Around The League - 2024-25 Regular Season

[Habsy]

A question worth repeating:

What would be the point, beyond intentionally worsening our first round pick?

Best goalies available next summer, assuming they're not getting re-signed:

Jonathan Quick, Semyon Varlamov, Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic, Cam Talbot... Besides Tristan Jarry, there isn't a single goalie I'd like to sign.

I don't know if i even sign Jarry. It's not an impressive list. I would rather target a younger goalie in someone else's system.

Looking at d-men, same issue, not much to pick from:

John Klingberg, Erik Johnson, Matt Dumba, Shayne Gostisbehere, Damon Severson, Vince Dunn, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ian Cole, Travis Hamonic, Dmitry Kulikov...

A very unimpressive list.

I keep Edmundson over all of them because of cap hit and duration of contract remaining. Each one of those guys is an albatross contract waiting to happen.

So the free agency route won't work, which means we'd have to make trades. Frankly, I'm not interested in trading picks/prospects away for NHLers that other teams are trying to get rid of.

This rebuild is very far away from being done. A push to make the playoffs would be foolish.

It depends on the player you're targeting. If he's in the < 23 range you look at it because they will still need development. It's rare to see a goalie step in and win a cup immediately. They also need grooming.

 

[GGpX]

I don't think I'd sign Jarry, but he's the only one of the last that would even make me think about it.

For the D, agreed.

My point is, Sal's idea is lunacy. If we draft twice in the top 10, let's say 5th & 10th, neither one of those players are in the NHL next year. We're still many, many pieces away from being ready to contend. Fast-forwarding the process when we don't have our franchise center, don't have our franchise d-man, don't have our franchise goalie seems like a great way to be in perpetual mediocrity, or the Buffalo Sabres of the 2010s.

 

[Habsy]

The Habs always seem to find a goalie though, of all the positions that's the one I'm not overly concerned about.

 

[GEEMAN]

I don't know if i even sign Jarry. It's not an impressive list. I would rather target a younger goalie in someone else's system.




I keep Edmundson over all of them because of cap hit and duration of contract remaining. Each one of those guys is an albatross contract waiting to happen.

It depends on the player you're targeting. If he's in the < 23 range you look at it because they will still need development. It's rare to see a goalie step in and win a cup immediately. They also need grooming.

Thats the issue with UFA , very few difference makers are ever available

Then you need to grossly overpay and on a rebuilding roster thats dumb cap dollars

Draft and develop you own

 

[Habsy]

Or poach off a desperate team

 

[GEEMAN]

I don't think I'd sign Jarry, but he's the only one of the last that would even make me think about it.

For the D, agreed.

My point is, Sal's idea is lunacy. If we draft twice in the top 10, let's say 5th & 10th, neither one of those players are in the NHL next year. We're still many, many pieces away from being ready to contend. Fast-forwarding the process when we don't have our franchise center, don't have our franchise d-man, don't have our franchise goalie seems like a great way to be in perpetual mediocrity, or the Buffalo Sabres of the 2010s.

Boisvert put it best , Nick and Cole are second liners on great teams and we dont have a bottom 6

 

[GrandWazoo]

I’d rather use our cap space to acquire bad contracts for picks and prospects.

 

[GEEMAN]

Or poach off a desperate team

We did it with Dach , but typically your only poaching depth pieces

 

[GEEMAN]

I’d rather use our cap space to acquire bad contracts for picks and prospects.

yup , short term expiry dates

 

[Habsy]

We did it with Dach , but typically your only poaching depth pieces

Sure but teams are always up against it, you just need to be ready.

 

[Habsy]

I’d rather use our cap space to acquire bad contracts for picks and prospects.

Monahan and Dach worked out pretty well. Because of this I have confidence that HuGo are being very attentive to the market.

I'm not concerned about not having a goalie and won't be for another season after this one. Either Dobes starts panning out or they will find another.

That said, we don't have cap space to play with to do so. People seem to forget (or didn't know) that once you operate in LTIR like the Habs you no longer accrue cap space.

 

[GEEMAN]

Sure but teams are always up against it, you just need to be ready.

Hawks are an anomaly , dumping youth in a rebuild when their cap is flawless

I would really like to pry Byfield from LA

 

[GEEMAN]

Monahan and Dach worked out pretty well. Because of this I have confidence that HuGo are being very attentive to the market.

I'm not concerned about not having a goalie and won't be for another season after this one. Either Dobes starts panning out or they will find another.

That said, we don't have cap space to play with to do so. People seem to forget (or didn't know) that one you operate in LTIR like the Habs you no longer accrue cap space.

View attachment 14803

our cap will be fine in 2 years when some team might bite on 31 and 11 becomes more moveable

 

[Habsy]

Current cap situation this year and next

 

[Habsy]

Hawks are an anomaly , dumping youth in a rebuild when their cap is flawless

I would really like to pry Byfield from LA

Hawks dumped for Bedard. Everyone knows it and I pray out doesn't work out for them like it did for the Pens and Lemieux.

 

[Krustchev]

Boisvert put it best , Nick and Cole are second liners on great teams and we dont have a bottom 6

Cole is not a second liner anywhere. He’s an elite sniper.

 

[GEEMAN]

Hawks dumped for Bedard. Everyone knows it and I pray out doesn't work out for them like it did for the Pens and Lemieux.

He will rot in hell in Chitown , best fit is the Ducks

 

[GEEMAN]

Cole is not a second liner anywhere. He’s an elite sniper.

Secondary support good player on a contender

 

[Habsy]

As for 24-25, the only notables dropping off are Hoffman, Alzner and Wideman. About 6m.

This summer is when they dump a lot of dead wood and they're still only left with about 13m in space and have to replace Monahan, Drouin, Dadonov, Byron.

The RFA this summer are:

Cole Caufield
Jordan Harris

Anthony Richard
Michael Pezzetta

The latter two should be gone. I can see them giving Richard a QO but Pez? He needs gone.

Basically, I'm not seeing this plethora of cap space without more creativity. You will also need to factor in $4.5m in potential bonuses on the books for 23-24.

 

[TheCountofMonteCristo]

Y'all might disagree with Salamander's possibilities but it is hard to argue the position ownership will voluntarily throw next season away too. It might happen naturally but Molson will not want to go into the season knowing 28th overall is our ceiling.

At most he will accept missing next year as he won't want to be the first Canadiens' owner to miss post season 4 straight seasons (we have never missed more than 3 in a row).