Confirmed with Link: GM Kent Hughes Mid-Season Press Conference Jan 15, 11AM ET

[jrom]

No mention of Xhekaj ?

Said he was playing well and improving his game (and that it helped Mailloux).

 

[Dirby Kach]

We need talent above all else, and I'm not sure I believe in this management team to get it.

IMO it is still too early in the Hughes/Gorton tenure to determine if I believe or not. They are still in the get rid of dead weight phase.

 

[CauZuki]

I always enjoy listening to Kent talk (especially compared to Bergevin). He seems to give you just enough information to satisfy you without giving you too much.

As opposed to our former GM that would give you just enough to think he was incompetent while also satisfying you by confirming that theory via his body of work...

 

[japhi]

I know it is sport to bash mgm't around here, but he seems level headed and I really trust him as an asset manager. While I'd rather see a 2 goalie tandem, if you feel like all three are legit NHL goalies, you hang tight.

I like the patience, the guts to send Arber to the AHL, to hold this big stack of D. It makes a lot of sense for where we are, evaluate these guys and then get aggressive when it makes sense.

He has a pretty unique challenge, a ton of depth at D, 22 picks over the next 2 years, something like 10 in the first 3 rounds. I think once he gets that cap flexibility, look out. I don't ever remember a time where we had a prospect pool this interesting AND stacks of draft picks + coming cap flexibility. Kind of a GM's wet dream and he will be judged by what he does over the next 2 years. He has the pieces to be able to pivot from a bottom 10 team to a top 10 team pretty quick and I hope he does as soon as next year.

 

[CHwest]

Kent didn't sign PLD when there was a lot of pressure from fans. That buys him time with me.

 

[FrankMTL]

As opposed to our former GM that would give you just enough to think he was incompetent while also satisfying you by confirming that theory via his body of work...

 

[Andrei79]

Feels like we've heard that a lot over the past few decades with this team.

As far as cup winners go though, here are the teams since the lockout who didn't have a point per game (or essentially point per game) player on them:

St. Louis (2019)
LA (2014)
LA (2012)
Boston (2011)

ROR had 77 in 82, and then the others were during the modern DPE, with teams featuring Bergeron and Kopitar.

I love Suzuki but he certainly isn't prime Bergeron, Kopitar, or ROR. We need talent above all else, and I'm not sure I believe in this management team to get it.

Yep. Watching teams like Colorado makes this last sentence even more important. Talent helps other talent develop. The one thing that does give some optimism is that very early on they added Dach. I wouldn't count Newhook as I don't feel he has that kind of upside, but Dach certainly is a high potential player. Where I'm not sure is how much an even higher level of talent is important. The Bergeron quotes make me think they value high end players, but might accept not going for a 100 point type of offensive player and settle for less, which I think is not a good idea.

 

[OldCraig71]

I like the Hughes method better, I'd rather just get one if there's something worthwhile to talk about, plus a general start-middle-end of season presser like this one. It's not like the sport media people have any thought provoking questions to ask anyway, it's all a gimmick to fill some air time.

It was sarcasm on my part, should have added the

 

[1909]

So, nothing of interest was said ?

As usual....

Kent didn't sign PLD when there was a lot of pressure from fans. That buys him time with me.

And he did not draft Michkov either.

 

[JianYang]

Kent didn't sign PLD when there was a lot of pressure from fans. That buys him time with me.

I was against that signing from day 1, but I doubt pld was ever serious about actually signing here. Hopefully kh had no serious motive to sign him though.

 

[Canadienna]

Questions I would have asked.

Are you at risk of disincentivizing tough physical play by sending Xhekaj down to the minors and reaming him out for defending himself after a dirty hit?

How much say do you have when it comes to which goalie to play - or any other on ice decisions.

Injuries are again a major point of failure for the team for the third straight year. At what point will you start to question whether it's just bad luck or something else?

And I'm still a fan of HuGo! But come on ask some pointed questions.

