NHL 2017-2018, now with 3% more kniggets

[Firesprocket]

This is what yahoo fantasy had to say on the deal:

"Matt Duchene has been traded to the Ottawa Senators.

Advice: Duchene has finally been shipped out of Colorado and he has landed with the Senators in a three-way trade with Nashville involved as well. Ottawa sent Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, a first-round pick in 2018 and a third-round pick in 2018 to the Avalanche in the trade. Colorado also received Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamanev and a 2018 second-round selection from Nashville in the deal. Duchene could slide into the spot that was occupied by Kyle Turris, who was sent to the Predators in the deal, between Zack Smith and Ryan Dzingel."

Shane Bowers is the most recent 1st round pick of the Sens and is just now in his freshman year of BU.  Andrew Hammond getting traded finally washes clean a poor management decision and contract, albeit one that expires at the end of the year.  I suspect we will see him playing in Colorado before the end of the season.  The 2018 picks that Ottawa traded away means that they won't be drafting this year until the 4th round unless something comes back to them in another trade later.

Samuel Girard is a young defenseman.  Looks to be undersized, but had a solid junior career.

Vladislav Kamanev, a young forward who has a year of the AHL underneath him and before that some KHL time.

So they got picks and perhaps some prospects.  Seems like everyone got something of good value.  The Avs seem to be finally committing to that rebuild.

[JadeHellbringer]

I'll even back Hammond as a decent option as Varlamov's backup - it wasn't THAT long ago that he was making that big playoff push for the Sens, after all, and there's no reason he can't redevelop that mojo. Nice to see they got a decent return, finally, on Duchene.

Nashville definitely is all-in as well for this year, Turris will be a big help to that team. Bravo to them, that's big.

[gyedid]

Well Plekanec and his noose of a contract will be off the books next year.  Mitchell and Hemsky also have one year left too.  That gets a few of the 30+ off the roster next year.  Anyone else on the team in their 30s is at least on the low end so should in theory have a couple good years left on them.

Sure, but then Bergevin went and replaced it with Price's 10.5 M /year.  That's like having a noose AND a dragstone.  Unless Price gets himself out of whatever funk he's in now (I don't fully buy the minor knee injury story, I think it's something psychological), there is NO WAY the Habs will be able to move that contract.  The same applies to a lesser degree for Andrew Shaw's contract.

Schlemko, if he ever gets healthy, should be a boost to the team's defense.  Trading away all those defenseman and letting Markov walk was a huge mistake.  He wasn't great, but he was effective.

And he could prove to be just as much of a washout as Streit, or as injury-prone as Hemsky.

There is also some respectable d-men that will be available next year and Montreal certainly will have more cap space which is pretty modest right now anyhow.  John Carlson goes UFA and he is going to cost more money than the 4 mil he makes right now and I can't see the Caps giving him the raise he is going to command on the open market.  Calvin De Haan makes 3.3 right now and while he probably will get more too, it won't be more than say 4 mil a year.  I say trade either Galchenyuk or Shaw for Carlson and other booty.  I'll pack Tom Wilson's bags for you whether or not you want him to get him off this team and ship him north.
I guess the op doesn't realize how bad our defense is at the moment either.  Orpik isn't going anywhere until at least Niskanen gets back.  While I'd take that trade 9/10, it is to much salary coming back the Caps direction so the Avs would have to retain some of it.

If the Karl Alzner situation taught Habs fans anything, it's that when the Caps want to trade, or don't want to re-sign, one of their D-corps, there's a good underlying reason for that.  JUST SAY NO.

As for trading Galchenyuk, he finally seems to be finding his footing again.  I do think, however, that this is a case of polishing the apple, and that he won't finish the season in a Habs uniform.

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

Sure, but then Bergevin went and replaced it with Price's 10.5 M /year.  That's like having a noose AND a dragstone.  Unless Price gets himself out of whatever funk he's in now (I don't fully buy the minor knee injury story, I think it's something psychological), there is NO WAY the Habs will be able to move that contract.  The same applies to a lesser degree for Andrew Shaw's contract.

