HF Habs: The official 2023-2024 tank thread

[vokiel]

Assuming the team craters the rest of the way, where do they need to pick so as to land Lindstrom? Or, will they need a lottery win, regardless?

I don't believe selecting him #2 OA is a reach, so if they finish #2 I expect us to draft him. Silayev has skating issues, Levshunov's reaction timing is 4 to 5 seconds. They might prefer Eiserman I don't know.

Catton is very fun to watch as well, except I'm not sure he knows there is a place called the gym.

Oh and Demidov I find.. slow on his skates as well. Comparing him to Lindstrom is like comparing a sail boat to a train.

 

[Nicko999]

Lindstrom scares me. Already hit with the injury bug and you just know it's gonna be the same with the Habs. His style might potentially make him injury prone. We don't need Kirby Dach 2.0.

Catton or Demidov, I would be fine with if we don't win the lottery.

 

[Runner77]

I don't believe selecting him #2 OA is a reach, so if they finish #2 I expect us to draft him. Silayev has skating issues, Levshunov's reaction timing is 4 to 5 seconds. They might prefer Eiserman I don't know.

Catton is very fun to watch as well, except I'm not sure he knows there is a place called the gym.

Oh and Demidov I find.. slow on his skates as well. Comparing him to Lindstrom is like comparing a sail boat to a train.

Thanks for that.

How do last year’s top 4 drafted centers compare to those forwards you mentioned?

Seems like whenever the Habs are projected to draft top 5 or so, players who are slated to go early seem to have more warts than other years.

 

[The Great Weal]

Most personality I've seen from Armia since he's been a Hab

Probably Pearson.

I'm hoping it's Savard. I don't see why a team would trade for Pearson at 50% and we need warm bodies anyways.

 

[vokiel]

Thanks for that.

How do last year’s top 4 drafted centers compare to those forwards you mentioned?

Seems like whenever the Habs are projected to draft top 5 or so, players who are slated to go early seem to have more warts than other years.

I'd take anyone from last draft's top 10 far before the ones in this draft class, aside from Celibrini of course.

 

[The Great Weal]

I'd take anyone from last draft's top 10 far before the ones in this draft class, aside from Celibrini of course.

Well that's a very bold take, I definitely wouldn't. Hell I'm taking Lindstrom over Will Smith with ease.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Most personality I've seen from Armia since he's been a Hab


I'm hoping it's Savard. I don't see why a team would trade for Pearson at 50% and we need warm bodies anyways.

Didn't realize Pearson was making so much. Would need a cap dump of close to his salary to move him. Can probably get something better for the cap retention spot by facilitating a trade of other teams.

 

[First Line]

Didn't realize Pearson was making so much. Would need a cap dump of close to his salary to move him. Can probably get something better for the cap retention spot by facilitating a trade of other teams.

Pearson was already the cap dump, don’t think we can pull a Monahan with him unless we sign him for cheap for one more year

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Pearson was already the cap dump, don’t think we can pull a Monahan with him unless we sign him for cheap for one more year

Agreed. If he was making under a million might move him for a late pick but not likely at his cap hit.

 

[Gravity]

Celebrini or break. We need a franchise C to cap off the tanking phase of the rebuild.

 

[WinterLion]

Trading Allen will help. If we trade Savard... it will be momentous.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

It's very optimistic to see that the Habs are top 5 in hardest remaining schedule while Ottawa, Minnesota, Anaheim, Chicago, and San Jose are all bottom 10 and Columbus being the 13th easiest. They're definitely not catching Chicago but by the end of February is very possible that they're last in the east and 4th in lottery odds

 

[HuGort]

I think this is last draft we need to be league doormats. We've had 3 top 5 picks to build around. Including a first overall.

