The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[OldCraig71]

I agree with @JoelWarlord posted but I want to add something. While we do have to overcome some issues as a team, Injuries, deadweight, youth etc. The majority of posters want to see the team play with some more attention to detail. It is a given that young players will still struggle but it isn't optimal to have them trying to survive at the NHL level as we are seeing right now.

The organization should be trying to instill good habits in the down years and when these guys hit the 23-25 year old mark they will be able to teach/mentor Hage, Demidov, Beck and others that join the roster. We aren't accomplishing much by having a group of players looking like they are playing pond hockey out there.

We have to be careful not to go the route of some other NHL teams that have been rebuilding for a long time, Buffalo comes to mind. I am disappointed a little because I had expectations of more based on the promise from last year. We showed a higher compete level last season and hopefully it turns around.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I agree with @JoelWarlord posted but I want to add something. While we do have to overcome some issues as a team, Injuries, deadweight, youth etc. The majority of posters want to see the team play with some more attention to detail. It is a given that young players will still struggle but it isn't optimal to have them trying to survive at the NHL level as we are seeing right now.

I definitely understand the frustration with the coaching/defensive zone structure but I mostly just try not to worry about it too much because I don't think it's something that really matters a ton in the long term (as a hardass coach can always teach guys to stick to a system later on). I think they'll be better than this as the season advances too, it wasn't THIS bad last year and it's mostly the same group.

With St. Louis more generally I similarly just treat it as a thing where he's either going to figure it out over the next two seasons or we'll move on. Next year will be 5 years (or I guess 4.5), that's pretty much an NHL coach shelf life. He's been good through this stage of the rebuild, but if he can't take the next step with the x's and o's then I think we'll change coaches toward the end of next season.

 

[Just this once]

I give them a C.
They get a E for the overall plan. It's not a rebuild, more like managing a bad team.
But Hughes gets an A for managing said team. I am really impressed overall except for the Michkov thing.

As far as the team goes, I believe it has a decent first line that can make 90 goals and hopefully can get better defensively.

We need another line of that caliber to be competitive.
Davidov is clearly an elite player, so I give him 40 goals, Laine with good players can probably make 30, so then you need another guy that makes around 20 goals. Could be Dach, Mesar or Hage.
So the team is probably set on the attack front.

They will need a good third line, but that's relatively easy to achieve.

On the defense, I am not sure. Too early to tell. They seem to have something decent, but really not elite material.
So that would be another step to make, improve the defensive corps somehow. But there is time to evaluate. Reinbacher, Hudson, Mailloux and Guhle are pretty good and they might be enough if they develop right.
But one top D would be a good addition if it's possible.

The goalies are terrible, we need two good goalies, or at least one good starter. Montembault is fair enough for a backup. It needs to be done by trade.

The coaching staff is terrible as well. I never said anything about it because the team was just developing and I like St-Louis, but he needs two or three good assistants for the strategic part, and he needs to be able to delegate, or he is a net negative. But I would rather he stays because he gives good vibes it would seem.

So it's not as bad as people seem to believe, the team is close to being competitive, maybe in two years they might make the playoffs and in a few more years win a bit in the playoffs. Let's say, top 8 team, that type of thing I think is reasonable.

I am going with a prediction of 82 points this year, I think they can do it, but if the defense does not get better, they might end up like last year, maybe even worst. It's really bad since the beginning of the pre-season.

I wanted a cup contender, it's why the C is there. Maybe I will upgrade to B if they continue improving.

 

[OldCraig71]

I definitely understand the frustration with the coaching/defensive zone structure but I mostly just try not to worry about it too much because I don't think it's something that really matters a ton in the long term (as a hardass coach can always teach guys to stick to a system later on). I think they'll be better than this as the season advances too, it wasn't THIS bad last year and it's mostly the same group.

With St. Louis more generally I similarly just treat it as a thing where he's either going to figure it out over the next two seasons or we'll move on. Next year will be 5 years (or I guess 4.5), that's pretty much an NHL coach shelf life. He's been good through this stage of the rebuild, but if he can't take the next step with the x's and o's then I think we'll change coaches toward the end of next season.

We had 27 one goal losses last season, not bad for a young team that was near the top of the league in man games lost due to injury. We had the 27th ranked pp which only added 42 goals to our season goal total of 232, the pp was shit and we all sat through the pain of watching it.

The positive was the compete level that allowed us to come back and hang in games 5v5, the young kids gave it their all and I can't forget the importance of Sean Monahan, losing him dealt a big blow to this team and is probably a big reason why we look so bad right now. A good center is a very valuable part of any team let alone one with depth issues.

