GDT: Kent Hughes Press Conference 1pm Eastern (Link Added)

[Sorinth]

Au contraire

Price will not give up tens of millions and retire. He will rest his head on Robidas Island LTIR and every summer we have to juggle his enormous caphit and Molson will have to send him his enormous yearly bonus.

Once you know for sure he's not coming back it stops being an issue that needs to be juggled. It's the fact that he might not be on LTIR that creates the problems.

 

[KFlint]

Regarding Price contract, I would certainly forbid any contract from having more than 50% in bonuses. 70 millions and just 14 millions in salary is a joke, you give players guaranteed contract and you can’t even buy them out, ridiculous. Can’t believe Bergevin gave him that on top of the salary and term.

Even 8 years guaranteed contracts are way too much imo…

 

[jrom]

Man looking at our left side really makes you think maybe drafting Slaf wasent the worst idea

crazy to think it could be Heineman, Farell and Slaf soon (if not Dubois)

 

[FF de Mars]

I really hope Petry stays, that was my thinking from the start and I'm glad Hughes didn't give him away. Hopefully Petry comes to his senses, he's a great mentor on a rebuilding team. After watching that interview I think it's a possibility.

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

Regarding Price contract, I would certainly forbid any contract from having more than 50% in bonuses. 70 millions and just 14 millions in salary is a joke, you give players guaranteed contract and you can’t even buy them out, ridiculous. Can’t believe Bergevin gave him that on top of the salary and term.

Even 8 years guaranteed contracts are way too much imo…

Agreed I think 8 year deals should be left to players in there early to mid 20s and anything after age 25-26 they can deal with having a 5-6 year deal at most. These max contracts for huge amounts of money/cap hit are just brutal and handicapping teams for years.

Also giving out 5-6 year deals at the age of 30+ is a big ass f***ing no no. Take a look at Gallagher and that stupid contract MB gave him.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Yes, too bad. I would have wiped the floor with the Bergevin tenure.

And this isn't to say I'm some brilliant hockey mind. I'm just not a complete f***ing moron like him.

Dude, if you were at the head of a hockey team, I genuinely think you'd have staff lock you out of your office and your head on a spit within a month. Your mentality way too anti-competitive and detrimentally prospect-focused with absolutely zero focus on organizational culture within the actual staff (scouts, assistants, etc.) Bergevin sucked and should have sold at a couple of points but there is absolutely no way in hell you get this team anywhere near a final and the effect on organizational culture wouldn't sustain at all.

 

[Kennerback]

Michael Farber was on 690 last week and said that he polled the GMs after that draft and 15 would have taken Wick and 6 Dave Babych. In other words, no one was planning on taking Denis Savard first. If the Habs had taken Savard first he would have faced the same pressures/expectations that Wick did, the Habs were in decline, he also would have ended up playing for Jacques Lemaire. His career may have ended up differently (remembering how Guy Lafleur's last few years with the Habs went).

I would just hope that the expectations for Slaf are minimal his first couple of years. He has a whole lot to learn, too many of these high picks get weighed down that way. There are no saviors, Mario Lemieux made the playoffs once in his first six seasons. And that was when 16 of 21 teams made the playoffs. Progression is probably the key word, both for the player and the team.

Up to last week, I always heard it was Savard vs Wickenheiser, but the guy I spoke too told me in his circle (Canadiens fans and involved in Q hockey) it was a no-brainer that it was going to be Wickenheiser and there was no disagreement. Scouting wasn’t as developed back then and they misevaluated the players. Look in the seventies, they made so many mistakes in judging draft picks.

 

[CHwest]

What I can't get my head around is that we just traded away Toffoli, Chiarot, Lehkonen, Kulak and Weber's contract, but are still tight against the cap. I know we added Dadonov, but we'd be in such a cap hell without last year's firesale.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Be very careful putting those words together. Too close and it might create a paradox so immense it will engulf the entire multiverse.

Such is the omnipotent ontological power of the Maestro.

Reality is a paradox, and the Maestro is the key to the breach.

 

[JianYang]

I feel like he always had body language, even if you look back to the PC with him, Molson and Gorton to announce his hiring. It’s the slouched shoulders that gives that impression I think.

He also, said he didn’t want to hire an assistant GM because there’s lots that he has to to learn still. Doesn’t sound like someone that regrets taking on the job to me.

If we take his words at face value, he has repeatedly said that he has no problem getting up in the morning as GM of the Habs.

Body language can be very deceptive and subjective. Just look at price. We applaud his ability to stay cool under pressure when things are going well, but we trash him for not trying hard enough when things are going bad. In reality, the body language didn't change... Just the results, and perception did.

You can take one expression and fit it to whatever narrative you are looking for.

 

[morhilane]

I really hope Petry stays, that was my thinking from the start and I'm glad Hughes didn't give him away. Hopefully Petry comes to his senses, he's a great mentor on a rebuilding team. After watching that interview I think it's a possibility.

The problem isn't Petry's senses, it's extended family who can't come over because of the vaccine mandate across the border that caused his wife to stay in the US with the kids (soon to be 4 of them) and that's hard on Petry.

