Is the Rebuild almost done? POLL

[Habs Halifax]

A power forward in the top six would be awesome. We can use some grit there.

Dach is that guy for me. Bring in a 2C and move Dach to RW. Dach is going to be a force physically when he is age 25/26+. The injuries set his prime back a bit.
Just because I don't like Dach as our 2C, it don't mean I still don't think he can put up 60-70 pts in his prime and provide a physical element as a winger. If anything, maybe we get to get him signed to a team friendly deal for his prime and he breaks out after the deal is signed. Something that might play into our favor

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

Starting next season:

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - XXXXXXX - Laine

We need a real proven brand name 2nd line center acquired via trade.

Hutson - XXXXXX
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

We need a real proven brand name top line defensive partner for Hutson acquired via trade.

If they can make these 2 moves we will be a serious cup contender.

Dach is that guy for me. Bring in a 2C and move Dach to RW. Dach is going to be a force physically when he is age 25/26+. The injuries set his prime back a bit.
Just because I don't like Dach as our 2C, it don't mean I still don't think he can put up 60-70 pts in his prime and provide a physical element as a winger. If anything, maybe we get to get him signed to a team friendly deal for his prime and he breaks out after the deal is signed. Something that might play into our favor

I would like to try Dach as our 3C next season

Suzuki
XXXXX
Dach
Beck

 

[26Mats]

What do you guys think? Are all the pieces we need to complete the rebuild in place?

I think we are one piece away from it.....and we have the draft/prospect capital to acquire our final piece.....a top 4 RD.

I am all for packaging pieces for a top 4 RD and at that point declaring the rebuild over.

Let's move forward with.......

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Heinemen - Newhook - Armia
Anderson - Evans - Gally

Hage/Beck/Kapanen = Beck and Kap are trade pieces.....keep HAGE!

Hutson - *******
Guhle - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Carrier

Mailloux/Engstrom = are trade pieces

Monty - until traded
Dobes
Fowler

Picks - 2025 = 1st x 2, 2nd x 3, 3rd x 2, 4th x 2

Now is the time to pull the trigger and go all in with this roster. Tweaks can be made on bottom 6 when Hage arrives or through free agency.

Monty, Matheson, Beck, Kapanen, Maillux, Engstrom, all picks are available to score that final piece IMO.

What do you guys think?

Hopefully Matheson will be a good trade chip to get some assets we can use to flip for that top 4 RD. Struble too.

 

[RealityBytes]

Too many weak pieces on the team, which includes some of the ones we picked up that haven't lived up to potential. A retool is necessary and a final rebuild is still a long way off. With the status quo, we are only a step ahead of Buffalo.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Starting next season:

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - XXXXXXX - Laine

We need a real proven brand name 2nd line center acquired via trade.

Hutson - XXXXXX
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

We need a real proven brand name top line defensive partner for Hutson acquired via trade.

If they can make these 2 moves we will be a serious cup contender.


I would like to try Dach as our 3C next season

Suzuki
XXXXX
Dach
Beck

Not winning anything with Laine in the top 6

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Starting next season:

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - XXXXXXX - Laine

We need a real proven brand name 2nd line center acquired via trade.

I disagree. Dach has been producing about as expected since late December and that would only improve with Demidov coming up.

The guy I'm not sure about on the 2nd is Laine. If he can regain his form then great. But right now I don't see it.

Hutson - XXXXXX
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

We need a real proven brand name top line defensive partner for Hutson acquired via trade.

If they can make these 2 moves we will be a serious cup contender.


I would like to try Dach as our 3C next season

Suzuki
XXXXX
Dach
Beck

I don't see us moving towards a big name RD. I think Reinbacher will come in and he'll gradually take that role. I can see us getting another Carrier/Savard type for depth (if Savard is moved at the deadline.)

 

[GordonGraham]

Even with that crazy winning strech the team is only +3 points versus last year, its far from done.

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

 

[Habs Halifax]

I would like to try Dach as our 3C next season

Suzuki
XXXXX
Dach
Beck

I’m down with that as long as the 2C is a good one that can win face offs

 

[Habs Halifax]

Interested video on Bedard and H Lundqvist talks about how difficult it is to exit rebuilds (2:15 in)

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I disagree. Dach has been producing about as expected since late December and that would only improve with Demidov coming up.

