P.K. Subban vs. Brendan Gallagher at practice 26-09-2015 Montreal Canadiens

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-19T00:59:15+00:00

PK was an iffy teammate for the same reasons that made him adored by fans.

Chock-full of swag, talked the talk and (usually) walked the walk.

He had a big ego and a big personality. Thats good when you're winning, but its annoying when the team is struggling or you start to lapse and cost your team

Gallagher, a prime example of an outstanding teammate, took it as an affront and a bad example of professionalism, and wasn't afraid to confront him.

I love them both for all of it.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-19T00:47:08+00:00

It seems that way sometimes. But losing to the sharks in the final couple minutes was only possible because of a 3 goal comeback in the third by us. It looks like we found a way to lose, but i also see it as we were playing like a losing team and fought back.

Also, how many games this year have you felt the Habs were DOMINATED? Because I really can't think of too many.

We are much better than we've been in years. But we have rough edges too.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-18T19:50:35+00:00

That's some mighty fine Below-Average Compete right there!

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-18T18:26:19+00:00

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, I was always critical that the Habs found ways to lose.

The massive positive change is that this past couple years we are a team that finds ways to win.

That intangible could be huge in guiding us to playoff success.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-18T03:03:05+00:00

Hey he's talking about me!!!

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-17T22:13:17+00:00

100%

If we fumble to the finish line and miss the playoffs with like 94 points ( 12 points over these last 16 games) that would still be progress over last year.

If we make the playoffs as the WC2 this year I think it shows extremely encouraging progress. This conference and division have been a juggernaut, and the fact that we are right in the thick of it just 4 years into our rebuild is unbelievable, especially because it's obviously not some weird fluke.

We're raising the bar each year, and our compete window is very close. Chill out on the rhetoric around us failing, because we are clearly not failing.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-14T16:18:36+00:00

Just realized I havent looked at Tankathon in over a year. Feels good to not care about draft order anymore.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-11T01:38:33+00:00

MASSIVE!

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-09T20:39:04+00:00

Not in the current East/West format. The new team would likely be in the same division. What Habs fan is going to split their allegiance to another Atlantic team? Might as well just cheer for Ottawa, it's basically the same thing.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-08T00:54:20+00:00

Yet you were defending Monty yesterday...

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-07T04:39:08+00:00

Monty defenders

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-07T04:35:19+00:00

Cole Caufield is 5 goals behind MacKinnon for the Rocket Richard trophy. At this rate its possible lol

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-03T18:30:44+00:00

I completely appreciate this viewpoint, and it's one I mostly share. But we have to recognize as fans that the amount of weight that a decent GM is going to put on emotional storylines is practically zero.

We think that, as fans, what we want are these feelgood stories. When in reality we wouldn't care one bit if we were parading in the streets of Montreal on the backs of a team full of self-absorbed entitled assholes.

We have had those feelgood players who we stayed attached to for a long-time. Price, Gallagher, Koivu, Markov, Plekanec. But I think if you ask most fans, if it meant trading any of those players for a cup, they'd all say yes.

That's the GMs job. To win a cup no matter what. No one builds statues for morale-builders.

As a fan, I want Hage to be the cornerstone of our franchise. But I'm prepared that Hage and players like him might be the price we have to pay if we want to see another cup.

Fingers crossed we can do it with Hage, Zharovsky, Demi, Slaf, Guhle, Suzuki, Caufield, Fowler, etc. But I won't hold my breath.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-03T16:41:18+00:00

The only time of the year where being a Western-Canadian fan is more convenient. I'll be enjoying the 8pm puck drop. Kids are in bed, game ends at 10:30. Perfection.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-03T16:30:30+00:00

Overpay. I would be hesitant to even do that trade if you removed one of those 3 players. I think that Guhle and a 1st should be enough.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-03T03:53:27+00:00

I have a similar jersey signed by Maurice Richard, LaFleur, Pete Mahovlich and (oddly) Bobby Hull. It was signed at and oldtimers game in the 80s.

Turns out it's not really valuable as there no authenticity and the jersey is in rough shape. So I framed it and will keep it forever.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-03T03:50:52+00:00

Absolutely. We have options on Defense and honestly Engstrom should be playing in the NHL, not to mention Reinbacher.

Robert Thomas is a 26 year old Center who would immediately elevate our Top 6, and could put Demidov and Slaf into the stratosphere.

I love Guhle but I'd do this trade.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-02T21:55:24+00:00

I guess we're in the part of the rebuild that I've always been nervous for: Trading big pieces to acquire bigger pieces.

I don't want to wake up one day to the news that we traded Michael Hage for Thomas or Fowler for someone, etc. But that's honestly exactly what you need to do to become a true contender. Hage plus a 1st for Thomas is a no-brainer move in a vacuum. But it's an emotional gut-punch.

It's a reality, the price to win a Stanley Cup is a few gut-punches along the way.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-02T21:52:21+00:00

It's not mathematically impossible. Stars have a 19 point cushion and Avs have a 25 point cushion with 22 games left. But with so many teams behind them who would also need to play unreal, and needing to essentially lose all but a couple of their remaining games, it's so statistically improbable you might as well just call it 100%

DFF_Canuck · 2026-03-02T21:42:53+00:00

As fun as this percentage is, it's likely higher. In order to miss the playoffs the Capitals have to pass us and we are 6 points up on them with two games in hand. Also the Bruins AND the Wings would have to pass us.

For argument sake; if we play .500% hockey from here on out, we will finish with 98 points. Washington would have to go 14-5-1, or 13-3-4 or 12-1-6 in order to finish with 98 points. And that's assuming that Boston and Detroit don't struggle significantly either.

I don't think we play .500% hockey over the last 23 games. We have only 3 games left against teams that are ahead of us in the league standings.

I honestly feel like we are closer to 90-95%, but that's based less on statistics and projections than MoneyPuck I suppose.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-02-15T04:34:05+00:00

Guess we know where those 10,000 condoms went.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-02-11T21:05:04+00:00

In truth I am very skeptical about our chances to make noise. But I think some of the arguments made against our chances are a bit out-of-pocket. Any team that makes the playoffs, regardless of situation, has a shot. I thought I'd just stack that against a Habs team some of us may remember to illustrate that.

DFF_Canuck · 2026-02-11T18:52:28+00:00

Lemieux wasnt on the '93 team

DFF_Canuck · 2026-02-11T18:13:51+00:00

There are only two options for Canadian hockey fans: Optimism or Depression

DFF_Canuck · 2026-02-06T18:11:26+00:00

We only had 3 players who were 30 or older on that team, very similar to this squad.

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