 

[FF de Mars]

The problem isn't Petry's senses, it's extended family who can't come over because of the vaccine mandate across the border that caused his wife to stay in the US with the kids (soon to be 4 of them) and that's hard on Petry.

Do kids have to get vaccinated to go to school in Montréal? I haven't followed covid news for a long time.

 

[Kimota]

If that's not clear enough.....on Zoom if nothing happens. Live if something happens.

Press conference is on zoom.

I know the Habs GM is like a head of stare but I had no idea he was now the President.

Aren't you guys tired of shit? We're gonna hear this all season. Gonna be fun!

 

[MtlSars]

Petry had an abysmal year last year. But there just isn't 60 defensemen who are better than Petry in the NHL.

With 32 teams, if you could legitimately give me a list of 60 defensemen who you think* are better NHL defensemen than Petry, he still easily slots in from 60th to 90th.

Now you might say X or Y defensemen has the potential to be better than him and they're 24 and not 34 etc and that's fine. But by all accounts he is easily a Top 2 or a very good top 3D on any NHL team he plays for.

I'm not giving him away for future considerations, pay up...they will by the TDL then.

 

[jrom]

Do kids have to get vaccinated to go to school in Montréal? I haven't followed covid news for a long time.

For primary school no, it was offered but not mandatory. They had to wear a mask during class during some wave periods. All those measures ended in Spring. Don't know for high school / college etc

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Carey Price doesn't owe you his career.

Why he would owe me anything?... the guy is the most grossly overpaid player in the NHL at this moment.

He had a good career. Now retire.

 

[Scriptor]

I agree with this a lot.

At this point, Montreal is the weakest team in the East, and outside of Arizona and Chicago, I can't see anyone finishing lower in the standings than us (unless Cole becomes a 50g guy and Price returns to full immaculate health lol) ... it's a shame we won the lottery this year (lightning can strike twice!) because we have a real shot at a top 3 pick next year - I think we will end up with Fantilli ... or Dvorsky (we will be the Slovakian team at this rate)

I'd be ecstatic with either Fantilli or Dvorsky. Keep adding size + skill. I hope we do not get Bédard or Michov, even if that irks the folks with pitch forks.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I'd be ecstatic with either Fantilli or Dvorsky. Keep adding size + skill. I hope we do not get Bédard or Michov, even if that irks the folks with pitch forks.

imagine not wanting Bedard. lmao

 

[NORiculous]

I hope we do not get Bédard or Michov

What?

Come on.

So if he lands with the Habs you are going to be disappointed? Get real.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

I'd be ecstatic with either Fantilli or Dvorsky. Keep adding size + skill. I hope we do not get Bédard or Michov, even if that irks the folks with pitch forks.

And who needs that McDavid kid? Not us! Eff 'em!

 

[Habs Halifax]

Be very careful putting those words together. Too close and it might create a paradox so immense it will engulf the entire multiverse.

Questrade Quote: Hope is not a plan

 

[Habs Halifax]

I have the unshakable impression that Hughes regrets taking this job, based on his body language. I'm not sure why, but I've had this feeling since the draft.

Anybody else getting that vibe?

I'm personally not seeing that or getting that vibe. I'm pretty sure he knew what he was getting into and I also think he paid attention to how Bergevin managed things poorly and is avoiding it in terms of how he manages the media.

Gorton sitting back in the shadows while Hughes is the face communicating to us all. I like the Hugo combo but I fear that they will be turned on too cause if they trade for Dubois or make gains in the standings (even without Dubois), fans are going to say... "We could have Bedard if we tanked more". The signs indicate they are not thinking Bedard. They are focusing on development and positive momentum with the youth. They are probably thinking our pick can be anywhere from 1-15 and will monitor the season as it goes along.

After all, they did hire MSL after saying Ducharme will stay. "Could have hurt our chances at 1st OA".

 

[NotProkofievian]

I have the unshakable impression that Hughes regrets taking this job, based on his body language. I'm not sure why, but I've had this feeling since the draft.

Anybody else getting that vibe?

No, just you bud.

 

[BLONG7]

I know the Habs GM is like a head of stare but I had no idea he was now the President.



Aren't you guys tired of shit? We're gonna hear this all season. Gonna be fun!

We put up with Bergevin for 10 years...................we can handle the Price situation.
Patience is a virtue....

 

[Vachon23]

Petry had an abysmal year last year. But there just isn't 60 defensemen who are better than Petry in the NHL.

With 32 teams, if you could legitimately give me a list of 60 defensemen who you think* are better NHL defensemen than Petry, he still easily slots in from 60th to 90th.

Now you might say X or Y defensemen has the potential to be better than him and they're 24 and not 34 etc and that's fine. But by all accounts he is easily a Top 2 or a very good top 3D on any NHL team he plays for.

I'm not giving him away for future considerations, pay up...they will by the TDL then.

With 3 others yrs of contract at his age, team won’t pay that much at TDL either. TDL is a rental market what Petry won’t be

Burns and McDonagh are still really good players them too