Do we already have a potential future Stanley Cup core with Nick & Cole? + Poll Question

[Captain Mountain]

Something quite amazing is happening to us here, for the fist time in decades we have a very young 12 player core thats exploding with talent, and we’re gonna be adding to this core with our 2023 1st round pick. We also have other good prospects already in the system.

Suzuki
Caufield
Dach
Slafkovsky
Ghule
Xhecaj
Harris
Barron
Mesar
Mailloux
Heineman
Beck

EDIT: I think some of you don’t understand the question and others chose to ignore it and answered their own. To be clear if you voted NO that says that you don’t believe we’re winning a cup in the Suzuki era. I think some here might be confused about what a team’s CORE means. Votes can be changed.

I think you might be confused about what a team's CORE means. For instance, the Avs just won the cup and their core is MacKinnon, Landeskog, Rantanen and Makar. Maybe you can include Nichuskin and another D-man like Toews to the group. But that's a good comparison for what Montreal's trying to build to.

The question was "Are we gonna win at least one Stanley Cup with this core?". You then said that there is a 12 player core that's exploding with talent and proceeded to list 12 players that included names of players that are at least a couple of years away from the NHL, if they make it all.

There are no cores that consist of 12 players. At present, Montreal's "core" of the future is currently Suzuki and Caufield. The hope is that Dach and Guhle are close to being considered part of that group, that Slafkovsky can grow into it as well, and Montreal can draft more players that can be part of a core. Every other name on the list are very unlikely to be core players.

Can Montreal win a cup in the Suzuki era? Sure. But for that to happen it likely wont be called the Suzuki era and what will be considered the core will look very different than what you posted.

 

[Habs10Habs]

We have a lot of good pieces, and a lot of players with potential. At this point, it's a no for me. Until we can see what other additions HuGo makes in the next year or so.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

I think you might be confused about what a team's CORE means. For instance, the Avs just won the cup and their core is MacKinnon, Landeskog, Rantanen and Makar. Maybe you can include Nichuskin and another D-man like Toews to the group. But that's a good comparison for what Montreal's trying to build to.

The question was "Are we gonna win at least one Stanley Cup with this core?". You then said that there is a 12 player core that's exploding with talent and proceeded to list 12 players that included names of players that are at least a couple of years away from the NHL, if they make it all.

There are no cores that consist of 12 players. At present, Montreal's "core" of the future is currently Suzuki and Caufield. The hope is that Dach and Guhle are close to being considered part of that group, that Slafkovsky can grow into it as well, and Montreal can draft more players that can be part of a core. Every other name on the list are very unlikely to be core players.

Can Montreal win a cup in the Suzuki era? Sure. But for that to happen it likely wont be called the Suzuki era and what will be considered the core will look very different than what you posted.

Will look very different? That’s kind of a contradiction, you just said a core is about 4 players, so Suzuki/Caufield/Ghule that’s 3 right there.

We have a lot of good pieces, and a lot of players with potential. At this point, it's a no for me. Until we can see what other additions HuGo makes in the next year or so.

So basically saying no to the question means that you don’t believe we will win a cup in the Suzuki/Caufield era.

Or we could just ignore the question like most people have been doing here and just answer with what ever ideas we wanna say.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Will look very different? That’s kind of a contradiction, you just said a core is about 4 players, so Suzuki/Caufield/Ghule that’s 3 right there.

No, I said the core is two players. We're hoping that more players currently in the organization can be part of the core.

Its also worth pointing out that that core is also not anywhere close to being good enough to contend, let alone win.

 

[Habs10Habs]

So basically saying no to the question means that you don’t believe we will win a cup in the Suzuki/Caufield era.

Or we could just ignore the question like most people have been doing here and just answer with what ever ideas we wanna say.

If HuGo doesn't make any additions, then yes. I don't believe with our current "core" we will win a cup during the Suzuki/Caufield era. I believe with the players you listed, we have a strong base, and are headed in the right direction.

