Holes to Fill Next Season
- Thread starter dauv
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Beck should be in the mix next year. Mailloux might be if he can play D better than he has so far in the AHL this year. The habs don't have to decide if Dach is a C or a top 6 next year, but they need to know before they can compete. If Dach continues to make really bad giveaways in bad positions they will have to get him off the ice once they park the tank.
If there is an opportunity to get a top D or a top C due to the incompetence of some other team the habs will have to jump. It's uncommon, but it happens.
In two years or so the habs will need to get some solid vets, not necessarily first liners, but player/coach types, plus a solid shutdown forward or two.
They'll need at least one and ideally two top Ds, you have to hope one of those guys will be Reinbacher, but if he ends up second pairing or worse they need to go looking.
In a perfect habs world one or more players would grab the open spots, including, possibly, a high pick in the next draft.
It's not like they will be short a bunch of players. Dvorak won't make much difference. Armia can be effective, and they would need to replace his size, but it's unlikely to be a major problem. Assuming Savard leaves it will be a problem for RD depth, but it's not like his play this year can't be replaced by pretty much anyone in the pipeline. The issues are going to be top guys and team composition, notably defensive players (F and D), and making up some size with Hutson, Gallagher, and Caufield out there.
If there is an opportunity to get a top D or a top C due to the incompetence of some other team the habs will have to jump. It's uncommon, but it happens.
In two years or so the habs will need to get some solid vets, not necessarily first liners, but player/coach types, plus a solid shutdown forward or two.
They'll need at least one and ideally two top Ds, you have to hope one of those guys will be Reinbacher, but if he ends up second pairing or worse they need to go looking.
In a perfect habs world one or more players would grab the open spots, including, possibly, a high pick in the next draft.
It's not like they will be short a bunch of players. Dvorak won't make much difference. Armia can be effective, and they would need to replace his size, but it's unlikely to be a major problem. Assuming Savard leaves it will be a problem for RD depth, but it's not like his play this year can't be replaced by pretty much anyone in the pipeline. The issues are going to be top guys and team composition, notably defensive players (F and D), and making up some size with Hutson, Gallagher, and Caufield out there.
A ton... Just go back one year to your posts about Slaf if you need a reminder of just how much lolHow much development did we get from last year to this year
Second youngest team in the league right? Usually there’s holes no matter what but it’s hysteria when we are 10 months away from the next season. I’m just saying some players could step up before seasons end
Demidov is coming next year, yes?
If so, It might be good to put him with CC/Suzuki similar to how that helped Dach and Slaf at different times. And I see no reason to put him in the bottom 6, and Laine on another line helps draw attention elsewhere. Dach will show us where he's at by season's end, but I imagine they'll add another 2-3C regardless.
Caufield-Suzuki-Demidov
Laine-XXX-Slafkovsky
If so, It might be good to put him with CC/Suzuki similar to how that helped Dach and Slaf at different times. And I see no reason to put him in the bottom 6, and Laine on another line helps draw attention elsewhere. Dach will show us where he's at by season's end, but I imagine they'll add another 2-3C regardless.
Caufield-Suzuki-Demidov
Laine-XXX-Slafkovsky
Guhle has 6pts in 20gp. A 1D is around 0.5ppg by definition. I like Guhle a lot but you can’t say “so-and-so is a 1D if only the moon was aligned with Venus and the winds blow eastward”. Maybe soon Guhle will hit a higher level but he’s a very good top3 player (and still super young).
If we had a 1D we’d be a playoff team right now.
A 1D is around 0.5ppg by definition.
Then,by definition,Hutson is a #1D at .65 PPG as a rookie on a team with no real 2nd line and while just starting to get 1st PP wave minutes.
Easier to find a shutdown RHD to play with Hutson on a 1st pairing (could be Reinbacher if he recovers well from his latest injury and can avoid further such problems).
Guhle settles in as a great LHD than can make a 2nd pairing a solid contributor.
You then have a solid shutdown pairing in Guhle - Reinbacher to handle specific game situations where you need to protect a lead late in a game.
I never said only scoring 0.5ppg is the only quality of a 1D. Otherwise Matheson would be a 1D, right? Obviously there is more to being the big dog defender than scoring a point every other game. We know 1Ds when we see them. Weber was a 1D, Subban was a 1D, we don't have a 1D right now.
Hutson and Matheson are not 1Ds, and maybe neither of them will ever be 1Ds.
A 1D has to be able to play in all game situations - 5-on-5, PK, PP, late period / game situations .. Hutson defensive game isn’t there …yet.
Top pairing by end of season is likely but he’s a couple of seasons away from 1D - assuming continued progression
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Huh?
A 1D is .5ppg by definition?
What are you talking about? Who's definition is that?
You ask a lot of questions for someone who doesn't take the time to read subsequent statements in the same post. So I'm not so sure you're looking for an honest discussion.
Kadri would tick a lot of boxes for that gaping hole at 2C. He's still a good player, albeit on a team that is an offensive black hole in Calgary. He's also the type of guy who would help our serious lack of competitive fire in the top 6.
The problem? He's 34 and he has four more years at 7M. If you could get Calgary to retain down to 5-5.5M and the acquisition cost isn't too high, it's worth considering at least. You'd expect two years of 2C level play, then hopefully for years 3-4 (when Gallagher and Anderson are off the books) he's still a capable 3C. He will be 38 in that final year.
It's a gamble, but worth a look unless a 2C magically falls in our lap or we draft Hagens/Misa or something.
The problem? He's 34 and he has four more years at 7M. If you could get Calgary to retain down to 5-5.5M and the acquisition cost isn't too high, it's worth considering at least. You'd expect two years of 2C level play, then hopefully for years 3-4 (when Gallagher and Anderson are off the books) he's still a capable 3C. He will be 38 in that final year.
It's a gamble, but worth a look unless a 2C magically falls in our lap or we draft Hagens/Misa or something.
Hughes must know where he's at this season and who to acquire. He had to have a plan at start of rebuild. Keep following it. Needs 7 or 8 core players. Had Suzuki, Caufield and Guhle. Need at least 5 from top of draft.
Can see what veteran contracts coming off the books during those five years and plan ahead. Add the right character guys to mentor his youth. Trade veterans now to Acquire future picks which can be traded for pieces he needs when team is good. That way he doesn't have to dip into his farm or trade his own picks when he is cup contender. Keep team stronger longer
Can see what veteran contracts coming off the books during those five years and plan ahead. Add the right character guys to mentor his youth. Trade veterans now to Acquire future picks which can be traded for pieces he needs when team is good. That way he doesn't have to dip into his farm or trade his own picks when he is cup contender. Keep team stronger longer
