Speculation: Gorton’s first moves!

[Bacchus1]

He’ll probably want to talk to all his ppl and start building his pro and amateur scouts department.

He’ll probably have conversations with potential GMs.

And he’ll probably speak to other GMs in the league to get an idea of interests in players and potential trade partners.

I think things won’t start blowing up all over the place, but it will move at a constant methodical pace, and triggers will get pulled when the timing is right.

 

[Runner77]

IMO, trade deadline should be easy; Chiarot, Wideman and Kulak, maybe try to jettison Paquette.

Players with term are offseason moves, unless somebody comes knocking,

Hopefully, the GM is found first. From there, he/she and Gorton can work on scouting and the 2022 draft.

It's nice to have Gorton on board so many months before the trade deadline. We'll get to see what kind of players he values and how he'll be handling all those picks available to him.

I hope to see him package some of them to garner a higher pick.

 

[Hacketts]

toffoli for ian cole.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

IMO, trade deadline should be easy; Chiarot, Wideman and Kulak, maybe try to jettison Paquette.

Players with term are offseason moves, unless somebody comes knocking,

Hopefully, the GM is found first. From there, he/she and Gorton can work on scouting and the 2022 draft.

I would be seriously dissapointed if only those 3 are traded this season

Toffoli , Drouin 1 of them needs to go this season , mostly Toffoli

 

[Archijerej]

I think we should have a separate Roster Building Thread like they have on the Rangers forum. We might actually have a coherent strategy now, so I think it would make sense to integrate the discussion into a single thread.

 

[Milhouse40]

IMO, trade deadline should be easy; Chiarot, Wideman and Kulak, maybe try to jettison Paquette.

Players with term are offseason moves, unless somebody comes knocking,

Hopefully, the GM is found first. From there, he/she and Gorton can work on scouting and the 2022 draft.

There's also Perreault and Lehkonen (no money for sure to sign him next year)
And if we want to maximize TDL and next draft and prepare next year's cap space, I would include Drouin and Byron....and maybe Allen too.

 

[MXD]

There's also Perreault and Lehkonen (no money for sure to sign him next year)
And if we want to maximize TDL and next draft and prepare next year's cap space, I would include Drouin and Byron....and maybe Allen too.

Of those guys, Perreault is one I'd like to keep for next year unless he wants a big raise (or just a raise), though of course if you an get something decent for him, you trade him.

 

[Seven7]

First he should hire a GM other than Patrick Roy so that the media can stfu about it.

 

[tazsub3]

Of those guys, Perreault is one I'd like to keep for next year unless he wants a big raise (or just a raise), though of course if you an get something decent for him, you trade him.

hard to keep as for sure he will get a decent return at tdl. Now maybe you can resign him. But he is traded for sure

 

[lamp9post]

Going to have a discussion with Harris and get him on board.

This is exactly what came to mind after the Gorton hiring. He is going to get a feel for each prospect and when it comes to Harris' case, he'll find out about his interest in playing for the team and make a quick decision about his future, rather than waiting until the last minute like Marc Bergevin would have done.

Harris plays in the NCAA. Isn't there a signing window that doesn't open until after the season? Not sure Gorton can do anything until then.

I would be seriously dissapointed if only those 3 are traded this season

Toffoli , Drouin 1 of them needs to go this season , mostly Toffoli

What's the rush? Toffoli has two years left and Drouin has one. Players with term don't tend to move until the offseason. I wouldn't be against such a move, I just think it is unlikely to happen before the trade deadline.

 

[Milhouse40]

Of those guys, Perreault is one I'd like to keep for next year unless he wants a big raise (or just a raise), though of course if you an get something decent for him, you trade him.

We do need cheap contract (and quota) but if you can get anything, you trade him.
It's not like they are going to be teams lining up to sign him next year, so we could still sign him next summer.
And there's also the part that Perreault might not want to stay after this season.

We have 11 picks for next draft, I hope to be at 15-16 by the end of the season.

 

[ClasslessGuy]

Sit down with caufield and norlinder, apologize for the bergevin era, explain why they will go down (or back home) for the rest of the year.

start talking to gm about the good rentals and fire sale at the deadline

go sit down and talk to harris

 

[MXD]

We do need cheap contract (and quota) but if you can get anything, you trade him.
It's not like they are going to be teams lining up to sign him next year, so we could still sign him next summer.
And there's also the part that Perreault might not want to stay after this season.