 

[417]

I judge the fanbase feelings about the current GM, based on the amount of pages the threads for his press conferences have on HFBoards.

I see his approval rating is still pretty high!

 

[Team_Spirit]

 

[yianik]

Questions I would have asked.

Are you at risk of disincentivizing tough physical play by sending Xhekaj down to the minors and reaming him out for defending himself after a dirty hit?

How much say do you have when it comes to which goalie to play - or any other on ice decisions.

Injuries are again a major point of failure for the team for the third straight year. At what point will you start to question whether it's just bad luck or something else?

And I'm still a fan of HuGo! But come on ask some pointed questions.

Was Wifi reamed out ?

He would have 0 say on the amount of play goalies get, but he chooses the goalies that are up with the team.

On the injuries, they cleared out lots of staff last year. So if it isn't bad luck, we are into the paranormal.

 

[sampollock]

love that he did say this team needs offence. but..... that being said they need size too

 

[Miller Time]

Steady as she goes... Appreciate the consistency, transparency, and clarity of vision Hughes has brought to the GM chair.

 

[salbutera]

Hughes was very clear in calling out Houle for the good work as coach in Laval…

 

[Canadienna]

Was Wifi reamed out ?

He would have 0 say on the amount of play goalies get, but he chooses the goalies that are up with the team.

On the injuries, they cleared out lots of staff last year. So if it isn't bad luck, we are into the paranormal.

There was the story that after he took the even up penalty Marty reamed him out and he started playing more timid.

It wouldn't shock me if KH is telling Marty he's not allowed to just ride Monty. Gotta show off any goalies you want to trade.

I don't know what to make of the injury thing, I can't think of a culprit. I work with statistics every day trying to tease out causation. It just seems to me that random chance or luck can't be the main factor here. It's too far outside the norm for too long.

 

[Chili]

There was the story that after he took the even up penalty Marty reamed him out and he started playing more timid.

It wouldn't shock me if KH is telling Marty he's not allowed to just ride Monty. Gotta show off any goalies you want to trade.

I don't know what to make of the injury thing, I can't think of a culprit. I work with statistics every day trying to tease out causation. It just seems to me that random chance or luck can't be the main factor here. It's too far outside the norm for too long.

To talk about the injuries, would probably need to review on a player-by-player basis.

Gorton & Hughes have been adding players though with injury histories (Dach, Monahan, Pearson). Maybe the question would be how much medical information they have on these players before they acquire them.

 

[le_sean]

IMO it is still too early in the Hughes/Gorton tenure to determine if I believe or not. They are still in the get rid of dead weight phase.

So they still need to get rid of ~16 active players

 

[Habs13]

Walks to the table. Sits down. Screams for 40 seconds, says "any questions?"

 

[Whitesnake]

HUghes has reached Bergevin's PC emptiness. Let's wait for what he does instead of what he says.

 

[Sorinth]

Questions I would have asked.

Are you at risk of disincentivizing tough physical play by sending Xhekaj down to the minors and reaming him out for defending himself after a dirty hit?

How much say do you have when it comes to which goalie to play - or any other on ice decisions.

Injuries are again a major point of failure for the team for the third straight year. At what point will you start to question whether it's just bad luck or something else?

And I'm still a fan of HuGo! But come on ask some pointed questions.

Not too pick on you but I see a lot of fans saying that the media doesn't ask any tough questions as if by asking tougher questions Hughes will be forced to provide an in depth answer and not respond by deflecting, providing vague answers, or just cliches.

I didn't watch this PC, but in previous ones Hughes has shown he's willing to offer a lot more depth then I expected on some questions, but you for sure won't see that if you are posing "hostile" questions. Like if you want more in depth answers the truth is your best bet is to get Hughes engaged and excited to talk and then hope he overshares.

 

[admiralcadillac]

They're talking about the grace of Matthews, jesus f***ing christ

 

[Miller Time]

HUghes has reached Bergevin's PC emptiness. Let's wait for what he does instead of what he says.

not sure what PC you watched, but I don't see this comparison in the least bit...