Kent Hughes & Jeff Gorton General Discussion Thread - The Honeymoon Is Over

[BenchBrawl]

The honeymoon period is over. HuGo are about to face their first real test on July 7th, which will undoubtedly polarize the fanbase.

It's time for a general discussion thread.

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[Colezuki]

The honeymoon period is over. HuGo are about to face their first real test on July 7th, which will undoubtedly polarize the fanbase.

It's time for a general discussion thread.

I don't think that happens until the fall, there will be questions marks until the two start playing again

 

[McPhees Moustache]

The honeymoon period is over, and HuGo are about to face their first real test on July 7th, which will undoubtedly polarize the fanbase.

So it's time for a general discussion thread.

It'll be an interesting draft - I like that McKenzie's list opened the door on someone else at 1st overall, not because I want Slaf to be the choice but I feel like it's made it easier for them to pick whomever they really want while having to take ownership of the pick regardless of who they choose.
Falling back on the 'but Wright was the consensus 1st overall' narrative won't be an out if they take him and he busts.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I don't think that happens until the fall, there will be questions marks until the two start playing again

Don't underestimate this place. By the end of July 7th, friendships will be broken, minds will be lost, battles will be fought, clans will be formed, haters will be born and blood will be spilled.

 

[Team_Spirit]

People will lose it if he pass and Wright only to draft his son with 26.

 

[sheed36]

This is me right now preparing for if they don't draft one of the centers.

 

[Takeru]

I don't see it happening this soon.

Unless they go full braindead mode and draft someone like Gauthier or Lambert 1OA, most will probably give the benefit of the doubt and get behind the pick (for the time being).

Some will want to say they called it sooner than others and label it as the first misstep but the reality is it'll take a couple years before we know for sure the outcome. So caution and further moves would have to be considered before calling honeymoon over.

For sure there will be drama and hyperbole a plenty on draft day. That being said, apart from a few exceptions, I'd say most will get over it if the end result is satisfactory enough (or there's at least a clear logic behind it).

 

[BenchBrawl]

I don't see it happening this soon.

Unless they go full braindead mode and draft someone like Gauthier or Lambert 1OA, most will probably give the benefit of the doubt and get behind the pick (for the time being).

Some will want to say they called it sooner than others and label it as the first misstep but the reality is it'll take a couple years before we know for sure the outcome. So caution and further moves would have to be considered before calling honeymoon over.

For sure there will be drama and hyperbole a plenty on draft day. That being said, apart from a few exceptions, I'd say most will get over it if the end result is satisfactory enough (or there's at least a clear logic behind it).

Some people already have been fighting hard battles for Wright outside this section, and you think they will get behind the pick? Hard to believe.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Even after a couple of years we never know until much later.

See Galchenyuk scoring 30g at 21-22...

 

[DailyKaizen]

The honeymoon period is over. HuGo are about to face their first real test on July 7th, which will undoubtedly polarize the fanbase.

It's time for a general discussion thread.

Some of our fellow fans are fickle as well as illogical, they can not see the Sun Tzuian/Machiavellian grand strategy HuGo are utilising. We actually have and are enjoying a competitive advantage having erudite leaders manning the helm and rudder.

Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor.

 

[26Mats]

The honeymoon period is over. HuGo are about to face their first real test on July 7th, which will undoubtedly polarize the fanbase.

It's time for a general discussion thread.

We really need Martin Madden Jr. To complete what hopefully is a dream team:

Gorton, Hughes, Madden Jr., MSL.

I'm not sold on Brobov amd Lapointe, but wish them the best.

 

[Sorinth]

Some people already have been fighting hard battles for Wright outside this section, and you think they will get behind the pick? Hard to believe.

Actually pretending like you never said something is quite common. If whoever they pick does well they'll probably pretend like they always liked the player. It's only if the pick struggles that we'll see blood (Or a different pick really lights it up).

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Actually pretending like you never said something is quite common. If whoever they pick does well they'll probably pretend like they always liked the player. It's only if the pick struggles that we'll see blood (Or a different pick really lights it up).

...yeah, Humans are arseholes...

 

[HomeAndHome]

Some people already have been fighting hard battles for Wright outside this section, and you think they will get behind the pick? Hard to believe.

I wouldn't be happy to pass on Wright, but it's not my full time job to evaluate prospects for a living. If they go with someone other than Wright I'll have no choice but to cheer for the kid and hope they made the correct call.

Now... A couple years from now if Wright is doing his thing on another team and our pick is struggling ... different story.

It's hard to evaluate HuGo very in depth until some time has passed, prospects start to develop, FAs are signed, trades are made, and their plan starts to take shape.