In top of that Bergevin was smart enough not to mortgage Montreal future for his cup run. He left the team all its top picks along with a rich farm system. Including the likes of Guhle, Wifi, Roy, Mailloux to aid the rebuild. Also left quality veterans to trade for future firsts in Toffoli, Chiarot, Romanov, Lekhonen. Plus a few more Hughes chose to keep in Savard, Allen, Anderson, etc... The Habs were 10 million under the cap majority of this season. We can add a high priced player.

We don't need to play minor league caliber hockey no more. These next 33 games are going to be disgusting bad. But it stops April 12th. Next fall camp going to be new atmosphere around the team.

 

[Sorinth]

I think this is last draft we need to be league doormats. We've had 3 top 5 picks to build around. Including a first overall.

In top of that Bergevin was smart enough not to mortgage Montreal future for his cup run. He left the team all its top picks along with a rich farm system. Including the likes of Guhle, Wifi, Roy, Mailloux to aid the rebuild. Also left quality veterans to trade for future firsts in Toffoli, Chiarot, Romanov, Lekhonen. Plus a few more Hughes chose to keep in Savard, Allen, Anderson, etc... The Habs were 10 million under the cap majority of this season. We can add a high priced player.

We don't need to play minor league caliber hockey no more. These next 33 games are going to be disgusting bad. But it stops April 12th. Next fall camp going to be new atmosphere around the team.

I do agree that this is probably the last year where we go into the season expecting to be bad. Though I would point out it's only 2 top-5 picks, this year's pick is far from guaranteed to be top-5, not only is there a good chance we don't drop to 5th (Other teams will be selling too) but even if that happens there's a near 60% chance that a team jumps us with the lottery.

I'll also note there's a 50/50 chance that Reinbacher spends most of next season in the AHL and even higher chance that whoever we draft this year doesn't make the team and spends the year in the CHL/NCAA/Europe. So even though we will be entering year 3/4 of the rebuild, we are probably sitting with only one of those picks actually in the NHL making the team better which is normal and is one of the reasons why the usual time frame for a rebuild is given as 5 years. We maybe cut that timeframe down due to some unexpected development growth from guys like Guhle/Xhekaj and trades like the one for Dach, but as we see with Ottawa, Buffallo, and others, getting out of the basement is harder then it looks.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I think this is last draft we need to be league doormats. We've had 3 top 5 picks to build around. Including a first overall.

In top of that Bergevin was smart enough not to mortgage Montreal future for his cup run. He left the team all its top picks along with a rich farm system. Including the likes of Guhle, Wifi, Roy, Mailloux to aid the rebuild. Also left quality veterans to trade for future firsts in Toffoli, Chiarot, Romanov, Lekhonen. Plus a few more Hughes chose to keep in Savard, Allen, Anderson, etc... The Habs were 10 million under the cap majority of this season. We can add a high priced player.

We don't need to play minor league caliber hockey no more. These next 33 games are going to be disgusting bad. But it stops April 12th. Next fall camp going to be new atmosphere around the team.

We still have another year. Majority of Bergevin's vet contracts will be done summer of 2025 allowing us to trade them next TD, or allow them to walk away via UFA. We'll be left with Anderson,
& Gallagher. We might even be able to trade Price, as the cap minimum goes up Arizona and Chicago in particular will need LTIRs to help reach the floor.

We will be able to buy out Gallagher in 2025 too potentially leaving only Anderson.

Summer of 2025 is when we'll finally see a new team. Hopefully one with Guhle, Hutson, Reinbacher, Mailloux, Xhekaj on D. Suzuki, Dach, Slafkovsky, Caufield, Newhook, Roy & Beck upfront. And, whoever else they're able to bring in via draft, trades & signings.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Celebrini or break. We need a franchise C to cap off the tanking phase of the rebuild.

We’re going to have to settle for less then Celebrini unless we really win the lottery. We waited too long to start falling apart last year and we waited even longer this year.

