Is this the youngest Habs team you have seen in your lifetime?

[nhlfan9191]

When one considers the output made by 19yrs.old 100th OV pick Victor Mete this season, fans should realize that NHL level players are available after the first round picks. The Habs having many such picks (Within the Top 100 in the 2018 Entry Draft.) which our Scouts can use to acquire more young gems this year. There is also many more seasons after next year, for these prospects to become valuable Habs players for the next decade. The win now mode has ruined many prospects careers, with the team of talent evaluators the Habs have, fans should be extremely happy after the upcoming draft. This draft has depth, unlike most when the Habs have a high(Top Ten pick) in those first few rounds + other teams picks. I for one see a great future coming with the multiple prospects already drafted last year, along with the 2018 picks and the many good young prospects vying for regular roles this year.
Too many yrs. since the Habs have developed players in the AHL properly, as is now the case since Bergevin became the GM. The payoff in providing AHL /European seasoning will soon become apparent to our fans. After watching the Habs either trading top picks or rushing players into the NHL for two + decades. Patience is a necessary evil, if Habs fans ever want to see a truly Elite Championship level Habs team again, IMHO!!!... Of course it couldn't hurt the team to have the #1 OV pick in 2018, every NHL team will envy the team that wins the right to pick Rasmus Dahlin. Getting Boqvist, Zadina or Svechnikov isn't anything to cry about though IMHO.
Habs fans need to relax and let the Hired Hands build this team, as those before have done, instead of constantly crying for new management every 5yrs. Most businesses that succeed in the long term, stay with a program that ensures long term success, which requires having stability at the top level, which I believe the Habs have. Only time will prove this to be true, Molson's are aware of these facts, they have a lifetime involvement with success & the Habs Success, IMHO!!!... Go Habs Go!!!...

“Fans need to relax and let the hired hands build this team.” They built this team for 6 years and destroyed it. You don’t relax and have faith in a GM and his chornies building a team after that. One draft may help put some depth back into the youth system, but it is only the first step. It takes time to correct years of failed drafting. Our prospect pool is no better then any of the other 30 teams we’re competing for a cup with. You also mention the AHL devolpment. Who do you think is responsible for keeping those clowns around? Molson’s have a lifetime involvement with Habs success. They destroyed the team twice. All they know is failure.

 

[ECWHSWI]

WTF does Price's age have to do with anything? He is still considered one of the elite goaltenders in the league. The 9th OV wasn't traded away as you tried to spin it . He was traded for a 3rd OV so I should have said we have one 5th, two 3rds and at the very least a 6th.

he was, that's a fact.

 

[Habs Icing]

he was, that's a fact.

He wasn't traded away. He was traded for a player who was a 3rd OV.

 

[OldCraig71]

I was the biggest detractor of the DRouin trade and I've slammed him even harder after seeing his pathetic display but I think moved to the wing and playing with a top center Drouin will be a good winger. Not a go to player or a game changer.

As for Weber you're just humoring your pessimistic side.

Dahlin would be great but there are other d-men in this draft - not franchise players but excellent top pairing d-men. McAvoy was drafted 14th. Chychurn 16th. Those are just the latest but you can go down the draft years and see d-men that were picked in the middle of the round and made an impact. And that's not mentioning that this year is packed with excellent d-men and we may draft no lower than 8th.

I don't think it is being pessimistic to assume that Weber will slow down, he is going into his 14th NHL season next year and has logged a ton of tough minutes playing D. He will be 33 at the start of next year coming off foot tendon surgery, do you think that is pessimism? I am not a fan of projecting who will play with Weber from the draft, there are plenty of 1st rounders that do not automatically make the jump. We need two centers in one off season when after 6 years our GM has managed to get no one, focus there, baby steps.

 

[Habs Icing]

I don't think it is being pessimistic to assume that Weber will slow down, he is going into his 14th NHL season next year and has logged a ton of tough minutes playing D. He will be 33 at the start of next year coming off foot tendon surgery, do you think that is pessimism? I am not a fan of projecting who will play with Weber from the draft, there are plenty of 1st rounders that do not automatically make the jump. We need two centers in one off season when after 6 years our GM has managed to get no one, focus there, baby steps.

You said we needed 6 players to be contenders. That's what I was disputing. I think we need only three. Two top centers and a top left d. As for The Idiot well whether you give him those three players for free or even the six you mentioned, he'll find a way to bugger up the team.

