Player Discussion Most disappointing Hughes Acquisition (All Michkov draft talk here)

[ReHabs]

I will say this: What I have been told is the exact opposite of what you said. They had no issues, at all, with him in terms of ability. (They did have legitimate concerns about his size. They didn't think it was feasible to have a top six with Caufield and Michkov in it.) The reason he was passed over had nothing to do with his ability or his potential.

You’re contradicting yourself. How can a “legitimate concern” with his size have “nothing to do with” his perceived ability or potential as a hockey player? Doesn’t work.

Anyway — I have no reason to doubt your conviction. I spoke with someone very high up with SKA and have relayed what they told me to the best of my recollection. I’m sure the Habs had their reasons. I hope they weren’t wrong in their perception and evaluation.

 

[Ezpz]

So now that michkov is firmly behind Cole. Can we pump breaks a little about a pp merchant who could be more? If michkov becomes a modern day vanek and RB becomes a poor man's suter I still probably think the dman is a bigger piece of the playoffs puzzle.

You can still criticize the pick but after the fact Hughes got Laine and Demidov who are probably both better than michkov. Would it have been possible to get two dmen at the comparable level for the assets/picks Hughes used? Who knows. At least he addressed an internal weakness, something we never saw Bergevin do.

Now we're at a point where center depth and patience is all we're looking for. Can't hate on that too much. We have the pieces to be a good well rounded team. Obviously picking first overall again would be nice but that's how it goes, it means the team is improving.

 

[Kennerback]

You’re contradicting yourself. How can a “legitimate concern” with his size have “nothing to do with” his perceived ability or potential as a hockey player? Doesn’t work.

Anyway — I have no reason to doubt your conviction. I spoke with someone very high up with SKA and have relayed what they told me to the best of my recollection. I’m sure the Habs had their reasons. I hope they weren’t wrong in their perception and evaluation.

Aside from what Michkov did or didn’t do to show where he wanted to play, I’m convinced the Habs would have drafted him if they wanted him. His preference wouldn’t have stopped them. Habs just didn’t want him. One day, we’ll know the truth. If it’s character, it’s unlikely that Bobrov would come out and say he’s a jerk in the near future.

 

[CAUFIELD]

RB might be the impactful #1RD we need playing with Hutson or Ghule.

Y’all will stfu with if Leonard, if Mitchkov when RB proves you all wrong.

Give RB a chance for god sake. He’s exactly what we need ; a mobile shutdown RD to play with Hutson/Ghule, cost controlled with good size .

 

[River Meadow]

He's really slowed down lately.

Bustkov?

 

[Frankenheimer]

I think a lot depends on whether Michkov was ready and willing to stay in the KHL if he didnt get his way. In which case, it may have been a wasted pick. There's a lot of question marks including the way he got out of his contract.

 

[FerrisRox]

You’re contradicting yourself. How can a “legitimate concern” with his size have “nothing to do with” his perceived ability or potential as a hockey player? Doesn’t work.

The concern had nothing to do with his ability to perform in the NHL.

The concern was that it wouldn't be wise to have two forwards the size of Michkov and Caufield in their top six.

Drafting Michkov would require, once he was ready to join the top six, trading Caufield. They didn't want to move forward with two top six players of their size.

But, as I stated, that wasn't the reason why he wasn't drafted. They wouldn't have taken Michkov if he was six inches taller either.

 

[montreal]

I think a lot depends on whether Michkov was ready and willing to stay in the KHL if he didnt get his way. In which case, it may have been a wasted pick. There's a lot of question marks including the way he got out of his contract.

there was a rumor before the draft that SKA was looking to re-sign him to a 2 year deal but looking back that could have just been smoke and mirrors, since clearly SKA didn't want Michkov around if for 2 years in a row they "loaned" him to another KHL team.

 

[Kennerback]

And as to complaining about having Michkov now. Hasn’t that ship sailed? This isn’t us wanting Getzlaf over Kostitsyn, or McDonagh over Gomez and Busto. That was quality high-grade complaining because they could always improve our club. Michkov’s skillset is redundant with what we’ve acquired since and already had.

