Which team has a better rebuild? Habs vs Red Wings?

Tatar Shots

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Feb 2, 2014
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Sounds like how Montreal would feel now. No chance I'm changing rosters and prospects with Detroit. Nothing against Detroit, but I love how the Habs are building their group.

I feel the same way from Detroit's POV. I also find it really weird the way some fans quantify rebuild years.
 

Leafs87

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Neither were able to grab a true impact franchise player. Overall I’d say Montreal drafted better and even hit on a few non top 10 picks. Both wiffed on their top 6 picks, Kotka and Zadina
 
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Tatar Shots

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What is weird about it?

Because teams do not start rebuilding from the same place. Detroit's rebuild began at the end of a very long playoff streak where they fought to get into the playoffs until the very end, did not trade away any aging talent, and were left with a barren roster and empty prospect pool. Seems silly to me to try and measure that up against Montreal. You earlier replied have been rebuilding for only three years of missing the playoffs. But Montreal did not start in anywhere near the same position. Kotkaniemi was drafted 3rd in 2018, Sergachev 9th in 2016. Montreal traded a top goal scorer in Pacioretty for Suzuki who was 12th in 2017, and they also missed the playoffs in 2019 and drafted Caufield at 15th. If you want to say Montreal has only been rebuilding for three years, is it then four year failed rebuild, two fluke Covid years, and now three more years of rebuilding? These two teams simply did not start 'rebuilding' from anywhere near the same position.
 

GrandmaCookie

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Because teams do not start rebuilding from the same place. Detroit's rebuild began at the end of a very long playoff streak where they fought to get into the playoffs until the very end, did not trade away any aging talent, and were left with a barren roster and empty prospect pool. Seems silly to me to try and measure that up against Montreal. You earlier replied have been rebuilding for only three years of missing the playoffs. But Montreal did not start in anywhere near the same position. Kotkaniemi was drafted 3rd in 2018, Sergachev 9th in 2016. Montreal traded a top goal scorer in Pacioretty for Suzuki who was 12th in 2017, and they also missed the playoffs in 2019 and drafted Caufield at 15th. If you want to say Montreal has only been rebuilding for three years, is it then four year failed rebuild, two fluke Covid years, and now three more years of rebuilding? These two teams simply did not start 'rebuilding' from anywhere near the same position.
I don't know which year you would mark as the start of the rebuild for Wings, but I started the rebuild when both GM were hired (2019 Yzerman, 2022 Hughes). It was more as a way to compare their work.

As far as a know Detroit rebuild could go back to 2017, they had already some good young assets in 2019 in Larkin, Bertuzzi, AA, Zadina and Mantha, Rassmussen was a recent high pick.

I just didn't want to start the Xth thread about which GM has been making the best work so far starting from the bottom.
 
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Coach Reggie Dunlop

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Personally think they are pretty equal, although Montreal had a later start. They basically had to rebuild the rebuild after the Covid finals run. I think Detroit is primed to build an absolutely annoying team to play against though, they seem like a team who will under perform in the regular season but over perform in the playoffs when the rules are basically different. To be honest, I think it comes down to which team can supplement their prospects/young players with better vets. That will be the key to each teams development. I personally would take both teams over Ottawa and Buffalo right now though, where Ottawa is treading its tires and Buffalo is too small albeit very skilled.
 
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Wats

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Because teams do not start rebuilding from the same place. Detroit's rebuild began at the end of a very long playoff streak where they fought to get into the playoffs until the very end, did not trade away any aging talent, and were left with a barren roster and empty prospect pool. Seems silly to me to try and measure that up against Montreal. You earlier replied have been rebuilding for only three years of missing the playoffs. But Montreal did not start in anywhere near the same position. Kotkaniemi was drafted 3rd in 2018, Sergachev 9th in 2016. Montreal traded a top goal scorer in Pacioretty for Suzuki who was 12th in 2017, and they also missed the playoffs in 2019 and drafted Caufield at 15th. If you want to say Montreal has only been rebuilding for three years, is it then four year failed rebuild, two fluke Covid years, and now three more years of rebuilding? These two teams simply did not start 'rebuilding' from anywhere near the same position.
I wouldn't consider Bergevin rebuild years. He signed his vets to long term extensions, traded 2nds for roster help, traded prospects like Sergachev and let go of Kotkaniemi for 1st and then traded it for Dvorak. Rebuilding teams don't do that. You want to talk barren roster, bad contracts, best players on LTIR (Weber/Price) and no real top prospects (Bergevin 10 year era drafting literally bottom 5 in NHL), Habs were definitely in similar spot too until start of 2022.