 

[Captain Mountain]

You said we needed 6 players to be contenders. That's what I was disputing. I think we need only three. Two top centers and a top left d. As for The Idiot well whether you give him those three players for free or even the six you mentioned, he'll find a way to bugger up the team.

I we're talking about next season, we do need more than 3 guys. You seem to be assuming that guys like Galchenyuk, Drouin and Mete can fill holes internally. I have my doubts. And all this is predicated on Price bouncing back.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

According to some, this team is old and needs to be rebuild .

No, the team is bad and needs to be rebuilt.

 

[Habs Icing]

I we're talking about next season, we do need more than 3 guys. You seem to be assuming that guys like Galchenyuk, Drouin and Mete can fill holes internally. I have my doubts. And all this is predicated on Price bouncing back.

Let's play a thought experiment. You package Patches for a young up and coming center. Let's say Glass/Suzuki. You sign Stastny. You draft Hughes. The team is completely re-shaped. It doesn't have to be those particular players. It's those holes that need to be filled. I also wouldn't be against signing Perron. You obviously have to do this before the season starts. At the deadline you re-evaluate. Two legit centers will completely transform this team even without Perron. One center completely changed the Preds. Poile just didn't go the full mile last year. He did this year.

Drouin and Galchenyuk are not playmakers. You insert two playmaking centers, and Drouin and Galchenyuk are free to play their game. Even if Weber loses a step over the summer, it won't affect what he does best. Speed was never his game. You forgot we had Markov back there last year.Price will still be Price. I don't expect him to return to his epic level but solid, consistent play is enough.

 

[Habs Icing]

No, the team is bad and needs to be rebuilt.

I remember you were singing that same song before MB took over. Today you lambast him because you claim he destroyed a good core. You can't have it both ways.

This team is three pieces away. Now if you tell me MB is not the man to get those pieces, you got a strong point. But then he is also not the man to rebuild.

 

[OldCraig71]

You said we needed 6 players to be contenders. That's what I was disputing. I think we need only three. Two top centers and a top left d. As for The Idiot well whether you give him those three players for free or even the six you mentioned, he'll find a way to bugger up the team.

I still do think we need 5-6 players. If we are talking making the playoffs we need a 1-2 center combo, look at the teams fighting for the final spots and look at us. I also don't see a team with Weber and a kid as your 1-2 D combo as a contender, we are unlikely to get Dahlin. Lehkonen is not a top 6, Drouin has plenty to prove and we can't look at his production in Tampa, look at him here. Galchenyuk has been inconsistent as well and if we are talking contender, there are 5 forward question marks right there.

The biggest question still remains as to how Bergevin is getting two top centers or rather what would his vision of the two top centers be?

 

[Captain Mountain]

Let's play a thought experiment. You package Patches for a young up and coming center. Let's say Glass/Suzuki. You sign Stastny. You draft Hughes. The team is completely re-shaped. It doesn't have to be those particular players. It's those holes that need to be filled. I also wouldn't be against signing Perron. You obviously have to do this before the season starts. At the deadline you re-evaluate. Two legit centers will completely transform this team even without Perron. One center completely changed the Preds. Poile just didn't go the full mile last year. He did this year.

You really think a 33 year old Stastny, an 18 year old defenceman and a 19 year old C is going to completely reshape the team next year? Really? Because that's insane.

But you're ok to sign a soon to be 30 year old winger having a career year? ok.

And by the by, Nashville didn't transform with one center. They transformed with a #1 C, and upgrade on D (Subban for Weber) and having Arvidsson break out.

Drouin and Galchenyuk are not playmakers. You insert two playmaking centers, and Drouin and Galchenyuk are free to play their game. Even if Weber loses a step over the summer, it won't affect what he does best. Speed was never his game. You forgot we had Markov back there last year.Price will still be Price. I don't expect him to return to his epic level but solid, consistent play is enough.

Ha ha, what? Drouin and Galchenyuk are absolutely playmakers. They're the only two playmakers on Montreal's roster (which is part of the problem). Hell, Drouin's main skill at the NHL level is playmaking (he's atrocious at driving play and a sub-par shooter, but elite at setting up scoring plays). Drouin's not good at center because he can't handle the defensive responsibilities, can't win face-offs, and needs more space than centers typically are afforded. Galchenyuk doesn't work at center for the 1st two issues. This whole "playmakers at center" mindset is incredibly outdated too.

