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Speculation: the 4 rookies of 25 --26

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Goal Caufield50 said:
out are Savard, Dovrak, Armia, Evans, Pezz

in is Mallioux, Demidov, Kappy, Beck


evans may resign but i doubt it. looks like 4 rookies
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HuGo may try to sign a vet RD to a 1 year deal until they're sure Mailloux and Reinbacher are ready, and won't be rushed.

Also, HuGo may try to trade for a bonafide 1st pair RD and 2c. So it's a little premature to say how many spots there will be for rookies.

But yeah IF those were the forward subtractions, and IF There were no forward additions, have to think Demidov, Beck, and Kapanen would replace Evans, Armia, and Dvo. On D, I think Struble would beat out Mailloux and they'd go 2 LD's on the right side though. But I expect there to be a trade for an RD.
 
All signs are they are trying to trade some assets, like multiple 1sts / prospects for someone ready to make an impact immediately.
Doubt it is all rookies, and highly believe they acquire someone via trade/FA
 
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Could be Reinbacher instead of Mailloux, and could be Roy instead of one of Beck/Kapanen (Newhook would be playing center in that case)
 
26Mats said:
HuGo may try to sign a vet RD to a 1 year deal until they're sure Mailloux and Reinbacher are ready, and won't be rushed.

Also, HuGo may try to trade for a bonafide 1st pair RD and 2c. So it's a little premature to say how many spots there will be for rookies.

But yeah IF those were the forward subtractions, and IF There were no forward additions, have to think Demidov, Beck, and Kapanen would replace Evans, Armia, and Dvo. On D, I think Struble would beat out Mailloux and they'd go 2 LD's on the right side though. But I expect there to be a trade for an RD.
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I take KH at his word when he said, a few weeks ago, that getting younger is not the recipe to success. His cupboards are full of assets. He will use them to stock up on mature and ready players based on needs. The youngster will spend time in the minors our be used as trade chips.
 
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McGees said:
All signs are they are trying to trade some assets, like multiple 1sts / prospects for someone ready to make an impact immediately.
Doubt it is all rookies, and highly believe they acquire someone via trade/FA
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You'd think it would be their intention to look at the UFA market for a solution at C, at least as a stop gap. Whether that can be done remains to be seen. Regardless what happens, I doubt that the Habs go with TWO rookie Cs to start the year, but they might, if caught between a rock and a hard place.

It would have to be Dach, or Newhook, at 3C.

I'd lean towards Newhook to ride out his contract because I think there is more to get out of Dach at RW in the top-6, as seen before when playing with Caufield and Suzuki.
 
habstradamus said:
I take KH at his word when he said, a few weeks ago, that getting younger is not the recipe to success. His cupboards are full of assets. He will use them to stock up on mature and ready players based on needs. The youngster will spend time in the minors our be used as trade chips.
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He also said last summer he didnt want to sign a vet RD to block a young guy.

I still think getting assets to try to get a top pair RD and a top 6c would make sense. Those really are our only two needs. Could also sign Matthew Olivier if he hits the open market.

It will be interesting to see if HuGo bring back Evans, Armia, and/or David Savard on a one year deal. I think they would like to bring back Evan's, but he's priced himself out.
 
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HuGort said:
Usually somebody has great camp and makes team. Could be Reinbacher
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Everyone, I think, would be more secure if Reinbacher played with the Habs, starting next year, even if eased in on a 3rd pairing alongside Xhekaj, behind Guhle - Carrier and Hutson - Matheson.

Most are pretty sure that the Habs will move on from Matheson by the trade deadline next season, so the hope would be that Reinbacher could move up the depth chart by the and play alongside Hutson by then. Mailloux, if he is to be ready to play full time in the NHL should take over on the third pairing alongside Xhekaj at that point, with another 2/3 of a season in the AHL behind him.

Reinbacher is the key in the short term, but Hughes will need to find an NHL calibre, top-4 RHD for the longer haul. Carrier is fine as a stop gap, as demonstrated this year while playing with Guhle, but he will be better as a depth D with a better RHD playing with Guhle if the team is to become a contender.
 
26Mats said:
He also said last summer he didnt want to sign a vet RD to block a young guy.

I still think getting assets to try to get a top pair RD and a top 6c would make sense. Those really our only two needs. Could also sign Matthew Olivier if he hits the open market.

It will be interesting to see if HuGo bring back Evans, Armia, and/or David Savard on a one year deal. I think they would like to bring back Evan's, but he's priced himself out.
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Those really our only two needs.

I don't believe the Habs are only two players away from the end of the rebuild.

The two glaring needs, maybe, but not the only two needs.

Now, I'm not saying that other needs won't perhaps be filled from within, but the lineup of forwards needs to be completed beyond Suzuki (1C), Caufield (top-6 winger), Slafkovsky (top-6 winger) Demidov (top-6 winger TBC), Newhook (bottom-6 C/winger), Heineman (bottom-6 winger) and Beck (bottom-6 C TBC).

That's only 7 forwards out of 12 regulars and one 13th forward.

I don't think that the 13th forward is a concern because we have a plethora of choices that could adequately fill that spot in the lineup, or we could easily sign an UFA to play that role.

Dach is the enigma, because it's hard to think the has will play him in a bottom-6 role rather than move on from him if he doesn't find a role in the top-6 at C or on the wing. I believe that he could well have greater odds of finding a spot in the top-6 on the wing than of Laine being re-signed by the Habs in that capacity, which is why I didn't consider the Finnish forward.

That's still only 8 forwards out of 12 and the remaining hole at 2C that desperately needs to be filled.