We have 11 picks for next draft, I hope to be at 15-16 by the end of the season.

But then again....
You may have an opportunity to trade wingers on a longer deal that you don't necessarily want on your team for their next contract, and even their current contract (Hoffman is the really obvious candidate here; Drouin and Toffoli are in the same boat) , and trading these is probably more urgent than trading Perreault, especially if you don't see them as being a part of your team going forward.

I think Perreault genuinely wanted to be back here, because he's quite a bit better than his pricetag. We could definitely do worse for a spare forward who can play all three forward positions (he's not a great center but he can absolutely chip in if someone is out for 2 or 3 games). But then again this is exactly why a team may be ready to give a 4th or a 5th for him at the deadline.

 

[dcyhabs]

First move was the press conference.

Second move will be finding out how the habs have been making decisions for the last decade or two. "You mean you just yelled about stuff and then Bergevin did whatever he felt like?"

Upcoming moves:

1. Buy a book on foxholes to try to figure out what was going on the last decade.
2. Watch the cup run again to appreciate how good Danault, Weber, and Price were.
3. Learn French.
   
4. Tear hair that he wasn't brought in a year or two earlier.
   
5. Realize that Bergevin had no understanding of the salary cap. 84 million due to 12 players next year, with Romanov and Lehkonen due new contracts.
   
6. Realize that Bergevin hired to make sure the hirees would not replace him and not so that they would make good, informed hockey decisions.
7. Go on a firing spree.
   
8. Realize that Bergevin wouldn't hire guys who intimidated him intellectually, the way Barney and Big Bird do.
   
9. Revamp every facet of the habs operations. Replace many scouts, all remaining decision makers, Houle, etc. Hire people who don't necessarily have old boy hockey backgrounds. Ignore NHL coaches for now.
   
10. Detect and fire remaining yes men.
    
11. Book time at a relaxing spa away from nutzo media who can't believe he's firing their friends, not hiring them, and still hasn't hired Patrick Roy to dramatize the rebuilding years.
12. Ask Molson to buy TVA or RDS or at least induce them to hire one main host who isn't terrible and doesn't interrupt the people who actually have stuff to say to blather about Roy even though all the other analysts are wondering why he can't get off the topic and all viewers have changed the channel.
    
13. Buy several copies of "Really Basic Analytics for Dummies Who Don't Get Analytics, Simplified" for the people he hasn't already fired.
14. Hire the best GM he can find, not a yes man.
15. Watch GM hire Patrick Roy and make deals to trade high picks for declining veterans, while RDS and TVA throw massive party.
16. Fire GM.
17. Carefully watch over stable of prospects for several years until the team is actually good.
18. Change all NHL coaches.
    
19. Read Gazette, says team is OK but nothing like the teams Red Fisher covered back in the day.
    
20. Get fired and replaced by Patrick Roy who immediately fires everyone he hired, replaces them with the guys Bergevin had before plus some ex-media guys.
21. Watch habs trade prospects/young stars for declining veterans and miss the playoffs.
22. Watch TVA and RDS throw a massive year long party for new GM and blame team missing the playoffs on Gorton.
23. Drink.

 

[Milhouse40]

But then again....
You may have an opportunity to trade wingers on a longer deal that you don't necessarily want on your team for their next contract, and even their current contract (Hoffman is the really obvious candidate here; Drouin and Toffoli are in the same boat) , and trading these is probably more urgent than trading Perreault, especially if you don't see them as being a part of your team going forward.

I think Perreault genuinely wanted to be back here, because he's quite a bit better than his pricetag. We could definitely do worse for a spare forward who can play all three forward positions (he's not a great center but he can absolutely chip in if someone is out for 2 or 3 games). But then again this is exactly why a team may be ready to give a 4th or a 5th for him at the deadline.

Although I agree with trading long-term contract, that still can wait until next summer.....a contract like Perreault can't. And like I said, trade him and sign him back next summer, if you can get a 5th round pick, it's a win.