In terms of rebuild, I like what the Habs are doing under Hughes. I also feel like Wings are further along and need another D to take their lineup to another level.
 
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StreetHawk

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Neither is anything special, but I trust in Stevie Y to figure it out.
For Steve his team is now out of the bottom so he’s relying on the scouts to find the quality outside the top of the draft. Will need to see what they did with those extra seconds and thirds from 2019 onwards. That is likely going to make or break Steve’s rebuild of the team.

End goal of a rebuild is to compete for the PO first then a cup. Neither is there. So this is all talk from either side.

Habs have some nice offensive talent but really no young Dman has locked in their spot. Goalie is TBD for both.
 

TheNumber4

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I feel like the Wings exited their rebuild without finding that true franchise talent to build around.

I feel like Montreal doesn’t have one either, but Demidov could be that.

I’ll go with Montreal here for now.
 

Wayfarer13

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Jun 21, 2020
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Because teams do not start rebuilding from the same place. Detroit's rebuild began at the end of a very long playoff streak where they fought to get into the playoffs until the very end, did not trade away any aging talent, and were left with a barren roster and empty prospect pool. Seems silly to me to try and measure that up against Montreal. You earlier replied have been rebuilding for only three years of missing the playoffs. But Montreal did not start in anywhere near the same position. Kotkaniemi was drafted 3rd in 2018, Sergachev 9th in 2016. Montreal traded a top goal scorer in Pacioretty for Suzuki who was 12th in 2017, and they also missed the playoffs in 2019 and drafted Caufield at 15th. If you want to say Montreal has only been rebuilding for three years, is it then four year failed rebuild, two fluke Covid years, and now three more years of rebuilding? These two teams simply did not start 'rebuilding' from anywhere near the same position.
The thing is that Habs were never as bad as the record indicated on paper. They decimated by injuries in 21-22 and the team imploded.New management came team came in and have been working on the systemic issues that have plagued the running of the team for years.22-23 the injury bug raised its head again but the team was able to manage the difficulties better and the results were seen in the standings.This last year we saw an improvement in health and along with a better development system we saw better results. The prospect pool is looking and contracts will be coming off the books over the next 3 years. Things are looking good.
 

Byron Bitz

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Apr 6, 2010
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Detroit looks closer to the playoffs (though it seems like the same 4 teams from the Atlantic make it every year). Neither have elite talent but Habs being earlier into their rebuild look like they still have time to draft and develop some elite talent where as with Detroit they need to find a way to contend soon, they have been bad for too long and need their youn g core to start playing some meaningful games.
 

Umingmak

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Oct 12, 2014
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It's definitely the Habs. They were in the finals just 3 years ago, and already have a better prospect pool than the Wings. They also look primed to get another high pick in next year's draft. The Wings have favoured aging veterans over prospects for the past couple seasons, and I really don't think that's been a good decision whatsoever. There's also a serious lack of prospects in the Wings system with genuine "star" potential. Lots of middle-6 guys, and nobody that I see as a top-liner.

As a Wings fan, I'm confident that Montreal will be the better team in a few years.
 

Coach Reggie Dunlop

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It's definitely the Habs. They were in the finals just 3 years ago, and already have a better prospect pool than the Wings. They also look primed to get another high pick in next year's draft. The Wings have favoured aging veterans over prospects for the past couple seasons, and I really don't think that's been a good decision whatsoever. There's also a serious lack of prospects in the Wings system with genuine "star" potential. Lots of middle-6 guys, and nobody that I see as a top-liner.

As a Wings fan, I'm confident that Montreal will be the better team in a few years.
Yikes at this opinion lol
 

SENStastic

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Sep 27, 2015
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Habs are showing the rest of us how to rebuild things correctly and quickly. They'll be back in the playoffs before Sabres, Sens or Wings, and started their rebuild like 3-4 years after them too. Sad times.
 

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