The guy I'm not sure about on the 2nd is Laine. If he can regain his form then great. But right now I don't see it.

I don't see us moving towards a big name RD. I think Reinbacher will come in and he'll gradually take that role. I can see us getting another Carrier/Savard type for depth (if Savard is moved at the deadline.)

Same could be said of the second line center and Hage.

What Habs will do is pounce on legitimate opportunities to shore up C or RD, no matter if Reinbacher or Hage pan out. If they do, you start off Hage on the 3rd or the wing. You put Carrier on the 3rd pairing if Reinbacher becomes better. We don't have enough stock at C or RD to twiddle thumbs until the only two worthwhile prospects make it.

Now, those opportunities are few and far between, but I'd be shocked if HuGo are content with simply waiting 2-3 years for our prospects to come around to shore up those positions.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Same could be said of the second line center and Hage.

What Habs will do is pounce on legitimate opportunities to shore up C or RD, no matter if Reinbacher or Hage pan out. If they do, you start off Hage on the 3rd or the wing. You put Carrier on the 3rd pairing if Reinbacher becomes better. We don't have enough stock at C or RD to twiddle thumbs until the only two worthwhile prospects make it.

Now, those opportunities are few and far between, but I'd be shocked if HuGo are content with simply waiting 2-3 years for our prospects to come around to shore up those positions.

I think we’ll see some moves this summer. Another addition to the top six would be awesome. I don’t think Newhook is staying there and they probably don’t trust Laine there either. So add another guy to go with Dach and Demidov.

Won’t surprise me if we add some depth on RD as well.

Matheson, Struble, Savard… all expendable and we have some firsts to play with too.

 

[Scriptor]

Starting next season:

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - XXXXXXX - Laine

We need a real proven brand name 2nd line center acquired via trade.

Hutson - XXXXXX
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

We need a real proven brand name top line defensive partner for Hutson acquired via trade.

If they can make these 2 moves we will be a serious cup contender.


I would like to try Dach as our 3C next season

Suzuki
XXXXX
Dach
Beck

If they can make these 2 moves we will be a serious cup contender.

If they make these two moves, we will be serious Cup contenders, just not next year, or the year after, or the year after that.

In four years with the addition of a prospect like Hage and another from our draft picks in the 2025 draft, plus a few prospects already on the farm, and with the further maturing of the current youngsters and Demidov, plus the arrival of Fowler along the way, we will be serious contenders.

That will give us a chance to win in the last two years of Suzuki's current contract, two of the last three years of Caufield's current contract and two of the last five years of Slafkovsky's current contract before considering whether we extend Suzuki and Caufield -- and at what cost -- to begin with, for a longer Cup window.

Some maturing needs to happen before we can contend for a Cup.

 

[Scriptor]

Same could be said of the second line center and Hage.

What Habs will do is pounce on legitimate opportunities to shore up C or RD, no matter if Reinbacher or Hage pan out. If they do, you start off Hage on the 3rd or the wing. You put Carrier on the 3rd pairing if Reinbacher becomes better. We don't have enough stock at C or RD to twiddle thumbs until the only two worthwhile prospects make it.

Now, those opportunities are few and far between, but I'd be shocked if HuGo are content with simply waiting 2-3 years for our prospects to come around to shore up those positions.

It's never a certainty that any of our prosapects, including Demidov, will pan out as expected.

Montreal needs to find a medium to long term solution both at 2C and on RD, beyond Reinbacher.

Hage, Kapanen and any C that we choose early at this year's draft will be in the running to eventually replace an acquired 2C, and they can fight it out to see who plays 3C in the meantime and, who, if good enough, plays wing in the top-9 as a consolation prize.

Hughes must explore all options, or else, he will miss out on too many prime years at a reasonable cost for Suzuki, Caufield and Guhle.

