The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[barbu]

He's done a great job with getting value out of the few decent veterans left over from the Bergevin era. He also used the extra cap space pretty well. I still see big question marks around drafting and development. We've had some bad luck with the timing of year and draft order. I see us needing to improve on every line and D pairings to be competitive.

I'd give him an A based on what is clearly under his control but based on results it's a B-. I really like how he's handled things but we're 3 years into the rebuild and no clear way out of it.

 

[Wats]

What he does with the old regime anchors that are Gallagher and Anderson will ultimately decide for me if it's a A or B going into 24/25.

 

[HabzSauce]

We are in amazing hands thank God. Not much external we have to do this season. We have a fantastic culture we just need health really which we will get im sure the hockey gods didn't give us Demigod for no reason. Habs karma turning around lol we paid our dues.

Imagine healthy Dach and newhook in top 6. Sprinkle some Roy in there too. Caufield with a better shot. Slaf taking it to another level. And Suzuki only gonna benefit with his upgraded linemates whatever the lines.

Then on the back row all three of Huston, reinbacher and Mailloux will get some play time throughout the year. Xhekaj and Guhle improving too.

Gonna be a fun year just sick back and enjoy the show. Most deadweight will be gone. Lots of rookies banging on the door in beck, kappanen, Xhekaj, etc. So much internal competition with lots of cap space to boot. Unreal situation we are in.

This is just the calm before the demistorm. 2024-2025 will be bonkers.

 

[HabzSauce]

I’d wait for the summer to end, I’m not certain he’s done all his moves yet.

Next step might be a top 6. I have a hard time imagining the team as it is, unless « that’s » the next step which would mean lottery pick.

I think this team is too good as is to be a bottom feeder if healthy. I see us fighting for a WC.

 

[Gustave]

I think this team is too good as is to be a bottom feeder if healthy. I see us fighting for a WC.

I hope so, it would mean a lot of internal progression which is a great thing. And healthy too.

 

[JianYang]

When you have the backing of ownership to see a complete rebuild through, I think acquiring draft capital and filling the prospect cabinet is the easy part.

The part that will define Hugo's work is when it's time to develop that talent into nhl players, and then supplementing that talent to get them into consistent contendership.

So I'm going to wait before I give a grade, but they are on the right track so far.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

Gainey and Bergevin could make a dog f***ing a football look competent but I gotta say I have a high amount of confidence in Hughes, I feel like the guy could win every trade he makes.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Here’s what he’s added in three years:

Slaf Dach Demidov
Newhook Hage Mesar
Beck
Xejac

Hutson RB
Matheson Engstrom

Fowler

Some of these players were traded for either as prospects or picks. He gets full credit for Hutson, Dach, Hage, Newhook and Matheson.

Slafkovski is another one he should be praised for. That was no easy task. The safe pick would’ve been Wright but we went the other way. Full marks (so far) on that move.

Plus we’ve got more extra picks next year. An absolutely stacked roster of great prospects.

We can also credit him for MSL who clearly helped with players like CC and Dach.

All of this was a planned rebuild. Vets for picks. Trading for and away Monahan for example. He could’ve done some quick fixes it but stayed on track. Exactly what so many of us have argued for forever. Finally, a GM who can pick a direction.

How does he not get an ‘A’?

 

[Whalers Fan]

What he does with the old regime anchors that are Gallagher and Anderson will ultimately decide for me if it's a A or B going into 24/25.

If Hughes can get rid of either of those two this offseason, then an "A" isn't even a high enough grade. Those contracts are unmovable right now without adding assets, which the Habs should not do.

 

[Habs10Habs]

I went with a B(+). It will be an easy A (+) though, if our youngins keep progressing.

 

[Egresch]

I went with B. I really like the steps we are making and young core, but purpose of the rebuild is to become true contender and we are not there. But we are coming...

 

[Essenege]

Trade Savard/Dvo before the deadline. Maybe Matheson depending on Hutson’s play. Try the remainder of the season and the beginning of next season with the young guys to give them a chance.

If needed, use the acquired assets and more during 2025 summer to get good vets but at position of need (maybe it will be a top 6 winger, top 4 D, bottom 6 F…depending who is performing or not).

If the young core is performing, just hold the picks and add more talent to keep the wheel spinning for longer!! If we want to be good for a long time, we need to draft because FA’s don’t come our way.

 

[schwang26]

Get a bottom 3-5 gem forward in this year's draft, and we are set. If we do suck, then fail hard for McKenna in 2026. You just wait, the Pens or Caps will 100% suck just for McKenna

I think there would have to be a number of convenient “injuries” for that to happen. Besides, according to Bettman, teams don’t tank!

 

[B1g B1rd]

It's an A for me just for having a plan and execute it with patience. There's been so so moves (Lehkonen, Allen's contract and maybe, the inhability to get rid of Anderson...) but all in all, it's refreshing to have a team of managers that know how to build a team.

Next step would be another top 6 winger and a true 4th line.