 

[HuGo Sham]

i don't think habs will go full rebuild UNLESS guys want out. So i expect them to keep like a gallagher or petry around. I do expect Price to get dealt next summer or at the deadline if he wants to chase a cup this year.
I think anderson stays, but they'll trade hoffman or toffoli.

 

[amethyst]

i don't think habs will go full rebuild UNLESS guys want out. So i expect them to keep like a gallagher or petry around. I do expect Price to get dealt next summer or at the deadline if he wants to chase a cup this year.
I think anderson stays, but they'll trade hoffman or toffoli.

I think the team is headed for a full rebuild whether we like it or not..(I hope). Gallagher is a Bergevin loyalist so I don’t know whether the new front office would want him around but his contract is bruuuutal.

 

[DAChampion]

Things I'm curious about:

1) What he does about Price, Petry, and Gallagher. They and their contracts should be moved if there's a rebuild, but it's not straightforward to get maximum value.

2) How Caulfield, Romanov, Norlinder, and Poehling are managed. They are part of the future, ergo, they should be well managed, which Bergevin opposed. Ideally they should get 15+ minutes a game in the NHL or 20+ minutes a game in the AHL.

3) Whether or not additional draft picks can be acquired for either the 2022 or 2023 drafts, and by that I mean real draft picks, not the 4th and 6th rounders that Bergevin was obsessed with.

4) Whom they hire to replace Trevor Timmins.

5) End of year coaching changes, if any.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Jeff ought to pay a private French teacher to tutor him rather than that online course his wife bought him.

 

[Habricot]

I think the team is headed for a full rebuild whether we like it or not..(I hope). Gallagher is a Bergevin loyalist so I don’t know whether the new front office would want him around but his contract is bruuuutal.

Dont see it happening. A small reset yes.

 

[GrandmaCookie]

Harris plays in the NCAA. Isn't there a signing window that doesn't open until after the season? Not sure Gorton can do anything until then.



What's the rush? Toffoli has two years left and Drouin has one. Players with term don't tend to move until the offseason. I wouldn't be against such a move, I just think it is unlikely to happen before the trade deadline.

What I meant is if Harris doesn't cleary show sign of wanting to sign with the Habs, I could see Gorton dealing him.

 

[Habricot]

Jeff ought to pay a private French teacher to tutor him rather than that online course his wife bought him.

Who cares. Its not a language issue its an ego issue. Its the fact that some interpret this as there are no competent people in Qc rather then interpreting this as this was the best guy available on the planet.

 

[Mr Mom]

I would normally have said "Send Paquette down" but that's not happeneing with the Anderson injury and Gallagher out for some other 10 days at least.

I agree with sending Paquette down. He certainly deserves it.
But....... if I were Gorton that wouldn't be THE FIRST move I'd make as new VPHO of the Habs. Lol
I'd make sure I did a few other things first.

 

[GrandmaCookie]

Dont see it happening. A small reset yes.

A small reset? Puke.

The habs just had a small reset this summer and look how successful they are now.

We are drafting top 5 this season which might means a top prospect. This isn't enough. We are 2 elite forward, 1 elite dman and a solid goaltender rookie prospect away from being set, aka, we don't have a competitive core moving forward. A small reset ain't gonna help up reach that goal unless we aquire 2 other top pick this season, which won't happen.

We will be tight on the cap next season if we don't move some big contracts, which means no big UFA signing. The big contract player all have low value right now so it will be next to impossible to improve throught trade, and we don't have valuable prospect (talking about grade A) to sweeten the deal and get a big name.

A small reset will just make this team spin its wheel for another 5 years. We might get lucky and draft well with the high pick we will get just from being bad in the next 2-3 seasons, but aquiring more 1st and 2nd round pick by dropping some big contract would increase our chances of getting those valuable prospect which could help us build a competitive core.

Price and Weber are done, the window is closed. Time for a new chapter, the foundation of this team is weak. A small reset is for competitive teams.

 

[MXD]

I agree with sending Paquette down. He certainly deserves it.
But....... if I were Gorton that wouldn't be THE FIRST move I'd make as new VPHO of the Habs. Lol
I'd make sure I did a few other things first.

...yEah, actually, my point is that it would already have had happened without those two things