Weber losing a step is a terrifying idea. Weber is basically at slow Markov speed right now. Losing a step puts him in Alzner terrritory. Loss of speed by anyone, no matter their game, is problematic. And speed isn't the only thing that can be affected by his injury. Goaltending is voodoo, Price is in his 30s and we have no idea if Price will be Price. He probably will be better than this year, but how much better is a fair question. His injury history is a concern too.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I remember you were singing that same song before MB took over. Today you lambast him because you claim he destroyed a good core. You can't have it both ways.

This team is three pieces away. Now if you tell me MB is not the man to get those pieces, you got a strong point. But then he is also not the man to rebuild.

Uh, it did need to be rebuilt. Move one from the aging core and build around the youth. That's what happened organically, Bergevin just didn't do much to add to the youth through drafting or trades.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I remember you were singing that same song before MB took over. Today you lambast him because you claim he destroyed a good core. You can't have it both ways.

If you were paying attention to my posts I argued for a rebuild up until the 2013 season. Going into 2013 I was definitely on the rebuild train but that team showed itself to be ready for prime time. Gallagher came out of nowhere, Galchenyuk (who I thought should've been in the minors) put up great numbers for a rookie, Eller played much better than before and we had Beaulieu who was looking like a great young prospect. That club was much better than the previous year and played very well. Once that happens you switch gears.

I'm not for rebuilding for rebuilding sake. You rebuild as long as it makes sense. When your team comes of age then you re-adjust and start looking to win. At the end of 2013 it was very clear that we had a good young core group of players to work with. Instead of adding to that group we destroyed it.

It's about picking a direction. And MB could've gone either way. He could've dealt Pleks for picks/prospects and still continued the rebuild or he could've added vets to help us. He did neither. He re-upped with Bouillion, signed Murray, kept DD at center... it was the worst of both worlds.

And now we're in a situation where a lot of those players are gone, those that are still here are older and more expensive plus there's not nearly enough of a supporting cast to win anything. The team is totally broken now. So yes, it's crazy to say it only four years after we had that young club but rebuilding is what makes sense at this point.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Young with cheap support cast players.

 

[Lshap]

If you were paying attention to my posts I argued for a rebuild up until the 2013 season. Going into 2013 I was definitely on the rebuild train but that team showed itself to be ready for prime time. Gallagher came out of nowhere, Galchenyuk (who I thought should've been in the minors) put up great numbers for a rookie, Eller played much better than before and we had Beaulieu who was looking like a great young prospect. That club was much better than the previous year and played very well. Once that happens you switch gears.

I'm not for rebuilding for rebuilding sake. You rebuild as long as it makes sense. When your team comes of age then you re-adjust and start looking to win. At the end of 2013 it was very clear that we had a good young core group of players to work with. Instead of adding to that group we destroyed it.

It's about picking a direction. And MB could've gone either way. He could've dealt Pleks for picks/prospects and still continued the rebuild or he could've added vets to help us. He did neither. He re-upped with Bouillion, signed Murray, kept DD at center... it was the worst of both worlds.

And now we're in a situation where a lot of those players are gone, those that are still here are older and more expensive plus there's not nearly enough of a supporting cast to win anything. The team is totally broken now. So yes, it's crazy to say it only four years after we had that young club but rebuilding is what makes sense at this point.

The only hope is next season we get the same ready-for-prime-time surprise we got in 2013. No, I ain't betting a scotch on this one, but what the hell... Mete, Juulsen and Reilly turn into solid players on D; Scherbak, Poehling, and this summer's draft pick make our top-six; we get a good UFA. Price, Weber and Pacioretty come back healthy and strong. Not impossible.

Help me out here. If I can't hang my hopes on something for next year, I may as well divert all my hockey and HF time to doing laundry and vacuuming.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The only hope is next season we get the same ready-for-prime-time surprise we got in 2013. No, I ain't betting a scotch on this one, but what the hell... Mete, Juulsen and Reilly turn into solid players on D; Scherbak, Poehling, and this summer's draft pick make our top-six; we get a good UFA. Price, Weber and Pacioretty come back healthy and strong. Not impossible.

Help me out here. If I can't hang my hopes on something for next year, I may as well divert all my hockey and HF time to doing laundry and vacuuming.

I predict a year of heavy drinking.

Don't worry, next year is MB's last hurrah. That's my other prediction.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Youngest & by far the worst Habs team I've ever laid eyes on. Furthermore, the most unlikable. The teams from 99 through 03 weren't very talented. But, they gave 110 percent and were easy to root for.

