This is a no deadpoulet and pete26 zone
- mr.peanut

What the h?

The city will explode if they get off to a 5-10 start. The team needs 2 legit top 6 guys. That isn't tweaking and although some of the call ups have played well, I didn't see one that seemed to be on the path to developing into a legitimate top 6 guy. It's going to be near impossible for this management group to fill that void. I am not certainly not in the blow it up camp but this presser was just the cherry on top of the disaster sundae that was this season. I have been following this team for 40 years. I can't recall watching an end of season post mortem and being this dejected. The game plan is Price coming back and playing like he did last year and even that wasn't enough.
- Cyberhabs

You ready to pull the plug Luc?

What the h?
- pete26

I know, right?

The city will explode if they get off to a 5-10 start. The team needs 2 legit top 6 guys. That isn't tweaking and although some of the call ups have played well, I didn't see one that seemed to be on the path to developing into a legitimate top 6 guy. It's going to be near impossible for this management group to fill that void. I am not certainly not in the blow it up camp but this presser was just the cherry on top of the disaster sundae that was this season. I have been following this team for 40 years. I can't recall watching an end of season post mortem and being this dejected. The game plan is Price coming back and playing like he did last year and even that wasn't enough.
- Cyberhabs

Obviously I hope they're make the playoffs next year, but I kind of hope they suck for the first stretch so that smug turd has to fall on his sword

I know, right?
- deadpoulet

Not sure what his problem with me is.

Obviously I hope they're make the playoffs next year, but I kind of hope they suck for the first stretch so that smug turd has to fall on his sword
- ehabs9

Which one?

So that's it?

Which one?
- pete26

Good point. Both. Though I figure if MB goes it's a given that MT does as well

So that's it?
- pete26

I'm almost done for the night. But then, I'm only a dead chicken.

Good point. Both. Though I figure if MB goes it's a given that MT does as well
- ehabs9

Pretty sure MB fires MT before he gets fired.

Couple of arrogant buggers that really deserve each other though..

I'm almost done for the night. But then, I'm only a dead chicken.
- deadpoulet

Well, you're ok in my books.

The cat got your beak?

The cat got your beak?
- pete26

Busy watching TV, new season of River Monsters started tonight.

Re-Post because of new blog, but would love to hear your thoughts, Andrew. Hope all is well with you and your family. Priorities, friend. We all got 'em.


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I hate to say this, but MB is in a no-win situation.

Let's say he makes a major trade: That'll cost us a young, big-name player on our team. (Galchenyuk, Subban, Pacioretty, Price, Gallager, Beaulieu). We'll (Fans) scream blue murder unless an equally big-name player comes back....and even then, if the cap-hit is greater, we'll scream louder.

It'll also likely cost us picks and/or prospects if we want something better than the above mentioned players. We don't have many prospects that teams are falling over themselves for (Because our picks lately have all come in the 20-30 range in the first round. The past 10 years: 6 picks between 20-30, 3 picks between 10-20, 2 picks under 10. 2007 was the only year with more than one first round pick...yet we yell at the Ice Caps coach for under-performing...yikes.) And if we start trading away our picks of value, we become the Leafs: a Team constantly trying to apply a bandaid to an artery rupture, hoping a trade will miraculously fix what ails us.

And look, we all hate the coach...his decisions nauseate us, leave us screaming in frustration. But in general, he's winning games. In fact, this is the ONLY YEAR he's coached this team where his average is below .600. Even this year, where our team sucked harder than a crack whore whose welfare money wore out, he still managed a .500 average. He makes us pull our hair out, and yet...

So, as much as it pains us to hear it, right now, riding the wave, no matter how nauseous it makes us, might be the intelligent choice. It took the Leafs YEARS before they figured that restocking the cupboard might be the best bet, instead of ordering out all the time because there's nothing to eat.

I'm not saying it's all puppies and rainbows, but maybe we should wait until after the draft before firing everyone, trading everyone else, and lighting the Bell Centre ablaze, using 2-4 Molson boxes as kindling...

....maybe. Time will tell.
- Darksyde

this seems like a whole lot of excuse-making for Bergevin. because your basic premise is that there is literally no way for him to organically improve this team. he's been here 4 years and the prospects are pretty lousy overall, but it's excused because we never drafted high. meanwhile, the list of players with 30 or more goals this year is absolutely littered with players selected well outside the top of the draft (Boone Jenner, Nikita Kucherov, Adam Henrique,Tyler Toffoli, Wayne Simmonds... Marchand, Pavelski, Benn...). it's also littered with players who have recently been traded for without those teams having to give up someone like Subban or Gallagher (James Neal, Kyle Palmieri, Brandon Saad, Filip Forsberg...) point being that it is possible to acquire offence without drafting top 10. don't let Marc Bergevin fool you into thinking otherwise.

secondly, to your point about their regular season record... personally, i don't care and i don't think anyone else should. what's their playoff record? wiped out in round 1 by Ottawa, a run to the ECF, wiped out in round 2 by Tampa. terrible? no. but hardly the record that gives coaches the kind of job security Therrien has. they also didn't go .500. they went 38-44, and they had the worst record in the NHL from the time Price went down to the end of the season.