The team is running a more effective pp to start this season but 5v5 is not showing the promise of last year and I mentioned Monahan because Dach is struggling to fill his shoes but is still young. If there was a way to trade Dvorak with a young defender for a center that might want to be in Montreal(Dvorak clearly doesn't) it might be a shot in the arm and take pressure off Suzuki and provide some leadership to the forward group. I'm rambling but I think that some help at center might be what the team needs the most.

 

[HuGort]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

 

[HabzSauce]

Have there been any previous contenders that rebuilt the way we currently are?

4/6 rookie D

Very young forwards

Rookie coach

Useless vets

Could be wrong but it feels like all the previous successful rebuilds like PIT/CHI/TBL/LAK/etc etc etc all had a good mix of vets/rookies that could bring it. Even early on in their rebuilds.

We've been icing an extremely young team ever since 2022 TDL. And we surrounded them with bums like Hoffman, Dvorak, Anderson, etc. Armia I genuinely appreciate and he's going to be money for any playoff team that gets him. But if he's the best vet we got that's a huge problem especially for a rebuilding team. Gallagher too I appreciate and i think he's good for the kids, but he's also cooked lol

Interesting to think about. I do not see this as your typical rebuild whatsoever.

 

[HabzSauce]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's pressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

Would have been nice. Then trade all the excess assets we have and bolster the D through trade/UFA

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

everyone facepalmed when they picked Reinbacher , we needed offensive talent, went for the nobodyaskedforthis. Even if we add Demidov next season , we still dont have a good top 6. Mind boggling if u ask me.

 

[River Meadow]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

Habs were trying to be the smartest guy in the room,

Michkov's talent was very well documented for years up to the draft, he was legitimately neck to neck with Bedard and outshined him in some tourneys they played together.

Reinbacher better be good.....

 

[HabzSauce]

Habs were trying to be the smartest guy in the room,

Michkov's talent was very well documented for years up to the draft, he was legitimately neck to neck with Bedard and outshined him in some tourneys they played together.

Reinbacher better be good.....

You can say Habs made that pick in good faith but that doesn't mean it was the right one.

I agree lol he better be damn good, he has lots to prove and makeup for. Time will tell but So far it is looking like big mistake. Michkov is in the NHL and looking good, meanwhile Reinbacher had a crap D+1 year and now he's injured for almost entire D+2.

 

[River Meadow]

You can say Habs made that pick in good faith but that doesn't mean it was the right one.

I agree lol he better be damn good, he has lots to prove and makeup for. Time will tell but So far it is looking like big mistake. Michkov is in the NHL and looking good, meanwhile Reinbacher had a crap D+1 year and now he's injured for almost entire D+2.

At this point, no one can say it was the right pick, with a straight face.

Michkov is 19yrs old and he looks like a veteran out there in terms of assertiveness and compete, while oozing skill.

 

[Miller Time]

Habs were trying to be the smartest guy in the room,

Ditto Arizona...

& let's not pretend Smith is off to a good start to his pro career.

Or perhaps the Habs, Yotes and Sharks simply felt the players they targeted offered a better risk reward proposition.

Either way, far too early to say anything other than Michkov is off to a great point production start on a very bad team... On pace for 82 points in a rookie season is fantastic... Though on pace for 11es points & a -102, not so much

 

[Tyson]

You can say Habs made that pick in good faith but that doesn't mean it was the right one.

I agree lol he better be damn good, he has lots to prove and makeup for. Time will tell but So far it is looking like big mistake. Michkov is in the NHL and looking good, meanwhile Reinbacher had a crap D+1 year and now he's injured for almost entire D+2.

I won't crap on Reinbacher to make my point but it was known that Michkov's talent level was every bit as good as Bedard's. I saw it at the WJC a few years ago. I hope Reinbacher develops into a great RD for the Habs to help off set the sting down the road

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The Devils are another club that was shit for 10 years. Not interested. I'm already losing interest in this one and we're nearing 10 at this point.

Rebuilds suck. It takes time and it’s painful along the way.

You know what’s worse though? A rebuild that’s aborted midway through.

Believe it or not, the hard part’s over. We were a crap team with no prospects and now we’re a crap team with a bright future. The idea that we should suddenly’go for it’ and trade away the prospects we’ve assembled is grossly misplaced.

This is what rebuilding looks like. It’s not an insta win card that just pops when you draft a great prospect. It takes time and patience. You had to know there would be valleys along the way.

We knew our D would be green and it would be tough. We didn’t know Dach would be this bad or that we’d lose Laine and RB so quickly. Painful for sure.

