E.L. wrote:
The Habs are fucked for the next decade, unless they somehow acquire a Tavares-type this offseason.
Weber was almost worst-case scenario. Not because he didn't play well, because he was fine, but he played about as well as expected and it just didn't move the needle at all. He still got beat by faster players from time to time and generated little offence or puck movement out of the zone. If that's all that can be expected of him, then the trade will go down as an unmitigated disaster. He's no Pronger.
Radulov is a UFA and they have no choice but to give him whatever.
Price is a UFA after next season, and if the team can't win with him making 6.5M, why bother trying to win with him making 10M? Trading him is now on the table.
Pacioretty is getting a lot of blame, but Danault was his centre. Max has a huge X on his back every night because so much of the team's offence relies on him.
In the elimination game, Galchenyuk was a winger on a line centered by Brian Flynn and Beaulieu was scratched. They're gone, and knowing Bergevin, he's probably deflated their value with all the shit he's been talking about them over the years.
Plekanec? He might have saved his Habs career with his solid playoffs, but he'll still be exposed in the expansion draft.
Gallagher was fine.
Shaw is fine when healthy, which isn't often.
Byron will never score 20 goals again.
Lehkonen and Danault are valuable pieces going forward.
Benn was exposed badly in the playoffs. 15 minute-man, tops. The exact sort of player Bergevin will sign to an extension.
Mitchell is a 4th liner, but can't really play every day.
Didn't see enough of McCarron, Carr, De La Rose. More young players getting jerked around.
The 4th liners (King, Flynn, Martinsen, Ott) shouldn't be back.
Petry and Emelin are overpaid, but do their respective things well.
Davidson exists.
Nesterov won't be back.
Montoya won't be back.
Who will they lose in the expansion draft? Montoya, Plekanec, Benn, De La Rose, Hudon, Mitchell are all possibilities.
I liked Montoya, but I seriously doubt he'll be taken in the expansion draft. Many better goalies avaiable.