 

[Lshap]

Here’s what he’s added in three years:

Slaf Dach Demidov
Newhook Hage Mesar
Beck
Xejac

Hutson RB
Matheson Engstrom

Fowler

Some of these players were traded for either as prospects or picks. He gets full credit for Hutson, Dach, Hage, Newhook and Matheson.

Slafkovski is another one he should be praised for. That was no easy task. The safe pick would’ve been Wright but we went the other way. Full marks (so far) on that move.

Plus we’ve got more extra picks next year. An absolutely stacked roster of great prospects.

We can also credit him for MSL who clearly helped with players like CC and Dach.

All of this was a planned rebuild. Vets for picks. Trading for and away Monahan for example. He could’ve done some quick fixes it but stayed on track. Exactly what so many of us have argued for forever. Finally, a GM who can pick a direction.

How does he not get an ‘A’?

This is how I see it, too. Hughes has the balls to make decisions that aren't obvious and are clearly part of a greater plan. Acquiring extra 1st-round picks, leveraging others in trades, establishing a standard for salaries, going off-map for coaching – these are things we haven't seen in ages. We finally have a management team that's playing chess, rather than throwing darts. For me, that's a clear "A". I'll reserve the right to upgrade him to "A+" if our 1st-round picks reach their ceilings.

When you have the backing of ownership to see a complete rebuild through, I think acquiring draft capital and filling the prospect cabinet is the easy part.

The part that will define Hugo's work is when it's time to develop that talent into nhl players, and then supplementing that talent to get them into consistent contendership.

So I'm going to wait before I give a grade, but they are on the right track so far.

Yeah, I've been thinking about the same thing. Our current management has proven itself to be sharp sellers. Will they be as aggressive and effective as buyers? Will Hughes be able to coax a top UFA to sign here? Are fans prepared to trade away a 1st round pick and/or a good roster player in order to add a crucial missing piece?

Bergevin was terrified of taking risks, which is why he presided over a bunch of unfinished, under-talented rosters. Hughes isn't afraid of swinging for the fences, but not all his homerun swings will connect. I hope we cut him some slack if he strikes out once in awhile.

 

[HabsCode]

Here’s what he’s added in three years:

Slaf Dach Demidov
Newhook Hage Mesar
Beck
Xejac

Hutson RB
Matheson Engstrom

Fowler

Some of these players were traded for either as prospects or picks. He gets full credit for Hutson, Dach, Hage, Newhook and Matheson.

Slafkovski is another one he should be praised for. That was no easy task. The safe pick would’ve been Wright but we went the other way. Full marks (so far) on that move.

Plus we’ve got more extra picks next year. An absolutely stacked roster of great prospects.

We can also credit him for MSL who clearly helped with players like CC and Dach.

All of this was a planned rebuild. Vets for picks. Trading for and away Monahan for example. He could’ve done some quick fixes it but stayed on track. Exactly what so many of us have argued for forever. Finally, a GM who can pick a direction.

How does he not get an ‘A’?

Where is Justin Barron at?

 

[Andy]

This is how I see it, too. Hughes has the balls to make decisions that aren't obvious and are clearly part of a greater plan. Acquiring extra 1st-round picks, leveraging others in trades, establishing a standard for salaries, going off-map for coaching – these are things we haven't seen in ages. We finally have a management team that's playing chess, rather than throwing darts. For me, that's a clear "A". I'll reserve the right to upgrade him to "A+" if our 1st-round picks reach their ceilings.


Yeah, I've been thinking about the same thing. Our current management has proven itself to be sharp sellers. Will they be as aggressive and effective as buyers? Will Hughes be able to coax a top UFA to sign here? Are fans prepared to trade away a 1st round pick and/or a good roster player in order to add a crucial missing piece?

Bergevin was terrified of taking risks, which is why he presided over a bunch of unfinished, under-talented rosters. Hughes isn't afraid of swinging for the fences, but not all his homerun swings will connect. I hope we cut him some slack if he strikes out once in awhile.

Newhook, Dach, Slaf, Monahan. Essentially, the Habs had a top 6 because of decisions Hughes as made. Yes, Dach got hurt, Monahan was temporary, but just think of how bare this team would be offensively if these moves did not occur. It’s actually nuts to think about.

The top 6 would comprise Suzuki and Caufield + scrubs if not for the moves made by current management. Oof.

MB may have left the team rich on the backend, but the forward group was so depressingly bare.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

B+ (lack of top 6 forward this year brings him down from an A). Potentially B to B- depending on how the the team navigates another year full of losses internally. If it gets ugly, that's a big black mark.

 

[yianik]

Where we are is that at forward we have a 1C, and appear to have a 2C. We have 2 wingers who are top 6 if not 1st line. We have drafted who I think was the 2nd OA player in Demidov, another winger. So it looks like we have 5 of the top 6 F spots filled. I think Newhook was obtained to be in the top 6, but we will see. Maybe Anderson comes back. Not sure why we are clamouring for another top 6W when we only have one spot open. If we cant fill it organically then its not such a difficult task to get a UFA later, or maybe trade for one. I think we are in really good shape in our top 6.

