The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

After 10 years of Bergevin, this is all just a blur now. When HuGo came on I thought we would slingshot into contention like Vegas did but sadly it’s just been dawning on me that it’ll be more of an odyssey than not. We’re not lucky enough to have ambitious management — we have country clubs and foxholes.

Let’s hope they fail backwards into picking up studs.

Like trying to make an apple pie out of oranges.

 

[Riggins]

People seem to simultaneously want everyone to play amazing and the team to also suck and get a top 4 pick.

Slaf needs to get his head right. He's the most concerning to me right now. I don't think he started off on the right foot by deciding to slam the Slovak hockey federation in an Arpon Basu article. That's only going to be an unnecessary distraction that's probably weighing on him. At least wait until you're established in the league to spout off. He also signed that fat contract which is more added pressure, even if it hasn't started yet. He has shown what level of play he can reach, now move your feet and start shooting some pucks kid!

Dach has been awful but if he doesn't end up a core piece it's far from the end of the world for this rebuild. If he starts putting in the effort and shows some physicality, he could only end up a 3rd line winger and still help the team down the road.

Suzuki and Caufield pretty much are what they are, they have to carry the load now on a bad team but it will never be enough. We need superior talent to first come in and help them, then supplant them as the top options. It's going to be a long road.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

People seem to simultaneously want everyone to play amazing and the team to also suck and get a top 4 pick.

Slaf needs to get his head right. He's the most concerning to me right now. I don't think he started off on the right foot by deciding to slam the Slovak hockey federation in an Arpon Basu article. That's only going to be an unnecessary distraction that's probably weighing on him. At least wait until you're established in the league to spout off. He also signed that fat contract which is more added pressure, even if it hasn't started yet. He has shown what level of play he can reach, now move your feet and start shooting some pucks kid!

Dach has been awful but if he doesn't end up a core piece it's far from the end of the world for this rebuild. If he starts putting in the effort and shows some physicality, he could only end up a 3rd line winger and still help the team down the road.

Suzuki and Caufield pretty much are what they are, they have to carry the load now on a bad team but it will never be enough. We need superior talent to first come in and H them, then supplant them as the top options. It's going to be a long road.

Slaf doesn't concern me at all. He'll be fine in the long run. All these guys will.

It's a bad team and so individual players are going to put up crappy numbers. Look at Connor Bedard.... is he a bust? I don't think so. He's just stuck on a terrible team.

 

[Walksss]

The potential silver lining with Dach playing like garbage is his next contract status. He's only signed for next year and that's it.

Maybe KH signs him to a role player contract for 4-5 years or something and then he breaks out into his potential as a top-6 C after that In his mid-late 20's.

I like that scenario a lot.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

The potential silver lining with Dach playing like garbage is his next contract status. He's only signed for next year and that's it.

Maybe KH signs him to a role player contract for 4-5 years or something and then he breaks out into his potential as a top-6 C after that In his mid-late 20's.

I like that scenario a lot.

I see no scenario why he deserves a 5 years deal even at low price. He's not physical nor good defensively. Kinda pointless if he cant bring offense

 

[ReHabs]

Like trying to make an apple pie out of oranges.

Obviously it is a matter of taste. I respect people who think differently than I do about this.

The Habs are not a retirement portfolio for me. I like watching playoff hockey and I wanna see fun players play good hockey. I’ll always want to see them win and play good hockey. The few years we’ve had a good team were much more memorable than all the other years. To me, our best time had Kovalev on the roster.

Vegas has been good and embarrassing the rest of the league and especially the loser Canadian franchises.

The long odyssey of losing and uncertain outcomes is only tolerable if we actually have light at the end of the tunnel.

Case in point: We’re one Demibust away from needing to reset our rebuild. It is what it is.

 

[BozoTheClown]

This team would be ahead in their rebuild if they drafted Lamoureux and Michkov instead of Mesar and Reinbacher.

Traded Matheson with a cap dump(forward) returning, last year or at the draft instead of Kovacevic.

Focus on development instead of winning games.

Put RHP on waiver if you failed to have any takers in a trade.

 

[habbubba]

Lot of A votes,in this case does the A stand for abysmal?lol

 

[sampollock]

what type of team is this?
fast
tough
defense
fire wagon hockey

love to know what the direction this team will be?

 

[morhilane]

what type of team is this?
fast
tough
defense
fire wagon hockey

love to know what the direction this team will be?

Lost

 

[the valiant effort]

It can’t be understated how catastrophic training camp was. The org retreated into a shell because of some preseason owies and haven’t looked like a professional team since.

 

[sampollock]

Lost

my point
does any poster have a clear answer?

