75 goal differential offseason

Team: 2024-25 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 15, 2024

Published: Apr. 15, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

The Habs focus this offseason should be deploying their cap space to ensure they have a major swing in Goal Differential. I think about 75 goals towards the positive IS possible between player growth, health, trades, and UFA acquisitions.

I am not very excited by the draft this season unless the Habs have a top 2 pick, I don't really expect the player to help this team for at least 3-4 years and I don't have the appetite to wait that long.

The Habs have something special going on right now. It's hard to see based on the results, but the number of 1 goal games is incredible. Just a little more scoring and defence and this team is in the playoffs. They DO have the cap space to acquire good veterans who can help the players we already have to do it by committee. 40-50 goal scorers is fun for the fans and for ticket sales, but there's nothing more important than good organizational depth if you want to win.

The Habs need to target 2 top 7 forwards this offseason who can play an excellent 2-way game right away next season and the team will be a force to be reckoned with.

We all want to discover "the next superstar". But the idea of "new" players working out for a team... is typically to manage the cap. The Habs don't actually have that problem. They have the other problem. The problem where while the new guys take their time developing, we are squandering important years of the Elite talent they have today in Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Matheson, and Guhle.

It's time for this team to take a big swing. We cannot build endlessly... or we will risk becoming the next Buffalo Sabres.

Monahan IS better than Lindholm right now and his value on the market is still lower because of his injury history.

Stephenson is like Danault. He's one of the best and most underrated defensive forwards in the league.

With a little luck on the health side, this team is different enough to make the playoffs... Believe it!

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