Is the Rebuild almost done? POLL

[Lafleurs Guy]

I disagree with everything you've said lol. He doesn't have to be special? At 5th overall and passing on Michkov/Leonard? Ok, wtf

Players are special in different ways. Leonard for example may not rack up points but he’ll play physical hockey.

Reianbacjer is supposed to be a good combination of defense, size and skill. He might not be special in any one area but a steadying physical presence who can accumulate points.

Kovacevic would be a top 4 on this piece of shit blueline

And yet we claimed him off waivers…

We don't need Romanov, but we need a floater like Dach? ok

You need to start watching the games more closely. Dach’s been playing good hockey for a while now.

 

[Habs]

And yet we claimed him off waivers…

You mean like Paul Byron , eternal hero of this team and Sam Montembault? Who cares how we got a player ?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You mean like Paul Byron , eternal hero of this team and Sam Montembault? Who cares how we got a player ?

He was spare parts that we picked up for free. He’s done well for NJ and good for him. But it’s not like his departure was even noticed when he left.

 

[expy]

You mean like Paul Byron , eternal hero of this team and Sam Montembault? Who cares how we got a player ?

One is not like the others.

 

[Habssince89]

Rebuild is not done, but its progressing well and on-time. No panic needed. Once we see what Reinbacher brings to the table, we'll be able to determine what the D is lacking. Demidov alone changes everything forwards-wise, and we have the capspace, trading assets, and prospect pool to expect a few more new forwards joining the team by next season. Very optimistic about the clear and steady progression under MSL, despite haters smashing the panic button because they're addicted to drama.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Rebuild is not done, but its progressing well and on-time. No panic needed. Once we see what Reinbacher brings to the table, we'll be able to determine what the D is lacking. Demidov alone changes everything forwards-wise, and we have the capspace, trading assets, and prospect pool to expect a few more new forwards joining the team by next season. Very optimistic about the clear and steady progression under MSL, despite haters smashing the panic button because they're addicted to drama.

Being tired of watching 4+ years of awful hockey = being addicted to drama

 

[Scriptor]

Being tired of watching 4+ years of awful hockey = being addicted to drama

Tired, okay (normal, actually). Not understanding/accepting the process having been undertaken, no.

 

[Scriptor]

Rebuild is not done, but its progressing well and on-time. No panic needed. Once we see what Reinbacher brings to the table, we'll be able to determine what the D is lacking. Demidov alone changes everything forwards-wise, and we have the capspace, trading assets, and prospect pool to expect a few more new forwards joining the team by next season. Very optimistic about the clear and steady progression under MSL, despite haters smashing the panic button because they're addicted to drama.

Building is almost done.

Just missing a confirmed 2C, two confirmed, top-4 RHDs, two confirmed, elite wingers and a confirmed, solid G-tandem.

Doubt that all shows up on this roster by next season.

IF Slafkovsky and Demidov both pan out, that takes care of the two elite wingers, but Dach would have to play at top-6 level as a winger to close out the top-6.

IF Reinbacher pans out, we still need another top-4 RHD, but we don't need a superstar for that role if the RHD partners up with Hutson.

IF Fowler pans out, we need to determine if Dobes is the Dobes of his first starts in the NHL or the Dobes of his last starts before the 4-Nations break, or go with Montembeault that isn't going to be relevant as an NHL G for the long haul at his age.

Still need a 2C in the short term.

A lot of IFs.

This rebuild could be close to finished if several prospects pan out and if Hughes can find a 2C from outside the organization without sacrificing from the core.

IMO, we really aren't out of the woods yet, although hope for a better future is not lacking.

The real question is whether all can fall into place together so we have an actual window at competing for a Cup, or do we go into a perpetual rebuild mode with the best years of certain players just missing to connect with the best years of other players?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Rebuild is not done, but its progressing well and on-time. No panic needed. Once we see what Reinbacher brings to the table, we'll be able to determine what the D is lacking. Demidov alone changes everything forwards-wise, and we have the capspace, trading assets, and prospect pool to expect a few more new forwards joining the team by next season. Very optimistic about the clear and steady progression under MSL, despite haters smashing the panic button because they're addicted to drama.

The impatience will get even worst next season, but luckily in 26-27, most of the top draftees (23,24,25) will have joined the team.

 

[Scriptor]

The impatience will get even worst next season, but luckily in 26-27, most of the top draftees (23,24,25) will have joined the team.

I don't see that for 2026-2027, honestly.

2027-2028 at best, maybe the year after before those prospects start having a genuine impact on the lineup.

We tend to project prospects having an immediate impact once they set foot on Bell Centre ice. That's just not the case.

Hage, for example, might join the lineup in 2026-2027, but don't expect him to have an immediate impact then. If he's lucky, he won't have the sophomore slump usually associated with 2nd year youngsters and will start having an impact in 2027-2028.

Demidov might be an exception to the rule and start having an impact next year, only two years after getting drafted, but Reinbacher will still be wet behind the ears next season, if he can stay healthy, and it usually takes a little longer for a D prospect to have an impact in the first place.

Whomever we pick in this year's draft won't have an impact for another three or four years, unless we luck out and win the draft lottery. Even then, I don't see any of this year's draft picks having an impact as 18-yr-olds. It will take at least a couple pf years for those, under the best of circumstance, so not before 2027-2028, if we are extremely lucky, and most likely not before 2028-2029 or 2029-2030, in the final year of Suzuki's current contract.

The NHL, contrary to many fans' beliefs, is not a plug & play league where kids all become stars as soon as they are inserted into the lineup.

The words generational and elite are thrown around much too easily on these forums and production levels in Junior hockey or the NCAA are deemed automatically transferable to the NHL.

In fact, it's rather unpredictable, with players not that good in the AHL even scoring 30+ goals in the NHL once they have fully matured, while early birds in the maturity department score massively in the AHL, but never even have a legitimate NHL career afterwards.

It's okay to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel is a bit longer than some assume it is, IMO.

That's why Hughes needs to add talent beyond the drafted prospects to come to a perfect storm and create a true contender in the medium term.

 

[Habs]

One is not like the others.

So you are denying you can't get a quality player off of waivers when I just pointed out 2?