Fancy stats are nice and all, but Weber is still arguably the best two-way defenseman in the league. He brings a presence onto the ice with him that is second to none in this league. He absolutely shuts down one full side of the defensive zone.

Meanwhile, Subban is chilling in Nashville slapping his stick on the ice every 2 seconds demanding the puck immediately and then skates around in circles.

Some fun stats about Weber: 1 point back of league scoring lead. Top 10 in TOI/game. On ice for 1 even-strength goal against in 7 games.
- rangerdanger94

not even sure he'd crack the top 5 IMO.

I'd easily, as "overall" dmen, have doughty, hedman, OEL, and keith over him. karlsson has improved his defensive game by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, so I'd probably put him up there too. I'd also probably add burns to that list.

weber is great, no doubt, but he's going to have to do it for more than 7 games to prove that he's back to being the player he was 2-3 years ago.

just my opinion.

not even sure he'd crack the top 5 IMO.

I'd easily, as "overall" dmen, have doughty, hedman, OEL, and keith over him. karlsson has improved his defensive game by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, so I'd probably put him up there too. I'd also probably add burns to that list.

weber is great, no doubt, but he's going to have to do it for more than 7 games to prove that he's back to being the player he was 2-3 years ago.

just my opinion.
- sensarmy_11

It's a fair opinion. I just don't think any of the guys you listed have the same presence he does. When players are skating down the wing with the puck and see Weber staring down at them, they collectively poop their pants.

Weber doesn't just shut people down, he (frank)ing punishes them.

It's a fair opinion. I just don't think any of the guys you listed have the same presence he does. When players are skating down the wing with the puck and see Weber staring down at them, they collectively poop their pants.

Weber doesn't just shut people down, he (frank)ing punishes them.
- rangerdanger94

I disagree....I think the only thing he has that "scares" people is his shot. I've always found his physical game to be largely exaggerated. I think people expect that he's physical because he's a big guy with a big shot.........not saying he isn't physical, but he's not this shut down machine who's punishing people in front of the net, or laying out monster open ice hits.....at least not anymore than most guys his size.

for the record I'm not saying all habs fans are like that............it's as though all the "procks" and "dopplegangers" and "rogerroepers" of the world were the only ones to comment.
- sensarmy_11

Oh.. i know you aren't saying that...
believe me every fan base has their share of "special people"

I disagree....I think the only thing he has that "scares" people is his shot. I've always found his physical game to be largely exaggerated. I think people expect that he's physical because he's a big guy with a big shot.........not saying he isn't physical, but he's not this shut down machine who's punishing people in front of the net, or laying out monster open ice hits.....at least not anymore than most guys his size.
- sensarmy_11

As far as physicality goes... he is a big step up from PK.
Shot is pretty equal between the two in game situations. Defensive responsibility is a big + for Shea over PK.
Funny thing is that NSH was supposed to be some big powerhouse now that they have Subban (and yes... it's early), but they really havn't shown much thus far.

What amazes me the most is people keep saying the real habs are last year's and not the two years before's team.

As far as i know, the goaltender is part of a team. big part. Last year we played with two ahl goaltenders almost all year long and lost alot of good players to injuries. Yet we still played for 50%.

If you ask me if the Habs would make the playoffs without Price?? i would probably say no. But i'm not so sure about that right now cause the team is much better offensively and we got more leadership during the summer.

And if Price goes down again, i am sure as hell more confident playing Montoya than Condon and Scrivens.

To answer if the Habs are for real??

Off course they won't finish the season with 152 pts.

Can it be a more stupid question at that point??

they started the same last year...

they started the same last year...
- Bigern4MVP

they also started the same the year before that and finished with 100 points and a division title. they also started the same the year before that when they finished with 100 points and made the ECF. they started the same the year before that too when they won the division title.

2 points and then i can't continue with this thread because i can't afford to get any dumber than i already am.

- Montreal with a healthy Price is a lock for 100+ points. anyone who doubts that should just look at the team's record with him in the line up since the 2012 lockout.

- it's becoming quite clear that no matter what Montreal does, short of winning a cup, they will be judged solely on what happened over the final 4 months of the 15-16 season. this is because Montreal fans are as unbearable as Leaf fans when the team is winning and everyone hates us (justifiable IMO), and no one wants to give us the satisfaction of knowing our team is good.

and to the guy who compared Montreal to last year's Rangers, delete your account.

and to the guy who compared Montreal to last year's Rangers, delete your account.
- DoubleDown

They're now making decaffeinated coffee that taste as good as regular coffee.

they also started the same the year before that and finished with 100 points and a division title. they also started the same the year before that when they finished with 100 points and made the ECF. they started the same the year before that too when they won the division title.

2 points and then i can't continue with this thread because i can't afford to get any dumber than i already am.

- Montreal with a healthy Price is a lock for 100+ points. anyone who doubts that should just look at the team's record with him in the line up since the 2012 lockout.

- it's becoming quite clear that no matter what Montreal does, short of winning a cup, they will be judged solely on what happened over the final 4 months of the 15-16 season. this is because Montreal fans are as unbearable as Leaf fans when the team is winning and everyone hates us (justifiable IMO), and no one wants to give us the satisfaction of knowing our team is good.

and to the guy who compared Montreal to last year's Rangers, delete your account.
- DoubleDown

I agree with everything you say except the fact that you think the comparison between the rangers and habs is so out to lunch......yes, price is better than lundqvist, but both are likely top 5 goalies in the league. other than the habs having a better goalie, what's so different about their rosters?

It's a fair opinion. I just don't think any of the guys you listed have the same presence he does. When players are skating down the wing with the puck and see Weber staring down at them, they collectively poop their pants.

Weber doesn't just shut people down, he (frank)ing punishes them.
- rangerdanger94

Oh, please.

To Todd and James:

Haven't you yet figured out that with Price, les Canadiens fight for first in the NHL but with terrible goaltending (like last year) they suck? The same thing could be said about all the top teams in the NHL. Give ANY of the top teams in the NHL the kind of goaltending that the Habs had last year and I assure you that none of them would make the playoffs. Over the last three years, the Habs have been in the top ten twice and last year they had no goaltending so last year was an anomaly. I don't expect things to change anytime soon. Remember where the Habs were last year when Price got hurt? Was it #1 in the NHL? Was it close to that? The answer is yes. This is not the sub-par team that you think it is.

It's a fair opinion. I just don't think any of the guys you listed have the same presence he does. When players are skating down the wing with the puck and see Weber staring down at them, they collectively poop their pants.

Weber doesn't just shut people down, he (frank)ing punishes them.
- rangerdanger94

He really doesn't. He isn't anywhere near as physical as his reputation suggests (unless you ask Zetterberg). If he shuts down his entire side of the ice, why did so many shots get at Rinne when he's on the ice compared to his teammates? It's not proportional to minutes either, it was 3 times as many. Same with goals. He sunk when separated from Josi, and everyone on his team put up better possession numbers with him on the bench. Weird how Subban doesn't allow anywhere near as many shots on his net, or as many goals.