I challenge the ASSumption that the team must have overachieved to get to the final 8 teams.
We already are overachieving. The only reason we are where we are is because Domi, specifically, is producing at 1ppg pace.
I challenge the ASSumption that we will likely get lesser results the following season.
I will actually give REASONS for my beliefs.
First, with a young team, there are more guys on the upswing than the downswing. Might Price and Weber slip a bit every year? Maybe, though that is not a sure thing, given the type of players they are. But let's say yes, slightly. And maybe Byron and Tatar each score 2 less goals. Now, what about guys who might improve?
What about them? It's like people still can't see the Habs have been a .500 team for the vast majority of the year.
It starts with Kotkaniemi. If he finishes with 40 points this year, and his potential is 75 points or more, would that not drive the team significantly upward more than downward? Look at what getting Weber back has done for the team, moving other players into the right chairs. Domi as 2C and Danault as 3C or 4C changes the whole dynamic of the team!
Ya, sure, or maybe he has the very common sophomore year.
Habs are 3-2 since Weber is back, and the three wins come versus teams that are pretty much in tank mode. But yes, Weber....this mythical being has brought back such stability to our blueline. Come on man.
Are you expecting Kotkaniemi to become a legit #1 center for us next season potting in close to 70pts? I'm not. You are describing a best case scenario, which is not realistic expectations.
Lehkonen will be 24, why couldn't he score more goals during the following 3-4 years than this year? Juulsen and Mete are surely players who can get better, MUCH better in fact. Poehling or Evans should be an improvement over Chaput or Peca.
Lek, and I've said this for a while, I just don't see becoming more than a 3rd liner 15g guy.
Juulsen and Mete ''can get much better''...ya...so could Tinordi and Beaulieu. That doesn't mean anything man. We can say this every year about every prospect.
Poe and Evans...there's a better chance they don't play in the NHL next year vs them being significant improvements for us.
Then there is Josh Brook. He might be able to replace Petry, so that we can use Petry in a hockey trade for a similarly talented LD.
I'm willing to bet much of anything that Brook won't effectively replace Petry next season. Dude...come on man, you're freaking reaching.
Finally, there is a strong chance Nick Suzuki could come in and provide 20-30 goals in relatively short order.
Again...everything is best case scenario for our prospects with you.
Kotkaniemi..Juulsen...Mete..Poe...Evans...Brook..Suzuki...ya man, don't forget Fleury, oh and Lek and every 24 and under will improve..Price and Weber..ya, maybe they drop but just a bit..
Tatar..he's on a 10pt career higher pace, but okay let's say he just scores 2 less points...
You're not being objective in the least.
Nothing is magical, nothing is automatic. Agreed. But if the Habs are in the mix somewhere between #5 and #16 this year, with one of the youngest rosters in the league, and Brook, Suzuki and Poehling in the wings, and the additional talent that $10M in cap space can fetch, I think the "likelihood" is more towards going up than down.
You're not considering how a bunch of guys are producing at big career high pace. You think Domi is a legit ppg player? I don't.