Options for a 2C may come from a trade (but at a high cost, no doubt), or could come from the UFA market, but Montreal, ideally, will acquire someone for the long term, not some end of career, good-bye tour veteran looking to experience the fans in Montreal open a Saturday night.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think we’ll see some moves this summer. Another addition to the top six would be awesome. I don’t think Newhook is staying there and they probably don’t trust Laine there either. So add another guy to go with Dach and Demidov.

Won’t surprise me if we add some depth on RD as well.

Matheson, Struble, Savard… all expendable and we have some firsts to play with too.

I think most of us are on the same page with this. The pressure to fix some of the flaws is going to increase after this season ends. First step for Gorton/Hughes is to see what happens at the TDL and then prepare for the draft and they probably let all GM's know, we are open for business for hockey trades.

Imagine if we sign Kova to bring him back?

 

[Andrei79]

I think to say that a rebuild is almost done, the team has to at least make the post-season and be a realistic team to push to the top 6 in the conference the next year. This team might make the playoffs next year. Might. It looked like it would a few weeks ago, but clearly the staff needs more experience, the roster more depth and the players better resilience.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Rebuild is over. All the top talent will be in place next season. Now we need to tweak the bottom 4 and the D core to make sure we have everything for the Cup run. In other words we have our Bossy, Trottier and Potvins. We need our Nystrom, Langevin and Sutters.

Bossy,Trottier and Potvins? Well I wouldn't go that far...those guys were HHOF's and All-Stars...like to see the Habs get Desnoyers and another D-man to add to the stable maybe Jackson Smith,Logan Hensler,RMrtka...and with JRoy,LTuch and Kapanen,Mesar in the picture...looks like KHughes wants to have a good look at Mailloux before deciding on Savard providing Les Canadiens are in the hunt for the playoffs...Beck is going to be fine a 3rd liner maybe 4th liner with upside

 

[LaP]

I don't get why people change their opinion because of good and bad sequences. My opinion about the rebuild is the same as day 1.

2022-23
1st complete year after the 1st draft of Slafkovsky

Not a competitive team bottom 5 lot of bad contracts remaining.

2023-24
2nd draft of Reinbacher

Not a competitive team bottom 5 lot of bad contracts remaining.

2024-25
3rd draft of Demidov

Starting to compete but inconsistent and will miss by a lot bottom 10 still too many bad contracts.

2025-26
4th top 10 picks in june 2025

I expect a competitive team who will fight for a playoffs spot until the end but will miss by a few points because of a lack of experience only Gallagher and Anderson remains as bad contract to vets which is more manageable.

2026-27
5th top 15ish pick in june 2026

I expect a team who will make the playoffs. Gallagher and Anderson should be tradeable by the TDL 2027. Price's contract will be over.

 

[absolute garbage]

I hate to say it, but a lot will depend on Reinbacher. He's a huge question mark right now. Unimpressive play post draft, serious injuries. If he Juolevis, it's going to be a massive blow to the rebuild. Wasting a top 5 pick, especially when you use it on RD (one of the hardest to find), is a tough one.

I think next season the team is going to be very young. Much more exciting, but there's going to be some growing pains. I would remain patient. 26-27 should be Hage's rookie year, and 27-28 all the bad contracts will be gone and the core young guys will have more seasons and experience under them. That's when the team should be ready to contend. Playoffs could happen in 26-27 already, next season probably not.

If you can acquire elite talent, especially on wing to replace Laine (who should NOT be re-signed) or on RD in case Reinbacher doesn't work out, go for it. Other than that, I'd be patient and see what the young guys can grow into.

I've seen people mention the lack of 2C a lot, but I don't worry about it the same way as I do about RD. Why? Because Hage looks like the real deal (unlike Reinbacher, unfortunately). Kapanen might surprise as well.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Narrator:
No

 

[Habs]

Rebuild is over. All the top talent will be in place next season. Now we need to tweak the bottom 4 and the D core to make sure we have everything for the Cup run. In other words we have our Bossy, Trottier and Potvins. We need our Nystrom, Langevin and Sutters.

Are you popping gummies again???

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Yeah, almost done...

 

[HabsCode]

About as well done as a blue steak.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

We need another gamebreaking talent, I say another, because Demidov may be one, but it's not enough.

 

[KevSkillz4]

We need another rebuild