Bergevin, doesn't seem to do a bad job managing the cap, but the personnel decisions leave a bit to be scrutinized.  They have around 6-8 million in cap space this season.  If they want to take on a large salary in trade they can do it.  Assuming he can get back to playing at 90% of his old self, Price should be worth it and there really shouldn't be any reason to move him.  Saw on the other hand is overpaid for what he provides and essentially paid for his past accomplishments.

If the Karl Alzner situation taught Habs fans anything, it's that when the Caps want to trade, or don't want to re-sign, one of their D-corps, there's a good underlying reason for that.  JUST SAY NO.

If there were not financial contracts to be signed for other players that cost a significant amount of cash, perhaps Alzner might have been back.  Even if he did it would still been at less than his open market value.  Alzner was going to get overpaid and he did with his first free agency contract.

[JadeHellbringer]

That's the problem with Bergevin. He's getting a great deal on the players he's getting, but they aren't the right people. If I get a busted-as-hell Toyota Camry for $800, great, that's a good price, but it's still a busted-ass Camry.

Bergevin has a pretty good junkyard going, and not a lot of running models.

[gyedid]

That's the problem with Bergevin. He's getting a great deal on the players he's getting, but they aren't the right people. If I get a busted-as-hell Toyota Camry for $800, great, that's a good price, but it's still a busted-ass Camry.

Bergevin has a pretty good junkyard going, and not a lot of running models.

And, showing that he doesn't learn, he has now claimed Antti Niemi off waivers from the Panthers.

This is to cover for the loss of Al Montoya, who is out indefinitely with a concussion.  Probably means Zach Fucale (backup netminder to a backup netminder who's suddenly been forced to be a starter) will be sent back down to the farm.  He hasn't been spectacular by any means, but unlike Niemi, he can at least stop the occasional beach ball.

And the situation with Carey Price's "minor" injury is starting to look like a repeat of the horrendous 2015-2016 season.
Unlike that train wreck, a reliable substitute seems to be present in Charlie Lindgren--who is looking a whole lot like Price did in his prime.  Price has been badly off all season, maybe since training camp.  If Price's injury turns out to be career-debilitating, are we looking at a Fleury/Murray situation here?  Lindgren hasn't won every game, but the way he's been playing so far, it seriously looks like he could steal the starter's job  from the 10 million dollar man.

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

And, showing that he doesn't learn, he has now claimed Antti Niemi off waivers from the Panthers.

This is to cover for the loss of Al Montoya, who is out indefinitely with a concussion.  Probably means Zach Fucale (backup netminder to a backup netminder who's suddenly been forced to be a starter) will be sent back down to the farm.  He hasn't been spectacular by any means, but unlike Niemi, he can at least stop the occasional beach ball.

Fucale was on an emergency call up so he can be returned back to the minors without having to clear a standard waiver process.  Niemi is definitely a band aid over a bad situation.  Even if Price returns I don't see the Habs being more than a bubble team.  While they are on an upswing, they still aren't taking two steps forward without going backwards.

[Firesprocket]

The majority of the HHOF induction speeches can be found here:

https://sports.yahoo.com/class-2017-humbled-hockey-hall-140020120.html

I have been through all of them except Temmu to this point and all of them have been pretty good.

[JadeHellbringer]

I don't know that I'd even call the Habs a bubble team at this point. Stranger things have happened, they could claw themselves right back into the playoff picture over the next few months, but I don't think they have the roster strength for it, even if Price is healthy. With it being that he isn't (again), and tends to take a while to come back from being hurt generally, the onus is on their defense to protect Niemi (oh GOD), and on the offense to make up for the increased number of goals he'll inevitably let in... and they just can't do that. They have a pretty great first line, and... well, beyond that it's uh-oh territory.