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's very optimistic to see that the Habs are top 5 in hardest remaining schedule while Ottawa, Minnesota, Anaheim, Chicago, and San Jose are all bottom 10 and Columbus being the 13th easiest. They're definitely not catching Chicago but by the end of February is very possible that they're last in the east and 4th in lottery odds

The center depth is atrocious. Sad Newhook is coming back right away, would have been nice to go on a two week tailspin

 

[HuGort]

We still have another year. Majority of Bergevin's vet contracts will be done summer of 2025 allowing us to trade them next TD, or allow them to walk away via UFA. We'll be left with Anderson,
& Gallagher. We might even be able to trade Price, as the cap minimum goes up Arizona and Chicago in particular will need LTIRs to help reach the floor.

We will be able to buy out Gallagher in 2025 too potentially leaving only Anderson.

Summer of 2025 is when we'll finally see a new team. Hopefully one with Guhle, Hutson, Reinbacher, Mailloux, Xhekaj on D. Suzuki, Dach, Slafkovsky, Caufield, Newhook, Roy & Beck upfront. And, whoever else they're able to bring in via draft, trades & signings.

We got caproom. That's just a crutch Hughes using. Around 10 million. We can afford a star.
Playing shit hockey with minor leagues instead.

CUpboard wasn't bare when Hughes took over. He was left with a #1 center, top sniper, starting goalie, #1 dman.

If we don't plan to make playoffs next season Just pissing away another year of Suzuki, Caufield prime.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This is our last year of picking in the top 7.. next year we will have more of that 8-13 range, which is fine, because the precious Benson was drafted in that range and next year looks deep in forward talent.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

NHL hockey is back. NYI vs Toronto. NYI is only 4 pts up on Montreal, so we need them to get points in that game.

Islanders are getting Pelech & Pulock back soon, so that should give them a big boost.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

This is our last year of picking in the top 7.. next year we will have more of that 8-13 range, which is fine, because the precious Benson was drafted in that range and next year looks deep in forward talent.

Yeah, I'm more impressed with next year's forward class over this year's outside of Celebrini.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

We got caproom. That's just a crutch Hughes using. Around 10 million. We can afford a star.
Playing shit hockey with minor leagues instead.

CUpboard wasn't bare when Hughes took over. He was left with a #1 center, top sniper, starting goalie, #1 dman.

If we don't plan to make playoffs next season Just pissing away another year of Suzuki, Caufield prime.

We are very likely competing for a playoff spot this year if Dach doesn't get injured. He really needs to stay healthy for Montreal to take a step forward.

Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Dach, Newhook is a decent start. Hopefully one of Roy or Beck can make the team. I don't expect our 2024 1st round pick to make our lineup unless we somehow draft Celebrini.

It's going to depend on the growth of the kids because the 2024 UFA season pretty much sucks. We could bring back Monahan.

 

[HabsForHire]

The center depth is atrocious. Sad Newhook is coming back right away, would have been nice to go on a two week tailspin

I dont think newhook coming back is really going to make a difference.

 

[schwang26]

We got caproom. That's just a crutch Hughes using. Around 10 million. We can afford a star.
Playing shit hockey with minor leagues instead.

CUpboard wasn't bare when Hughes took over. He was left with a #1 center, top sniper, starting goalie, #1 dman.

If we don't plan to make playoffs next season Just pissing away another year of Suzuki, Caufield prime.

Doesn’t Price’s LTIR only count for part of the year though? They can only take advantage of that during the season. In the off season, that goes back on the books, so they’d have to clear whatever they used or be over the cap potentially.
As for number 1 centre, I see Suzuki as a Koivu type. He might be a true 2nd line centre just forced into the defacto number 1 role. Is a PPG player really a number 1 centre? Not sure.
Who’s this number 1 D man and starting goalie you mention? Weber? The guy who was at the tail end of his career because his body fell apart? Monty? Who definitely had not established himself when the Habs got him. I think you’re way over valuing what Hughes inherited. Yes, some good young players, but definitely not contending pieces.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

I dont think newhook coming back is really going to make a difference.

Especially with Evans as his C and playing with Anderson who doesn't use his teammates