The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[WeThreeKings]

The Devils had 100+ pts 3 yrs after drafting Hughes. Last year they dropped because of Hamilton injury, too much youth on D, and poor goaltending. They added Pesce, Kova, Hamilton is back and solidified the goal. Now they are back on track. Their GM recoginized the problem and did something to correct it.

You can make excuses all you want but they have regressed big time and there are serious flaws with this rebuild.

Norm, in yr 3/4 of the rebuild, they should be able to play without the puck, just a little bit, lol. Defensively they are pathetic, most guys have regressed, and they look disinterested most nights. By yr 3/4 that is a major concern.

Hugo has a lot of work to do to fix this. He should start with replacing Bombay.

But how many years after drafting Hischier?

 

[GordonGraham]

Team doesnt need much just a real 1G a real #1D and 4 top 6 guys

Only 2 real top 6 guys are Bergevin guys ( suzuki and caufield)

 

[Miller Time]

A lot of ink has been spilled about the rebuild process, when to end a rebuild, how to avoid the patented Buffalo endless rebuild, etc.

It seems to me like the most predictive and consistent factor differenciating teams that succeed and fail to rebuild is finding a goalie. From that perspective, the Habs won't be in a position to compete until Fowler, who seems to bear the hopes of this organization in the net, is ready to take over. That is very likely 2-3 years away. Until then, they are better off acquiring and developing young talent.

Most players we as a fanbase believe to be foundational pieces will turn out to be complimentary players at best. We're already seeing it with Dach. The true blue chips will emerge naturally regardless of circumstances. Case in point : watch Hutson come along and thrive amongst a wave of struggling young defenders.

Not sure how accurate this is...

Vegas, Colorado and St Louis are all teams that won with goalies that had a hot stretch rather than being a perennial all star caliber goalie.

& re.Dach, it's kinda funny that after 14 games in a return to play from a season lost & major knee surgery, he's getting dismissed as a write off... When 6 weeks ago, just as many were ready to annoint him as a sure bet to be superior to Suzuki and our #1C this year.

He's a ways away from becoming an elite C, but I'd argue it's far too soon to dismiss him. He's got the tools to be far more than a complimentary piece, time will tell if he does put it all together or not.

 

[Mrb1p]

Their price was a 1st rounder and it wasn't met. We are talking about a team that needs more contributing veterans today and we should have traded one that is appreciated by the locker room for a 2nd?



How often was this team playing meaningful games past October?

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What about this team?

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Or this team?

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Rebuilds don't just end and you don't just jump out of bottom 5 of the league in one off-season, especially when only 2 players that have been acquired through that rebuild are currently on the team, at age 20.

What about other teams that have been rebuilding or started rebuilding at the same time as us?

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Hmmm Celebrini with Smith and the Sharks aren't playing meaningful games.
Anaheim (a team this board will cry about how good their drafting is) isn't looking to be playing any meaningful games with Gauthier, Carlsson, MacTavish, Mintyukov, Zegras, etc.
Chicago with generational Bedard isn't doing much better than us and they also started their rebuild the same year as us.
Philadelphia with generational Michkov and all of his can't miss scoring isn't playing more meaningful games than us and just proved last year was an aberration not an indication of a strengthened core; and one of the most applauded systems coaches in Tortorella is getting about the same output as green peewee Marty.

You tryna make the Habs look great here ? Four years in a row is uncharted territory for those three teams

 

[HabsCode]

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You tryna make the Habs look great here ? Four years in a row is uncharted territory for those three teams

 

[Thomas Sowell]

I'm beyond thrilled with demidov. I'm quite happy with slafkovsky and I'm alot more optimistic about what reinbachers is compared to most, but got Almighty it would be nice to just once hot bottom in a mcdavid, Matthews, Bedard mckenna type draft. We have sucked as much as anyone since we went to the finals and even before that. God an absolute bonafide star up the middle would be nice. I like Nick but damn why can't we do this next year instead lol

 

[SlafySZN]

I'm beyond thrilled with demidov. I'm quite happy with slafkovsky and I'm alot more optimistic about what reinbachers is compared to most, but got Almighty it would be nice to just once hot bottom in a mcdavid, Matthews, Bedard mckenna type draft. We have sucked as much as anyone since we went to the finals and even before that. God an absolute bonafide star up the middle would be nice. I like Nick but damn why can't we do this next year instead lol

Demidov is that, just not a center

 

[Habby4Life]

But how many years after drafting Hischier?

You can point to NJ and I can point to Buffalo, Ottawa, Zona, etc who have been in perma rebuild.

