Tribute The Rebuild Poll: 2023-24 Playoffs or Tanking?

[vokiel]

Can we rebuild a rebuild?

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Yes of course, ask Oilers fans.

 

[Scriptor]

No obvious superstars. But Subban wasn’t obvious. Neither was Price.

We’ve got a lot of really good young talent. Entirely possible that we have a superstar and don’t know it yet.

Neither was Pacioretty who hadn't given signs of being such a dominant scorer at the NHL. Playing with Desharnais may have given him the confidence to become that (I'm not kidding)?

 

[DAChampion]

Reminder: Hughes was offered a 1st for Josh Anderson and declined

Not confirmed.

 

[beowulf]

I said it a month ago and will say it again, I think this team is a twener team that will not make the playoffs but won't get a top 10 pick either.

 

[Kiss Under the Guy]

I said it a month ago and will say it again, I think this team is a twener team that will not make the playoffs but won't get a top 10 pick either.

Unless they were lying, wasn't it their plan at the beginning of the year?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I said it a month ago and will say it again, I think this team is a twener team that will not make the playoffs but won't get a top 10 pick either.

Our goaltending has stolen a lot of points.

 

[DAChampion]

Our goaltending has stolen a lot of points.

The goaltending has earned a lot of points.

 

[Benstheman]

I said it a month ago and will say it again, I think this team is a twener team that will not make the playoffs but won't get a top 10 pick either.

We definately miss the playoffs but i think we draft top 10, if not top 8.

 

[beowulf]

We definately miss the playoffs but i think we draft top 10, if not top 8.

Could be I think the team is 10th from the bottom right now?

 

[JRichard]

Of course it looks like. They are tanking for 11 consecutive seasons- 10 consecutive top 10 picks plus Benson at 13 last year. Those should literally be your top two lines plus goalie. This is the third tanking year for Habs.


I agree that rebuild cannot be longer than 5 seasons. Realistically it is this season and maybe next one out of playoff (meaning top 10 draft pick). After that, we replace Dvorak, Savard, Armia with young blood or good free agents and we should be in the playoff spot.
I do not agree they are not ambitious, they are just cautious and patient which is key for successful rebuild. Look at other rebuilding teams making some really stupid moves: Seth Jones contract in Chicago, Gaudreau or Severson in Columbus, Chabot or Korpisalo in Ottawa. Ottawa had this DeBrincat fiasco.
Unfortunatelly, our vets are not great trading chips due to performance/ contract combination, so we just need to stick with some of them and keep developing our young core. Trades for Dach and Newhook show they have the ambition and drive, both came out of nowhere.

Buffalo vs Habs last 6 seasons + this one:
Mtl 447 pts, Sabres 436. 11 points difference, less than 1 win.

rebuild sure cannot be longer than 5 seasons?

 

[Egresch]

Buffalo vs Habs last 6 seasons + this one:
Mtl 447 pts, Sabres 436. 11 points difference, less than 1 win.

rebuild sure cannot be longer than 5 seasons?

Why last 6 seasons? It does not make sense. Habs were in finals in 2021.

If you cannot make playoffs or at least fight for wildcard after 5 years of rebuild, you failed. Buffalo failed with first rebuild (Eichel, Reinhart).

 

[vokiel]

Why last 6 seasons? It does not make sense. Habs were in finals in 2021.

If you cannot make playoffs or at least fight for wildcard after 5 years of rebuild, you failed. Buffalo failed with first rebuild (Eichel, Reinhart).

Yes and you think we're doing it better with Caufield, Reinbacher ?

Or Reinbacher, Slaf ?

 

[The Real Timo]

I remember last time we were in da playoffs. That was nice.

 

[JRichard]

Why last 6 seasons? It does not make sense. Habs were in finals in 2021.

If you cannot make playoffs or at least fight for wildcard after 5 years of rebuild, you failed. Buffalo failed with first rebuild (Eichel, Reinhart).

Simply took the points, all the points, just the points. Buffalo could not get in the playoffs in the covid year. Who knows what could have happened? I believe the last team in got into the Finals. Divisions are not created equal, i read it everyday here how the Metro is bad.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Why last 6 seasons? It does not make sense. Habs were in finals in 2021.

If you cannot make playoffs or at least fight for wildcard after 5 years of rebuild, you failed. Buffalo failed with first rebuild (Eichel, Reinhart).

That's not true. It typically takes between 5-8 years for a rebuilding team to consistently make the playoffs.

