|
|
Post by habsorbed on Nov 24, 2022 13:06:18 GMT -5
Yes, for sure, if Montreal played the rest of the season as well as they have until now, then drafting in the 12-16 range would be the outcome. But the season is at the one-quarter marker post and for me it is just as likely if not likelier Montreal finishes in the 8-10 range. Hockey is debatable. I think the only rosters inferior to Montreal's are the following: Anaheim, Chicago, Arizona, San Jose, Columbus, and Philadelphia. There are few logical reasons to believe teams like Vancouver, Nashville, Ottawa, Buffalo, and Washington will finish beneath the Habs unless one reasons that Montreal has secret weapons such as superior coaching and work ethic that those other teams lack. Agreed. And one change that would change the "logical reasons" that should have us finish behind Vancouvers, Nash, etc is a stronger goalie. The worst thing HuGo could do now for the rebuild is add a stronger goalie. |
|
|
|
Post by Andrew on Nov 24, 2022 13:14:39 GMT -5
Drafting 12-16 will not help us going forward. Been there done that. Cole Caufield would like a word. Obviously the higher you draft the better the chances as landing a difference maker. That said we've drafted a couple of stinkers at #3 overall, and there have been plenty of top line players drafted in the mid first round (McAvoy, Chabot, Connor, Barzal) - so it's not necessarily a complete disaster if we draft in that 12-16 range. |
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Nov 24, 2022 14:23:06 GMT -5
We have lots of time to find a decent goalie. This team ain't contending for at least 2 years. Slafs, Guhle, Dach, Harris, Barron, X, and even Suze and Cole need to develop and won't be ready for prime time until then. I wouldn't be looking for a goalie until after the end of this year. See what's in the pipeline but realistically it will be an FA that gets us the goalie. And who knows, maybe Monty will come into his own. In the meantime let's get a top draft choice this year. Development isn't linear. We could quite possibly be seeing the best year of Suzuki's entire career. We look back on Price's career now and point to certain years and say "if only he had a decent center / scoring in front of him". Auston Matthews scored over 100 points last year, do you think he'll do that every year now? No. I never understood the "dominate in lower levels" or "develop more" arguement. Just imagine this team, this year, with a 0.920+ goalie ... we'd have at least 3-4 more wins. As for getting another top draft choice. Everyone, myself included, would love that. But will we be getting an elite player? Or another high draft project? It will soon come time for us all to give up on the top 10 pick dream. Unless the arse comes out of er, (and we have seen that happen in previous years), this team will be drafting in the 12-16 range. Who will be available there? Suzuki was picked 13th, Caufield 15th and Guhle 16th. Maybe that's our sweet spot. And yes, I know we didn't draft Suzuki. |
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Nov 24, 2022 14:27:02 GMT -5
Yes, for sure, if Montreal played the rest of the season as well as they have until now, then drafting in the 12-16 range would be the outcome. But the season is at the one-quarter marker post and for me it is just as likely if not likelier Montreal finishes in the 8-10 range. Hockey is debatable. I think the only rosters inferior to Montreal's are the following: Anaheim, Chicago, Arizona, San Jose, Columbus, and Philadelphia. There are few logical reasons to believe teams like Vancouver, Nashville, Ottawa, Buffalo, and Washington will finish beneath the Habs unless one reasons that Montreal has secret weapons such as superior coaching and work ethic that those other teams lack. Agreed. And one change that would change the "logical reasons" that should have us finish behind Vancouvers, Nash, etc is a stronger goalie. The worst thing HuGo could do now for the rebuild is add a stronger goalie. Agree. It is the one position that can make a huge difference to a team. How often did Carey win 10-20 points extra for us? When you look at the teams that have drafted high, my guess it would be very rare for them to have had good goaltending that year. Let's get a good goalie 2 years from now. |
|
|
|
Post by folatre on Nov 24, 2022 14:31:23 GMT -5
No doubt about it, gems are available in the middle third of the first round. In addition to Caufield, Suzuki went 13th. Of course, the issue is there are relatively fewer of them as the round progresses and names come off the board.
