Speculation: How you envision HuGo dealing with the surplus of picks

Pick two options


  • Total voters
    140

Le Barron de HF

Justin make me proud
Mar 12, 2008
16,706
4,754
Shawinigan
Hello all,

With the team potentially being sellers this season and guys like Monahan, Savard, Matheson and others possibly leaving. How do you see HuGo managing this surplus of picks, Hughes has hinted its unlikely that Habs keep all their picks and that's before more deals on their way. What do you see happening in next two years:

Here are some options:
- Target more young players needing a change of scenery à la Dach/Newhook
- Offersheet (Necas, Dobson, Bouchard as options)
- Move up at the draft (either moving some 2nd rounders for late 1st or move into top 10)
- To facilitate moving a contract (Price, Gally)
- Get some help à la rentals if team is doing well
- Status quo

If you could only pick two options which you find most likely to happen, what would they be?
 

Tuggy

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Nov 26, 2003
49,793
16,981
Saint John
I voted with acquire young talent.

Not at the expense of our first round pick but I think I prefer the idea of trading a Monahan for a known asset. Whether that be a good prospect or a young NHLer (like a Dach/Newhook).

If you can get a 1st + one of those things for Monahan then great. But I doubt that will be the case.

If the choice was a late 1st round pick vs a promising player for Monahan, I'm taking the player.
 

morhilane

Registered User
Feb 28, 2021
8,949
11,583
Those 5th and 7th picks aren't worth much. 7th is barely above "future consideration" in term of value.

And drafting every years only 5th round and up because you traded all the rest of your picks is not a good recipe to have quality prospects in the pipeline.
 

Gustave

Registered User
Feb 15, 2007
8,658
6,218
Here
This.

What will be interesting to see is wether he goes "all-in" paying a premium for 1 or 2 "big catch" acquisitions (established talent or move up to top 3-5 draft pick), or more Newhook/Dach type moves that cost less but are less certain to hit.
What I enjoy from watching this unfold is that the makeup of the team will force him to act fairly quickly (within the next calendar year) to fill up the quality quota.

Standing path would mean to let the older guys burn up fuel and contract years without having a chance to compete and waiting 4 years for our prospect class to become steady contributors. That leaves very little space for the compete window.

He will need to mend that gap very soon. I'm going to guess that Monty is now the #1, so it will be all in on getting real offensive talent (more Dach than Newhook, for reference).

I have no idea how he achieves that.
 
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Habs13

Registered User
Dec 30, 2004
14,682
11,967
Montreal
Having plans like these only works if you find a dance partner. We only got Dach because Chicago was going all-in to win the Bedard suckfest, Perfect timing that might not happen again. Newhook I'm not sold on and we haven't seen enough of him to be really know what he is yet. In what we did see, I wasn't impressed.

I can say that ideally I would like them to package picks and some of the surplus defensemen for good, young forwards like Holtz from the Devils. Like I said though, there has to be willingness from the teams with the good, young forwards or nothing moves.

Our vets are pretty bad and we will be lucky to move any of them besides Monahan, who will hurt to lose as we haven't had that caliber of player in a long time. He's 28 though, and has had a lot of injury woes, so it makes sense to move him as this team isn't going to be good for at least another three years.
 

Essenege

Registered User
Oct 5, 2019
1,106
1,157
these picks don’t have much trade value. You’re better off shooting your shot on 18 year olds and signing only the best when they turn 20.
 

teamfirst

Registered User
Oct 28, 2016
3,878
2,550
Can you elaborate on how these picks don't have a lot of value? Devon Toews was acquired for picks, Hronek too, etc.


7 of the 11 2024 picks we have are from 4th to 7th rounders, so yeah not much value, 2025 is another story.

Hoping 2025 draft is a strong one
 
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teamfirst

Registered User
Oct 28, 2016
3,878
2,550

Sure things can change, but as of now our 2024 picks aint worth alot

Would love to have your opinion on the 2025 young kids coming up, i know you're well inform about prospect, we have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds should we keep them
 

PavelBrendl

Registered User
Jul 9, 2013
2,312
4,812
I like the idea of moving up at the draft if they're absolutely in love with a prospect, but I think the team is in an amazing position to sign a proven young RFA to a huge offer sheet. They have enough draft capital in 2024 to sign someone to an offer sheet up to $8.58 M and still have pretty much a full draft. I like Martin Necas in that ballpark.

For the right player I would have absolutely no qualms with paying the compensation up to $10.725 M either. Elias Pettersson might be the only target there, but kinda doubtful that's enough money for him and I don't think it's worth going higher.
 
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WeThreeKings

Demidov is a HAB
Sep 19, 2006
95,549
106,937
Halifax
Sure things can change, but as of now our 2024 picks aint worth alot

Would love to have your opinion on the 2025 young kids coming up, i know you're well inform about prospect, we have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds should we keep them

I won't have an opinion on the depth of it until the year itself.. but I do really like some of the prospects at the top of next years draft, particularly up front, better than this draft. Defense looks a lot weaker. Goaltending should be better in next years class, too.
 

salbutera

Registered User
Sep 10, 2019
15,192
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I think Habs use 1st round picks to swing Dach / Newhook type deals and try bundling multiple 4-7th round picks w 3rd rounder to move up to 2nd round over next 2-drafts
 
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Miller Time

Registered User
Sep 16, 2004
24,310
17,165
What I enjoy from watching this unfold is that the makeup of the team will force him to act fairly quickly (within the next calendar year) to fill up the quality quota.

Standing path would mean to let the older guys burn up fuel and contract years without having a chance to compete and waiting 4 years for our prospect class to become steady contributors. That leaves very little space for the compete window.

He will need to mend that gap very soon. I'm going to guess that Monty is now the #1, so it will be all in on getting real offensive talent (more Dach than Newhook, for reference).

I have no idea how he achieves that.

I think they will be very aggressive over the next 12-18 months for exactly that reason + the benefit of Dach/Newhook/Monty on very favorable cap hits & Guhle/Slaf + the several D on ELC/RFA deals.

I'll be surprised if we don't see at least 1 major roster addition (established top line/top pairing talent), and a more concerted immediate roster improvement focus this summer and looking at next year's in-season/deadline movement.
 
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teamfirst

Registered User
Oct 28, 2016
3,878
2,550
Would love if someone could explain how the hell this 1st 2025 Calgary draft picks thing goes :laugh::laugh:

Little to complicated for me, do we have a chance of 1st overall with it or what could be the best outcome for the Habs

Thanks in advance
 

schwang26

Registered User
Mar 15, 2022
4,540
4,375
I like that he’s got a few 7th rounders. He can take some chances on obscure players and maybe someone works out. Or at the very least, makes Laval eventually

And he pretty much said that's what he aims to do in his last press conference. I don't think I've ever seen a GM say that as clearly as he did. So that's a good sign.


Yep and there’s a lot of players who will be fighting for jobs. I see no reason why some can’t spend a couple years in Laval as opposed to one. The more assets you have, the greater the chance of getting a good return.
 

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