Would be a horrible mistake these 3 dont make us a contender and would cost assets and cap we dont have
And you mention Buffalo but how bout our two finalists right now
Hedmand and Stamkos were high picks
Mack,Makar and Byram were high picks
Chicago when they were winning all those cups had Toews and Kane
You draft elite talent in the top and build your core from there it doesnt happen in a year or 2 but it works
It doesn't always work. Look at Edmonton, Buffalo, Ottawa, Arizona, Florida, etc. In fact, we know what works is drafting superstars -- what doesn't work is drafting superstars into an atmosphere of eternal and endless suckitude. The Habs cannot purposefully tank for more than three more years, that would be crazy. I honestly doubt they will try to tank after next year is finished.
He absolutely does raise his level of play. He’s been the best centre in each series he’s been in minus the Tampa one.
The playoff stats you’re taking are from his rookie and sophomore season but are comparing to his PPG of his 3rd season. Doesn’t make much sense.
In 10 elimination games he has 10 points. He’s everywhere on the ice.
I honestly can’t believe that someone that has watched Habs playoff games with his own eyes doesn’t think that Suzuki is a different beast when the chips are down. Also doing that as a rookie centering friggin Drouin and Armia. Then the last run he had a rookie on his wing and slow ass Toffoli.
I think he's consistently good in the playoffs, which is to his credit, but take his career playoff PPG (0.71) and stick it in our ongoing playoffs and you know what? He'd be ranked 65th amongst all skaters.
Like I said: scoring is way up, so you should raise your expectations.
We haven’t had a rebuild since… ever? Let’s “pump the brakes” on turning into “Buffalo: French Edition,” nonsense. This was a necessary rebuild to have happen, and we’ve got the first overall pick (for the first time since 1980!!). We aren’t anywhere near the perpetual rebuild that’s been Buffalo.
What do you plan on offering for Lafreniere (who’s been underwhelming to say the least but will still cost major assets), PLD, and where’s the cap (or incentive) to sign Letang?
Gorton successfully rebuilt the Bruins, and did all of the major work in assembling the Rangers (who just gave the Bolts all they could handle). Let’s maybe give him and Hughes more than a year to fix something that’s been stagnant, give or take an improbable playoff run or two, for 3 decades now? Especially before lumping them in to the Buffalo Sabres North category.
We've had multiple years of top10 picks in the last decade and pretty much nothing to show for it.
Selling off cap-inefficient contracts and signing cap-efficient contracts is very much necessary at all times, it is an ongoing process and good teams do it all the time. Chicago had to shed some contracts such as Hjalmarsson after their first cup win and restock and go for it again. The Habs will have to deal with whatever topX picks they get dealt but the one invariable factor here is TIME. You cannot suck for years on end. I don't see any well-reasoned perspective on the eventual building (as in re-building) that is necessary. If the Habs can trade magic beans that they'll get replenished every year anyway for established young players signed to good RFA contracts I see many advantages and very few disadvantages.
The topic isn't acquiring Laf, or PLD, or Letang or whoever -- it's acknowledging the merit of general strategy to add talent that matches the right age profile and cap planning. It's obviously easier done via drafting but guess what, the Habs are terrible at drafting and development -- and until they prove they aren't, I'm not gonna wish upon magic beans. After this 1OA/Shane Wright, the Habs will need to add D and G and start to act like they want to win. Hopefully the onset of the HuGo Era means we're done with half-assery and non-commitment.
The Endless Tank is the only thing we should be avoiding.
Draft picks aren't magic beans. They have real-world, strictly positive probabilities.
Draft picks get replenished every year, what doesn't get replenished is time and the wear & tear that comes with it. Carey Price was only good enough to rely on for a specific era, the Habs should've been more aggressive in that window to trade futures for presents. Instead they got neither. I don't want a repeat of that.
With the draft lottery being what it is and the Habs' horrific record of drafting and developing talent, there is no question that I'd rather trade for 70+ pt players than hope and pray the magic beans sprout on time to get them through the 'right way'. I genuinely cannot think of the last Habs player drafted by the Habs who has hit 70 points in Habs colours.