Also I didn't ignore the question. I believe that a lot depends on the additions that HuGo makes over the next year or so. Whether it be continuing to add draft picks, or young players.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I voted no because we miss a star center. But that should be fixed at the 2023 draft. After the 2023 draft we will have a potential SC core.

Guhle's meteoric rise REALLY helps us here, because we lacked a #1D prospect. No longer.

The big thing we need is a goalie now.

 

[Vachon23]

We have some good pieces and where in the right direction but the answer is an easy no

We still have some massives holes:
- #1 Franchise forward
- Top pair RD
- PP QB (Could be the top RD)
- #1 Goalie

 

[Just this once]

No so far. It's not impossible you could add people to the roster that would make it possible to have Suzuki/Caufield let's say on a second line and win a cup.
Or perhaps Jackeye will have a very long career, into his 40s and he will bring the experience and grit needed to finally win a cup with a totally different team and different owners and management.

Question is too broad, but I don't think there is in those people what you could consider a contender core. I don't think there is even one player that would qualify to be honest. There is possibly enough to get a decent team that makes the playoffs.

 

[dcyhabs]

Add Bedard, a superstar 1 RD, and an above average goalie and then I’d say yes

Probably another top forward as well.

 

[Kents polished head]

We're missing a good starting goalie and an elite D. Afterwards, yeah, I guess we can build on what we have.

The real key is how good Slafkovsky becomes. If he disappoints, we're still missing a top-end forward as well.

I think Caufield and Suzuki are very good. But not enough to win a Cup by themselves. Which they would have to in the current state of things.

 

[Whitesnake]

Our future goalie will be drafted in 2025. Gabriel D'Aigle.

 

[Halakitlikethat]

Too soon to say, but Suzuki/CC/Guhle is a good place to start. Let’s see what they add and how other guys develop.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Xirik]

If every player drafted hit their potential and ceiling then Buffalo would be on their 3rd cup run.

Players sometimes suffer an injury that affects there game permanently, Sometimes their development stalls, Sometimes a player that looked great in lower leagues has a defect in their game exposed in the NHL.

Things happen!

 

[Colezuki]

If every player drafted hit their potential and ceiling then Buffalo would be on their 3rd cup run.

Players sometimes suffer an injury that affects there game permanently, Sometimes their development stalls, Sometimes a player that looked great in lower leagues has a defect in their game exposed in the NHL.

Things happen!

Out of curiosity are you a devils fan?

 

[Xirik]

Out of curiosity are you a devils fan?

Mostly Devils fan, recently Habs became a secondary team for me with Slaf and Beck. my Dad is also a huge Habs fan so I try to keep up with Habs news so I can keep him informed.

 

[Colezuki]

Mostly Devils fan, recently Habs became a secondary team for me with Slaf and Beck. my Dad is also a huge Habs fan so I try to keep up with Habs news so I can keep him informed.

Fair Enough! Welcome!

 

[The Great Weal]

Probably another top forward as well.

I feel like Slaf, Suzuki, CC, Bedard, Dach would be a great nucleus

 

[hardcorehabs]

If we draft top 5 this year and top 10 next year. Find a goalie. Find a top pairing Dman to go with hopefully Guhle. Then by 25/26 we should be perennial contenders

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Mostly Devils fan, recently Habs became a secondary team for me with Slaf and Beck. my Dad is also a huge Habs fan so I try to keep up with Habs news so I can keep him informed.

You father is a smart plan. With respect to the Devils once they can Ruff they will pick it up.

