Are We Headed in the Right Direction?

[Lafleurs Guy]

Going to limit this to yes or no. Obviously you can weigh in with your comments but I figured that we’re probably midway through the rebuild and it’d be interesting to get a temperature check.

Click to read more...

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Voting yes as I’m happy with the volume of solid prospects in the system.

Still missing the big superstar but maybe we get lucky with what we have in the system. I’m a bit on the fence but the D looks great and we do have a few interesting forwards.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Not bad but i still think we’re lacking elite talent up front like a prospect or player we know will be ppg +

I do like our Def tho Hutson,Reinbacher,Guhle,Mailloux and Engstrom should be good ones

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Yes, I believe so. The defense will be a juggernaut. The coaching will be competent, which represents a sea change after decades of cavemen. The forward corps is a work-in-progress, but will benefit greatly from the previous two. I also think that one of these goalie prospects will emerge as a franchise tender, which will have a galvanizing effect on the skaters. If the team can draft or trade for a talented forward with grit, who can play on the top two lines and brings the fire and presence of a Tkatchuk, even a poor man's version, it will begin to make the playoffs as well as keep improving. I don't see HuGo shooting themselves in the foot the way their predecessors did.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Votes 8-0 for yes. I’m a little surprised actually.

 

[StCaufield]

If we had someone coming up that can score then we’d be moving in the right direction. The forward group under 20 is mundane

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If we had someone coming up that can score then we’d be moving in the right direction. The forward group under 20 is mundane

I’m interested in seeing what Roy can do. Slaf is a mystery box.

 

[David Suzuki]

I'd say yes. We need more groundbreaking talent, but I don't get the sense management disagrees with this or is doing anything to prevent us from drafting one in 2024.

 

[tinyzombies]

Second tier contender feels like. That Michkov miss still stings. Can't get a player like that to ever come to Montreal (Caufield was a fluke), but you can get a Reinbacher. Anyway, fingers crossed.

 

[HABitual Fan]

Voted yes, although it is still a bit eaty rly to call. If the defense is solved internally, tt will go a long way towards a successful rebuild. If we hit on a goalie it is even better.

I am less concerned than some about the forwards, f we fail to draft the superstar, we will have the ability to sign one or two as UFA or trade for one when the time is right, which is not now.

The encouraging part is that thanks to Bergevin, Hughes is basically icing a team similar to ones with an internal cap. Basically he is working currently with a team operating at around $20,000,000 below the cap due to the Price, Gallagher, Armia and Hoffman contracts he inherited. Spend that money on a couple of top tier forwards and things will look much better.

That there is a surplus of 3rd and 4th line prospects ensures a steady stream of them, keeping costs controlled for them, much like a team like Carolina does.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Yes
The defense group will be amazing
We have a bunch of young goalies, hopefully, one of them can become a #1
We might lack the superstar forward, but we'll have a really solid group of forwards.

Our team build will be more similar to Vegas/Carolina than Tampa/Colorado/Toronto.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Yes, we're actually going to be one of the youngest teams in the league next year.

We have a young defense group in particular. Caufield has 40g, ppg potential. Dach can get a lot better too.

Even though we sucked last year, we were one of the best offensive teams off the rush & in transition at 5 on 5.

Our big issues were rush defense and an inability to get the puck back in defensive zone. We often got caved in with long shifts in our zone (like 90 seconds shifts in our zone). That has to improve greatly this year.

The team is young, and Hughes is correct in allowing the team to improve through attrition and graduating prospects. The vets left on the team aren't movable, or are really close to not being movable.

I wasn't thrilled with 2023 draft, not due to Reinbacher, but it's entirely possible he's the only NHLer of the group (I do have high hopes for Fowler). To say they took a lot of long term prospects is an under statement.

That means they have a lot of confidence in current prospects, as they essentially passed on this year's draft, so as not to gum up the prospect pipe line in 2 years.

PP & PK both need to improve.
Defensive play in our end definitely needs to improve.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Considering the mess that was here less than two years ago when Hughes came on board, I say easily yes. The franchise has a plan and seems to be sticking to it. There are still some missing pieces, but there are a lot of prospects and young players with potential in the system.