Like I said, who knows, they might surprise us all and we'll be looking at them playing meaningful hockey in mid-April. My bet though is that they'll continue to fall further behind the rest of the pack in the East and be all but forgotten by mid-January. Remember, they'd have to become one of the top three teams in their division or a wild card. Looking at that division, we have... yep, Tampa, Toronto, Ottawa, and if Boston can ever get over their injury bug they're in it too. So you have to bump two of those teams aside. Or you could be a wild card, which means not only bumping out of the way whoever doesn't get into the top three above but also the teams not in the top three in the Metro as well- which could mean teams like New York (either one?), Washington, maybe even Pittsburgh if they don't get the ship righted quickly. I don't feel like Montreal can elbow into that kind of territory at this point.

[Fat Guy]

I think there's legitimately only two good teams in the east right now: Jersey and Tampa.

[JadeHellbringer]

I think there's legitimately only two good teams in the east right now: Jersey and Tampa.

I'll grant you Tampa. I'm still wary of the Devils, I'm not sure whether they're a legitimately good team or if the wheels just haven't come off quite yet. They've certainly had a good run for this first few weeks though, no argument.

The other side of it though is that I don't think some of the better teams in the East have had the start you'd expect- but are going to be as dangerous as ever when spring rolls around. Pittsburgh isn't as stacked as they were, but there's still plenty there to make a third Cup in a row a legit possibility. The lame start by the Rangers is disappointing, but that's a pretty solid team if they can get it together. Columbus is always confusing to me, but we've seen what that team can do when they get hot. And of course, while not the offensive juggernaut of previous years, Washington is still a threat to make it to the second round.

Even in the West, I expected better starts from a few times like the Hawks and Sharks, while seeing early shocks start to fade from teams like the Knights. Kind of a weird season so far.

[Fat Guy]

Kind of a weird season so far.

Much like the NFL...

[gyedid]

I don't know that I'd even call the Habs a bubble team at this point. Stranger things have happened, they could claw themselves right back into the playoff picture over the next few months, but I don't think they have the roster strength for it, even if Price is healthy. With it being that he isn't (again), and tends to take a while to come back from being hurt generally, the onus is on their defense to protect Niemi (oh GOD), and on the offense to make up for the increased number of goals he'll inevitably let in... and they just can't do that. They have a pretty great first line, and... well, beyond that it's uh-oh territory.

Like I said, who knows, they might surprise us all and we'll be looking at them playing meaningful hockey in mid-April. My bet though is that they'll continue to fall further behind the rest of the pack in the East and be all but forgotten by mid-January. Remember, they'd have to become one of the top three teams in their division or a wild card. Looking at that division, we have... yep, Tampa, Toronto, Ottawa, and if Boston can ever get over their injury bug they're in it too. So you have to bump two of those teams aside. Or you could be a wild card, which means not only bumping out of the way whoever doesn't get into the top three above but also the teams not in the top three in the Metro as well- which could mean teams like New York (either one?), Washington, maybe even Pittsburgh if they don't get the ship righted quickly. I don't feel like Montreal can elbow into that kind of territory at this point.

This is all true, all of it.  And yes, even the most FANatical of Habs fans would have to admit that there STILL isn't enough depth on the team to push them into contention with that company, especially not with the defence corps Bergevin has assembled for this season.  Price or no Price, they either miss the playoffs or just scrape their way in with the last wildcard spot, and are promptly bounced in the first round again by whoever finishes at the top of the Metro division.  Cue Bergevin's exit as GM.

As for Price, I get a feeling he may not be with the team much longer.  The way they handled his injury in the 2015-2016 season was a PR disaster, and this is shaping up to be mostly a repeat of that.  WHY will nobody--even Price himself--come forward to say what the nature of this "minor" injury is?  I personally think it's something psychological--he realized what it means to carry a team for $10.5M a year and can't handle the pressure, or he really doesn't like what Bergevin has done with the team and his poor play is his way of saying he wants out.  (But there's something clearly off about his positioning too, especially his lateral movement.)  Whatever it is, something is amiss upstairs.  The active goalie to whom Price is most often compared is Henrik Lundqvist, and Lundqvist didn't fall off a cliff like what's happened to Price when he turned 30 or when he signed a fat contract that basically bound him to the Rags for good.

