HF Habs: What are your initial impressions of the Habs 2023 Draft class?

[Maitz]

Only pick I like is Fowler, Reinbacher will play and in the top 4 but I see a 30-35 pts dman, prob not worth a 5th overall

 

[SwiftyHab]

- Reinbacher: Min Top 4 Dman - could be Top Paring D (50 point)​

- Newhook: Min could be top 9 C/W or top 6 C / W (65 to 70 points)​

- One goalie pans out and is our backup​

Agreed with you with a range of expectations

 

[ReHabs]

If Reinbacher ends up a 2nd pairing defender it’s a failed draft. When you pick in top 5 anything other than top line/top pairing is a failure.

Look at past 5OAs

You draft for top line/pairing UPSIDE but there is no promise or guarantee the player makes it.

To me it would be more suspect if they drafted Leonard than Reinbacher. Reinbacher we can live with, his high floor doesn’t mean a low ceiling.

 

[Riggins]

The Reinbacher pick I'm tentatively fine with. He should fit in well with what we already have in place. If he becomes a top pairing guy that's huge for us. A potential good fit with Hutson too, whereas Barron and Mailloux would not be.

When will we ever get an elite forward? It's probably not happening in the next decade.

 

[FloJack]

I know Jack and Shit. Biases from what I’ve read, but not really a scout (surprise) and watch less prospects with every passing year.

I’m assuming this is the majority here, despite what they’ll tell you.

No offence to the posters really into it; you guys and your differing opinions are a little more transparent and easy to see with my eyes and I thank you for your info and debates, even though they often lack maturity. Rich, coming from me.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

this just feels like a repeat of 2003
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I see it more as 2015. We got our Hanifin. Please don't look at anyone drafted after 5.

 

[Hannibal]

Waste of a rebuild year.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If Reinbacher ends up a 2nd pairing defender it’s a failed draft. When you pick in top 5 anything other than top line/top pairing is a failure.

Sure. I'm not a overly negative type person to dwell on it. Of course we want that star with the 5th pick.

I do think Reinbacher holds a lot of value even if he's on the 2nd pairing. There are types who are fringe top pairing and others who are fringe top 4D. Hard to say where he lands in the end.

Newhook is meh to me. I do think there is untapped potential. Would we have gotten better with two prospect darts at 31/37? Possible but not likely.

I wasn't expecting much with the 4th+ picks. Were you? Who knows how the goalie we picked in the early 3rd ends up. Could be another Dobes. Lets hope one of Primeau, Dobes, and Fowler ends up a starter. Top 10 goalies who can hold that value for 5+ years are rare. Very rare

I'm not willing to nit pick the 4th+ picks.

 

[jakobsbror]

Disappointed. Looks like a wasted rebuild year to me, I hope I am wrong.

 

[NotProkofievian]

TBH, with the way the rest of the draft unfolded, trading for Newhook was very smart. Know thyself lol.

 

[waitin425]

 

[vokiel]

D.. for ...

 

[Ranger12]

No Mychkov? Sad. The rest I dont care. Happy we got Newhook.

Reinbacher + Newhook could be huge for our core. Here's hoping it works out fine

Ideally:

- Reinbacher: Top Paring D (50 point)​

- Newhook: top 6 C / W (65 to 70 points)​

- One goalie pans out and is our backup​

Lower your expectations as far as Newhook is concerned. He didn't score a goal for the last 32 games of the season, including the playoffs if I'm not mistaken. He is very far from being a 2C and he has quite a hill to climb to get there.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Here's my impression of the draft:

 

[Whitesnake]

As a whole, as far as the DRAFT in itself is concerned...it has to be at best a C. Because you did pick a top 4 NHL'er. And you have a very good goalie prospect. But everything else seems a reach or just non events. AT least for me, tons of players I would have picked instead. And losing 2 2nd rounder hurts so much.

But also...I'd give it a D simply because the ENTIRETY of the draft is build on NEEDS. Just makes no sense.

 

[Naslundforever]

The Reinbacher pick I'm tentatively fine with. He should fit in well with what we already have in place. If he becomes a top pairing guy that's huge for us. A potential good fit with Hutson too, whereas Barron and Mailloux would not be.

When will we ever get an elite forward? It's probably not happening in the next decade.

feels like every scoring forward is asking for trades or moving around like uber eats delivery. A center would have been nice. Another winger a « nice to have ». D, Goalies are tough finds.

 

[Habs]

Can you add [ F- and f*** you Kent ] so I can change my vote?

 

[Wateredgarden]

It feels like a vintage Timmins draft, before his gigantic dry spell.

 

[Legend123]

Lower your expectations as far as Newhook is concerned. He didn't score a goal for the last 32 games of the season, including the playoffs if I'm not mistaken. He is very far from being a 2C and he has quite a hill to climb to get there.

hence why i said ideally

 

[Lockin17]

If Reinbacher ends up a 2nd pairing defender it’s a failed draft. When you pick in top 5 anything other than top line/top pairing is a failure.

2014 #5 = Dal colle
2015 #5 = Hanifin
2016 #5 - Juolevi
2018 #5 = Hayton
2019 #5 =Turcotte

They don't always turn out good

 

[HabSgt]

 

[Habs Halifax]

F- for strategy we literally just went based off of needs. I thought Timmins got fired already.

Yzerman drafted by need with the Sieder pick. Lets not pretend no other teams do this. Reinbacher was a good pick for us. RD's with top paring quality are almost harder to find than a scoring winger or center.

I feel for Reinbacher. He's going to be compared to Michkov for his entire time with the Habs and he won't be allowed to develop in piece. We can't help ourselves.

Newhook trade took away changes to draft other BPA's at 31 or 37. I'm fine with it. He's got untapped potential. Not as excited as the Dach trade but there is potential.

 

[FLHabs]

Every draft is the same story... Whether the draft is seen as a success or fail, fans will have ridiculous overreactions.

We don't know how any of these prospects will play out and we just have to wait, see, and hope for the best.

 

[Whitesnake]

But the entire 2-days were meh. And doesn't leave me with hope that much. They'll need to do so much more. 'cause don't look...but other teams are on a freakin train.

 

[Obee Juan]

They are rushing the rebuild by drafting overagers and drafted to plug holes like goalies within the depth chart hoping one of them pans out. No confidence left.