Where would the Habs players fit on a regular cup contender team in your opinion.

[HabsCode]

A type of off-season ish type of thread to highlight the Habs needs in order to compete with the upper tier teams in the NHL. Where would you slot in the Habs player on a team regularly contending for the cup (Preferably not using projected prospect, only current NHL players and obviously the hole left can be a discussion matter if any prospects can fill in those holes in the future).

In my opinion players that would fit in on a contender and at which position are the following:

xxx - Suzuki - Caufield
Slafkovsky - xxx - Laine
Heineman - xxx - Anderson
Gallagher - Evans - Armia

Hutson - xxx
Ghule - Carrier
Xhekaj - xxx

Dobes/xxx (leave a spot for another 1ish type of goaltender to split with Dobes in a 1A/1B type of tandem)
Montembault

So with that logic, in order to be a contender, our needs would be IMO:
- First line LW (Demidov next season?)
- 2C center
- 3C 2-way type (I think we need a better physical presence at 2C than Evans)
- First pairing RD
- Third pairing RD
- Possible 1B type of goaltender

Interested to know other people opinions.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

I think this is about right other than Laine, who is not good enough 5v5 to be top 6 on a contender

 

[Treb]

xxx - Suzuki - Caufield
Slafkovsky - xxx - xxx
Heineman - Evans - Laine
xxx - xxx - Anderson/Gallagher

Hutson/Ghule - xxx
xxx - xxx
Xhekaj - Carrier

xxx
Dobes/Montembeault

 

[LaP]

Gallagher and Anderson are too expensive for a cup contending lineup.