GDT: Kent Hughes Mid-Season Presser (11:30AM ET)

[ReHabs]

I don't know how anyone could have that opinion, he was 100% rushed. There was Zero reason to have him in the NHL as a 1st year pro.

I’m quite obviously referring to the Habs’ development of Barron

 

[MasterD]

Example:

So you keep asking contract / negotiation questions when you know that KH will never answer and is on record that he does not discuss contracts...but you either think your the smartest guy in the room or you want to make the GM look bad.

The journalists' job is to ask questions. If the front office decides they don't want to answer them, that's on them, and that's will be reflected in the media.

Which can be a very legitimate choice, but people have a job to do.

 

[ReHabs]

The other layer to this is fans obsessively wanting us to trade all vets for futures to "make room" for guys like Barron so we can rush him.

Yeah making room for players is foolish. I’m glad teams don’t do it often. This is also why I felt Barron played himself out of the team — he had too many rivals for his TOI.

Barron to me looked like someone that would spend 2 full years in the AHL at the very least, but I don't get why more teams don't take it slower like they used to, outside of the salary cap forcing the issue.

Just thinking out loud — could there be pressure from players too? A first round pick will have his agent agitating to get him an ELC and an NHL salary.

Teams have an incentive to use the cheaper high upside player vs a vet who doesn’t have the high upside left

I see it both ways really

 

[MasterD]

Exactly, you can ask all the hard hitting questions you want, you simply won't get an answer. Which goes right back to what's the point of asking the tough questions when you know you won't get a real answer.

Doing your job.

I mean, ultimately those pressers are useless and the journalists are useless. We all know it. But if your job is to cover a hockey team as a journalist and you make big bucks doing it, why wouldn't you ask good, thoughtful questions? If the GM doesn't want to answer them, so be it.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Doing your job.

I mean, ultimately those pressers are useless and the journalists are useless. We all know it. But if your job is to cover a hockey team as a journalist and you make big bucks doing it, why wouldn't you ask good, thoughtful questions? If the GM doesn't want to answer them, so be it.

Probably something to do with not wanting to be alienated if you ask questions that stir the pot. There are a lot of people who follow the herd of sheep today right? The people who don't beat around the bush and are straight to the point, do get targeted.

 

[WeThreeKings]

That's called the Dach special bro

So Dach is generational. Glad you've finally come around.

 

[HabzSauce]

I like Kent Hughes, but dude will squirm his away from admiting to any mistakes.

The Barron signing and letting go of kova was a flop. You recognized he’s was no good and made a move. Let’s be real here.
Primeau was a mistake as well. The question being asked and he would refuse to acknowledge that he had to make a change.

And the staunch defense of Dach is clear favouritism.


He can still admit he f***ed up.

He f*cked up but he turned it around for the better. Every GM messes up but how do they respond? Thankfully in our case, that meant acquiring Carrier and calling up Dobes. Both of which especially carrier have made us a better team.

Missed opportunity for Hughes, he could have flexed hard on that asshat

 

[Sorinth]

Doing your job.

I mean, ultimately those pressers are useless and the journalists are useless. We all know it. But if your job is to cover a hockey team as a journalist and you make big bucks doing it, why wouldn't you ask good, thoughtful questions? If the GM doesn't want to answer them, so be it.

I very much doubt sports journalists make big bucks doing their job, and even though the topic is certainly something worth asking about, the way it was asked was neither good nor thoughtful. It was asked in a way to self-aggrandize the reporter within a segment of the fanbase, there was no intention to actually get any insight on the topic.

And sure I guess you can argue that the journalists job is to drive traffic to their articles/podcasts or whatever and therefore getting 0 actual information from the PC is fine so long as you can now churn out some clickbait. But I don't see how as a fan we should want more sensationalism and less substance from our reporters.

 

[Wayfarer13]

Too many guys, sometimes miss the bigger picture........Allen was ok here, but was getting too old, it was a given that's who would be shipped out.....got a pick for him.
Kovacevic was so amazing when he was here, he along with 20 others helped us to 32nd place one season............
As others have said, no GM hits 1.000 it's just impossible.
Carrier has helped the team and Guhlie, this doesn't happen if Kova is stil here...........it's a circle jerk of events that moves round and round.......

HuGo as a tandem have done a very good job of steering the ship through a rebuild........we are literally 2.5 years into the rebuild and things are starting to take an upturn......but everyone knows, we are not there yet.