 

[Xirik]

Suzuki
Caufield
Dach
Slafkovsky
Ghule
Xhecaj
Harris
Barron
Mesar
Mailloux
Heineman
Beck

out of those you listed the players that have proven themselves or have shown something to be part of the core you have

Suzuki 1/2 C
Caufield 1RW
Dach 2/3C
Slafkovsky 1/2/3 LW
Ghule 1st/2nd pairing
Mesar 2nd/3rd RW
Beck 2/3 C

Definitely a good start but Defence needs work outside of Ghule and perhaps Jackeye becoming a Methot type guy I just see a bunch of 3rd pairings and 6th D

The Habs also need to find a future goalie

 

[JoelWarlord]

If the question is "can we win a cup with Guhle as a top 2D, plus Suzuki and Caufield as 2 of our ~4 best forwards with further support coming from the rest of the prospect pool" then I think the answer is probably yes. But if the question is "are the pieces already on the roster + in the system sufficient to win a cup" then I think the answer is absolutely not.

Starting from the absolute most optimistic plausible outlook where we just flat out assume that Slaf/Suzuki/Caufield become a legit best on best top line, Dach becomes a legit #2C, Guhle becomes a strong #1D, Matheson will age well as a rock solid #3 to run the 2nd pair, and Harris will be a strong 2nd pair D while Beck, Mesar, Hutson, Roy, Farrell, Barron, Ylonen, Xhekaj etc. combined produce another ~2 middle six forwards + another top 4D and some depth guys, that still leaves us with question marks at the top end if Caufield is our most singularly talented forward, and without a legitimate top pair RD or goalie of the future.

Mailloux could theoretically be that big RD for us but he's still only played 16 total OHL games as a D+2 player, it's just way too early to say what he is right now. Either Dobes or Dichow could theoretically be our next starting goalie too but it's also just far too early to realistically project either as anything in the NHL yet. So that's where we are, if we take an optimistic but not completely insane view on everything in the system we're still missing a top pair D, #1G, and IMO a franchise forward as much as I love Caufield, and if we end up having to adjust down the projections for other players it gets trickier.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Habs have the makings of a SC winning core. Just a few pieces that are missing. Another elite C that they hopefully get in the 2023 draft. A top pairing D to play with Guhle in the future. Another elite winger. Hopefully Dubois is serious and wants to sign with Montreal in 2 years. And then have your prospects develop a bit more and insert a few (Barron, Farrell, Beck, etc) with a good veteran mix.

The only 2 areas I think will need considerable work to be achieved is squirting that top pairing D and an elitee goalie if price doesn't return in a year or two. Almost shedding bad contracts in the next year or so. Besides those two acquisitions, it's mostly a waiting game for the Habs.

Suzuki
Caufield
Slafkovsky
Dach
2023 1st
Dubois*
Guhle
Harris
Barron
Top pairing D *
Elite goalie *

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Something quite amazing is happening to us here, for the fist time in decades we have a very young 12 player core thats exploding with talent, and we’re gonna be adding to this core with our 2023 1st round pick. We also have other good prospects already in the system.

Suzuki
Caufield
Dach
Slafkovsky
Ghule
Xhecaj
Harris
Barron
Mesar
Mailloux
Heineman
Beck

EDIT: I think some of you don’t understand the question and others chose to ignore it and answered their own. To be clear if you voted NO that says that you don’t believe we’re winning a cup in the Suzuki/Caufield era. Also some here might be on a different page about what a team’s CORE means. Votes can be changed.

If Habs could somehow add a Top 5 forward, RD (Allen), and add an excellent goalie, then our favorite team would be in shape to contend.

So far, we’ve added some punch (but not enough) the beginning-makings of a future solid D corps, and enough talent to rise above rummaging through the bargain-bin and adding iffy/aged pickups.

Next draft is so key. Need at least some luck there.

 

[angry pirate]

I voted no but it was a tough one. For me there are just to many questions still about some of our players and whether or not they can be "core" players for a cup contender.

Caufield needs to play above his size. Guhle needs to develop significant offence to his game. Slaf needs to develop in general. Suzuki is the only player I'm confident about.

Can Suzuki, Caufield, Guhle, and Slaf be a cup contending core? I think it's possible but it's still a lot that needs to go right.