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Post by Cranky on Sept 10, 2024 2:26:37 GMT -5
Which player are you most "excited" about?
Fortunately or unfortunatly I'm really looking forward to this season. I'm overdosing on hopium and wouldn't be suprised if I'm heavy drinking copium a few months later.
Amongst a few choices, the player that I'm looking forward to seeing him and hoping his game goes to another level is Dach. Last year those 4 periods of hockey were FOR ME Lemieux level of domination. Then just like that it got snuffed out.
I'm hoping there is no psychological barrier to his return. I'm hoping to see that guy who skated circles around everyone and basically did whatever he wanted on the ice.
OR...he may just pull an Anderson and dive head first into mediocrity.
Stay tuned.
Which ONE player, and yes, there are many to chose from, which one player are you looking forward to seeing this season?
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Post by seventeen on Sept 10, 2024 2:56:12 GMT -5
For me, it's Slafkovsky, cause I think he can take another step and then another, until he becomes Jagr 2.0.
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Post by Willie Dog on Sept 10, 2024 5:56:30 GMT -5
Not necessarily excited about but interested to see what the bottom 6 guys do, dvo, armia, pezz and Evans are ufas at the end of the year, bgal came on strong at the last half of the season, will Anderson have spent the off season absorbing hockey IQ or will he continue to be Mr. Fly by...
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Post by seventeen on Sept 10, 2024 13:10:10 GMT -5
Not necessarily excited about but interested to see what the bottom 6 guys do, dvo, armia, pezz and Evans are ufas at the end of the year, bgal came on strong at the last half of the season, will Anderson have spent the off season absorbing hockey IQ or will he continue to be Mr. Fly by... Do you think he knows the difference? |
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Post by IamCanadiens on Sept 10, 2024 14:51:14 GMT -5
I can't limit it to just one. The development of Slaf, Laine and his pure sniping ability, the return of Dach and the numerous rookie D have all got me excited.
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Post by IamCanadiens on Sept 10, 2024 14:53:21 GMT -5
Not necessarily excited about but interested to see what the bottom 6 guys do, dvo, armia, pezz and Evans are ufas at the end of the year, bgal came on strong at the last half of the season, will Anderson have spent the off season absorbing hockey IQ or will he continue to be Mr. Fly by... Playing lower on the depth chart will mean favorable matchups for some of these guys. Curious to see who takes advantage of this in the limited time they get. |
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Post by Douper on Sept 10, 2024 18:57:41 GMT -5
Can it be Sidney Crosby?
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Post by frozone on Sept 10, 2024 19:22:08 GMT -5
There’s a few players that I’m especially eager to see. Laine for obvious reasons, Caufield to see if his shoulder issue is behind him, and ditto Xhekaj.
In the end I think I have to go with Xhekaj. Do any of us know his true ceiling? We know he can protect his mates, but how high up the lineup can he rise? Will he be a top 4 D with some PP2 time, ie a true unicorn? Or a depth defenseman who draws in when we need size and strength?
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Post by seventeen on Sept 11, 2024 0:18:58 GMT -5
What's being spread in the press is that he's close to an extension with PIttsburgh. Can't imagine them doing anything else, but it would have been nice to see him in a Habs uniform. |
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Post by halihab on Sept 11, 2024 9:34:21 GMT -5
I am most interested in seeing what Dach can do, if he stays healthy. I think he has a lot of potential.
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Post by Tankdriver on Sept 11, 2024 10:10:44 GMT -5
I'll do a two for one on this question.
With the Habs, I want to see what Dach can bring. Can he be a 30 goal, 70 point player; hopefully a center?
Non Habs player: Ovechkin. Gretzkys goal record is now insight. I don't think he can get 42 this year (he did it two years ago) but I am wondering if there is a drop off from his 31 this year. The guy is turning 39 this year so time is definetly ticking away. Politics aside, if he didn't suffer two lockouts, he would of eclipsed it by now. In his prime people compared his game to a tough Canadian boy, would hit and score at will. I hope he gets it, but I feel it will be short lived as Matthews seems to have that objective in his head and nothing else.