 

[HABitual Fan]

Yes, we're actually going to be one of the youngest teams in the league next year.

We have a young defense group in particular. Caufield has 40g, ppg potential. Dach can get a lot better too.

Even though we sucked last year, we were one of the best offensive teams off the rush & in transition at 5 on 5.

Our big issues were rush defense and an inability to get the puck back in defensive zone. We often got caved in with long shifts in our zone (like 90 seconds shifts in our zone). That has to improve greatly this year.

The team is young, and Hughes is correct in allowing the team to improve through attrition and graduating prospects. The vets left on the team aren't movable, or are really close to not being movable.

I wasn't thrilled with 2023 draft, not due to Reinbacher, but it's entirely possible he's the only NHLer of the group (I do have high hopes for Fowler). To say they took a lot of long term prospects is an under statement.

That means they have a lot of confidence in current prospects, as they essentially passed on this year's draft, so as not to gum up the prospect pipe line in 2 years.

PP & PK both need to improve.
Defensive play in our end definitely needs to improve.

I agree about the draft, in selecting only a goalie from the CHL even with all the picks was clearly an organizational decision to look at players that you retain the rights to for a longer period of time, allow to develop instead of needing to make a call on them after only 2 years.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Honestly feels like we're building the 2015 Nashville predators. Hope I'm wrong but I'm not happy with the direction.

I could not give 2 shits about the Russian diva but man I wish we could have picked top 4 this year

 

[BoneHutson]

As long as we manage to add a highend F prospect next year, I think absolutely. We need one of Celebrini, Catton, Demidov or Eiserman (ideally a C though) AND/OR trade for a bluechip C prospect like Cooley or Gauthier (we could get extra firsts for guys like Matheson and Anderson + include some of our extra yound Ds like Barron or Harris in a potential trade) Then we can roll these potential lines + our insane group of D + Montembeault and Fowler who might be a solid n1 in a couple years.

Slaf-Suzuki-Caufield
Newhook-Dach-Roy
Farrell-Catton*-Heineman (ideally another highend young player)
RHP-Beck-Ylonen

 

[Kaladin]

I'm not happy with the direction. It doesn't seem like we're building what could be an actual legit contender for the stanley cup year in year out.

#1 D? No obvious contender. Everyone has warts to some degree or other (Hutson, Reinbacher, Mailloux etc.). Guhle is the one I have the most faith in potentially developing into that role. Let's see. We may end up with strong defense by committee which I'm willing to see play out. Can't remember the last stanley cup winner that did not have a legitimate #1 D though.

#1 center? Nope. Haven't drafted one with our top 5 picks in the last two years either. Suzuki/Dach have varying degrees of potential to get there but it's nowhere near a guarantee. Feels more like praying.

#1 G? Nope. And we haven't really invested any significant assets into acquiring one either. Fowler may hit who knows but I'd like to see some more aggressive intention here. Askarov would have been a great pick up.

Bonafide star? Caufield is the only one really that has shown he has a chance at that and he was here before this group ever got here. We've also whiffed on our best chance at drafting one in Michkov.

We will be picking lower and lower moving forward and we still have gaps pretty much everywhere you'd want filled for a legit contender. Not sure how people have voted "Yes" to be honest. Spoiler alert for those who think we can just trade our way or acquire a forward star in FA, no one is giving up their Cooley's or Gauthier's. It just doesn't happen. And montreal has never been a place star FA's flock too. You guys are literally praying for a miracle.