 

[habbubba]

and haven’t looked like a professional team since.

1993, fixed it for you. lol

 

[morhilane]

my point
does any poster have a clear answer?

If you mean what HuGo wanted: a fast hard skating team.
But pretty hard to get that when players don't give a shit and can't skate with the puck.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

Dach and his 14minutes a night are the current whipping boy despite the entire top 6 being pretty invisible.

 

[sampollock]

If you mean what HuGo wanted: a fast hard skating team.
But pretty hard to get that when players don't give a shit and can't skate with the puck.

then they need to retool this rebuild
I still like Slaf, big dude... but he is not fast either

 

[morhilane]

then they need to retool this rebuild
I still like Slaf, big dude... but he is not fast either

He was flying at the end of last season and even in pre-season this year (some poster were even saying he looked faster). He's just not moving his feets constantly this year.

Like there is so many who think Evans is a fast skater, but his top speed is actually under league average. But Evans move his feets all the time.

 

[McGees]

People seem to simultaneously want everyone to play amazing and the team to also suck and get a top 4 pick.

IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK???

 

[Andrei79]

I'm not concerned as much about the losses as the way they've been losing. It's been a catastrophic 20 games. The key players haven't progressed. Many of them have had injuries or are being put in positions they're clearly not ready for. One of the young defenseman is being played on his off side. There's a lack of quality veteran support. The systematic play has been exceptionally bad. Management clearly misread the team and that's concerning. They still have time to right the ship, but it's certainly not looking good.

 

[ottawa]

Lot of A votes,in this case does the A stand for abysmal?lol

A lot of these votes were cast in July, including my B vote. I'm sure a lot of voters would downgrade them a letter if voting again today

 

[HuGort]

I'm an Oiler fan first, but I've always liked the habs since you guys knocked off Calgary in 86 (and stopped Wayne from winning his cup outside of Edm in 93).

As fun as this team is to watch at times, I hate to say this strangely reminds me of the Oilers rebuild v1.0 (but done properly).

The talent of Suzy, Caufield, and Slaf remind me of when we were running Hall, Eberle, and RNH (plz don't hate me). They might have been good enough up front if we had a Norris caliber Dman and/or Vezina goalie. But Hall and Eberle were both top-10 scorers at some point.


Even though I've lived here in Montreal, for 18 years, I've only watched a handful of games this season (2 and 6-year-old), I feel like this team is 1 elite piece away from being a contender.

Suzy is a damn good player, but I get the feeling if he were the #2C, the Habs would be a contender. I'm a huge fan of Gulhe. Watched him back on the Oil Kings. He still has time to get there.



I know it sucks being year 4 of a rebuild, but you gotta ride this out till you get that elite talent, and it's likely going to come in the draft. Every 3-4 years you'll get a MacKinnon or McDavid. The absolute worst thing you guys can do is speed this up or rush it.

Defense is real young. Good nothing from Laine and Dach has crapped the bed this season. Still handicapped with Carry Price contract

But we coming around. Demidov plus this year's pick will be big part of team. Some talent in Laval to chip in future. Beck, Dobes, Mailloux. Enough caproom this summer to make another major addition

 

[therocket9]

Top UFA's do not want to sign on bottom 5 rebuilding teams....UFA's that Montreal would be in the mix for are second and third tier free agents like.....Gourde Mantha Olivier Kovacevic.

 

[Rapala]

Dach and his 14minutes a night are the current whipping boy despite the entire top 6 being pretty invisible.

Holy Crap dude what other player in the top six is rocking a -17 He's closer to a -82 season than PPG.

 

[Draft]

I'm not concerned as much about the losses as the way they've been losing. It's been a catastrophic 20 games. The key players haven't progressed. Many of them have had injuries or are being put in positions they're clearly not ready for. One of the young defenseman is being played on his off side. There's a lack of quality veteran support. The systematic play has been exceptionally bad. Management clearly misread the team and that's concerning. They still have time to right the ship, but it's certainly not looking good.

I think the big misread is/was our second line. Laine's injury and Dach/Newhook being terrible has put way too many guys in the wrong roles. Evans is a solid 4C, Dvorak could be in the AHL, Condotta isn't an NHL player, and each of them are playing two lines above where they should. It's hard for a winger to carry a line and neither Caufield or Slafkovsky are there yet.

You need good centers if you want to be good defensively. You need good centers if you want a team that can transition from their own end. You need good centers if you want consistent coverage in the slot and across seams. All to varying degrees in different systems with different personnel, but definitely with how the Habs play.

If Dach/Newhook can't pull it together, things look pretty bleak for the next couple years until Beck and Hage are ready.