The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[Kobe Armstrong]

Gorton wanted to make sure, but of course he was on the table for every team, but when you are picking top 7 and the prospect you are thinking about selecting is giving you the run around, and has the power to stay in Russia and leverage that into what they want, that does enter the equation.

What we do know is that Friedman confirmed that Michkov and his agent played the process to get to Philly as best they could.

We know that Michkov was seen as potentially the best talent in the draft outside of Bedard, yet he went all the way to Philly at 7.

We can reasonably give the edge to Carlsson and Fantilli as centers with size over Michkov. But then San Jose took Smith over Michkov. Montreal took Reinbacher. Arizona took Simashev.

We know Philly wanted 5 to get Reinbacher, so clearly felt they could get Michkov at 7 or that they valued Reinbacher higher.

We know Nashville tried to get up to 5 to take Reinbacher.

We know the noise entering the draft were teams trying to get 5 to take Reinbacher and not move up to get Michkov.

Michkov met with Philly twice, including a secretive meeting with the top parts of the organization there and he didn't do that with any other team.

The math maths here and Michkov got what he wanted. If you are to bash the Habs for making that decision, you have to also apply that same logic to the San Jose Sharks. Let's be real, in no universe, one for one, without anything else going on, that a team would take Smith over Michkov, right?

More likely the Habs purged every Russian off their team in 2022-23 and took a moral stance against drafting Russians 2022 (which you frequently repeated yourself as fact).

That probably didn't make Michkov feel very comfortable about the Habs, and I'm sure our weirdo draft interviewer didn't help either.

 

[Habs]

I think the Habs knew they wanted both a two-way big RD and a potential superstar winger and thought that at 5OA it's harder to draft the two-way big RD vs the potential superstar winger so they went with Reinbacher.

And they were right in the sense that the best 2-way RD in 2024 went 2nd overall where as Demidov fell to us.

Not defending the pick (I also would've preferred Michkov and Demidov), but I understand the logic behind it.

We lucked out with Demidov, I still don't know why the Ducks took Sennecke but he could be a stud as well.

 

[OldCraig71]

We need some creativity in the lineup. The oohs and aaws over Hutson prove how starved we have been to see a player that doesn't live off dump and chase and grine deez guys.

 

[OldCraig71]

We lucked out with Demidov, I still don't know why the Ducks took Sennecke but he could be a stud as well.

It is the order of things, we were destined to take him. The Oilers will be the Canadian team that breaks the curse and we will be next.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

We lucked out with Demidov, I still don't know why the Ducks took Sennecke but he could be a stud as well.

We did. Demidov is a great pick and I don’t think they expected him to be available. But there was Lindstrom, Eiserman and a whole whack of others who where.

When the 23 draft happened, I wanted Michkov. But that’s from the perspective of a fan. We’ve been starved for offense for so long and here was this flashy player that might finally be the guy.

But Hugo’s looking at big picture. They also have an idea of what the next draft looks like… they’re planning ahead. If say, 24 was a defense heavy draft maybe they do take Michkov… They’re building the best team and looking at position scarcity.

It could turn out to be a huge mistake or maybe not… but it’s going to take years before we know this.

There’s also the other caveat: I don’t scout the minor leagues. Me wanting Michkov is meaningless. I simply liked the player profile. They know more about these guys - how they play, their personalities… it all factors in. Nobody came to Bo Callahan’s birthday party and that was enough for Kevin Costner to stay away. It’s more than just on ice that they look at.

 

[Habs]

There’s also the other caveat: I don’t scout the minor leagues. Me wanting Michkov is meaningless. I simply liked the player profile. They know more about these guys - how they play, their personalities… it all factors in. Nobody came to Bo Callahan’s birthday party and that was enough for Kevin Costner to stay away. It’s more than just on ice that they look at.

Did you really throw in a Draft Day reference? Ok now you cracked me up you bastard.

 

[Tabarouette]