy history and the fact that my mother dressed me in red as an infant..
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
twitter: @hugotwigg
Also, understand that hockey is a sport (for us it's entertainment). There's no reason to get so emotional over outcomes that we ourselves cannot influence. Appreciate the game for what it is and enjoy the ride. It's much healthier.
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The post probably reads more "emotional" than it really is.. It is more meant in a jaded, agnostic, snarky though certainly despondent tone..
I just don't understand why an organization that prides itself on a history of excellence accepts such buffoonery. I mean, even the Yankees had their brutal spell, but they came back and won a few titles here and there and their management hasn't nearly been as inept.
I long ago got the memo about individuals. I cheer for Sidney Crosby, PK Subban, Carey Price, Erik Karlsson, Jaromir Jagr, Joe Thornton, Alexander Ovechkin and David Pastrnak. That's about it in the hockey world.
Hoy oy oy, I just wish I could cheer for a team too..
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
And that's the end of Markov in Montr?al... We would rather lose Beaulieu than a guy who has meant so much to the franchise and can still play at a high level.
This management team is just the pits.. Brandon Davidson, David Schlemko... Jordie Benn... Zach Redmond.. Karl Dykhuis, Eric Weinrich, Igor Ulanov, Scott Lachance... what the hell?
- - - Updated - - -
And that's the end of Markov in Montr?al... We would rather lose Beaulieu than a guy who has meant so much to the franchise and can still play at a high level.
This management team is just the pits.. Brandon Davidson, David Schlemko... Jordie Benn... Zach Redmond.. Karl Dykhuis, Eric Weinrich, Igor Ulanov, Scott Lachance... what the hell?
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
What's the point about Beaulieu? He's got nothing to do with this. They traded him, and he was making 1M per year. If you're looking for a scapegoat(outside of Bergevin) it's that insane Alzner contract. In the end, the Habs lost their best D today. Lost their two best puck moving D from last season (Markov-Beaulieu) .
As it currently stands, the 2017-18 Habs are a worst team than the 2016-17 Habs.
twitter: @hugotwigg
So long General Markov....you will be missed.
But let's move on, Subban and Radulov have taught me not to dwell on the past.
What are we gonna do with this 8.5 mill in cap space?
See if there are any contract hold outs / disputes from the RFAs and make a play?
Not like we have the assets to get something like that done.
No help really available on the UFA market.
Time for the young guys to step up I guess.
Evansville Icemen District-5 Ducks LOEGM - 12 GM H2H Keeper
G A PT SOG STA STG TRUC FOW
W GA SV SV% SOWHL - 24 GM H2H Salary
G A +/- PIM SOG PPP HIT BLK FOW
W GA SV SOView Roster View Roster
I agree I like the Habs less today than six months ago. Feels like a playoff bubble team to me, not a division winner.
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Andrei Markov got a point on 80% of the PP goals scored when he was on the ice last season, highest percentage for a d-man in the NHL.
Andrei Markov was also fifth in the NHL among regular d-men in points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5.
Shea Weber at 5v5 without Markov in 2016-17: 58.9 GF%, 50.3 CF%
Pretty good.
Weber with Markov: 66.7 GF%, 53.3 CF%
Pretty great.
At 5 on 5, Markov is a better player than Weber. Weber cannot do a proper breakout, nor can he carry the puck out of the zone.
EDIT: Whoever you think is better between Markov and Weber, doesn't matter. The Habs are a worst team than they were last season as it stands. And they're Cup window is closing...
twitter: @hugotwigg
Three good puck-moving D lost in just over 12 months. Regardless of who they have as forwards this won't help them generate goals and chances.
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