Post-Game Talk: Gorton & Hughes End of Season Media Avail 9:30Am EST

[le_sean]

So what is the plan, drafting two forwards this year in the first round? Since I doubt they go for a defense in the late first, we have enough quantity on the blue line.

I don’t expect them to keep that Jets pick. I fully expect that to be traded for current help.

 

[sampollock]

I don’t expect them to keep that Jets pick. I fully expect that to be traded for current help.

I agree

 

[Milhouse40]

Cap space is not the issue, roster space is.

For forwards:
Slaf-Suzuki-CC
Newhook-Dach-Roy
Anderson-Dvorak-Gallagher
RHP-Evans-Armia

As much as I'd love to waive Anderson, it won't happen. Maybe we sign someone as an upgrade on RHP but there's really no room for anyone else.

Fro dmen:
Guhle-Savard
Matheson-X
X-X

Then some combination of Xhekaj, Struble, Harris, Barron, Mailloux, Hutson, Reinbacher, and Kovacevic. Sure some will go to Laval and a guy like Kovacevic will be an extra, but that's still way too many dmen. There's really no point in adding someone that will be longer than 1 year since you want to give a chance to guys like Hutson/Mailloux/Reinbacher to make the team and play meaningful minutes.

It is crowded but Hugues enter the year with Dvorak, Armia, Savard, Evans, Kovacevic in their last contract year. We have a tons of prospect on D, can't keep them all.....

 

[Captain97]

So what is the plan, drafting two forwards this year in the first round? Since I doubt they go for a defense in the late first, we have enough quantity on the blue line.


Didn't know they were considered potential #1.Would you say they project to be better than Primeau and Montembault?

Fowler definitely has starter potential, Dobes as well but to a lesser degree. I'm not as familiar with Volokhin.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

He’s the 2nd best goal scorer after Eiserman.

Celebrini is the best goal scorer in this class imo

 

[Captain Mountain]

So what is the plan, drafting two forwards this year in the first round? Since I doubt they go for a defense in the late first, we have enough quantity on the blue line.

I don't think there's been a draft yet that showed that management views things the way the fanbase on here does.

Personally, if they prefer the upside of a D to a forward, I'd rather they take a D. There is ALWAYS trade demand for young D, especially relative to forwards.

 

[CheldishGamibno]

You know what? I'm just ecstatic that we won't ever see more of Pearson and Colin White in a Habs jersey.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

the long-term vision from the HuGo regime has been a breath of fresh air. and it's actually starting to come together too, as we saw this season

 

[26Mats]

I don’t expect them to keep that Jets pick. I fully expect that to be traded for current help.

But can we get elite NHL ready talent with the Jets pick?
Or, can we use it to move into the top 15, if we attach assets like Barron, Struble, and Harris to it?
Or, is Trevor Connolly a possible option to get elite talent potential with the Jets 1st?

Our 2 major holes that are hard to find elite talent to fill are two wingers for the 2nd line:

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
_______ - Dach - ______
Roy - Newhook - Beck/kapanen
Xhekaj/Tuch/etc... - Evans - Beck/Kapanen

Matheson - Guhle
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux
Engstrom/Barron/Struble/Harris/Trudeau/Bogdan

Fowler
Monty/Primeau

 

[le_sean]

Montembeault speaking at the speed of light

 

[Jee]

But can we get elite talent with the Jets pick?
Or, can we use it to move into the top 15, if we attach assets like Barron, Struble, and Harris to it?
Or, is Trevor Connolly a possible option to get elite talent potential with the Jets 1st.

Our 2 major holes that are hard to find elite talent to fill are two wingers for the 2nd line:

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
_______ - Dach - ______
Roy - Newhook - Beck/kapanen
Xhekaj/Tuch/etc... - Evans - Beck/Kapanen

Matheson - Guhle
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux
Engstrom/Barron/Struble/Harris/Trudeau/Bogdan

Fowler
Monty/Primeau

Roy and Newhook need to be on the second line.

 

[le_sean]

But can we get elite talent with the Jets pick?
Or, can we use it to move into the top 15, if we attach assets like Barron, Struble, and Harris to it?
Or, is Trevor Connolly a possible option to get elite talent potential with the Jets 1st.

Our 2 major holes that are hard to find elite talent to fill are two wingers for the 2nd line:

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
_______ - Dach - ______
Roy - Newhook - Beck/kapanen
Xhekaj/Tuch/etc... - Evans - Beck/Kapanen

Matheson - Guhle
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux
Engstrom/Barron/Struble/Harris/Trudeau/Bogdan

Fowler
Monty/Primeau

Well I see it as a part of a package to land an RFA that a team will have trouble re-signing like Necas.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

You know what? I'm just ecstatic that we won't ever see more of Pearson and Colin White in a Habs jersey.

but what about Anderson and Gallagher and Dvorak?

