Like Michel Bergeron used to say: Chui tu fou moe?
You're essentially saying that our scouting was so atrocious they couldn't spot a decent player that could grow in the organisation and become a main stay? You're either in denial, delusional or are being intellectually dishonest.
I call BS on your statement regardless.
Price is the only one in 20 years that was given that uncoditional love people need to become succesful and hes the only one that had a long lasting career here. Is it a coincidence you think? Look at Mcdonaugh, he had to be traded to have a long career, look at Sergachev he played his first season when he was 19 years old and became a top 4 D in a back to back SC team, he was allowed to grow and learn in the NHL.
20 years of developement that wasted so many careers. Out of all the dreafted players in that era only Subban came through as a household name for a short 5-7 years. Even then the team had no idea how to handle him so they sabotaged him as much as they could.
Now with a fresh management, fresh vision i hope we give the youth better opportunities and more serious challenges. Give the kids missions in the NHL and stop spoiling their passion for the sport.
To the HABS org... its not just about the dollar sign, these are people too.
If you wanted to make the team, when we were winning, in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s - the price to make the team was high. This doesn't mean that you don't develop in the NHL, but it means that you reserve this to human beings that have paid the price of entry. Accountability has to start somewhere.
When you give millions to teenagers, many will play video games instead of pursuing their careers. That's why the "price" of entry has to be dedicated focus, a bit of struggle, patience. You keep telling yourself these stories parts like they are relevant, you miss the whole subplot of an organization with poor leaders that don't really have a good sense of accountability (starts at the top) - so they missed a lot of the good players at the draft, traded awfully, chose the wrong leaders, allowed in the NHL too many who had not paid the price. etc.
Mcdonaugh & Sergachev were traded before their career here began. That makes for a piss poor argument about our problems. Subban was drafted and integrated quickly into the squad, much like McDonaugh and Sergachev. Chelios, Schneider, Desjardins, and many promising young Ds didn't make it in Montreal for the length of their careers, like Subban - the key in those decisions was not really these players, it was our management group generally being uncompetitive dinosaurs. It was never about a focus for $, it was simple incompetence. They never made a lot of $...like a winning team would.