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

And on another note...it looks like it is happening again in Minnesota...3 straight shutouts for Devan Dubnyk.

cheers,

Gabe

[JadeHellbringer]

And on another note...it looks like it is happening again in Minnesota...3 straight shutouts for Devan Dubnyk.

cheers,

Gabe

"Who?"

+Edmonton fans+

Actually, on the Price situation, I've had the same thought that he might look to leave Montreal at some point in the not-distant future. He's made a couple of grumblings about management (particularly post-Subban trade), and the fact that this injury is still going on is concerning. Sort of reminds me of the Andrew Luck situation in Indianapolis for football- what was a nagging injury has been repeatedly bungled by the team, and with his being shut down for the season we're looking at him going into next year not having played a real meaningful football game in over two years- please, someone save Luck from the Colts! Same here, though not quite as public-mess-esque or drug-soaked (hi Irsay!). The team hasn't done right by Price- either in terms of dealing with his injuries or by putting a quality team in front of him during the prime years of his career. If he decides he wants out, half a dozen teams are going to be falling all over themselves to get him on board- actually, now that I type that, there might only be half a dozen that wouldn't be interested.

[CrossfirePilot]

4 straight wins for Minnesota.  Last night was extra special because I was at the game with my wife.  It was great that they won, but the first 50 minutes of the game they played flat footed.

I guess they saved "the globetrotter algebra" for the end

[Firesprocket]

I think there's legitimately only two good teams in the east right now: Jersey and Tampa.

I agree that there are two good teams in the EC, but I'd say they are Columbus and Toronto.  Then there is a great team with Tampa.  The only concern for Tampa happens to be can Andrei
Vasilevskiy stay healthy and continue to play at a high level.  He's not likely to continue to punching a save percentage at 93+ that he is right now, but even in the mid to high 92% range this is a team that is going to be difficult to beat each and every game.  With all the injuries they had last year and forced to play younger players, they are  much deeper and talented team than they were last year.

Pittsburgh isn't as stacked as they were, but there's still plenty there to make a third Cup in a row a legit possibility. The lame start by the Rangers is disappointing, but that's a pretty solid team if they can get it together.

Pittsburgh, at least I think, isn't all that bad.  At least when they decide they want to be awful they go out of there way to do so.  If they clean up their game and stop taking penalties that will help them out quite a bit.  Outside of those 3 absurd games where they gave up 24 combined goals to the Jets, Bolts, and 'Hawks which skew pretty much all of their team stats against they would be more toward the middle of the league.

Even in the West, I expected better starts from a few times like the Hawks and Sharks, while seeing early shocks start to fade from teams like the Knights. Kind of a weird season so far.
[/quote]

NJ is punching well above where they should be and while I don't think they will drop off a cliff I think they certainly have a shot at making the playoffs because almost everyone in the EC is about equal.  NJ is winning because of the fact they have a PP that is in the upper half of the league.  They giving up the second most shots attempts in the league at almost 35 a game behind only the Panthers for last in the NHL.  Props to them that there scoring is spread evenly through the line up, but Brain Gibbons isn't going to shoot 32% all season and Drew Stafford won't continue to shoot 15.6% either.  Should make for a good flip for picks though come deadline time.

Columbus on the other hand is pretty much where it should be when compared to the other teams in the division.  34.5 SF/A and 30.9 SA/A.  Truthfully the only thing they have been pretty bad at this year is the power play.  Toronto is solid offense, average goal tending, and enough defense to get by. 