After free agency day and the draft we'll have a bit of a taste of it, but the biggest factor could be time at this point.

 

[salbutera]

We really need Martin Madden Jr. To complete what hopefully is a dream team:

Gorton, Hughes, Madden Jr., MSL.

I'm not sold on Brobov amd Lapointe, but wish them the best.

Would be too funny if Slaf is Madden Jr’s pick! Ohhh the vitriol…

LOL

 

[Canadienna]

I like everything they've done and said so far. I'm impressed by HuGo.

Stands to reason I should expect them to pick the best player, and not worry what others (incl. myself) think.

But I'm not reasonable I'm a hockey fan.

 

[Takeru]

Some people already have been fighting hard battles for Wright outside this section, and you think they will get behind the pick? Hard to believe.

I think most people have a favorite, personnally have a couple I'd prefer we draft over others (mostly from draft thread browsing, haven't watched a single prospect game).

So yeah, discussions can get heated between those preferences but when the chips are ultimately down, I'd say most people here are Habs fan before prospects fans and get behind it.

For instance, I would be ok with any of Wright/Cooley/Nemec but I could see the value in drafting Slaf and hope they made the right call or in trading down, etc.

I think the same can go for many, even the most diehard fans of a given prospect. Sure, one can be your favorite but that doesn't prevent you from seeing value in your 2nd/3rd/4th favorite.

 

[Takeru]

I wouldn't be happy to pass on Wright, but it's not my full time job to evaluate prospects for a living. If they go with someone other than Wright I'll have no choice but to cheer for the kid and hope they made the correct call.

Now... A couple years from now if Wright is doing his thing on another team and our pick is struggling ... different story.

It's hard to evaluate HuGo very in depth until some time has passed, prospects start to develop, FAs are signed, trades are made, and their plan starts to take shape.

After free agency day and the draft we'll have a bit of a taste of it, but the biggest factor could be time at this point.

Exactly this.

No one will know for sure whether the call they'll make on draft day (no matter which one it ends up being) is the right one until 2-3 years.

And supposing they didn't make an appropriate choice (say top 3 player from this draft class), what will be interesting (along with the rest of their body of work) is how long it'll take them to figure it out and how they will implement course correction to avoid making the same mistake again.

This, far more than a single given pick, would be the make or break of the "honeymoon" for me.

 

[26Mats]

Would be too funny if Slaf is Madden Jr’s pick! Ohhh the vitriol…

LOL

Well he would only come after the draft. From what I've heard, his contract is up this summer amd Anaheim for some reason haven't locked him up with an extension. Maybe he wants to come home and be head scout of Les Glorieux?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Don't underestimate this place. By the end of July 7th, friendships will be broken, minds will be lost, battles will be fought, clans will be formed, haters will be born and blood will be spilled.

People didn't start really complaining of Bergevin until his 4th season, yet you're acting as if people didn't give him leeway at first.

 

[BenchBrawl]

People didn't start really complaining of Bergevin until his 4th season, yet you're acting as if people didn't give him leeway at first.

I haven't talked about Bergevin in this thread at all. What happened before was another context.

People are more tribalized now, I think. The tribal reflex is more reactive. In Bergevin's early reign the team was not in a rebuild, and he didn't have comparable crucial decision to make. Galchenyuk at 3rd overall was not as polarizing as this clusterf*** we're in now. Only when he traded Subban did he start to play for real high stakes.

 

[bcv]

Some people already have been fighting hard battles for Wright outside this section, and you think they will get behind the pick? Hard to believe.

I'll hope for the best if they draft Slaf, but that will put a damp on my appreciation of them until they prove me wrong.

 

[BenchBrawl]

People didn't start really complaining of Bergevin until his 4th season, yet you're acting as if people didn't give him leeway at first.

BTW, just FTR, I loved the Gorton and Hugues hires. I can both love Bergevin and the new guys. After 10 years, I agree it was time for a change.

 

[Beer and Chips]

If they don't pick a center when two of the top three are centers, I will lose my current optimism. Unless you can guarantee a top three pick next draft its illogical, who is going to trade a #1 center, and what is the price of one as UFA?

 

[Team_Spirit]

If they don't pick a center when two of the top three are centers, I will lose my current optimism. Unless you can guarantee a top three pick next draft its illogical, who is going to trade a #1 center, and what is the price of one as UFA?

Hope I'm wrong but...

Suzuki
Beauvillier

Andy+26 for Beauvillier
Draft Slaf to replace Andy

That means tanking is over after 6 months and the Habs are happy to pretend to be a bubble team for the next 5 years instead of doing a proper rebuild.

Mol$on calling the shots. Covid is over he can sell tickets again $$$$$$