could change everything
- DoubleDown

Huge if true!

Huge if true!
- Scabeh

Not sure where he's gonna fit with Despres and Oullet taking most of the ice time on the blue line.

I hope it doesn't, maybe if the high revenue generating teams make less and the salary cap comes down for a change it will lead to changes in how the league operates.
This pains me to say, but the Toronto way is the way to go. They finally have a team that should contend for many years and be in the Stanley discussion every year.
- braidan

i think a lot of the club's revenue is locked in through broadcasting deals, season tickets, etc. would take years of them being terrible to start having a sizable impact i think. additionally, they have quietly become a middle-of-the-road salary team rather than a cap team.

NHL will never go back on the Cap. unless they want to be a 18-20-team league, they can't do it.

I said bonjourno

I said bonjourno
- Streit2ThePoint

¿Qué tal?

Trades are very difficult to get the missing pieces.
Offer sheets are not used.
Free agents don't want to come here, or at the least the god ones in their prime don't.

The best way to build a contender is by sucking and doing it through the draft see Toronto, Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA, etc.
We HAVE to suck for a few years to get a better on ice product and it will not be pleasant for a few years but hopefully after that we will have a few years of a decent team. We can continue to be a middle of the pack team and hope for the best or suffer for a few years.

Personally, I can live with sucking for a year or two and drafting some possibly elite players for the future.
So we can complain about the upcoming years or accept that this is how you build a team in the new NHL.
- braidan

I agree with you Braiden. And Scabeh sums up the other part well.....i just don't get why they just can't be honest with fans? I'm fine with tearing it down, not asking for much......just honesty and a good product on the ice for the first time in 25 years?? I'm willing to wait

It'll be hard to build a contender with MB's dyslexic eye for talent, how he takes everything personally, gets into a rift with any player that has above average talent and rids the organization of them for pennies on the dollar. And an owner that backs his behaviour. It's just a little bit more systemic than you've stated.

Sure, if a normal NHL team followed the Toronto blueprint they'd be successful. Montreal is the furthest team from normal and they'd deviate from the plan just so they wouldn't be like Toronto.

They'd cut their nose off to spite their face.

I agree with you Braiden. And Scabeh sums up the other part well.....i just don't get why they just can't be honest with fans? I'm fine with tearing it down, not asking for much......just honesty and a good product on the ice for the first time in 25 years?? I'm willing to wait

It'll be hard to build a contender with MB's dyslexic eye for talent, how he takes everything personally, gets into a rift with any player that has above average talent and rids the organization of them for pennies on the dollar. And an owner that backs his behaviour. It's just a little bit more systemic than you've stated.

Sure, if a normal NHL team followed the Toronto blueprint they'd be successful. Montreal is the furthest team from normal and they'd deviate from the plan just so they wouldn't be like Toronto.

They'd cut their nose off to spite their face.
- Snots33_77

I think there are as many examples of teams sucking for years and still not achieving anything then there are of teams sucking and being able to do a proper rebuild

I said bonjourno
- Streit2ThePoint

I hope it doesn't, maybe if the high revenue generating teams make less and the salary cap comes down for a change it will lead to changes in how the league operates.
This pains me to say, but the Toronto way is the way to go. They finally have a team that should contend for many years and be in the Stanley discussion every year.
- braidan

Maybe suck for 3 years instead of 15 but yes.

Maybe suck for 3 years instead of 15 but yes.
- Fredobbface

This. lol

I think there are as many examples of teams sucking for years and still not achieving anything then there are of teams sucking and being able to do a proper rebuild
- Pat1993

That's very true. But very few have the unique "guidelines and barriers" that Montreal has to follow and have in place.

It's not an exact science, it's just painfully obvious that the Habs don't have the proper people in place to get the job done.

That's very true. But very few have the unique "guidelines and barriers" that Montreal has to follow and have in place.

It's not an exact science, it's just painfully obvious that the Habs don't have the proper people in place to get the job done.
- Snots33_77

By this, I guess you're essentially referring to taxes, and the infamous "French coach" law?

Surely there are ways to circumvent taxes (with bonuses and endorsements?), but they definitely need to get rid of that French thing... Can't believe it's still an issue.

By this, I guess you're essentially referring to taxes, and the infamous "French coach" law?

Surely there are ways to circumvent taxes (with bonuses and endorsements?), but they definitely need to get rid of that French thing... Can't believe it's still an issue.
- Pat1993

They really are handcuffing themselves and i think the results speak for themselves. It's a shame but it is what it is.

I haven't bought a ticket to the Bell Centre since 2001, and haven't put any money into them since .....i can't even remember. I've cancelled my Center Ice package and will just ride it out. I'd watch this same putrid team under different ownership and management. At least the illusion of hope would resurface....

EDIT: The game in 2001 was a 1-1 tie.

Some things never change!

They really are handcuffing themselves and i think the results speak for themselves. It's a shame but it is what it is.

I haven't bought a ticket to the Bell Centre since 2001, and haven't put any money into them since .....i can't even remember. I've cancelled my Center Ice package and will just ride it out. I'd watch this same putrid team under different ownership and management. At least the illusion of hope would resurface....

EDIT: The game in 2001 was a 1-1 tie.

Some things never change!
- Snots33_77

i miss ties

i miss ties
- DoubleDown

A full windsor knot fan or are you more of a Kelvin knot kind of guy?

By this, I guess you're essentially referring to taxes, and the infamous "French coach" law?

Surely there are ways to circumvent taxes (with bonuses and endorsements?), but they definitely need to get rid of that French thing... Can't believe it's still an issue.
- Pat1993

I want more french. The team is losing because Molson is not french enough and it shows in his decisions.

I want more french. The team is losing because Molson is not french enough and it shows in his decisions.
- Fredobbface

Ouellet and Despres will fix this.

A full windsor knot fan or are you more of a Kelvin knot kind of guy?
- Scabeh

Ouellet and Despres will fix this.
- WaterBoy

agree

Brandon Smillie: Habs Offseason Far From Finished, Players Must Be Moved
- Brandon Smillie

lol.

lol.




- stormey

No room left in that cupboard!

No room left in that cupboard!
- dt99999

You could stack some cans and squeeze in some Byrons here and there. Plenty of room left

No room left in that cupboard!
- dt99999

Hopefully Braidan doesn't spot the Frosted Chocolate Flakes on the top row!

That.....would be a mess.

agree
- DoubleDown

You know one of them will get top 4 minutes while the other one will be a regular top 6 player... right?

i miss ties
- DoubleDown

They were awesome no doubt!!

Now we have MB's flamboyant ties to distract us from reality!