Anderson and Gallagher are there for two more years on the bottom-6, but they need to be replaced when the team looks to start not only making the playoffs, but going deep in the postseason. I'm not sure if resigning Anderson at a more reasonable Cap hit for two or three years as a role player wouldn't be a good idea when his current contract is up? The experience, speed and size for a checking line wouldn't hurt? Plus, Anderson seems to have accepted and bought into a new role as a forechecker and a contributor on the PK that can bring complementary offense with between 10 and 20 goals and around 25-30 points.

In the short term, we are up to 10 forwards with these two veterans, but we need to plan to have mature replacements ready to make an impact in the bottom-6, bringing energy and defensive awareness to the table shortly and offering an opportunity for secondary/complementary offense.

There are still two holes to fill, maybe three, if Dach doesn't pan out in the top-6.

So, still short a long term bottom-6 C and another bottom-6 winger, plus maybe a top-6 winger, plus two bottom six wingers within two more years.

On D, we need one RHD, if Reinbacher pans out. That's the good news.

So, still a lot of ^plauers missing from an eventual contender -- AND that's if all the prospects mentioned above pan out (Demidov, Reinbacher, Beck)!

Hopefully, we get some of these roster spots filled at a high level from within the system (Kapanen, Hage, 2025 pick, F. Xhekaj, Thorpe, Tuch, Mailloux, etc.), but that remains to be seen?
 
Scriptor said:
Those really our only two needs.

I don't believe the Habs are only two players away from the end of the rebuild.

The two glaring needs, maybe, but not the only two needs.

Now, I'm not saying that other needs won't perhaps be filled from within, but the lineup of forwards needs to be completed beyond Suzuki (1C), Caufield (top-6 winger), Slafkovsky (top-6 winger) Demidov (top-6 winger TBC), Newhook (bottom-6 C/winger), Heineman (bottom-6 winger) and Beck (bottom-6 C TBC).

That's only 7 forwards out of 12 regulars and one 13th forward.

I don't think that the 13th forward is a concern because we have a plethora of choices that could adequately fill that spot in the lineup, or we could easily sign an UFA to play that role.

Dach is the enigma, because it's hard to think the has will play him in a bottom-6 role rather than move on from him if he doesn't find a role in the top-6 at C or on the wing. I believe that he could well have greater odds of finding a spot in the top-6 on the wing than of Laine being re-signed by the Habs in that capacity, which is why I didn't consider the Finnish forward.

That's still only 8 forwards out of 12 and the remaining hole at 2C that desperately needs to be filled.

Anderson and Gallagher are there for two more years on the bottom-6, but they need to be replaced when the team looks to start not only making the playoffs, but going deep in the postseason. I'm not sure if resigning Anderson at a more reasonable Cap hit for two or three years as a role player wouldn't be a good idea when his current contract is up? The experience, speed and size for a checking line wouldn't hurt? Plus, Anderson seems to have accepted and bought into a new role as a forechecker and a contributor on the PK that can bring complementary offense with between 10 and 20 goals and around 25-30 points.

In the short term, we are up to 10 forwards with these two veterans, but we need to plan to have mature replacements ready to make an impact in the bottom-6, bringing energy and defensive awareness to the table shortly and offering an opportunity for secondary/complementary offense.

There are still two holes to fill, maybe three, if Dach doesn't pan out in the top-6.

So, still short a long term bottom-6 C and another bottom-6 winger, plus maybe a top-6 winger, plus two bottom six wingers within two more years.

On D, we need one RHD, if Reinbacher pans out. That's the good news.

So, still a lot of ^plauers missing from an eventual contender -- AND that's if all the prospects mentioned above pan out (Demidov, Reinbacher, Beck)!

Hopefully, we get some of these roster spots filled at a high level from within the system (Kapanen, Hage, 2025 pick, F. Xhekaj, Thorpe, Tuch, Mailloux, etc.), but that remains to be seen?
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Yes there are question Mark's. But there are a lot of young candidates in the system to fill the question marks. And two of the major question Mark's are Laine and Dach. I'm really hoping we see them healthy next year, and playing with Demidov, with Newhook moving into a bottom six role. Or, if HGo get a 2c this summer to play with Laine and Demidov, would be sick to see a 3rd line of Anderson - Dach - Newhook.

At this point I suppose HuGo are looking for upgrades at every position they can find one. But where else do you see an area of need aside from a 2c, a top pair RD, and perhaps an upgrade on Laine in the following present and future depth chart:

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach/Hage - Demidov
Newhook - Dach/Hage - Anderson/Kapanen
Heineman - Evans/Beck - Armia/Gallagher/Roy
/Xhekaj/Tuch/Mesar

Hutson - Matheson/Reinbacher
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Savard/Mailloux
Engstrom, Bogdan

Monty/Fowler
Dobes/Russian prospect
Primeau/Miller
 
Demidov, Beck and Kappy likely to start with the big club.

Reinbacher starts if we don't acquire a RD. We have no other options.

Mailloux will be up and down and we may trade him at some point.

Finally, after the NCAA season Hage arrives in Spring of 2026 for the playoffs.

Cole - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Heinemen - Newhook - Kapanen
Anderson - Beck - Gally

Guhle - Matheson
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Carrier
Mailloux

Insert Hage anywhere an injury occurs. He could hit 2nd line for Dach right out of Michigan if needed.

At the end of the season we will have some decisions to make with Dach and Laine. Laine will not be worth more than 7 million for what he has been bringing. Dach is worth max 4.5 mil. He probably wants a short deal to get him to UFA.

2026/27

Cole - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Hage - Demidov
Newhook - Dach - Kapanen
Heinemen - Beck - Anderson
Gally

Guhle - Nemec
Hutson - Rein
Xhekaj - Mailloux
 
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