 

[MasterDecoy]

as far as im concerned, they're zero year old, haven't watched them once yet

 

[Habs Icing]

If you were paying attention to my posts I argued for a rebuild up until the 2013 season. Going into 2013 I was definitely on the rebuild train but that team showed itself to be ready for prime time. Gallagher came out of nowhere, Galchenyuk (who I thought should've been in the minors) put up great numbers for a rookie, Eller played much better than before and we had Beaulieu who was looking like a great young prospect. That club was much better than the previous year and played very well. Once that happens you switch gears.

I'm not for rebuilding for rebuilding sake. You rebuild as long as it makes sense. When your team comes of age then you re-adjust and start looking to win. At the end of 2013 it was very clear that we had a good young core group of players to work with. Instead of adding to that group we destroyed it.

It's about picking a direction. And MB could've gone either way. He could've dealt Pleks for picks/prospects and still continued the rebuild or he could've added vets to help us. He did neither. He re-upped with Bouillion, signed Murray, kept DD at center... it was the worst of both worlds.

And now we're in a situation where a lot of those players are gone, those that are still here are older and more expensive plus there's not nearly enough of a supporting cast to win anything. The team is totally broken now. So yes, it's crazy to say it only four years after we had that young club but rebuilding is what makes sense at this point.

And what makes you think this team can't do the same thing that 2013 team did.

You look at this team on March 13 and you say it's a bad team. Aside from missing two top centers and a top pairing left d, this team has on its injury list an elite goal tender, an elite shutdown defenceman, an elite regular season scorer (and trust me it pains me to call Patches that) and an excellent 3rd line centerman. We won't even mention Mete who was providing terrific defense the last month or so. Take that away from Tampa Bay and they'll look just as bad as the Habs. Hell, last year with a couple of major pieces missing they sucked.

Next year when we get all our wounded back and if The Idiot fills those three major holes properly AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON we'll have a very good team. Good enough to make more moves at the deadline. Look at this team next year:

Goaltending: an elite goalie - Price
Defence: An elite shutdown d-man, Weber, with three other good pieces, Petry, Mete, Juulsen. Reilly might be another.
Forwards: Right now we have four pieces that can slot in on the wings on top two lines: Patches, Drouin, Galchenyuk, Gallagher. We have Danualt, Hudon, Byron and Scherback to slot into the 3rd line. Shaw is a 3rd liner but on this team he can move to the 4th line.

You don't blow up a team with those pieces. We're closer to contending than we are to demolishing. Just fill those damn holes.

Now if you tell me The Idiot can't fill those three holes without destroying the team, I have no counter for that except you may be right AND that's one of the reasons why I don't want him managing a rebuild. If he can't handle filling in three holes he sure as hell can't managea rebuild.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

And what makes you think this team can't do the same thing that 2013 team did.

It doesn't have the elite young talent that the 2013 club did. Our best players are older and more expensive. At this point I think it makes a lot more sense to divest ourselves of them, maximize a return and just start over.

 

[PaulD]

I remember you were singing that same song before MB took over. Today you lambast him because you claim he destroyed a good core. You can't have it both ways.

This team is three pieces away. Now if you tell me MB is not the man to get those pieces, you got a strong point. But then he is also not the man to rebuild.

The team is 3 pieces away.

and how many years in a row have you (and MB) thought that?

Rebuild.

Team sucks.

 

[Habs Icing]

The team is 3 pieces away.

and how many years in a row you have thought that?

Rebuild.

Team sucks.

It's been a few years but The Idiot in charge never filled the holes. I'd like to see what team we would have if he fills the holes. Blowing it up in a lottery era guarantees nothing except we'll be watching golf balls floating in a fish tank at the end of the year for the next 10 years.

 

[WinterLion]

It doesn't have the elite young talent that the 2013 club did. Our best players are older and more expensive. At this point I think it makes a lot more sense to divest ourselves of them, maximize a return and just start over.

Just to be clear, which exact players are you talking about?

 

[WinterLion]

The team is 3 pieces away.

and how many years in a row have you (and MB) thought that?

Rebuild.

Team sucks.

Hey PaulD,

What would a rebuild look like to you? Do you mean trading players, if so which ones? Who would you keep?

 

[Et le But]

It's funny to see some people include Andrew Shaw as part of the youth movement as if players like that don't break down in their late 20s.

Even Gallagher, who is a lot more talented, is not going to be any better than he is now.