First of all, thanks for your kind words. I truly appreciate all of the encouragement, and you're right- it's important to remember what matters most in life. Cheers to you!

You bring up a lot of interesting points. It's an emotional time for Habs fans everywhere, without an ounce of a doubt, and we as fans place so much of our faith in an entity that unites us all despite our differences.

Everyone has their take on what worked, what didn't, and what will. "Riding the wave" makes a lot of sense because frankly, what else can we do? We've all been let down, and you can bet that MB and MT lost a lot of sleep over this past season.

However, I still believe MB will do what's necessary to improve this team. I asked for his resignation if he doesn't address the lack of scoring on the top two lines this summer, but it seems like he won't be willing to make a statement move just for the sake of pleasing us.

I like MT. I've defended him throughout the course of the season, and I understand why he'll be back next season. I do expect him to be on a short leash, so to speak, and that the first half of the season will determine his fate.

Hope that sheds a light on my thoughts!
- Andrew Saadalla

maybe you heard a different PC than i did. i thought he made 2 things very clear: they missed the playoffs because of Price and there's no feasible way to acquire top 6 forwards. he'll tinker with the margins of the roster but otherwise, it will be largely the same group.

maybe you heard a different PC than i did. i thought he made 2 things very clear: they missed the playoffs because of Price and there's no feasible way to acquire top 6 forwards. he'll tinker with the margins of the roster but otherwise, it will be largely the same group.
- DoubleDown

There is a feasible way, but it's hard.

There is a feasible way, but it's hard.
- Aetherial

Habs will pick Julien Gauthier unless they win the lottery. They will put their new Quebecois hero on left wing because right wing is too much responsibility for a young guy on this team.

Habs will pick Julien Gauthier unless they win the lottery. They will put their new Quebecois hero on left wing because right wing is too much responsibility for a young guy on this team.
- l3ig_l2ecl

Latendressesque

Latendressesque
- AdamFrench

Precisely!

Habs will pick Julien Gauthier unless they win the lottery. They will put their new Quebecois hero on left wing because right wing is too much responsibility for a young guy on this team.
- l3ig_l2ecl

just imagine it one day...

Gauthier-Desharnais-Pacioretty

maybe you heard a different PC than i did. i thought he made 2 things very clear: they missed the playoffs because of Price and there's no feasible way to acquire top 6 forwards. he'll tinker with the margins of the roster but otherwise, it will be largely the same group.
- DoubleDown

I'm not a MB fan at all, disappointed he didn't grab Reimer when the opportunity was there. But now he can't burn what little assets they have on a top 6 until they are sure that Price will be able to resume a starting role. If the injury continues to hamper his play they'll need what little they have to replace Price.

just imagine it one day...

Gauthier-Desharnais-Pacioretty
- DoubleDown

Good thing I'm drinking a fruit smoothie.. The puke in my mouth didn't taste so bad...

I'm not a MB fan at all, disappointed he didn't grab Reimer when the opportunity was there. But now he can't burn what little assets they have on a top 6 until they are sure that Price will be able to resume a starting role. If the injury continues to hamper his play they'll need what little they have to replace Price.
- Pie

I get that he was told Price was coming back soon, and that he didn't wanted to overpay for a goalie that he would have been stuck with after, not to mention the cap space spent on that.

I'm no doctor, but I'm surprised they could not tell that the rehab process would take that long. If they had told Bergevin at the time that Price was done for the season, he would have reacted differently that's for sure.

I'm not a MB fan at all, disappointed he didn't grab Reimer when the opportunity was there. But now he can't burn what little assets they have on a top 6 until they are sure that Price will be able to resume a starting role. If the injury continues to hamper his play they'll need what little they have to replace Price.
- Pie

same concern i have. what happens with Price moving forward? is he the same goalie? even if he is, how can you count on this guy for a full season? does he re-sign? because anything less than Price at his best for 6 months... we now know what happens.

I get that he was told Price was coming back soon, and that he didn't wanted to overpay for a goalie that he would have been stuck with after, not to mention the cap space spent on that.

I'm no doctor, but I'm surprised they could not tell that the rehab process would take that long. If they had told Bergevin at the time that Price was done for the season, he would have reacted differently that's for sure.
- stinger67

They could have flipped Reimer again