Montreal Canadiens

[2014olympicgold]

The team isn't as bad as they are now, and aren't as good as they were in the playoffs. Their D benefited a lot from a tighter called game and now can't slow the other team down to their speed. They have their top guys gone from last yr (Price, Weber, Danault) and in a transition. I wonder how much the cross-checking crackdown has hampered the MTL D because that's how they really cleared areas and stopped cycles last yr.

However, the teams not built well and those older contracts are aging hard. Bergevin got a bye because of the playoff run, but he's built a poor team and it took him yrs to do so. They'll def turn it around from this start, but I think they went 2 months last yr without a back-to-back win (in a season that was only like 4 and a bit months long). The team isn't this bad, but they were almost doomed for this "crash to earth" when they sored so high in the playoffs.

It's been only a week. Don't hit the panic yet. It's the first season of 82games since 2018-19, so there is a lot more runway for teams this yr than we prolly think, but the expectations should be squeaking into the playoffs/hopeful other teams falter, not playoff lock.

I have faith the team can stop the blowouts though. D usually takes a few weeks to come into form.

[ross10019]

The team isn't as bad as they are now, and aren't as good as they were in the playoffs. Their D benefited a lot from a tighter called game and now can't slow the other team down to their speed. They have their top guys gone from last yr (Price, Weber, Danault) and in a transition. I wonder how much the cross-checking crackdown has hampered the MTL D because that's how they really cleared areas and stopped cycles last yr.

However, the teams not built well and those older contracts are aging hard. Bergevin got a bye because of the playoff run, but he's built a poor team and it took him yrs to do so. They'll def turn it around from this start, but I think they went 2 months last yr without a back-to-back win (in a season that was only like 4 and a bit months long). The team isn't this bad, but they were almost doomed for this "crash to earth" when they sored so high in the playoffs.

It's been only a week. Don't hit the panic yet. It's the first season of 82games since 2018-19, so there is a lot more runway for teams this yr than we prolly think, but the expectations should be squeaking into the playoffs/hopeful other teams falter, not playoff lock.

I have faith the team can stop the blowouts though. D usually takes a few weeks to come into form.

Agree with this take.

That said, while my heart always pulls for Habs success, my head is pulling for them to finish bottom 8 and secure a beauty young stud in that deep deep draft next year, in Montreal to boot. It's a stretch to win the lottery and snag Wright, but one can dream!

[agentzero]

TheyÂ’ll never finish that low with this roster.. theyÂ’ll barely miss the playoffs, or miss by like 6-8 pts or something and pick like 10th or 12th lolÂ… and so it goes for this team. Whatever, picking top 5 doesnÂ’t guarantee much. IÂ’ve been saying for years that the team needs a scouting and professional development overhaul; too many draft busts. That wonÂ’t fix this season though.

I also think Ducharme and Richardson are good coaches.

Wait and see I guess.

[newfcollins]

This team has been a mess for years. I'm surprised Bergevin has kept his job as long as he has.

[ross10019]

TheyÂ’ll never finish that low with this roster.. theyÂ’ll barely miss the playoffs, or miss by like 6-8 pts or something and pick like 10th or 12th lolÂ… and so it goes for this team. Whatever, picking top 5 doesnÂ’t guarantee much. IÂ’ve been saying for years that the team needs a scouting and professional development overhaul; too many draft busts. That wonÂ’t fix this season though.

I also think Ducharme and Richardson are good coaches.

Wait and see I guess.

yeah I hear you, they are more bubble team than bottom dweller, especially when Price is back and they get healthier overall.

The problem is it makes a huge difference given the Arizona trade conditions, we don't want to finish 14th and have to give that to the Coyotes and be stuck with Carolina's pick, which could be bottom 8, 4, 2....

[berni67]

Scott Mellanby resigned as assistant GM. Seems Bergevin will be gone soon. Lot of discussion with Jeff Gorton to be future assistant GM or hockey President. Per TVA Sports

[Axeman33]

Good read from last night from Eric Engels. One of the quotes from that article (I'll copy the link below) was:

It’s widely believed Bergevin, the Montreal native who’s in his 10th year as Canadiens GM, will be replaced by someone who can speak French

I think no one is surprised in reading this statement but I believe this will continue to be the reason why Montreal will find mediocre candidates. I understand why they feel they need to go this way but hire the best candidate and a damn interpreter LOL!

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...for-canadiens/

[Grapes]

No source, no confirmation.

Montreal cleans house - Marc Bergevin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Trevor Timmins, Assistant General Manager, as well as Paul Wilson, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, have been relieved of their respective functions, effective immediately. 35 minutes ago
Jeff Gorton (former NYR GM) has been hired as the new Executive VP of Hockey Operations for Montreal.

[NordiqueFan]

confirmation timmins, bergevin and paul wilson out

[berni67]

Pretty excited for the next NHL draft in 2022, if Timmins is not there…

[Potatoeman]

Good read from last night from Eric Engels. One of the quotes from that article (I'll copy the link below) was:



I think no one is surprised in reading this statement but I believe this will continue to be the reason why Montreal will find mediocre candidates. I understand why they feel they need to go this way but hire the best candidate and a damn interpreter LOL!

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...for-canadiens/

Agreed... but it was such a big deal when Randy Cunneyworth was interim head coach and didn't speak French and last year when, because of injuries and Drouin's time off, there were no French speaking players on the team, imagine the reaction if the full time GM doesn't speak French. I'll probably get thrown tomatoes at for this, but boy do I sometimes think we make too much of a big deal of speaking French over here.

[agentzero]

I support their pro francophone stance and it has not held them back. Timmins is a pure Anglo and he was worse than Bergevin by a country mile. Bergevin did well in his time. He should have canned Timmins a long time ago. The bad drafts hampered him.

Finally a change at the draft table, where the Habs have been hurt the most since… well the early 90s…

[berni67]

I support their pro francophone stance and it has not held them back. Timmins is a pure Anglo and he was worse than Bergevin by a country mile. Bergevin did well in his time. He should have canned Timmins a long time ago. The bad drafts hampered him.

Finally a change at the draft table, where the Habs have been hurt the most since… well the early 90s…

Agree at 100%. Bergevin did a good job in trades, but missed a lot by keeping Timmins on board.

[evans334]

Here we go again.....Caufield on the 4th line *facepalm*

https://twitter.com/JohnLuTSNMtl/sta...074908680?s=20

@JohnLuTSNMtl
#Habs vs #Avalanche:
*Gallagher and Niku in COVID protocol.

Toffoli - Dvorak - Anderson
Lehkonen- Suzuki - Evans
Drouin - Poehling - Armia
Pezzetta - Perreault - Caufield

Chiarot - Savard
Kulak - Petry
Romanov - Wideman

Allen
Montembeault

[ericdaoust]

FOUR 3rd lines