As for Price, I get a feeling he may not be with the team much longer.   The active goalie to whom Price is most often compared is Henrik Lundqvist, and Lundqvist didn't fall off a cliff like what's happened to Price when he turned 30 or when he signed a fat contract that basically bound him to the Rags for good.

Price isn't going anywhere anytime fast.  That contract extension that kicks next year makes that a certain.  Even if he wants to go somewhere, the list of teams that can afford to take him on is small because of his cap hit.  It looks something like this, just from a money stand point:

Arizona
Carolina
Toronto
Buffalo
New Jersey
Vegas

You can cross off of that list 3 of those 6 teams without worrying who is on his NTC list.  Your 3 players in that of any consequence are Toronto, Vegas, and Arizona.  The last two, only if you are willing to ship picks or players for them to eat money.  Toronto is the only real suitor and that is assuming they send Andersen the other way.  That is unlikely without more compensation thrown the direction of the Leafs to take that contract on.  Simply put, that contract is parked somewhere between DiPietro Drive and My Contract Sucks Court with a perpetually flat tire.

[gyedid]

Well...it figures that if there was any team that would find a way to humiliate themselves at the hands of the 'Yotes, it would HAVE to be the Habs.

There is no way I can defend anything about that performance after the first period.  They LET that one get away.
They turn in a performance like that against the league's deepest cellar-dweller and you KNOW this is not a playoff team.  Maybe not even a bubble team.

Wouldn't it something if this is the game that turns around the seasons for both teams--the 'Yotes climb out of the cellar, and the Habs head into a tailspin like 2 seasons ago?  Because I can see it happening.

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

Well...it figures that if there was any team that would find a way to humiliate themselves at the hands of the 'Yotes, it would HAVE to be the Habs.

Arizona is a better team than their record indicates.  They still have a lack of depth players that are under preforming between Duclair and Domi.  Injuries have also been a factor affecting their goal tending.  Domingue was and always has been wretched, now that he is gone and they would appear to have some goalies with better talent the team should win more frequently than they did in their first 21 games.  Unlike New Jersey, they haven't been scoring and shooting above their weight.  If they start shooting average then they are going start turning themselves around.  Not enough to get a low lottery pick, but enough to not have the best chance at that #1 lottery ball.

There is no way I can defend anything about that performance after the first period.  They LET that one get away.
They turn in a performance like that against the league's deepest cellar-dweller and you KNOW this is not a playoff team.  Maybe not even a bubble team.

Wouldn't it something if this is the game that turns around the seasons for both teams--the 'Yotes climb out of the cellar, and the Habs head into a tailspin like 2 seasons ago?  Because I can see it happening.

There is nothing that is a given at this point in the season.  Without looking at ROW, Montreal is 2 wins out of a playoff spot.  The only teams you could probably pencil in that division making the playoffs are Tampa and Toronto.  Buffalo is probably the only one you can say is awful enough they aren't going to make the playoffs without looking at the next 20 games.  The Metro isn't great either so they have as just as much of a stab at wild card as anyone else.  Last year there were 4 above average teams in the metro.  To this point in the year there are none right now.
cheers,

Gabe
[/quote]

[gyedid]

There is nothing that is a given at this point in the season.  Without looking at ROW, Montreal is 2 wins out of a playoff spot.
<snip>

**looks at result of Leafs vs. Habs**

Um, you were saying...?

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

Actually, on the Price situation, I've had the same thought that he might look to leave Montreal at some point in the not-distant future. He's made a couple of grumblings about management (particularly post-Subban trade), and the fact that this injury is still going on is concerning. Sort of reminds me of the Andrew Luck situation in Indianapolis for football- what was a nagging injury has been repeatedly bungled by the team, and with his being shut down for the season we're looking at him going into next year not having played a real meaningful football game in over two years- please, someone save Luck from the Colts! Same here, though not quite as public-mess-esque or drug-soaked (hi Irsay!). The team hasn't done right by Price- either in terms of dealing with his injuries or by putting a quality team in front of him during the prime years of his career. If he decides he wants out, half a dozen teams are going to be falling all over themselves to get him on board- actually, now that I type that, there might only be half a dozen that wouldn't be interested.

