Let's get one thing straight. The Habs were NEVER going to pick Michkov. There were rumours coming out of Russia several months before the draft about this and most everyone chose to ignore them.
I like most, was disappointed that they did not pick Michkov, but I was expecting it totally. I would say that I was more disappointed that they did not chose Leonard.
Now back to the point of this thread...
I find that there are many similarities to this year's Habs and last season Sens.
Sens: Pierre Dorion states that the rebuild is over, and it is time to compete. The Sens ended up greatly disappointing their fans.
Habs: HuGo state that they expect to "be in the mix" this year. While this statement is not as egregious as Dorion's, both statements have raised expectations to levels that are probably unreachable. What is ironically funny, is that they might 'be in the mix' for another top 5 pick instead.
I never agreed with HuGo's statement, as this team still lacks true elite talent, as well as having insufficient depth to withstand injuries to important players, with their season going down the drain.
Let's remember that this team has not drafted a single 40 goal scorer or a PPG player since 2003. I didn't bother going back further. The team is also handicapped due to the fact that it is about equal to Winnipeg as a desirable destination for UFAs.
They need Demidov to at least reach his potential, and at least one or two more prospects to truly be home runs before we can even hope to truly compete.
This is still only year 3 of the rebuild after all. (Martone will be a wonderful add
)