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SammyPollock

A rational Habs fan
Member Since
Jul. 5, 2020
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Montreal Canadiens
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Forum: Armchair-GMJan. 27 at 9:05 p.m.
Thread: Laine
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>CaseyFlyman</b></div><div>He's looked off this year, but he's not lazy. He skates like a giraffe, which makes him look slow and like he's not putting in effort, but he does do the little things defensively (one of the few things coaching in Columbus has benefited him for).

I don't know what his headspace is like, but the thing I've noticed about him this year is he waits far too long to make his move on defenders, and turns over the puck a lot. He's not creating opportunities or getting shots like normal because he's constantly losing one-on-one battles in the offensive zone just because he makes a move too late. I think that's something a better coach could easily fix.

Not even going to hazard a guess at his value, but I think it would be dumb for Columbus to sell so low on him. He fits the timeline and fills a need if he can just...be Laine.</div></div>



Was it perhaps the physical or mental remnants of a previous injury? Cole Caufield spent about a quarter of the current season performing quite like your description of Laine's play. Speculation was he was obsessing too much over his defensive play &amp;/or his shoulder was still affected by season-ending surgery from last season.

Caufield has returned to fine form over the last 10 games or so. I'm sure this is in no small way connected to Coach Martin St-Louis.
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 13, 2023 at 11:26 p.m.
Thread: How does Montreal feel about Dvorak
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>remowilliams</b></div><div>I like him as a player but hes not great defensivly career minus 50.personally i would like to see a more defensive 3rd line center.100 % just my opinion.</div></div>

At this point, D-vo is what he is. He's good for about 0.5 PPG, quite decent on faceoffs and actually pretty sound defensively. (As for +/-, look at the teams he has played for.) Just checking, I was surprised to see he's 6'1". He certainly plays much smaller. I can't recall anytime he has imposed himself physically.

I think there was some undue offensive expectations based on his numbers with the Knights in junior. (I guess playing between Marner and Tkachuk can do that.) The Coyotes extended him probably expecting he would grow into the contract but he has not. Not the way someone like say, Kotkaniemi seems to be growing into his contract.

Given that he has been playing with some awful teams without much support, D-vo has been alright. One thing he has been is consistent. It's just that there's really not much difference between his ceiling and his floor. That could be seen as a positive or a negative.

Ideally, he would come in around Lars Eller territory salary-wise (i.e. about $3M.) Thus Christian Dvorak is overpaid, but not massively so.
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 8, 2023 at 8:39 a.m.
Thread: Carter Hart Deal Analysis
MTL needs to stay on course and continue rebuilding via the draft. Hughes has only been GM for one draft year, let's not be dealing our picks away already.

Carter's a decent netminder, but let's give the reins to Montembault and see if he can take it to another level. I'm skeptical but let's give him a real shot before we decide to give him a big dollar extension...or a more modest one.

We still don't know what we have in Primeau. We need to give him a long, hard look. Send Allen to Laval if necessary. I'd rather lose overpaid Allen than see Primeau lost on waivers only to go flourish with another team.

As bad as our development of players has been, it's been worst at the goaltender position. We've had goalie prospects come and go, but it's been ages that we haven't even been able to draft and develop a decent backup goaltender. Look at the resources wasted over the years on incompetent, overpaid guys we signed to backup Price.

It seems MTL is never patient enough to let G prospects make the transition to the NHL in any role. There was a perfect opportunity to play Primeau for extended periods last year but he just rode the bench each time he was called up. I don't understand why. It's not like we were fighting for a playoff spot.

Now is the time to spend some time evaluating what we currently have between the pipes. Only after that assessment is made should MTL start thinking about, if necessary, dealing its future to remedy the situation.
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 5, 2023 at 6:26 p.m.
Thread: 15 of 32
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>swinny</b></div><div>He has fallen outside the top 6 in Montréal with Guhle and Xjekaj's arrivals, but that is a bold assertion.

He was never a strong skater.

And if he is so terrible, tell me why St. Louis played him over 19 minutes a game last year when the Habs really had other options, especially after it was crystal clear this team was in lotto territory. 2nd on the blueline in hits. 2nd on blueline in blocked shots.

So has he been passed on the depth chart? Absolutely. Does he suck? No.</div></div>


Listen, I like Eddy a lot. But did you watch him last year? He was our worst defenceman. Like some other guys, he was playing hurt and it was a disservice to the team and to himself. I was shocked when he dropped the gloves in the final game. Gutsy? Sure. Smart? I don't know.

If Eddy comes back and plays like he has before last season, he's a very solid asset for any team--especially in the playoffs. And I'm fine with him playing ahead of anyone except Matheson and Guhle. But I don't see any GM acquiring him (save for LTIR purposes) until or unless he consistently shows he has gotten back to form.

But if Treliving and the Leafs want to take his last contract year off our hands, I would be very happy indeed. Especially if it returns to MTL anything resembling your proposed transaction.
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 5, 2023 at 4:24 p.m.
Thread: How could Montreal use their cap space to get picks
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>BigBadBurke</b></div><div>Well then you have no feel for why the fans want him gone. He’s a LD taking up a spot that could be used for development of one of our youngsters. It has nothing to do with his play, which has been more than fine for what he’s being paid, and for where he’s slotted into the lineup.</div></div>

As a Habs fan, I can attest that, last season, Edmundson was a liability on the ice. The question becomes whether it was due to injury (i.e. he can heal and return to form) or due to age (although he is still only 29.)

At the level he played prior to 2022/23, he has significant value to a contender. His contract is also of value if he ruled "out for the season" and is moved to LTIR. But on an NHL roster playing at the level he did last year, his value is negative---at any salary and taking into account his considerable leadership qualities and any other intangibles he may bring to the table.
Forum: Armchair-GMMay 20, 2023 at 2:52 a.m.
Forum: Armchair-GMMay 20, 2023 at 2:16 a.m.