To me, it wouldn't be the worst outcome if they bottomed out this year, head into next off season with a top 10 pick and Petry, Tatar and Danault on their last year and primed to be moved for younger assets and picks, another year of misery could really set the table for this organization moving forward... it's a win/win right now
- obie

I expect a small setback, at the very least. The team was pretty healthy last season (outside of Weber to start the year) and a lot of them had career year.

Hopefully we will see some young blood in the line-up soon.

Molson will have a tough time explaining keeping a GM while missing the playoffs 4 out of 5 years. Regardless of how hard trades are
- Takemedrunkimhome

Who would take his spot and do better anyway?

Molson will have a tough time explaining keeping a GM while missing the playoffs 4 out of 5 years. Regardless of how hard trades are
- Takemedrunkimhome

Has very little to do with trades, although the Domi/Galchenyuk swap has the potential to be the Habs version of Gilmour for Leeman...

It's all about the draft and adding good young players, it's most likely the pitch he gave Molson last year and when its comes to that, he gets an A in my books

MB can't really win here, unless he offer sheets for picks, and even then, we'll female dog and moan about the loss of picks.

He makes a trade for a left d qb for the PP (giggle), that won't come cheap, and we'll complain about what we lost.

He *did* sign a big, aggressive ld free agent, and we complain. He doesn't, and we'd complain about being too small as a team.

It's the GM job in Montreal to realize the fans will never be totally happy. It's like politics. Always gonna have haters.

I expect a small setback, at the very least. The team was pretty healthy last season (outside of Weber to start the year) and a lot of them had career year.

Hopefully we will see some young blood in the line-up soon.
- deadpoulet

And that young blood will allow Bergy to move on from guys I mentioned before, you can add Byron to that list as well.... and although not elite, those guys are established talent that will get decent returns to really solidify what he's done

Who would take his spot and do better anyway?
- deadpoulet

That's a question that's above my pay grade and frankly hard to answer im any honest way for most if not all. But if he's had 7 years (next would be 8) and the team he built missed the playoffs 4 out of 5 years in a league where more than half the team makes the playoffs...would it be that hard to find somebody else to do a comparable if not better job? Flipping a coin would have better odds

Has very little to do with trades, although the Domi/Galchenyuk swap has the potential to be the Habs version of Gilmour for Leeman...

It's all about the draft and adding good young players, it's most likely the pitch he gave Molson last year and when its comes to that, he gets an A in my books
- obie

Then make Timmins the (frank)ing GM

MB can't really win here, unless he offer sheets for picks, and even then, we'll female dog and moan about the loss of picks.

He makes a trade for a left d qb for the PP (giggle), that won't come cheap, and we'll complain about what we lost.

He *did* sign a big, aggressive ld free agent, and we complain. He doesn't, and we'd complain about being too small as a team.

It's the GM job in Montreal to realize the fans will never be totally happy. It's like politics. Always gonna have haters.
- Darksyde

Maybe he's a large part of the reason people female dog and don't trust/question some of the moves

Maybe he's a large part of the reason people female dog and don't trust/question some of the moves
- Takemedrunkimhome

Yea cause I really trusted Houle, Gainey and Savard

Yea cause I really trusted Houle, Gainey and Savard
- obie

Yes...because other GMs have had their issues the Habs should stick with a mediocre if not below average GM. Great way to build a winner

It's not the cap hit that restrains the Habs, it's the draft picks. They can't be used until the Canes formally respond.

https://www.rds.ca/hockey...itrage-salarial-1.6846611

I don't think they can argue for a big raise.

https://www.rds.ca/hockey/canadiens/lnh-charles-hudon-joel-armia-et-artturi-lehkonen-auront-droit-a-l-arbitrage-salarial-1.6846611

I don't think they can argue for a big raise.
- deadpoulet

MB needs his 12 bottom 6 forwards...and he needs to look like he used all his cap space

https://www.rds.ca/hockey/canadiens/lnh-charles-hudon-joel-armia-et-artturi-lehkonen-auront-droit-a-l-arbitrage-salarial-1.6846611

I don't think they can argue for a big raise.
- deadpoulet

Can you trade a player after he's filled for arbitration? And do you have to wait before trading them after their hearing?

MB needs his 12 bottom 6 forwards...and he needs to look like he used all his cap space
- Takemedrunkimhome

You know he needs 28 F to fill out both Montreal and Laval right? He has 24 F under contract right now

You know he needs 28 F to fill out both Montreal and Laval right? He has 24 F under contract right now
- obie

How many are one way contracts he'll end up losing on waivers eventually?

How many are one way contracts he'll end up losing on waivers eventually?
- Takemedrunkimhome

I know, how horrible it would be to lose the likes of Weise, Peca, Cousins, Varone & Thompson to waivers, not sure the franchise would ever recover!! Come on man, hes signing guys he wont care losing on waivers if some of the young players push their way into the roster, nobody is putting Poehling on waivers here

I know, how horrible it would be to lose the likes of Weise, Peca, Cousins, Varone & Thompson to waivers, not sure the franchise would ever recover!! Come on man, hes signing guys he wont care losing on waivers if some of the young players push their way into the roster, nobody is putting Poehling on waivers here
- obie