 

[26Mats]

Roy and Newhook need to be on the second line.

Long term?

Is that enough elite talent in the top 6?

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Newhook

 

[26Mats]

Well I see it as a part of a package to land an RFA that a team will have trouble re-signing like Necas.

I'd be ecstatic if we used the Jets pick as part of a package to get Necas or move into the top 12-14 to try to get a second one of the 8+ forwards available in the draft

Celebrini
Demidov
Lindstrom
Catton
Iginla
Eiserman
Helenius
Connolly
Brandsegg-Nygard

 

[Jee]

Long term?

Is that enough elite talent in the top 6?

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Newhook

I believe so, but I'm high on all 6

 

[teamfirst]

That’s actually why I would do the opposite. I think the experience coach need to be MSL right hand man.

And the PP is not only Burrows, MSL probably have more control on the PP then Burrows himself. He’s on charge of the forward and they showed good progression

So true, people like bashing Burrows around here but every PP practice is run by MSL

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

No buyouts this summer apparently. Woooo more years of Anderson floating

I think they're going to have a real deep talk with Anderson and try and get him engaged like he was at the start of the season. I think he worked hard and when he was finally rewarded with some goals he thought thar monkey was off his back. He didn't score and just seemed like he was mentally defeated.

Best case he comes back, gets 20+ goals while bringing physicality and speed.

Worse case when the Habs buy him out next summer it's 2 years less left than it would be this year.

 

[red devil]

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Long term?

Is that enough elite talent in the top 6?

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Newhook

Newhook finished the season with 27 points in his last 39 games, which is a 57 point pace over a full year. If not for his injury and being stuck with Anderson to start the first month and a half, he likely hits 50 points this year as a 22/23 year old. I'd say he definitely showed he can be a top 6 guy and there is still room for improvement.

Roy is still young so it is too early to say whether he can be a top 6 guy, but he certainly showed a lot of good things as a 20 year old.

 

[Gustave]

I believe so, but I'm high on all 6

To be a contender… i don’t know. I feel like Dach has a place there (injuries notwithstanding), Roy is a talented player but hard to project.
On Newhook, on a winner, I want him on a thrid line with a huge winger and another talent on the wing. They could be a line that takes advantage of other third lines.

Montembeault speaking at the speed of light

He’s trolling us right? That guy is turbo charged

 

[EveryDay]

I think they're going to have a real deep talk with Anderson and try and get him engaged like he was at the start of the season. I think he worked hard and when he was finally rewarded with some goals he thought thar monkey was off his back. He didn't score and just seemed like he was mentally defeated.

Best case he comes back, gets 20+ goals while bringing physicality and speed.

Worse case when the Habs buy him out next summer it's 2 years less left than it would be this year.

I think they are going to trade him or Dvorak this summer.

 

[Adam Michaels]

That’s actually why I would do the opposite. I think the experience coach need to be MSL right hand man.

And the PP is not only Burrows, MSL probably have more control on the PP then Burrows himself. He’s on charge of the forward and they showed good progression

MSL has his hands on the PP and the PK. But MSL also has other things he works on. He's the head coach.

Robidas runs the PK and Burrows the PP.

The PK has been solid since January. PP has been dreadful all year, all last year, and that's part of Burrows' responsibilities.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I think they are going to trade him or Dvorak this summer.

Dvorak is much easier. 1 year left. A team might take him without retention, or possible deal him for a lessee player with one year left who brings some physicality/toughness

 

[Captain Mountain]

Long term?

Is that enough elite talent in the top 6?

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Roy - Dach - Newhook

I don't think long-term really applies at this point (or ever really applies for a top-6 group).

I think what that top 6 shows is that, if everything breaks right and players continue to develop, Montreal has a potentially strong top-6 internally (without needing to trade, draft or sign someone). I don't think it means that it can't/wouldn't be improved on or changed, but more that Montreal's shifting to another stage of the rebuild. That doesn't mean the rebuild is over.

For frame of reference, I'm thinking of the Devil's after 2020-2021. They had a lot of talent at forward (Hischier, J. Hughes, Bratt, Sharangovich, Zacha) plus good forward prospects, and some decent D. But they still weren't ready to compete and continued to add in other areas.

Its the difference between just trying to cobble together lines that work and figuring out what you need to take the next step.