This season is a wash, and as much as i don't believe in tanking ; we are in a good spot right now to trade away our vets for youngsters and start installing a new philosopy straight away. Lets the kids learn and gain experiance and gear them up for next season. We will loose games and end up with a good draft pick or two as a result, that further helps our future and rebuild.
You can not have a team made of tiny players, and I have been saying that for years while board members here laughed at me ; and now even Gauthier gets what I have been saying all this time. IF you're going to play guys like David Desharnais, you must surround him with big guys that will shelter him against abuse from all the other teams with big bruisers that go crashing and banging on these skilled midgets. This is hockey and is still a contact sport. You are going to get hit.
So, with that said, with Cammalleri out and Bourque in, I would continue that trend. Our wingers are finally looking like an NHL calibur team, but our defence and our centers are awful. Eller has the size and skill, so he would be in my long term plans but Gomez, Desharnais and Plekanec represent our biggest problem and one the team hasn't addressed in over a decade. Size down the middle is important! Gomez, for me, is a throw-away - get what you can and if nothing comes up, waive him. Next, choose between Plekanec and Desharnais - together, they are twoo small for a serious top six. I would pick Desharnais because he makes less, has less trade value and plays well with Cole and Pacioretty.
Our defence is shameful and this is where I'd like to clean house the most. I would keep Subban, as cocky and immature as he is, because he's a talented son of a gun with a lot of untapped potential. Gorges would be my captain as I intend to remove Gionta from my team and Emelin is my kind of guy and I would keep him, sign him to a long term deal. Gill, Diaz, Weber, Kaberle and especially Campolli would all be gone. Markov... well, can't do anything with him so I would wait to see if he ever returns or if he retires. I wwouldn't even count on him as a player so I build as if he isn't part of the team and if he returns to form, he becomes a bonus.
So, I would re-sign Emelin, Moen, Kostitsyn and Blunden ; say what you will but he has been playing better and better since Martin was bounced out of town. He also has edge, skates well and even gets the odd scoring chance. Hits like a trunk and generally creates havoc for other teams. I'll keep him on my 4th line.
I offer Plekanec to the 29 other GM's around the league for a big, offensive center and use Weber, Diaz, Gill, Nokelainen, Darche, Campoli and some of our AHLers (Enqvist, Palushaj, St.Denis) as throw-ins. Once that gets done, I'd move the rest of the players on my "bye bye" list for picks or prospects and go from there, filling any holes with AHLer's I feel should get a closer look - guys like Leblanc, Henry, Conboy, Schultz - maybe Avstin.
I need a top line center and right wing, and two or three defenceman. Size and grit are a must. Worst case, I use guys like Henry and other low-value guys via waiver or trades with one year deals and shop during the off-season.
Bourque - _________ - __________
Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole
Moen - Eller - Kostitsyn
Conboy* - White - Blunden
Mcguire? Oh wow, not a chance...other GM's would want to deal with him about as much as they want to deal with Burkie....
Mcguire is just blowhard know it all for TV...there is a reason he hasn't had an NHL job in the last 15-20 yrs...
And yet outside of the Kessel trade, Burke has won practically every trade he's made. Maybe that's why they don't want to trade with him.
I love this ridiculous notion GMs would think less of McGuire because he has been a TV personality for a while, especially when there is no actual basis for it.
I would trade DD, too small and his value may never be any higher.
The way things are going we should finish in bottom five - draft Grigorenko
Get the rights to Radulov.
Patches Grigorenko Cole
Bourque Pleks Radulov
Kostitsyn Eller Gionta
Blunden White Moen
Find a way to get Brassard and Cormier and do whatever you want with Gomez and Kaberle. Then, you got an awesome Top 9 . It's fun to dream + exchange, has the center piece of a trade, Pleks vs Stastny
And yet outside of the Kessel trade, Burke has won practically every trade he's made. Maybe that's why they don't want to trade with him.
I love this ridiculous notion GMs would think less of McGuire because he has been a TV personality for a while, especially when there is no actual basis for it.
Burke didnt win trades , he won GAMBLES
Dion played like crap for 3 years and took on his salary in return
Lupul bounced on other teams , and had a serous back injury with a bad contract
he had the cash to absorb the risks
sorry these were crap shoot deals
its like us if Gomez scored 70 points the last few seasons
I would trade DD, too small and his value may never be any higher.
The way things are going we should finish in bottom five - draft Grigorenko
Get the rights to Radulov.