Even in a rich draft year, there will be a couple of kids taken in the top ten who do not pan out. But this draft year looks like it would be hard/unlucky to manage to draft a dud if you are picking in the top 10-12. However, whatever happens, happens. Management wants the guys in the lineup to strive to succeed on the ice. So really the only thing management can do to tweak the odds in favor of a few more losses over the course of the season is to deal quality vets (e.g. Edmundson, Monahan, etc.) at the moment someone is willing to meet the ask.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skilly on Nov 24, 2022 17:16:32 GMT -5
Development isn't linear. We could quite possibly be seeing the best year of Suzuki's entire career. We look back on Price's career now and point to certain years and say "if only he had a decent center / scoring in front of him". Auston Matthews scored over 100 points last year, do you think he'll do that every year now? No. I never understood the "dominate in lower levels" or "develop more" arguement. Just imagine this team, this year, with a 0.920+ goalie ... we'd have at least 3-4 more wins. As for getting another top draft choice. Everyone, myself included, would love that. But will we be getting an elite player? Or another high draft project? It will soon come time for us all to give up on the top 10 pick dream. Unless the arse comes out of er, (and we have seen that happen in previous years), this team will be drafting in the 12-16 range. Who will be available there? Suzuki was picked 13th, Caufield 15th and Guhle 16th. Maybe that's our sweet spot. And yes, I know we didn't draft Suzuki. Could be, but no one on here is talking about the players projected to go in the 12-16 range. Any idea who these players might be? |
|
|
|
Post by Skilly on Nov 24, 2022 17:19:24 GMT -5
No doubt about it, gems are available in the middle third of the first round. In addition to Caufield, Suzuki went 13th. Of course, the issue is there are relatively fewer of them as the round progresses and names come off the board. Even in a rich draft year, there will be a couple of kids taken in the top ten who do not pan out. But this draft year looks like it would be hard/unlucky to manage to draft a dud if you are picking in the top 10-12. However, whatever happens, happens. Management wants the guys in the lineup to strive to succeed on the ice. So really the only thing management can do to tweak the odds in favor of a few more losses over the course of the season is to deal quality vets (e.g. Edmundson, Monahan, etc.) at the moment someone is willing to meet the ask. Tony Marinaro is reported that New Jersey want Josh Anderson BADLY. Seventeen just wet himself.  Dawson Mercer and their first rounder |
|
|
|
Post by Willie Dog on Nov 24, 2022 18:56:52 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Nov 24, 2022 19:10:39 GMT -5
No doubt about it, gems are available in the middle third of the first round. In addition to Caufield, Suzuki went 13th. Of course, the issue is there are relatively fewer of them as the round progresses and names come off the board. Even in a rich draft year, there will be a couple of kids taken in the top ten who do not pan out. But this draft year looks like it would be hard/unlucky to manage to draft a dud if you are picking in the top 10-12. However, whatever happens, happens. Management wants the guys in the lineup to strive to succeed on the ice. So really the only thing management can do to tweak the odds in favor of a few more losses over the course of the season is to deal quality vets (e.g. Edmundson, Monahan, etc.) at the moment someone is willing to meet the ask. Tony Marinaro is reported that New Jersey want Josh Anderson BADLY. Seventeen just wet himself. Dawson Mercer and their first rounder I'd certainly be very pleased to see Mr. Anderson go to NJ, and he might play harder there, in a winning scenario. I can see why the Devs are interested. They've been criticized for being a bit small and in the playoffs, that matters. But it will cost them. They wouldn't give up Luke Hughes, would they? With a sweetener? Florida's pick? Anderson and Florida's pick for Luke Hughes? they've already got a good defense, so who knows. Then I'd wet my pants. |
|
|
|
Post by folatre on Nov 24, 2022 22:42:49 GMT -5
Anderson is not a good passer nor does he possess great hockey awareness in any of the three zones. But, yeah, guys like him -- big, fast, punishing forechecker, wicked wrister, prime age without many miles on the odometer -- are always in huge demand, particularly with an eye to the playoffs.
Mercer was my pick at #16 the year Bergevin/Timmins went with Guhle. In my opinion, he has not disappointed in his young NHL career. I would be a little surprised if Fitzgerald would give him up for Anderson. Luke Hughes is going to be a stud and his brother is locked up there long-term, so I doubt New Jersey will listen to anything about trading him.
I am not saying Marinaro made this up completely out of thin air because they probably do like what elements of Anderson's game could bring to their roster. And I know the Devils have nice prospects, but I am not sure they are good trade partners for the Habs. New Jersey has zero cap space and obviously Montreal's management is not retaining any money on a long-term deal like Anderson's.
There are a lot of fish in the sea and I am sure Gorton/Hughes are regularly getting calls about Anderson. The thing about a player in big demand is that there is no compelling reason to back off your ask in trade talks.
|
|
|
|
Post by jkr on Nov 25, 2022 7:23:42 GMT -5
Yes, for sure, if Montreal played the rest of the season as well as they have until now, then drafting in the 12-16 range would be the outcome. But the season is at the one-quarter marker post and for me it is just as likely if not likelier Montreal finishes in the 8-10 range. Hockey is debatable. I think the only rosters inferior to Montreal's are the following: Anaheim, Chicago, Arizona, San Jose, Columbus, and Philadelphia. There are few logical reasons to believe teams like Vancouver, Nashville, Ottawa, Buffalo, and Washington will finish beneath the Habs unless one reasons that Montreal has secret weapons such as superior coaching and work ethic that those other teams lack. Agreed. And one change that would change the "logical reasons" that should have us finish behind Vancouvers, Nash, etc is a stronger goalie. The worst thing HuGo could do now for the rebuild is add a stronger goalie. I'm not saying find a goalie immediately. But I think they should start looking for likely candidates soon. Banking on UFAs is risky business. Potential targets can re-sign or you can be outbid. Then you end up like the Leafs. A list talent up front & 2nd or 3rd tier goalies. If you have the talent in your pipeline you are in a far safer position. |
|
|
|
Post by Willie Dog on Nov 25, 2022 8:35:44 GMT -5
Agreed. And one change that would change the "logical reasons" that should have us finish behind Vancouvers, Nash, etc is a stronger goalie. The worst thing HuGo could do now for the rebuild is add a stronger goalie. I'm not saying find a goalie immediately. But I think they should start looking for likely candidates soon. Banking on UFAs is risky business. Potential targets can re-sign or you can be outbid. Then you end up like the Leafs. A list talent up front & 2nd or 3rd tier goalies. If you have the talent in your pipeline you are in a far safer position. Maybe they are looking, perhaps they can land a legit prospect goalie at the TDL... meanwhile we need Allen to keep stinking the joint out... Hopefully he gets the majority of games on the next 2 road trips and we lose way more than we win, 6 - 10 is most likely the best we can hope to draft given the way they are playing... |
|
|
|
Post by Tankdriver on Nov 25, 2022 12:48:40 GMT -5
I agree Willie, A the beginning of the season everyone knew the Blackhawks, Ducks, Coyotes and Sharks were rebuilding. Even in the East, Philly you knew was going to be bad, and Buffalo and Columbus would be the struggling teams.
So, I think the best thing is to play it out, develop the best you can and trade as many players with expiring contracts at the deadline and see if you can get more high picks that can be used as currency to move up or trade for other players.
|
|
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/6F6VF25GCFF2HFJCOITRJSGNPE.jpg)