Plus there’s starting to be some freak out today in how we’ll fit superstars like Hutson, Demidov, Laine, etc… What the hell do you want us to do with Michkov? We can litterally fit him for term only if he become’s a bust. It kind of defeats the purpose. Seriously, what’s the end game?

 

[Zalos]

Can't fully judge Michkov vs. Reinbacher for a few years.

Doesn't look good for now, though. Even if you didn't want to play both Caufield and Michkov (the reasoning sounds stupid to me), you can just trade Michkov for top assets.

 

[ahmedou]

I'm a Hughesexual.

Only satisfying acquisations. Always trying to improve the team. No more plugs.

 

[Runner77]

We could take Chicago and why they passed on Demidov. Maybe they drafted by need. Maybe they didn’t want the risks associated with a Russian. Maybe you can add for Anaheim and Columbus unease with having a Russian as the face of the franchise? Or they went BPA and made a terrible mistake.

I’m sure it’s not the case with Demidov, but maybe those team could pass on him if he’s an absolute douchebag.

Could also be lack of direct viewings, which were difficult at the time. Add to it, the fact that Demidov was injured and did not participate in the Russian combine. The stars aligned.

 

[Frank Drebin]

But, as I stated, that wasn't the reason why he wasn't drafted. They wouldn't have taken Michkov if he was six inches taller either.

I've only been able to speculate, but I have always maintained that Montreal saw something about Michkov the player or the person that basically put him on a do not draft list.

It wasn't the contract or anything like that.

 

[Maitz]

I was not sold on Dach, when a team give up that easily on a 20 yrs old 3rd overall it might be because they know something but the Newhook trade I was so mad, never liked the player and when I watched Colorado I thought he was always invisible despite having top 9 minutes

 

[FerrisRox]

I've only been able to speculate, but I have always maintained that Montreal saw something about Michkov the player or the person that basically put him on a do not draft list.

It wasn't the contract or anything like that.

You are correct.

 

[ReHabs]

I've only been able to speculate, but I have always maintained that Montreal saw something about Michkov the player or the person that basically put him on a do not draft list.

It wasn't the contract or anything like that.

The question is: do we defer to their character judgements and take for granted that the team headed by Bobrov and Lapointe can’t ever get these things wrong?

Bergevin was big on character and attitude and we had a lot of long losing streaks toward the end of his tenure when the team was made in his image. Bobrov’s draft history doesn’t give him so much credit that we can defer to his value judgements with such consequential decisions.

With that said, I actually hope the Habs weren’t afraid of a 17-18 year old’s personality. Some institutional pride and faith in the team culture could go a long way.

I also hope Reinbacher was actually the preferred choice at 5 and not a compromise. I think he really was preferred and the saw a lot of good things in him.

 

[Andrei79]

How has the most disastrous mistake in Canadiens draft history been playing lately, outside the horrible funk he's been ? Is he still being benched and scolded by Tortorella ? Has he done anything outside of the man advantage ? Am I being unfair to a rookie or should his career be defined by his struggles ? Can a God even struggle or is he just testing his humanity to better connect with his teammates ? Someone help me understand please. Why didn't he want us like we wanted him, baby ?

 

[Miller Time]

The question is: do we defer to their character judgements and take for granted that the team headed by Bobrov and Lapointe can’t ever get these things wrong?

Bergevin was big on character and attitude and we had a lot of long losing streaks toward the end of his tenure when the team was made in his image. Bobrov’s draft history doesn’t give him so much credit that we can defer to his value judgements with such consequential decisions.

With that said, I actually hope the Habs weren’t afraid of a 17-18 year old’s personality. Some institutional pride and faith in the team culture could go a long way.

I also hope Reinbacher was actually the preferred choice at 5 and not a compromise. I think he really was preferred and the saw a lot of good things in him.

It's one thing to talk about character and attitude, it's quite another to actually understand what it is and how it plays out in group team settings. Bergevin was all talk, no substance. Hughes is the polar opposite. Your concerns and comparisons are misplaced.