The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Demidov is not pass first at all. He's a playmaker he'll make whatever play is relevant to the situation.

Which is more often than not a pass. He's a playmaker, first and foremost. Go watch his games.

 

[SOLR]

Which is more often than not a pass. He's a playmaker, first and foremost. Go watch his games.

No, you go watch his game because you don't understand how he plays at all.

When you see a stat line of 40g-60a consistently in a player, that's never a pass first player.

 

[Chili]

Habs at/on Jan 1st through the years...

2025 17-17-3 37pts 113gf 127ga 6th Atlantic
2024 15-16-5 35pts 102-125 6th
2023 15-19-3 33pts 100-138 8th
2022 7-23-4 18pts 73-123 8th
2021 No games had been played yet in 2020/21
2020 18-16-6 42pts 131-131 5th
2019 21-14-5 47pts 128-128 5th
2018 16-19-4 36pts 100-122 6th
2017 22-9-6 50pts 113-86 1st
2016 22-15-3 47pts 116-99 1st
2015 24-11-2 50pts 127-100 2nd
2014 23-14-4 50pts 103-94 3rd
2013 No games had been played yet in 2012/13
2012 14-18-7 35pts 99-110 5th Northeast (last of 5 teams)
2011 21-16-2 44pts 97-92 2nd NE
2010 21-19-3 45pts 114-119 4th NE

Goal differential is the best since 2020 and trending better this season

Believe it shows the importance of cutting down the goals against. Last time they had a positive goal differential on Jan 1st was 2016/2017. Florida realized this and made two finals (interesting that on Jan 1st, 2023, the Habs were only 3 points behind them with a game in hand).

 

[Lshap]

Habs record from January 1 to end of season (previous three seasons):

2023/24: 15-20-11 / 133 GF-159 GA (41 pts = 6th worst record league-wide, 7th worst by pt.%)
2022/23: 16-26-3 / 131 GF-167 GA (35 pts = 5th worst)
2021/22: 13-24-7 / 124 GF-177 GA (33 pts = tied for 3rd worst)

The overall trend has been gradual improvement from season to season. Last year's record at this point was very close to where we are now. Let's see how this roster responds and if they can stay healthy/focused enough to avoid last season's letdown.

 

[junyab]

Seeing the poll results with our current position in the standings is very depressing now.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Seeing the poll results with our current position in the standings is very depressing now.

Long way to go…

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Seeing the poll results with our current position in the standings is very depressing now.

I try to find solace in the fact they draft well above top 15 so far, as they have found Hutson, Beck, Hage and Fowler with later picks, so we might not become mirred in no man's land despite picking lower in the upcoming years. As long as the team keeps adding ammo year after year and not miss on their drafts, they'll have ammo to trade and upgrade.

In fact, despite all the flack Timmins got, once he got the reigns of drafting around 17-18, we've probably seen the longest sequence of draft success from that point, thatvwe've seen in a long time. It's crazy the number of NHLers we've drafted since 2018, notwithstanding the bad KK pick.

2024
Demidov
Hage
Koivu

2023
Reinbacher
Fowler
Xhekaj

2022
Slafkovsky
Beck
Hutson
Engstrom

2021
Mailloux
Kapanen
Roy

2020
Guhle
Tuch
Dobes

2019
Caufield
Struble
Harvey-Pinard

2018
Kotkaniemi
Ylonen
Romanov -->Dach
Harris --> Laine

In a few years, we'll look back on the draft period (2018-2024) and have at least 16 of those 23 players become NHLers. That's massive, especially considering I've left out a few dark horses who could also make it.

When you can draft 23 NHLers in the span of 10 years, you should be in a good shape, and we're almost there.

 

[DAChampion]

Given that the Habs are adding Demidov and Reinbacher next year, and possibly more, I think they have a good shot at a deep playoff run in 2026.

If I'm Hughes, I try and make one more high-quality add, another swing like Dach, Newhook, and Laine.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Given that the Habs are adding Demidov and Reinbacher next year, and possibly more, I think they have a good shot at a deep playoff run in 2026.

If I'm Hughes, I try and make one more high-quality add, another swing like Dach, Newhook, and Laine.

EP40 baby, let's go.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

EP40 baby, let's go.

That's a true all-in move!

But seriously, Mathew Barzal is also struggling at this moment with NYI or again circle back to Zegras.

 

[WeThreeKings]

That's a true all-in move!

But seriously, Mathew Barzal is also struggling at this moment with NYI or again circle back to Zegras.

Zegras sucks, we don't need to do the Drouin thing again.

Barzal would be interesting, I'd love to add him and if the Islanders decide to rebuild, we have two firsts and a lot of prospects. More viable than EP40, for sure.

 

[Sorinth]

Habs record from January 1 to end of season (previous three seasons):

2023/24: 15-20-11 / 133 GF-159 GA (41 pts = 6th worst record league-wide, 7th worst by pt.%)
2022/23: 16-26-3 / 131 GF-167 GA (35 pts = 5th worst)
2021/22: 13-24-7 / 124 GF-177 GA (33 pts = tied for 3rd worst)

The overall trend has been gradual improvement from season to season. Last year's record at this point was very close to where we are now. Let's see how this roster responds and if they can stay healthy/focused enough to avoid last season's letdown.

Worth noting that the Jan onwards is usually a struggle for bad teams because of motivation. Being out of the playoffs is mentally draining, so this year we might see a significant uptick simply because by being in the mix we players will push themselves more.

Also confidence is very different this year, we often got off to good starts and then slowly started dropping. This year we are riding high after overcoming a slow start so the feeling is going to be different.

 

[overlords]

That's a true all-in move!

But seriously, Mathew Barzal is also struggling at this moment with NYI or again circle back to Zegras.

 

[DAChampion]

Between Laine, Suzuki, Hutson, Caulfield, and Demidov there could be a season in a few years where the Habs sweep each of the Rocket, Norris, Art Ross, and Hart Trophies.

Hart: Suzuki
Norris: Hutson
Art Ross: Demidov
Rocket: Laine or Caulfield

And the Stanley Cup.

 

[salbutera]

Given that the Habs are adding Demidov and Reinbacher next year, and possibly more, I think they have a good shot at a deep playoff run in 2026.

If I'm Hughes, I try and make one more high-quality add, another swing like Dach, Newhook, and Laine.

The workhorse from Whitehorse … Cozens