Patches Grigorenko Cole
Bourque Pleks Radulov
Kostitsyn Eller Gionta
Blunden White Moen
Markov Emelin
Subban Gorges
Diaz/Weber Kaberle
Price
that is a good forward line up but the defense still needs to add touchiness the top 4 is good but our 5/6 needs to be a checking/ tough pair IMO I would try to get ryan sutter and have him with markov and then Emelin with mark stuart I would trade diaz and weber to get him
Markov Sutter
Subban Gorges
Stuart Emelin
and then we need to trade gionta he is making 5 mil on the 3rd line we need to trade him and get a fast power forward that can score 25-30 goals maybe chris kelly I think we can sign and then trade Gionta for a 1st rounder
this is my final line up
Bourque Grigorenko Cole
Patches Pleks Radulov
Kostitsyn Kelly Eller
Blunden White Moen
I would trade DD, too small and his value may never be any higher.
The way things are going we should finish in bottom five - draft Grigorenko
Get the rights to Radulov.
Patches Grigorenko Cole
Bourque Pleks Radulov
Kostitsyn Eller Gionta
Blunden White Moen
Markov Emelin
Subban Gorges
Diaz/Weber Kaberle
Price
I could see Nashville trading the rights to Montreal,Radulov was like a god in Quebec and if the Habs get Grigorenko,which is very possible.The team would be solid throughout the lineup when Tinordi & the rest of our defence prospects get there.Gauthier has a plan and this could very well be part of the grand design.I certainly see the Habs being a great team if Gauthier is there to complete the task.
I still hope A.K. and Moen wll fill your XXXX in your line up
I don't. With Bourque in the lineup, I see AK as expendable. Not that I don't like him, I just think that ideally, they both fit best in the 2nd/3rd line role. Both are inconsistent, but AK is a much more attractive trade deadline asset with his expiring contract. I don't suggest giving him away, but he should be shopped heavily. As for Moen, its more of a sell high attitude. He's having a career year, he'll likely be looking for a raise and I'm not convinced he can maintain this level of play through a new contract. I'm also not sure he'd want to stick around on a team that may need to do a mini rebuild. He'll generate a ton of attention at the deadline as a playoff performer and a vet with a cup ring. He's not exactly the type of player that's hard to replace and it'll likely be more useful to the team to get a pick or prospect for him seeing as it'll be a bit till we can really compete.
I would trade DD, too small and his value may never be any higher.
The way things are going we should finish in bottom five - draft Grigorenko
Get the rights to Radulov.
Patches Grigorenko Cole
Bourque Pleks Radulov
Kostitsyn Eller Gionta
Blunden White Moen
Markov Emelin
Subban Gorges
Diaz/Weber Kaberle
Price
This doesn't look all that bad, more for what we're keeping than what we're getting.
Can we get Grigorenko or the rights to Radulov? 1 of 2 maybe but i don't think both.
The rest of it looks good, with Bourque, Kostitsyn, Pacioretty and Cole in the line-up you can afford to put 2 of the 4 on the same line.
I also think that Eller/Gionta/Kostitsyn could be a world-beater.
If you don't get the rights to Radulov you move Gionta up to his slot and Moen up to Gionta's. Then you go get a heavyweight (yes I did say heavyweight) that can play 5-7 mins a night
Keep Darche as your 13th forward- cheap and a consummate professional.
And for the DD fanboys - keeping Plekanec over DD is the right thing to do.
On D
If at all possible - get rid of Kaberle and bring in someone that compares to Gill but with a mean streak in him - Gill is a world-class hugger and thats served him well. I want to see a 5-6 dman that can deliver bone jarring hits.
First I would see wich player is available right now or could be soon. I'll start showing interest and then you negociate and see what you can do.
When you really want a player you can trade for him. See Kessel and Phaneuf for Leafs. Burke really wanted them and didn't fail at this. Sure in case of Kessel he paid a lot, but he got what he needed. He's a top player in the league and he's 5th in scoring. Now they build around him.
We will have to overpay, this is mostly certain. But having that player would worth overpay for sure.
I haven't checked the stats, but our chances of making the playoffs at this point must be below 1%. I really doubt we'll make it. Also, our calendar for the rest of the season is much harder than it was earlier on. All we can hope for at this point is a very low seed and winning the lottery. That's probably more realistic than aiming for 8th.
1.Fire Gauthier.
2.Hire McGuire.
3.Ship out Kaberle, Campoli, Weber, Gomez, Gill and Nokelainen for pics and/or prospects.
4.Fire Timmins
5.McGuire replaces Timmins with who ever contact he finds suits their needs.
6.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
7.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
8.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
9.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
10.When summer comes find the best available head coach and if he doesn't speak french, pay him ****ing french lessons already.
