When did the Habs drafting/development turn the corner?

[DAChampion]

Much has been written about how Habs drafting and development was subpar in the period 2008-2016 or so. It seems to be better lately, when would you say that the tide began turning and why?

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[morhilane]

2018 is when they revamped their Combine interview and added a psychologist if I remember correctly.
The other big changes was Churla leaving in Nov 2020 and Lapointe taking over.

 

[McGees]

The drafting got a little better around the 'retool' but development only got better with Hugo.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

Marc Bergevin being able to accumulate all of those draft picks and keep us relevant in the competitive scene is impressive a little bit.

Him signing all those contracts and drafting youknowwho was his way of saying fyou

 

[WinterLion]

When they stopped trading away so many picks...

as for development I feel like it has gotten much better with Hughes

 

[Miller Time]

Much has been written about how Habs drafting and development was subpar in the period 2008-2016 or so. It seems to be better lately, when would you say that the tide began turning and why?

Drafting was never the issue... Timmins took undeserved flack because of MB's abysmal player development approach.

Things turned the minute MB was let go, and accelerates as the Habs leadership started building proper hockey ops.

 

[Saku K]

Development got better when HuGo started hired all those people to build a team upstairs which we never had before.

I voted 2022 to me that's one of the best draft I've seen in awhile, Jared Davidson is also a good pick from that draft. 2018 is a good pick when you know what was there before.

We are in a position to trade away draft picks/defenseman prospects for young forwards at this point in the Kirby Dach trade mold.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

It hasn’t yet

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I said 2019, but 2018 could be considered. Kotkaniemi is just such a big blunder, but the rest was solid.

Drafting wise that is. Development has required MBs departure. I think a lot of players would have failed under MBs guidance.

I really like the 2021 draft. I think it will yield a lot for the team in the coming years.

 

[Redux91]

It hasn’t yet

If 'you' truly think it 'hasn't' yet,
Then I'm here to warn you that, for 'you', it never will then sadly.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

There's not such thing as " turn the corner" until the team has a star forward. It's the thing that's been missing for decades with no change in sight.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

There's not such thing as " turn the corner" until the team has a star forward. It's the thing that's been missing for decades with no change in sight.

Yep. Otherwise it's just spinning wheels

 

[Sasha Orlov]

If 'you' truly think it 'hasn't' yet,
Then I'm here to warn you that, for 'you', it never will then sadly.

We have drafted zero elite players since Carey Price

Nothing in the pipeline that has a shot at changing that

I guess I just have higher expectations from multiple top 5 picks

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

There's not such thing as " turn the corner" until the team has a star forward. It's the thing that's been missing for decades with no change in sight.

HuGo drafted the only star player they had a chance at - Slafkovsky. Drafting improved a 2-3 years before MB was booted. There was never any development until HuGo took over.

 

[Tyson]

Had the Habs put in a true player development strategy in place they would have developed more decent players.
Bergevin hiring Lefebvre and put the responsibilities of developing our best prospects was the biggest mistake. So many young prospects regressed under Lefebvre.

 

[BLONG7]

Getting rid of TT and MB was a start, not that they didn't leave a couple of nice pieces.......

Not sure drafting has been as bad, as our developing process, until the new regime has taken hold of things.............the developing of young players, has risen considerably in the last two years.

The is a PLAN in place now................moving forward we go.

 

[salbutera]

Much has been written about how Habs drafting and development was subpar in the period 2008-2016 or so. It seems to be better lately, when would you say that the tide began turning and why?

I’ve said it many times, Stevie Y got the jump on his GM peers because he was working in league office when the concussion lawsuits were ramping up prior to being named TBay GM.

Writing was on the wall, NHL owners had no choice but to change change strategic structure of the game to a more speed / skill based US college game

Those changes started taking effect 14-15 season, Habs were late to adapt and started changing focus i would say starting w 2017 draft

 

[Anardil]

What corner has it turned?

- 40 years of drafting good NHL players, lacking star power.
- Just using Timmins time as head scout, so from 2003. Not a single player drafted/developed has had a 70 point season.
- This organization still needs above average goaltending to mask its obvious lack of talent.

Same shit different day afaiac.

 

[Scriptor]

When did the Habs drafting/development turn the corner?​

In 2025.

 

[MasterMatt25]

Probably with Hughes but I feel this poll is way too early. Wait 3 years, see how Slafkovsky/Reinbacher/other 1sts are doing, then ask this

 

[JianYang]

We have drafted zero elite players since Carey Price

Nothing in the pipeline that has a shot at changing that

I guess I just have higher expectations from multiple top 5 picks

No, you could probably say since 2007 when they arguably drafted multiple elite players (subban, McDonagh, pacioretty).

I think the pipeline has been on a steady upward trajectory basically since 2018 or so.... perhaps the acquisition of Suzuki was the start because the farm had become really dry at the time.

 

[yianik]

I think it was just before the Draft in 2018 that TT stated in an interview that the NHL currency was Cs and PMDs and so the Habs were also going to focus on those types of players. ( Lol. As far as the actual roster went MB did not value PMDs.) The approach was changing to seek skill.

 

[Scintillating10]

Joel Bouchard came on board. Caufield, Guhle, Mailloux

 

[DAChampion]

I think that 2018 is when Timmins was promoted to AGM.

 

[DJBREADMAN]

It has not turned a corner, have yet to draft/develop a point per game forward.