You have drank the kool-aid but I, other fans, ex players, coaches, etc say this team has serious issues that should not be as prevalent at this point in the rebuild.

You’re not going to convince me that they way they play defensively is ok even for Yr 3/4 of a rebuild. Rebuild is an excuse for poor performance, defensively they should not be this bad.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You can point to NJ and I can point to Buffalo, Ottawa, Zona, etc who have been in perma rebuild.

You have drank the kool-aid but I, other fans, ex players, coaches, etc say this team has serious issues that should not be as prevalent at this point in the rebuild.

You’re not going to convince me that they way they play defensively is ok even for Yr 3/4 of a rebuild. Rebuild is an excuse for excusing poor performance, defensively they should not be this bad.

Ok

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

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It should be his avatar

 

[SnapVirus]

Our more urgent needs are :

a) First line centerman with size and grit
B) Elite number 1 dman (preferably right side).

Slafkovsky - XX - Demidov
Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Newhook - Hage - Dach
X - Beck - X

Hutson - XX
Guhle - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Those 2 assets are hard to get, hopefuly we draft one this summer at the draft. The other one will probably come next year if we still suck. Or if we are lucky and it hit good with CGY/FLO's pick.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You can point to NJ and I can point to Buffalo, Ottawa, Zona, etc who have been in perma rebuild.

You have drank the kool-aid but I, other fans, ex players, coaches, etc say this team has serious issues that should not be as prevalent at this point in the rebuild.

You’re not going to convince me that they way they play defensively is ok even for Yr 3/4 of a rebuild. Rebuild is an excuse for poor performance, defensively they should not be this bad.

Everyone knew they’d be bad defensively and said so before the year began. That’s not a surprise at all.

Offensively on the other hand, that’s been disappointing.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I'm beyond thrilled with demidov. I'm quite happy with slafkovsky and I'm alot more optimistic about what reinbachers is compared to most, but got Almighty it would be nice to just once hot bottom in a mcdavid, Matthews, Bedard mckenna type draft. We have sucked as much as anyone since we went to the finals and even before that. God an absolute bonafide star up the middle would be nice. I like Nick but damn why can't we do this next year instead lol

I think Demidov is very close to that level and we still don't know how the habs will do next season so McKenna is not out of question but even then you need a lot of luck with the draft lottery.

 

[Nevins]

Dach is not a center and the Habs will not have a second center before 2-3 years. Only Hage seems to have this potential, he ce the importance of selecting at least 2 during the Draft 2025 with 4 of our best choices. Missa would be a good start.
But , till them,management will have to find a center capable of playing this position with an exchange or UFA.

 

[Habitant#1]

Missing out on one of the top 4 centres at the 2023 draft was a huge mistake. It would've solved so many problems for this rebuild.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Missing out on one of the top 4 centres at the 2023 draft was a huge mistake. It would've solved so many problems for this rebuild.

You can thank Sam Montagnesrusses

 

[Mrb1p]

But how many years after drafting Hischier?

The same number of years as our best player and current face of the rebuild.

Really makes you think.

 

[Miller Time]

The same number of years as our best player and current face of the rebuild.

Really makes you think.

Hischier - 17 playoff games, 1 PO series won, 8pts

Suzuki - 32 playoff games, 3 PO series & 1 play-in series won. 23pts

 

[Mrb1p]

Hischier - 17 playoff games, 1 PO series won, 8pts

Suzuki - 32 playoff games, 3 PO series & 1 play-in series won. 23pts

Carey Price induced playoffs do not prove anything.

 

[Guy Larose]

Hischier - 17 playoff games, 1 PO series won, 8pts

Suzuki - 32 playoff games, 3 PO series & 1 play-in series won. 23pts

Who do you think you are coming in here with facts? There's no place for facts on this board.

 

[Miller Time]

Carey Price induced playoffs do not prove anything.

Lol

As long as you keep moving the goal post, hot takes can keep flaming away... No thinking or facts required!

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Carey Price induced playoffs do not prove anything.

Yeah because Price definitely produced those points for Suzuki.

 

[Mrb1p]

Lol

As long as you keep moving the goal post, hot takes can keep flaming away... No thinking or facts required!

What argument we're you even trying to make?

 

[Miller Time]

What argument we're you even trying to make?

Perhaps reading & understanding should come before you type a reply to a post, or is that a bridge to far

 

[Tabarouette]

Blues cup: unrepeatable, a fluke, a series of coincidences, a weird twist of fate, a strategy you wouldn't want to bank on

Our 2021 run: definitely real, an extremely reliable source of information, the greatest argument to point to when someone doubts the canadiens