Buffalo did fail their first rebuild, they've been picking outside the play-offs for like 14 years, so naturally they did get through one 5-8 year cycle and are in their 2nd one, on the verge of f***ing that one up too because of inaction.

Buffalo rebuild is executed like the fans want.. no veterans, no goalies, trade anyone who performs for a draft pick, pick high every year, pick a lot of short skilled guys.. and then wonder why they can't make it, when they have a chance to trade picks or prospects to address goaltending, defense, depth.. and don't because they are holding all those picks and prospects ransom.

 

[salbutera]

Yes and you think we're doing it better with Caufield, Reinbacher ?

Or Reinbacher, Slaf ?

Yup - hockey is the ultimate TEAM sport not individual sport. It’s why the Bruins are a successful TEAM but Edm are not despite having 2 of the potential top-5 best NHL players

It’s about assembling pieces to bring a puzzle together - not just building the bling factor

 

[domiwroze]

Yup - hockey is the ultimate TEAM sport not individual sport. It’s why the Bruins are a successful TEAM but Edm are not despite having 2 of the potential top-5 best NHL players

It’s about assembling pieces to bring a puzzle together - not just building the bling factor

I agree BUT Boston also has one of the top Dman in the league and Pastrnak. You need both.

We're still 1 Celebrini away from a real playoff team.

 

[JRichard]

I remember last time we were in da playoffs. That was nice.

Bring covid back. Try that again getting in with a 24-32 record. Big *

 

[SwiftyHab]

for posterity

 

[Rapala]

I said it a month ago and will say it again, I think this team is a twener team that will not make the playoffs but won't get a top 10 pick either.

I thought that starting the season but what we are doing points wise is unsustainable. We play the Canes Florida and Tampa before the new year. Where will we find a stretch of 3 wins in a row to offset that? A 2-5 very likely on that 7 game road trip that ends Jan 2nd 2024.

 

[Lshap]

Bring covid back. Try that again getting in with a 24-32 record. Big *

Our record was 24-21-11.

Covid didn't help the Habs in 2021; in fact, it killed them thanks to an insanely compressed schedule plus the worst travel schedule in the league (along with Vancouver). Almost every top player was injured for the final month of the season.

 

[JRichard]

Our record was 24-21-11.

Covid didn't help the Habs in 2021; in fact, it killed them thanks to an insanely compressed schedule plus the worst travel schedule in the league (along with Vancouver). Almost every top player was injured for the final month of the season.

Disagree.
only division with a team getting in with 59 pts was the North who had, on top, 1 less team. Only 3 teams to beat.
Travel from Van to Mtl vs Ott or Tor… Wpg was far from all other teams. Pretty sure the travelled more. Looking for it.

edit: found it. Oilers travelled more. Habs 3rd less.

 

[the valiant effort]

Please let thy next 'VID thin out the herd...

 

[Lshap]

Disagree.
only division with a team getting in with 59 pts was the North who had, on top, 1 less team. Only 3 teams to beat.
Travel from Van to Mtl vs Ott or Tor… Wpg was far from all other teams. Pretty sure the travelled more. Looking for it.

edit: found it. Oilers travelled more. Habs 3rd less.

The last month and a half of that season Montreal was missing Price, Weber, Danault, Gallagher, Tatar... our best players plus others. Covid cancelled a bunch of our games, forcing us to play a more condensed schedule than other teams, leading to injuries and worse results. The Habs were better than their record, which was proven when everyone returned for the playoffs.

As for our record, it makes no sense to compare us to other divisions when each division played against totally different competition.

My point was there was nothing lucky about the Habs 2020/21 team. Bergevin assembled a very good team. The real problem was that the roster was an unsustainable one-off.

 

[JRichard]

The last month and a half of that season Montreal was missing Price, Weber, Danault, Gallagher, Tatar... our best players plus others. Covid cancelled a bunch of our games, forcing us to play a more condensed schedule than other teams, leading to injuries and worse results. The Habs were better than their record, which was proven when everyone returned for the playoffs.

As for our record, it makes no sense to compare us to other divisions when each division played against totally different competition.

My point was there was nothing lucky about the Habs 2020/21 team. Bergevin assembled a very good team. The real problem was that the roster was an unsustainable one-off.

Most probably true but cant remember Habs schedule was more condensed than the other Canadian teams.
Just the fact there was 1 less team in the canadian division was an advantage.
NYR were the unlucky ones with that setting. Tougher opponents, better record.