And guess who one of Carey's best buddies in the dressing room was...?  Yep, P.K. 

Nobody is going to want Price now, given the size of his cap hit and the fact that's he's damaged goods--either in the lower body, upstairs, or both.  Plus, as Firesprocket pointed out, the NMC in his contract, which is retroactive.  He doesn't go anywhere until a) he says he wants to, b) another team with deep enough pockets is willing to take the same gamble Bergevin did.

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

I don't think there are to many of these 10 mil a year contracts that are not or will not become poison pills to their teams unless the team is winning cups left and right.  In the case of McDavid, that may be the next to worst depending on whether Jack Eichel starts to preform better or the Black Hawks start winning cups again.  The later seems extremely unlikely.

[JadeHellbringer]

Who needs Cup wins? The Hawks and Pens are getting outdoor games again, that's what's important!

Seriously, can we get some different teams in this thing? Tampa? Dallas? San Jose? Someone who isn't the same three or four teams over and over?

[Firesprocket]

It would be nice.  But of course we all know it won't happen because those non-traditional markets won't draw nearly as well.  I loved the idea of them having a stadium series game at a military academy this year, but I've not heard much in the way of publicity for it.

[cavingjan]

tickets for it are expensive from what I've seen of the season ticket holder emails. It was more expensive than the winterclassic a few years ago. I passed on them.

[Firesprocket]

The cost being a modest sum doesn't surprise me at all.  I went to classic in Pittsburgh and while I didn't pay for those tickets (I paid for the hotel) I remember looking at the stub and knew then it was probably the only WC that I was ever going to go to.  Fun game what with the Caps winning and all.  Somewhat surprising was the Caps fans were louder than the Pens fans.  Somehow I don't think that is going to be the case.  Toronto travels well even when they stank.  I assume more than half the crowd is going to be filled up with Blue.

[gyedid]

Please...somebody stop the Habs' bleeding...

I'm telling you, that loss to the 'Yotes is the turning point of their season.  The players basically stopped believing in themselves and each other after that.

With perhaps a handful of exceptions, it's clear these players are no team.  No chemistry, no heart, and no pride in the emblem they wear on their jersey.  I'm starting to incline towards the people who say it's time for a rebuild--and I mean a COMPLETE rebuild, including the coaching staff and the GM.  Even Claude Julien has to go--even though he was hired late last season, whatever he's been trying is clearly not working, and I'm starting to think that, just like his boss Bergevin, the modern NHL has passed him by.

ASIDE:  even though they lost again tonight (SO loss to the Preds), Antti Niemi surprised everyone by actually playing well enough for the Habs to win.  Once again though, no run support from the team (god I hate mixing sports metaphors like that).

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

The Habs are definately due for a rebuild, but I would say cleaning everyone out would be a poor choice.  The front office and scouting should be on the chopping block.  Getting rid of Claude Julien is a bad idea for a couple reason.  First and foremost, while the results this season are below expectations this team is tops in Shot for per game and a top 10 Shots against per game.  At the same time the goals for and against per game are the worst in the league.  The power play has struggled and pk hasn't been great either.  This suggests the problem isn't the system, but the players executing it are.

Julien didn't draft or sign anyone to this team.  Bergevin did and he's not doing a great job of drafting.  Julien's job is to win with what he has.  While he has failed to do that this year, I'd say it could be a whole lot worse if he gets fired.  Who do you hire to replace Julien?  Only name that comes to mind right now is Dave Tipett and I honestly don't think he would take on another rebuild.

[gyedid]

The Habs are definately due for a rebuild, but I would say cleaning everyone out would be a poor choice.  The front office and scouting should be on the chopping block.  Getting rid of Claude Julien is a bad idea for a couple reason.  First and foremost, while the results this season are below expectations this team is tops in Shot for per game and a top 10 Shots against per game.  At the same time the goals for and against per game are the worst in the league.  The power play has struggled and pk hasn't been great either.  This suggests the problem isn't the system, but the players executing it are.

