The state of the Habs Rebuild - The Next step

[Sorinth]

I don't want to see another rookie handed a spot without earning it - with the exeption of Demidov. We have enough youth in the lineup and Demidov is coming next year. There is also enough cap room to sign Evans and Armia, which we know we can't immediately replace without some regression.

No issue if Beck and Mailloux play another year in the AHL. Same with Rienbacher.

I think ideally we would want to trade Gallagher, let Dvorak walk while re-signing Evans and Armia and a borderline NHL/AHL vet in the mold of ABB, Gignac, Richard, etc... That way if young guys are ready they can earn a spot but if they aren't then we give the AHL vet the spot.

Main issue is that even at 50% retained Gallagher might be hard to move, but honestly some rebuilding teams could actually use his brand of leadership. And with Hughes there's always hope given that he somehow turned Hoffman into a 2nd round pick.

 

[Habnot]

I think ideally we would want to trade Gallagher, let Dvorak walk while re-signing Evans and Armia and a borderline NHL/AHL vet in the mold of ABB, Gignac, Richard, etc... That way if young guys are ready they can earn a spot but if they aren't then we give the AHL vet the spot.

Main issue is that even at 50% retained Gallagher might be hard to move, but honestly some rebuilding teams could actually use his brand of leadership. And with Hughes there's always hope given that he somehow turned Hoffman into a 2nd round pick.

I'm not sure why we need to move Gallagher's contract. We will be easily under the cap next year and the year after, Price comes off books. Also, there is not much to get excited by the 2025 UFA class.

Forget the price of the contract, Gallagher is a good vet to have on this team.

 

[Sorinth]

I'm not sure why we need to move Gallagher's contract. We will be easily under the cap next year and the year after, Price comes off books. Also, there is not much to get excited by the 2025 UFA class.

Forget the price of the contract, Gallagher is a good vet to have on this team.

Need is a strong word, so sure we don't NEED to move on from him, but it's the spot where we can see the biggest upgrade both in terms of individual and in terms of fit with the team. For example, as I said in my OP, Gallagher brings leadership, but for us it's of marginal value because of how much and how many of our young guys have been stepping up and taking leadership roles.

 

[Miller Time]

25: Suzuki
23: CC, Dach, Dobes, Xhekaj, Newhook,
22: Guhle, Strubble, Heineman,
21: Roy, Mailloux, Kapanen, Engstrom
20: Hutson, Slaf, RB, Beck, Fowler
19: Demidov, Hage,

The young talent we have, and the level they've been playing at for 20+ games is impressive.

Future is bright

 

[Fuonki]

Gallagher is easily worth his contract, and even if he wasn't trading him away would be an extremely dumb thing to do. Guy has some of the best analytics out of this team like always and even if you believe in none of that he's easily the most experienced and hardest working forward we have. And like the other posters already said, cap space is not a problem for us at all, so why lose player who plays an important role and who is loved by both the locker room and the fans?

 

[ReHabs]

Then results are not the most important thing, they are just one of many things that are important.

We’re referring to competitive sports. Results matter most, everything else falls in line behind results.

There will be instances where a judgement has to be made about long vs short term outcomes and assets have to be managed. A good GM would seek a balance, a bad GM like Bergevin would constantly defer to an uncertain future and refuse to “mortgage” against it even with a superstar on his roster who desperately needs some additional firepower.

In case you needed confirmation: this is my opinion, you can disagree with it and it is perfectly fine.

Unsurprisingly your presumptions are wrong, I didn't include the picks traded for Newhook, nor did I include the pick that was traded for Dach.

“Unsurprisingly”

Another display of discourtesy and rudeness. What’s the point of engaging in conversation if you’re seeking to bicker? Ignore my comments if they bother you so much.

I think we’re short of the assets (value) necessary to acquire multiple big name players. That’s the only thing I’m saying and you are desperately trying to disagree with it. Be my guest. If you actually think that the Habs can acquire a top6 C and a top-pairing D with only futures (and not too many futures so to disrupt our pipeline) and replaceable roster players I would love to see it.

I think we need more assets because those players are not easily acquired. Many more thought the exact same when they insisted the rebuild wasn’t over and the tank was on this year.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

Games like this makes me wonder if this where the Habs actually are and the last couple weeks of hockey was just them playing above their heads. The team is so up and down it's hard to pin them down, are they unstoppable or just completely lifeless? Seems like it changes from period to period.

 

[ReHabs]

Games like this makes me wonder if this where the Habs actually are and the last couple weeks of hockey was just them playing above their heads. The team is so up and down it's hard to pin them down, are they unstoppable or just completely lifeless? Seems like it changes from period to period.

It's likely a bit of playing over their heads but they earned most of those points, I reckon. Just like they earned those losses in the first part of the season where we were bottom5 in the league. I can't speak for the ups but the downs and the inability to tighten up seem to me a function of their inexperience playing serious hockey.

The trend is positive but it would be silly to say we're there already... look at NYR, after all the bad news and meltdowns and issues, we're practically tied with them in points (48pts to 47pts, in the same 45 GP). CBJ and OTT have higher pt% than us but you wouldn't think so if you only read the Habs board and the ebullient tone of commentary.

My take is: What we enjoyed since Dec 1st (or mid-Nov) only undoes the horrible start to the season and brings us to... "in the mix". This was where we expected to be anyway. From here on out it gets more steep and more competitive and moves have to be made. Unless the goal of the rebuild was to run headfirst into Pretendership and mediocrity, this process isn't over.