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Speculation: Most beneficial for this team vs your preference: Run for a WC spot, or a high pick?

Best scenary?

  • Personal preference: Playoff race (but lost)

    Votes: 45 56.3%

  • Personal preference: top 5-8 pick

    Votes: 22 27.5%

  • Better for the team: Playoff race (but lost)

    Votes: 54 67.5%

  • Better for the team: top 5-8 pick

    Votes: 21 26.3%
  • Total voters
    80
Making playoffs is not important this year, but they shouldn't bottom out. They wanted to play important games, and now every game they play is important so mission accomplished.

Habs are 18th in the league right now. I can see them falling to 21-22 by the end of the year. It's a good step up from last year
 
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ReHabs said:
I never said they're not that good. I don't think they're priority parts of the future core. If the Habs sell them, and then circle back as FAs and sign them to good deals, that would be fine too.

Yes, I think turnover is inevitable and should be welcome. I don't think this roster mix is particularly precious.

You think the Habs can best WSH, CAR, or FLA in a playoff series? I'd only bet on the Habs if they face TOR but they'd need to get to the playoffs first and it doesn't seem likely if only for the fact they squandered the first 30% of the season.
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I think the habs can beat Wsh, I don’t believe in them at all
 
I’ve been pretty consistent about this. Highest pick, then hire a better coach in the offseason.
Since they won’t do that and we are stuck with the old boys clubs mentality. Playoff push so this team remembers meaningful hockey.


This may be our last chance to grab an elite talent. We desperately need another Center.
 
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What would be most beneficial is the young core leading the charge to staying relevant in the playoff hunt. That would show something tangible about what the young guys are capable of moving forward.

They have been converting some of that hope into realized potential, which is music to my ears.
 
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I’m not autistic or an accountant, I root for the boys to win every game.

Define “Beneficial”? Theoretical tactical long term advantage? Forfeit every game for the next 20 years.
 
I think it’s more beneficial for them to play in significant pressure packed games at the end season. I think that helps them more going forward into next season than bottoming out.

Over the last 18 games (since the Carrier trade) they are 12-4-2. To finish with the 5th pick (pre-lottery) they, approximately, have to finish 11-22 in their last 33 games, finishing with 75 points. To finish with the 8th pick they are probably looking at a 14-19 record, finishing with 81 points. I really don’t think losing like that, and the level of play from the top guys needed to achieve that level of failure helps going into the future.
 
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Gorton said it perfectly last week on McGuires podcast : Habs players need to play games in March & April with every game having something on the line towards qualifying for the playoffs, every game and every point “means something” - 53% of this roster NEEDS that development opportunity NOW because they will be expected to lead the Habs towards a deep playoff run over the coming years

As others have stated core players w Buf, Sens, etc have missed that development opportunity which is why those teams have been stuck in neutral for a number of years

Add to it 2025 isn't forecasted as a deep high end draft class… Habs have a projected elite prospect on the way for next season
 
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This hockey is exciting and being competitive is an absolute great time. I would be fine if it went anyway but I like this group of players as a team. Yes, there are guys that drive me nuts, but overall the team is easy to root for night to night.

We could end up 9th, tied in points with a WC spot, and I think a winning culture is important. We just cannot keep losing hockey games.
 
Being competitive every game is the short to mid term objective. That's what we're seeing. As the team grows, they will edge out more of the tight games. But it can no longer be said we're not competing against the best teams, because we clearly are. And that's both fun and important in development.
 
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The high pick doesn't fall out of the sky.

It's assumed in that case that our players are playing poorly. If we make the playoffs, or at least get close, it's assumed in that case our players are playing well.

Would you prefer Dobes keeps up his great play for the whole year, or not?

Would you prefer Slaf takes off in the second half, or not?

Would you prefer Hutson puts up a historic rookie season, or not?

These things are all related. Hoping for a high pick is hoping the guys we all like underperform.
 
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ReHabs said:
I never said they're not that good. I don't think they're priority parts of the future core. If the Habs sell them, and then circle back as FAs and sign them to good deals, that would be fine too.

Yes, I think turnover is inevitable and should be welcome. I don't think this roster mix is particularly precious.

You think the Habs can best WSH, CAR, or FLA in a playoff series? I'd only bet on the Habs if they face TOR but they'd need to get to the playoffs first and it doesn't seem likely if only for the fact they squandered the first 30% of the season.
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If Armia, Savard, and Evans are playing well enough to warrant a 2nd round pick each at the deadline, then they're probably playing well enough to help the Habs.

I think that these Habs are good enough to compete with any team in a seven game series, but not good enough to contend.
 
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We're 3 points out of a playoff spot and 3 points out of 10th draft spot. Let's see how the games against Winnipeg & Minnesota go because Columbus & Ottawa seem to rarely lose these days. Swayman & Pastrnak are keeping the Bruins in it.

Montreal seems to be running on empty these days.

We'll see where things stand at 4 Nations break.
 
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Redux91 said:
Nick Suzki was drafted 13th Overall
Cole Caufield was drafted 15th Overall
Kaiden Guhle was drafted 16th Overall

Just missing the playoffs is not the end of the world right now at this stage of the build.
*Plus* we have two 1st rounders ANYway

Unfortunately people want a top5 pick for 20 straight years.
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Totally. How would you even evaluate and iterate on the product if you kept icing the shittiest version of it?
 
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What we are going thru right now is the best thing that can happen to this group. From both the media and the fans, there is now an expectation to perform to standards they established and more importantly win.

This brings a level of accountability and urgency which has been lacking the last three years.

It's also benefitting the young players the most. They are carrying the team and this is crucial to getting to the next level.
 
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Grate n Colorful Oz said:
We've injected only two players from our rebuild drafts (Hutson and Slaf). Being bottom 5 would only mean we haven't rebuild long enough, which is consequential to what management inherited, rather than what they have done.
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I partially agree. We also injected Dach, Newhook and Laine (to an extent as he’s still relatively young) and decided that Caufield, Suzuki and Guhle are key peices of the core.

What they inherited and decided to double down on is equally as important as what what they drafted/brought into the organisation during their tenure.
 
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It depends on if management is willing to take risks to try and be good starting next year, or if they want to play it safe and follow the plan.

Each could be viable options but personally I hope they try and get it done sooner.

All we really need is a reliable 2C and another top-4 RHD to be a playoff lock.

Worst case scenario is we stay in the mix but miss the playoffs and get worse when Armia, Evans, and Dvorak walk and we don’t bring in replacements
 
Kobe Armstrong said:
It depends on if management is willing to take risks to try and be good starting next year, or if they want to play it safe and follow the plan.

Each could be viable options but personally I hope they try and get it done sooner.

All we really need is a reliable 2C and another top-4 RHD to be a playoff lock.

Worst case scenario is we stay in the mix but miss the playoffs and get worse when Armia, Evans, and Dvorak walk and we don’t bring in replacements
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Kapanen Beck, Davidson and Demidov area all superior to those 3. Optimally you keep Evans and fire Gallagher into the sun.
 
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