The drafting done by Hughes group has been fantastic.........I wanted Michkov, but we got a big defender instead.......give it 3 years to see what really happened there....but overall they have hit some home runs with their draft picks.

Demidov, Hutaon, Beck are most likely Reinbacher, are a nice haul in a short span of time.

The number would be 45 not 20. Between Covid and and injuries it was so bad that we had to reach down to the ECHL and recall Cam Hillis to field a team on the ice for a game In Florida. We had 1 healthy contract in minors. For those who spout it was the lack of on paper talent or the players lacked moral fortitude I throw up my arms.

 

[montreal]

I’m quite obviously referring to the Habs’ development of Barron

of course what did you think I was referring to? How was he not rushed by the Habs?

 

[ReHabs]

of course what did you think I was referring to? How was he not rushed by the Habs?

The Habs had a young team and low expectations. In his D+3 (22-23)he was given 16min a night with 63% of his pairings being with Matheson or Edmundson. It felt to me like he was given minutes as much as he could handle on a tanking team.

In his D+4 his TOI went up to 18min and 67% of his pairings were with either Guhle or Matheson. Again, to me that felt like giving him a steady partner and it wasn’t a sink or swim situation. At least it didn’t feel like it.

Between those two seasons his game didn’t grow.

Personally speaking, I don’t blame that on him being rushed as much as I think he didn’t adapt his physical game to the NHL despite his other strengths. By his D+5 (this season) he has been lapped by other prospects and the Habs moved on. I don’t know if he would’ve gained his physical game in the AHL or elsewhere — it seems significantly faster in the NHL than elsewhere (based on highlights and compilations I see).

 

[Habnot]

The journalists' job is to ask questions. If the front office decides they don't want to answer them, that's on them, and that's will be reflected in the media.

Which can be a very legitimate choice, but people have a job to do.

Not sure I agree. The journalist's job is to inform the public. Asking a question that you know you will not get an answer is useless and doesn't help anyone.

There were a lot of intelligent questions asked today that we somewhat difficult and were answered. Asking questions that you know won't get answered is either performance art or lazy.

Getting KH to say that MSL changed his language which improved the defensive performance is an example.

 

[Redux91]

I'd say there's no chance whatsoever Gallagher is traded. Aside from his contract, I'm pretty certain the actually value a lot what he brings off the ice.

If they intend to create a roster spot, my guess would be they'll try to take advantage of Anderson's rebound year in order to move him relatively cost free.

Keep the 5"8 slow guy making 6.5M
Or keep the 6"3 fast guy making 5.5M

Hmmmmmmmmmm

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Keep the 5"8 slow guy making 6.5M
Or keep the 6"3 fast guy making 5.5M

Hmmmmmmmmmm

lol I mean god the bless the little warrior but I’m not re-signing him no matter what.

Anderson if he plays this way next year we keep for sure. Dude’s skating like a maniac out there

 

[windycity]

I like Kent Hughes, but dude will squirm his away from admiting to any mistakes.

The Barron signing and letting go of kova was a flop. You recognized he’s was no good and made a move. Let’s be real here.
Primeau was a mistake as well. The question being asked and he would refuse to acknowledge that he had to make a change.

And the staunch defense of Dach is clear favouritism.


He can still admit he f***ed up.

I disagree, they didn't work out but sometimes you need to gamble on youth. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't

 

[montreal]

The Habs had a young team and low expectations. In his D+3 (22-23)he was given 16min a night with 63% of his pairings being with Matheson or Edmundson. It felt to me like he was given minutes as much as he could handle on a tanking team.

In his D+4 his TOI went up to 18min and 67% of his pairings were with either Guhle or Matheson. Again, to me that felt like giving him a steady partner and it wasn’t a sink or swim situation. At least it didn’t feel like it.

Between those two seasons his game didn’t grow.

Personally speaking, I don’t blame that on him being rushed as much as I think he didn’t adapt his physical game to the NHL despite his other strengths. By his D+5 (this season) he has been lapped by other prospects and the Habs moved on. I don’t know if he would’ve gained his physical game in the AHL or elsewhere — it seems significantly faster in the NHL than elsewhere (based on highlights and compilations I see).

It's simple, if you watch Baron in the AHL and saw how poor his decision making was, how did anyone think that wouldn't be an issue at the NHL where it's way tougher. To me, if you aren't ready for the NHL at 20, 21 years old, stay in the AHL until you figure it out.