 

[WentWughes]

Voted yes. Still plenty of work to be done. If Dach, Newhook, and Slaf show strong progression and that they can be strong too six forwards for us I will be a lot more bullish in the future outlook though. Also need the young dmen to progress, hopefully Guhle takes another step but I have no doubt that he will. We need a Demidov, Eiserrman, Celebrini this coming draft as well. I have no doubt we can fill the middle six and fourth line but we need a potential star for me to be optimistic this team can be a cup contender in the future. I am also confident that the goaltending position long term will be set with either montembault taking another step or Dobes/Fowler being the guy. RHD and elite talent up front are still question marks and getting bad contracts off the books and refraining from getting new bad contracts to replace should be the priorities. Gallagher is the only horrendous contract but he should be on LTIR soon, Hoffman and Armia worst case is we can just ride out the duration of the contract If we can’t find a buyer, Dvorak also needs to go hopefully he can show some value so we can receive an asset back in a trade. Also all of the Laval guys will be interesting, to see who translates to the pro game right away, who surprises and who disappoints . Next year will be instrumental in the next steps for the management, I am confident that the right decisions will be made by the new group.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I'm not happy with the direction. It doesn't seem like we're building what could be an actual legit contender for the stanley cup year in year out.

#1 D? No obvious contender. Everyone has warts to some degree or other (Hutson, Reinbacher, Mailloux etc.). Guhle is the one I have the most faith in potentially developing into that role. Let's see. We may end up with strong defense by committee which I'm willing to see play out. Can't remember the last stanley cup winner that did not have a legitimate #1 D though.

#1 center? Nope. Haven't drafted one with our top 5 picks in the last two years either. Suzuki/Dach have varying degrees of potential to get there but it's nowhere near a guarantee. Feels more like praying.

#1 G? Nope. And we haven't really invested any significant assets into acquiring one either. Fowler may hit who knows but I'd like to see some more aggressive intention here. Askarov would have been a great pick up.

Bonafide star? Caufield is the only one really that has shown he has a chance at that and he was here before this group ever got here. We've also whiffed on our best chance at drafting one in Michkov.

We will be picking lower and lower moving forward and we still have gaps pretty much everywhere you'd want filled for a legit contender. Not sure how people have voted "Yes" to be honest. Spoiler alert for those who think we can just trade our way or acquire a forward star in FA, no one is giving up their Cooley's or Gauthier's. It just doesn't happen. And montreal has never been a place star FA's flock too. You guys are literally praying for a miracle.

We are in a cap world, and Habs have more cap space than most, especially after the Hoffman, Armia, Dvorak and Savard contracts are done by end of next season (24-25).

Hughes has not signed any crippling contracts since he has been on the watch. Cap space ensures the ability to get a star onto the team.

A defensive troika of Matheson-Guhle-Reinbacher with guys like Barron or Mailloux, Hutson, Struble, Xhekaj in support is mobile and mostly big.

Up front we have accumulated six guys who were drafted in the top half of the first round, and have some good prospects for middle-six roles on cheaper contracts.

Goaltending post-Price looks better than when Hughes came in.

Most players seem to love playing here and there is more emphasis on skills development.

Right DIRECTION - yes. Still more track to cover though.

 

[Hacketts]

just drive baby

 

[Archijerej]

I'm cautiously optimistic, but it all depends on our ability to assess and develop talent. If all those trades and drafts won't amount into much, the rebuild will be a failure.

 

[ReHabs]

Same gaps persist.

Winning teams have multiple stars, we have one (Caufield). We have no prospects who are on track to stardom. If someone surprises (Slaf, Roy, etc) then we will leapfrog and possible achieve exit velocity from the orbit of Loser Team. If not, Caufield/Suzuki/Dach is simply not enough.

We need our own Mats Sundin type, a 1C who has all the tools. Maybe Dach… maybe not… so much uncertainty.

Tanking is one thing but rebuilding requires building and I haven’t seen enough to justify saying we are on the right track. That we might have cap space coming up is meaningless, we need (good) NHL players not unallocated cap space.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

I’m interested in seeing what Roy can do. Slaf is a mystery box.

That's the problem, our most valuable pick since forever is a mystery box...

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I wanted to vote *meh I don't know* but since it's yes or no I voted yes

 

[BLONG7]

Voting yes as I’m happy with the volume of solid prospects in the system.

Still missing the big superstar but maybe we get lucky with what we have in the system. I’m a bit on the fence but the D looks great and we do have a few interesting forwards.

Easy yes for me..............
After years of Bergevin saying that centres were not available, and HuGo got TWO in his first season/draft in Monahan and Dach.................I knew these two guys had a plan.