11.Go with a youth movement (A la Oilers and Chicago) and grow into a cup winning team.
There is no reason why this team cannot be significantly better next season.
Step 1: Abandon all hope for this season. It's not going to happen. Start deciding who you want to move forward with and who you want to cut loose. Do your best to ensure a top 5 draft pick.
Step 2: Trade Gill and Campoli for the best picks possible. Make a decision on Moen & Kostitsyn...i'm partial to bringing both back if they are willing to re-sign for similar money. Shop Weber and move him if you can get anything interesting for him.
Step 3: Fire Gauthier the day after the season ends. Not sure who the best candidate is out there but i want someone who is going to bring a different approach and who has a clear plan in place for making this team a top contender.
Step 4: Bring in the right coach. No offense to Cunneyworth, but i dont think he's the longterm solution.
Step 5: Gomez to the minors, free up some serious cap space before July 1st.
Step 6: Free Agency...look to get bigger and more aggressive. I'd target one of Tim Gleason or Barrett Jackman on D and guys like Gaustad and one of Shane Doan or Tuomo Ruutu up front and John Scott for muscle.
Max Pacioretty-David Desharnais-Erik Cole
Rene Bourque-Tomas Plekanec-Tuomo Ruutu/Shane Doan
Louis Leblanc-Lars Eller-Brian Gionta
Travis Moen-Paul Gaustad-Ryan White
John Scott
Andrei Markov-Alexei Emelin
Josh Gorges-PK Subban
Tomas Kaberle-Barrett Jackman/Tim Gleason
Raphael Diaz
LOL @ Bourque making AK expendable. I disagree. If anything adding Bourque just shows the direction we're going means we should keep a player like AK.
I'm not saying if the deadline return is good don't trade him, but even having done that I would try to re-sign him July 1st. AK brings a lot more to this team than people realize.
1.Fire Gauthier.
2.Hire McGuire.
3.Ship out Kaberle, Campoli, Weber, Gomez, Gill and Nokelainen for pics and/or prospects. 4.Fire Timmins
5.McGuire replaces Timmins with who ever contact he finds suits their needs.
6.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
7.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
8.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
9.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
10.When summer comes find the best available head coach and if he doesn't speak french, pay him ****ing french lessons already.
11.Go with a youth movement (A la Oilers and Chicago) and grow into a cup winning team.
My two cents...
Darkest day in habs history if that happens. Book it.
1.Fire Gauthier.
2.Hire McGuire.
3.Ship out Kaberle, Campoli, Weber, Gomez, Gill and Nokelainen for pics and/or prospects.
4.Fire Timmins
5.McGuire replaces Timmins with who ever contact he finds suits their needs.
6.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
7.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
8.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
9.Concentrate on drafting bigger talented players.
10.When summer comes find the best available head coach and if he doesn't speak french, pay him ****ing french lessons already.
11.Go with a youth movement (A la Oilers and Chicago) and grow into a cup winning team.
My two cents...
2. No thanks. There's a reason why no team has hired him even though he applied (supposedly) for every job.
LOL @ Bourque making AK expendable. I disagree. If anything adding Bourque just shows the direction we're going means we should keep a player like AK.
I'm not saying if the deadline return is good don't trade him, but even having done that I would try to re-sign him July 1st. AK brings a lot more to this team than people realize.
I realize what he brings to this team, I just don't think he is suited for anything more than a secondary scoring role. Same with Bourque. We need some primary scoring wingers and we don't really have those. Its basically analyzing where you want to spend your money on the roster. I prefer a balanced attack, but paying close to 8 million dollars for a third line (Bourque - Eller - Kostitsyn) doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I'm not against getting bigger, I just believe you need a balanced attack, combining speed, size and skill. For all the talk about how physical they are, Boston's top-6 is littered with skill players that don't bring much size or physical play. I think we'd be better served using that money to target a Parise or somebody similar. Kostitsyn brings a lot to this team, I just don't see him as a final piece of the puzzle, and there isn't much point in offering him a long term deal (which he will most likely be seeking) If he isn't a core piece.
LOL @ Bourque making AK expendable. I disagree. If anything adding Bourque just shows the direction we're going means we should keep a player like AK.
I'm not saying if the deadline return is good don't trade him, but even having done that I would try to re-sign him July 1st. AK brings a lot more to this team than people realize.
All you had to do is watch AK against Senators and look at him lose every one on one battle to know that was one of his "I am taking a night off" games.
You don't win playoff games with guys like Andre Kostitsyn.
. It's fun to dream