But… Hutson looks great. Cc looks like he’s regained his shot, Montie has mostly been great, prospects are progressing. It’s not all bad.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

Look at what our D looks like right now. It’s brutal. We need a guy who can eat up minutes and act as a steady presence. That’s what RB’s supposed to be.

Super sucks that he’s hurt. Maybe he doesn’t pan out or injuries wreck his career or whatever… but it’s understandable why they took him.

And yeah, Michkov, Demidov would be fun… but add them to what we have and it’d be a pretty soft top six. They’re looking at the mix of the team.

 

[Tyson]

Look at what our D looks like right now. It’s brutal. We need a guy who can eat up minutes and act as a steady presence. That’s what RB’s supposed to be.

Super sucks that he’s hurt. Maybe he doesn’t pan out or injuries wreck his career or whatever… but it’s understandable why they took him.

And yeah, Michkov, Demidov would be fun… but add them to what we have and it’d be a pretty soft top six. They’re looking at the mid of the team.

Yep I see the logic of why they drafted DR.
We also don't know all of the reasons why they passed on Michkov. If DR turns out to be close to a Moritz Seider I will be ecstatic.

 

[Benstheman]

Still arguing about the Michkov thing i see. Man people are so miserable constantly living in the past.

What's the most pathetic thing about it is mostly based on speculations.

 

[HabzSauce]

Still arguing about the Michkov thing i see. Man people are so miserable constantly living in the past.

What's the most pathetic thing about it is mostly based on speculations.

It's like having the opportunity to date an absolute smoke show, but you pass because you think the other girl you're talking to is a better fit. But then that other girl ghosts you and now you have nothing, meanwhile the smoke show is getting even hotter every minute.

I'm half kidding but ya that's gonna sting for a bit until Reinbacher proves himself

 

[Lshap]

Still arguing about the Michkov thing i see. Man people are so miserable constantly living in the past.

What's the most pathetic thing about it is mostly based on speculations.

How can people NOT bring up Michkov? Habs passed on him and he's off to a great start, while our pick is missing the entire season - like adding injury to insult.

The 2023 draft was one of the pivotal moments of the rebuild, which is why we're still discussing it. But yeah, for the record, it's too soon to conclude whether or not we made the right pick.

 

[Kosseca]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

There are no chance that you have both.
If MTL picked Michkov, this summer they would have drafted a D, not Demidov. Draft was D heavy and there would have been a massive hole in our D depth chart.

So the only question people should ask themselves is : do you prefer Michkov + [D from draft] or Reinbacher + Demidov.

 

[Sorinth]

How can people NOT bring up Michkov? Habs passed on him and he's off to a great start, while our pick is missing the entire season - like adding injury to insult.

The 2023 draft was one of the pivotal moments of the rebuild, which is why we're still discussing it. But yeah, for the record, it's too soon to conclude whether or not we made the right pick.

You answered your own question, it's too early to conclude if we made the right pick or not.

And I doubt 2023 draft is any more or less pivotal then the 2022 or 2024 drafts and looking at teams who built cup winners using high picks most of the them have some busts with those picks, Chicago with Barker at 3 and Skille at 7 come to mind but those drafts were still important parts of Chicago's rebuild as they also netted Hjarlmarsson, Bolland, Bickell, and Brouwer who were all key contributors.

I wanted Michkov at the time, but I'm also happier with Demidov and having both doesn't seem like all that good an idea.

 

[Benstheman]

How can people NOT bring up Michkov? Habs passed on him and he's off to a great start, while our pick is missing the entire season - like adding injury to insult.

The 2023 draft was one of the pivotal moments of the rebuild, which is why we're still discussing it. But yeah, for the record, it's too soon to conclude whether or not we made the right pick.

I know. my point is why shitting on HuGo's heads when we know almost nothing about the context. For all we know, he could've told some teams he wouldn't sign with them.

 

[Sorinth]

Can you imagine Habs with Michkov and Demidov added to our top 6? Be best duo we had since the Rocket and Beliveau. Added to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, and either Dach or Hage. That's impressive

Fowler and Dobes future in net. Blueline led by Hutson and Guhle. Plus our pick in this draft.

Honestly I don't see it being a great fit due to a lack of balance, too much of the same while putting a lot of pressure on the one or two bigger players to be the physical presence instead of letting be who they are with the benefit of that physical presence.

Also a blue line takes a lot more then 2 D, and even if we add Mailloux, that D also looks a bit flawed. Reinbacher's game really helps round out and balance that group.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can we just put a Michkov wrist slitting catch all thread on this board so I can ignore it?

 

[Rapala]

Can we just put a Michkov wrist slitting catch all thread on this board so I can ignore it?

Who?