Way to premature to grade, what have they accomplished? they tanked poorly affecting their drafting power and chose questionable players and passed on others, outcome TBD. So far hey have replenished some stock. They handed out some lucrative contracts that have to work out. At some point, they have to try to ice a competitive roster which they have not attempted yet. Once they start to try to make the playoffs, can evaluate more accurately. They still have players deemed by this portion of the fan base players that are undesirable and should have been moved. Other teams are able to do so yet Montreal has not done so.
Two ways to grade this. Actions vs results. Too early to grade the results? Okay.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t look at the moves and work that’s gone into this rebuild. Our GM has traded vets for picks and prospects, weaponized cap space for more picks, drafted top five or better in three consecutive drafts (nonsense to say they ‘tanked poorly’) and assembled a highly ranked group of young prospects. He’s done everything a rebuilding GM should do.
If we’re going to grade him, it should be based on what we know now - today. It’s absolutely correct to say that we won’t know if this team will have long term success. But right now we have several young players with tremendous upside. And it’s not homerism to say this. We have three or four potential superstars in the lineup/prospect pool. It’s one of the best young pools in the league.
Cc had his career saved by MSL. Broke records in the minors and started off with 48 goals in 82 under MSL. Shoulder injury got in the way but there’s huge potential there.
Slafkovsky has done nothing but improve at a crazy rate. First overall pick and he looks like one.
Hutson broke the NCAA scoring record for blueliners. We got him in a trade and took him in the 2nd round.
Demidov is one of the highest rated prospects outside the NHL.
And there are tons of other great prospects/players we could talk about. Suzuki had a terrific second half and is a solid two way center. Roy won a scoring title in the minors and got off to a great start in the AHL. The D looks packed with good young players from Guhle to RB to Mailloux….
It may be too soon to judge the long term results but it’s not too soon to judge what Hugo have done. They’ve taken a page of of Sam Pollock’s book and used every resource to improve the club. We don’t have to wait to be able to see that. He’s done everything I was hoping a rebuilding GM would do and I’ve said this for eons. Look at the Laine deal. Some posters here wanted us to give up real assets to get him. Instead we got paid a second. That’s how you run a team.
To me he’s a no brainer A+.