Julien didn't draft or sign anyone to this team.  Bergevin did and he's not doing a great job of drafting.  Julien's job is to win with what he has.  While he has failed to do that this year, I'd say it could be a whole lot worse if he gets fired.  Who do you hire to replace Julien?  Only name that comes to mind right now is Dave Tipett and I honestly don't think he would take on another rebuild.

Are Habs fans really supposed to believe that Julien had NO input into which players would be gotten rid of, and who would be brought in to replace them?  (That said, I'm pretty sure he was not at all happy with the loss of Andrei Markov in particular--that one is ENTIRELY on Bergevin and one of the reasons why Bergie has to go)

Dave Tippett, replace Julien?  Not bloody likely unless he can show he's at least somewhat fluent in French.  Due to off-ice socio-political reasons, since the early '80s the unwritten rule has been that the Habs' GM and head coach MUST speak French, and preferably be francophone Quebecers (Julien is Franco-Ontarian so he gets a pass).  This has severely limited the candidate pool the Habs can draw from when they've canned a coach or GM.  Had Julien not been available (after being let go by the Bruins), Michel Therrien would more than likely still be coaching the Habs.

cheers,

Gabe

[Firesprocket]

Are Habs fans really supposed to believe that Julien had NO input into which players would be gotten rid of, and who would be brought in to replace them?  (That said, I'm pretty sure he was not at all happy with the loss of Andrei Markov in particular--that one is ENTIRELY on Bergevin and one of the reasons why Bergie has to go)

No, but he can't be held solely responsible for the mismanagement that was and continues to go on since he was hired.  The problems as I see them:

- Trading for Drouin wasn't horrible.  Expecting him to be a full time center, pretty damn dumb.  He did okay last year for the Bolts when called upon to play center, but there was a body count last year that was huge.  Had there not been a body count it is unlikely he'd been playing center full time.  Plekanec is over-the-hill, but he's a better center than Drouin.   Drouin shouldn't be anywhere the dot to take a face off, ever.

- Karl Alzner, god bless him, isn't a #1 or 2 d-man anymore.   Then again is anyone on this roster?  Oh right Weber is still there.  Problem is you can't expect Weber to be on the ice the whole game.  Benn's a 5 or 6 guy, Mete's a rookie, and Jeff Petry is having an awful year.  Assuming he was playing at a clip of even 25% more offense though that still wouldn't fix this team's problem.  Markov should have been re-signed.  Until Mete has a year or two under his belt it is going to be difficult to grade this team on d-prospects, but right now for developed talent they seem to be batting .000 and that's an organizational problem that precedes Julien.

Dave Tippett, replace Julien?  Not bloody likely unless he can show he's at least somewhat fluent in French.  Due to off-ice socio-political reasons, since the early '80s the unwritten rule has been that the Habs' GM and head coach MUST speak French, and preferably be francophone Quebecers (Julien is Franco-Ontarian so he gets a pass).  This has severely limited the candidate pool the Habs can draw from when they've canned a coach or GM.  Had Julien not been available (after being let go by the Bruins), Michel Therrien would more than likely still be coaching the Habs.

I intentionally didn't bring that up, because I don't want to get into a long discussion about it.  If I want to win, I hire the guy who I think gives me the best chance to win whether he speaks French or not.  I make a point of it only when it is brought up (he gives us the best chance to win).  If they don't care about winning right now and just want another French speaking coach hire Roy and get it over with.  I know whatever language it is in that the sound bites should be great.  I mentioned Tippett as he was the only name that immediately came to mind.  There isn't a glut of coaches with experience that is going to get as much or more out of this team than Julien.  Of course if they want to talk to Ottawa about trading for Guy Boucher I've got my memes ready to go.