Bottom 6 the quality is poor. Dvo and Armia will be gone this year. RHP did not look like an NHL er. I could see Evans moving on after this year if he asks for too much. Then Gallagher, Anderson and Roy. We have lots of guys coming up like Xhekaj, Beck, Heineman and more after that but they are several years away. We likely need placeholders, maybe get some guys with a couple years left in their deals that we can get for middle picks in trade or as UFA.

On the defence we have several mostly defensive inclined guys up with the team. My depth chart for these guys is Guhle, Xhekaj, Struble, Harris and then Barron. We have 2 good vets in Matheson and Savard. I expect Matheson to be here after this season but Savard to be gone by TDL. We have offensive guys in Mailloux , Hutson and hopefully Reinbacher. Engstrom looks pretty solid.

This year and next we should have a good idea on what we have defensively. I see Guhle as a no.2 and we can have Matheson as the no.1 for now and a couple more years if need be, but the hope is out of Mailloux, Hutson and Reinbacher, we have our no.1 and no.3 D for the future. Then surely out of all the rest we have the 4,5,6 and 7 spots covered.

In goal we have seen many good games from them, especially Monty. Consistency is the issue and a starter must be reliably good. Monty certainly improved his game to game results. But this is still up in the air. Lots of goalie prospects and at any time there seem to be some good ones.

So for me the big questions are at defense and net. Defensively who if anyone steps into spots 1 and 3, and the defensive play maturation of the D in general, when guys really cut down on their mistakes and play good defensive games. This will come over the next year or two for several and likely more for others.

Very possible we will have extra guys at certain positions and maybe be able to trade from a position of strength for any missing pieces or to upgrade. So maybe we have 2 or 3 guys that can be number 4D, or we have a couple guys good enough to be 3Cs or even 2Cs ( imagine that ).

And we still have a couple guys who may get us some decent picks ( Savard and Anderson if he gets his game back ). We have extra picks for next year as well.

We have competent management who have rapidly put people in place and resources spent to actually develop our players, whether they are prospects or vets. We needed the tools and now we have them.

And we are good with the Cap.

We have some IFs , but I think we are looking pretty good and its thanks mainly to Hughes and Gorton, but also some props to Molson who now is unseen and just signs the cheques after committing to the rebuild.

 

[Zilo44]

There's really no way of properly evaluating Hughes since MB left a mess behind. Top picks + Hutson look like promising pieces on a contender, he's done a great job recouping future assets for Chiarot/Monahan, turning Petry into Matheson, and MSL seems like the perfect coach for this team at its state. The only real issues for our rebuild are that even though Dach seems like a player, if he's always injured it's still a hole that needs to be addressed, and none of the dmen seem like #1 dmen on a cup contender to me.

Next offseason is when we can actually evaluate him in my opinion.

« Seem like #1 dmen on a cup contende ».

Snake Boisvert, is that you?

 

[Spring in Fialta]

You're right that some of our most important players were drafted under Bergevin. But it was Hughes who established a salary standard and locked them up on team-friendly contracts.

That salary standard is going to get broken at some point, albeit having Suzuki/Caufield/Slafkovsky under 8 for the long-term should already be excellent business no matter. Just that realistically at some point (probably in the near future?) someone on the team will be above 8.

 

[Lshap]

That salary standard is going to get broken at some point, albeit having Suzuki/Caufield/Slafkovsky under 8 for the long-term should already be excellent business no matter. Just that realistically at some point (probably in the near future?) someone on the team will be above 8.

Yeah, as the cap and salaries rise it's inevitable. But thanks to Hughes there's now a culture in place that promotes thinking like a team, even in salary negotiations. Our next wave of stars will get paid fairly, but the hope is they'll be factoring in their teammates as well as themselves.

By implementing this team-focused attitude, Montreal has hopefully Leaf-proofed their salary cap.

 

[DAChampion]

I give an A, but rebuild part 2 will be a harder class than rebuild part A. They will have to decide which assets to keep and which to package for better players.

 

[DAChampion]

Trade Savard/Dvo before the deadline. Maybe Matheson depending on Hutson’s play.

I'll be shocked if both of Savard and Matheson are traded this year.

 

[BLONG7]

Gainey and Bergevin could make a dog f***ing a football look competent but I gotta say I have a high amount of confidence in Hughes, I feel like the guy could win every trade he makes.

That's probably the smallest part, of being a good GM.

Yeah, as the cap and salaries rise it's inevitable. But thanks to Hughes there's now a culture in place that promotes thinking like a team, even in salary negotiations. Our next wave of stars will get paid fairly, but the hope is they'll be factoring in their teammates as well as themselves.

By implementing this team-focused attitude, Montreal has hopefully Leaf-proofed their salary cap.

This..................is bang on. Very well said.