But that's my point. He's signing guys the Habs either don't need or can get off the scrap heap like Cousins...meanwhile the players needed for actual improvement are nowhere to be seen. The Chiarot thing didn't sit well with me because, at least to me it signaled this is the LD MB thinks the Habs needed and if that's the case his plan doesn't make sense. I can sign on for a lot if I can see a clear plan and it makes sense, but unfortunately I don't. (I'm fine with Chiarot as a player and even a UFA contract, just he isn't what the Habs needed)

As I've said a few times it is still early and maybe he's waiting on the OS with Carolina to make another move...but as of today I haven't seen anything inspiring and after 7 years of it I'm tired of continually lowering the bar of expectations

But that's my point. He's signing guys the Habs either don't need or can get off the scrap heap like Cousins...meanwhile the players needed for actual improvement are nowhere to be seen. The Chiarot thing didn't sit well with me because, at least to me it signaled this is the LD MB thinks the Habs needed and if that's the case his plan doesn't make sense. I can sign on for a lot if I can see a clear plan and it makes sense, but unfortunately I don't. (I'm fine with Chiarot as a player and even a UFA contract, just he isn't what the Habs needed)

As I've said a few times it is still early and maybe he's waiting on the OS with Carolina to make another move...but as of today I haven't seen anything inspiring and after 7 years of it I'm tired of continually lowering the bar of expectations
- Takemedrunkimhome

I see you don't need my help at all.
have an excellent weekend boys and girls.

But that's my point. He's signing guys the Habs either don't need or can get off the scrap heap like Cousins...meanwhile the players needed for actual improvement are nowhere to be seen. The Chiarot thing didn't sit well with me because, at least to me it signaled this is the LD MB thinks the Habs needed and if that's the case his plan doesn't make sense. I can sign on for a lot if I can see a clear plan and it makes sense, but unfortunately I don't. (I'm fine with Chiarot as a player and even a UFA contract, just he isn't what the Habs needed)

As I've said a few times it is still early and maybe he's waiting on the OS with Carolina to make another move...but as of today I haven't seen anything inspiring and after 7 years of it I'm tired of continually lowering the bar of expectations
- Takemedrunkimhome

That's fine, and I understand all his missteps from the past, but to me he's figured it out in the last year or so and I'm more than happy with the results that "should" come based on the prospect pool he assembled in a short time... this was suppose to take a long time, he has shaved years off a total rebuild in a matter of 12 months

That's fine, and I understand all his missteps from the past, but to me he's figured it out in the last year or so and I'm more than happy with the results that "should" come based on the prospect pool he assembled in a short time... this was suppose to take a long time, he has shaved years off a total rebuild in a matter of 12 months
- obie

A total rebuild that was needed because of his moves. I'm not crediting him for putting out a fire he started.

He signed Price to a massive 8 year contract. If he plans to waste the first few years on a rebuild, the Habs will likely be stuck with a Price albatross when it comes time to be good. Weber has 3 or 4 years left before his contract doesn't make financial sense to continue. If they aren't going to be good now they'll need to add a #1 D and a #1 G to the immediate list of needs under a rebuild. Again...I just don't see a coherent plan and as such it becomes hard to place my faith behind it.

Applauding somebody for trying grows old after 6 year old coed soccer. Sometime around your late teens life becomes about results and if MB is judged on his results, he's essentially been a failure, despite some nice moves in the recent past

Hey all,
I saw a question about what a trade for Laine would look like.

I would think it’s going to include those 3 picks they have in the offer sheet to start plus a roster player and a prospect. I would try to keep it to the picks and Suzuki though.

When I was online last night all I had in here was mostly trolling and I check this morning and we have 4 more pages of hockey talk! I missed all the fun.

A total rebuild that was needed because of his moves. I'm not crediting him for putting out a fire he started.

He signed Price to a massive 8 year contract. If he plans to waste the first few years on a rebuild, the Habs will likely be stuck with a Price albatross when it comes time to be good. Weber has 3 or 4 years left before his contract doesn't make financial sense to continue. If they aren't going to be good now they'll need to add a #1 D and a #1 G to the immediate list of needs under a rebuild. Again...I just don't see a coherent plan and as such it becomes hard to place my faith behind it.

Applauding somebody for trying grows old after 6 year old coed soccer. Sometime around your late teens life becomes about results and if MB is judged on his results, he's essentially been a failure, despite some nice moves in the recent past
- Takemedrunkimhome

I don't think they need to add a G for the future

I think they need 2 D, one on each side, an entire top pairing really

After Weber is done playing those 3-4 good years he has left and retires, the cap hit goes back to Nashville, not an issue

I get it, he got them into the original mess to begin with, he should have been fired then, but why now? He sold his pitch to Molson about a retool, cant say for sure about any timeline he gave him, but I would bet that hes ahead of schedule, so you have done better than we anticipated and you are fired?

Hey all,
I saw a question about what a trade for Laine would look like.

I would think it’s going to include those 3 picks they have in the offer sheet to start plus a roster player and a prospect. I would try to keep it to the picks and Suzuki though.

When I was online last night all I had in here was mostly trolling and I check this morning and we have 4 more pages of hockey talk! I missed all the fun.
- Brandon Smillie

What do you think Brandon, if the Habs miss the playoffs, you fire Bergevin?

Can you trade a player after he's filled for arbitration? And do you have to wait before trading them after their hearing?
- obie

Yes you can trade a player after he's filled for arbitration (re:Taylor Beck/Jamie Devane trade) and the player can be traded after the result of the hearing.