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Post by habsorbed on Sept 11, 2024 11:32:28 GMT -5
For me, it's Slafkovsky, cause I think he can take another step and then another, until he becomes Jagr 2.0. i gotta go with Slafs too. Of all the guys who can really be an elite franchise player and even hall of famer, Slafs is the one. Others may become all-star sbut Slaf's ceiling is the sky and bringing us all back to heaven. He has consistently progressed towards becoming that stud and we know he has the size and all the tools. Really excited. I wouldn't be surprised to see Laine with Suze and Cole as Laine needs Suze more than anyone. And I believe Slafs is getting to the point that he can carry any line.Did i mention i like Slafs? Hutson might be that player but too many question marks at this stage - he could also be Mete 2.0. While I'm excited to see what Laine can do, it is guarded given if he is the stud we hope, he will likely fly the coup in 2 years for some big bucks down south. |
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Post by Polarice on Sept 12, 2024 5:45:26 GMT -5
I have two players that I'm excited to watch this year and that's Dach and Hutson. Watching Hutson play last year was eye opening, I knew he was good but wondered if that would translate into the NHL. I know it was a small sample, but wow. With Dach, the big question is if he can stay healthy, we all know he can produce. We don't know if he can play most of a season and help our team or do we bite the bullet and move on. I'm hoping he shows Hab fans that he is capable and score 60-70 points.
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Post by seventeen on Sept 12, 2024 12:18:27 GMT -5
Just to temper our excitement a bit, in his 2 games last year, Hutson was -2 and had a 41.1% Corsi. I can't recall who he was paired with...Savard, Mailloux?
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Post by Skilly on Sept 13, 2024 12:43:03 GMT -5
Just to temper our excitement a bit, in his 2 games last year, Hutson was -2 and had a 41.1% Corsi. I can't recall who he was paired with...Savard, Mailloux? Both of his assists were also assisted on by David Savard |
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Post by frozone on Sept 13, 2024 13:06:04 GMT -5
Just to temper our excitement a bit, in his 2 games last year, Hutson was -2 and had a 41.1% Corsi. I can't recall who he was paired with...Savard, Mailloux? Both of his assists were also assisted on by David Savard He was indeed paired with Savard. Mailloux was paired with Matheson. I have no doubt at all that Hutson will be able to rack up points in the NHL. It's the rest of his game that he'll need to elevate. We shouldn't be penciling him in as a top pairing D just because he's exciting to watch, as tempting as it is to want him to get the most ice time. |
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Post by folatre on Sept 13, 2024 18:28:30 GMT -5
Demidov. Oh wait, that is next season...
Don't get me wrong, I am certainly fired up about this season. As to who/what I am most excited about, I've got a four-pack:
1) Kirby Dach. The Habs had no shot at staying in the playoff hunt last season because they had no second line. With a big, skilled play driver in the 2C hole, suddenly Montreal looks like a lineup that does not compare unfavorably to the Ottawas, Detroits, and Buffalos of the division. I do not have a goal total in mind for Dach because he is not really a shoot first guy, but if Laine and Newhook are healthy on the wings, I believe Dach could reach 65 points.
2) The power play. Montreal has been bottom-third (often bottom quintile) bad for so many years that most of us are literally numb to it. At the risk of being mystified and disappointed yet again, when I look at the critical mass of guys who should excel on the man advantage, I cannot help but get excited about Montreal taking a big step forward on the power play. I am not saying top ten, but certainly top half should be doable.
3) How will the d-corps be constituted in March/April. Even with Kovacevic and Harris being traded over the summer, there is still a logjam of d-men talented enough to play in the NHL this season. So for me it will be exciting to see how different guys prove themselves over the course of the season and, in particular, what the top six looks like (i.e. who is playing where and with whom) after the trade deadline.
4) The goal scoring of the top six wingers. Here I will admit that there is a certain wariness of overestimating what the boys can deliver, but nevertheless I am excited because the baseline numbers from last season were so modest. I think a healthy Laine and Caufield can snipe for 35. And I see Slafkovsky pushing for 30 and Newhook potting 25.
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