 

[BLONG7]

He f*cked up but he turned it around for the better. Every GM messes up but how do they respond? Thankfully in our case, that meant acquiring Carrier and calling up Dobes. Both of which especially carrier have made us a better team.

Missed opportunity for Hughes, he could have flexed hard on that asshat

Bang on all the GM's make mistakes, fix em quickly and move on............you can't batt 1.000 in the big leagues.
That said, I still think Barron has a decent career in front of him........I think he will be a decent Dman.....

 

[Habs Halifax]

Doing your job.

I mean, ultimately those pressers are useless and the journalists are useless. We all know it. But if your job is to cover a hockey team as a journalist and you make big bucks doing it, why wouldn't you ask good, thoughtful questions? If the GM doesn't want to answer them, so be it.

Journalism is trash these days. Most of them are looking for quick click bait articles to catch they eyes of the gullible type fans.

To be honest, we would get more value of fans posting questions and having the Habs screen through them where the good questions gets filtered to Gorton/Hughes and they answer live on air. Questions should not be live... they should be provided well before so someone can filter through them first.

Bang on all the GM's make mistakes, fix em quickly and move on............you can't batt 1.000 in the big leagues.
That said, I still think Barron has a decent career in front of him........I think he will be a decent Dman.....

I agree. I just think he becomes a late bloomer like Petry and Matheson were.

 

[Habs Halifax]

It's simple, if you watch Baron in the AHL and saw how poor his decision making was, how did anyone think that wouldn't be an issue at the NHL where it's way tougher. To me, if you aren't ready for the NHL at 20, 21 years old, stay in the AHL until you figure it out.

100%! Yeah, it's nice to build a very strong pool and we did insert guys learning on the job while we were going full rebuild. But that is over now because we are still in rebuild but we are also trying to transition up the standings.

Make them earn their way and it's kind of dumb to rush any guy at this stage. Exceptions made for talents like Hutson and Demidov but the others who classify as secondary parts need to earn their way up. This also delays the RFA years in many cases which is a good thing.

Very curious to see how we manage the 3RD spot next year with Savard gone. It is Reinbacher or Mailloux or do they try to bring back Savard or someone else like Carrier as a stop gap.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I was playing around with capwages.com earlier today.

I do see a potential issue with the last year of Gallagher and Anderson. A year earlier, Hutson's new contract kicks in and also Dach and Xhekaj. Carrier's contract ends and Newhook and Monty need a new deal. Does Laine stay and get a similar cap hit or an increase?

The cap stands to grow by 26/27 (probably $98M ish) but it will be interesting to see how Gorton/Hughes manage Gallagher and Anderson as we make momentum and improve this team.

 

[Miller Time]

I was playing around with capwages.com earlier today.

I do see a potential issue with the last year of Gallagher and Anderson. A year earlier, Hutson's new contract kicks in and also Dach and Xhekaj. Carrier's contract ends and Newhook and Monty need a new deal. Does Laine stay and get a similar cap hit or an increase?

The cap stands to grow by 26/27 (probably $98M ish) but it will be interesting to see how Gorton/Hughes manage Gallagher and Anderson as we make momentum and improve this team.

If they get to that point (last year of their respective deals), I'd suspect a buyout will be the first option if they need cap room.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

What the hell is the reporting talking about lmao

People were pissed Kent went to Russia??
Ffs

The usual twitter suspects

I was playing around with capwages.com earlier today.

I do see a potential issue with the last year of Gallagher and Anderson. A year earlier, Hutson's new contract kicks in and also Dach and Xhekaj. Carrier's contract ends and Newhook and Monty need a new deal. Does Laine stay and get a similar cap hit or an increase?

The cap stands to grow by 26/27 (probably $98M ish) but it will be interesting to see how Gorton/Hughes manage Gallagher and Anderson as we make momentum and improve this team.

We might be forced to attach a sweetner and retention for gally or Andy's last year

 

[HuGort]

That was good presser

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I hope someone will ask him if they did a DNA on Demidov.

View attachment 958210

Voleur!

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Good. It was silly to want to burn a year off his ELC if we didn't have to.

The opposite. Burning a year means we can sign him long term earlier with less chance he fully breaks out before signing. As it happened with both Caufield and Hutson.

With a year burned, you can essentially sign your player long term after only one year in the league.