Player Discussion The missed franchise turning point was drafting Price over Kopitar

[Vukotal Recall]

Yeah, I said it. And I'm saying it now because it still pisses me off. Actually, though I rarely hang out on this board much any more, I've said this consistently over the years ever since that fateful draft. That was our chance. Everyone -- everyone -- knew Kopitar was a stud. Everyone knew he was the right pick for us. It was our chance to FINALLY get a franchise center, to break the bizarre self-imposed Patrick Roy mold of the goalie god leading a squad of dead boring defensive players. Of all our many, many, many 1st round draft screw-ups, this one continues to haunt us, so many years later. Yes, despite whatever success we had for a year or two. Despite Carey being the best goalie in hockey . . . for a brief time. We missed our franchise reset, then eventually doubled down on our "star" and have crippled the franchise long-term... again.

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[Seb]

 

[Habs]

oh god here we go. I'm just here for the comments at this point

 

[David Suzuki]

Yeah I can't think of a bigger waste of time then this conversation lol. I still maintain the habs biggest issue is less drafting and more development, which means there's every chance Kopitar turns into Lars Eller for us.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

This times infinity

 

[nhlfan9191]

I get why people wanted to draft a Center. But what I cannot comprehend is being pissed off that we took a goaltender whose one of the best of his generation and has won 350+ games with the organization while having very good career numbers. If we drafted Brule, would this thread even exist? Probably not.

 

[le_sean]

I’d say the bigger gaffe was trading McDonagh for Gomez. Then if they had chosen Kreider over Leblanc two years later, by 2013 you have a contending team with prime Carey, PK, McDonagh, Max, Markov, Gallagher, Kreider, Plex.

Likely means they are too good to be drafting a plug in Galchenyuk, maybe getting someone like Forsberg, Teravainen, Wilson, Hertl instead in 2012.

 

[habdynasty]

Kostitsyn over Getzlaf you mean right

 

[Adam Michaels]

Nevermind Kopitar! I'm still trying to process taking Price over Gilbert Brule, Jack Skille, Brian Lee, and Luc Bourdon, who were all on the board at #5 and were taken Top-10.

 

[BLONG7]

This is gonna age well!! lol
The Habs have made so many bad moves since firing Serge Savard, you could write 12 novels about it.

 

[Le Tricolore]

At their primes, Price was better than Kopitar. Unfortunately, the Habs didn't have much else. The Kings had some good teams, and outstanding goaltending when they won their two Cups.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Weren't the Habs going to draft Pouliot if he was available?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Weren't the Habs going to draft Pouliot if he was available?

That's the story, yep.

 

[1909]

I get why people wanted to draft a Center. But what I cannot comprehend is being pissed off that we took a goaltender whose one of the best of his generation and has won 350+ games with the organization while having very good career numbers. If we drafted Brule, would this thread even exist? Probably not.

Price over Kopitar was fine. Price proved he was a special talent and has the record to prove it. . I am more pissed off by many more drafted players over the years. Just the 2003 draft would had given depth at center for ages - Carter or Getzlaf in the first round, and Bergeron, in the second. Later, Fischer over Giroux was rather bad. Juulsen over Aho was also puzzling. So, Habs had tons of opportunities to draft talented centermen... and they did not. And we are ending years later with needs to draft some, and they draft McCarron, Poehling and KK..................... OUCH !

 

[le_sean]

At their primes, Price was better than Kopitar. Unfortunately, the Habs didn't have much else. The Kings had some good teams, and outstanding goaltending when they won their two Cups.

Maybe Price was better in one season. But Kopitar is above a PPG on a garbage Kings team today while Price is playing AHL level goaltending on what should be a good team.

Two Cups, two Selkes. At 971 points in 1,091 games (while playing great two-way hockey). He was clearly a far better pick.

 

[Habs]

Kostitsyn over Getzlaf you mean right

No kidding, then Sergachev for Drouin.

 

[1909]

Maybe Price was better in one season. But Kopitar is above a PPG on a garbage Kings team today while Price is playing AHL level goaltending on what should be a good team.

Two Cups, two Selkes. At 971 points in 1,091 games (while playing great two-way hockey). He was clearly a far better pick.

10 other teams DID NOT draft Kopitar ! ok, Pittsburg drafted Crosby... Poor them... lol.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

Montreal doesn’t want a winner, they want a team that is on the cusp. It sells more beer.

 

[le_sean]

10 other teams DID NOT draft Kopitar ! ok, Pittsburg drafted Crosby... Poor them... lol.

That’s fine. I’m not saying it was the biggest mistake ever because Price has had a great career. There are other selections I’d rather have a do-over for. But let’s not pretend that Price is equal to Kopitar.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

When I followed the drafts at the time, I wanted Carter or Getzlaf (was 50-50% sure at the time) instead of Kost. I had 3 other picks in Parizé, Phaneuf and Perry. Timmins clearly missed on that one. They should have trade one of our overated player to get a second pick inj the first round.
Then when it was the year of Kopitar I said that's it, we have our future number center and hockey will be interrestiong to watch. We would have Koivu + Kopitar as centers, wow !! The years we had Kovalev also to mention, and Markov in great shape, etc.
We already had Theodore and Garon back up. Halak was already picked the year before.
But Timmins picked a f*** goalie. Gosh ...

And to add to the insult LA picked Quick in second round, double Gosh !

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

That's the story, yep.

I think it is true. Pouliot was on their radar, I've read it many times.

 

[1909]

That’s fine. I’m not saying it was the biggest mistake ever because Price has had a great career. There are other selections I’d rather have a do-over for. But let’s not pretend that Price is equal to Kopitar.

Kopitar NEVER have to play in a market like the Montreal's one. Minimum pressure in LA. He did not won the two Cups by himself.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

All the shyte drafting Bergevin & Timmins has done over the years and the one Star they drafted and actually kept is the biggest failure of their tenure??...the Habs version of the QAnon quacks...

 

[Hins77]

I could tell you one hundreds mistakes by the management, before saying Price over Kopitar is the worst of all of them. These players been elite for theirs clubs. Kopitar were more well surrounded imo.

 

[Vachon23]

Kostitsyn over Getzlaf
Fisher over Giroux

are way worst