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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jan 1, 2023 17:44:12 GMT -5
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Post by Cranky on Jan 1, 2023 18:27:56 GMT -5
The early signs of of hitting rock bottom last year and we are on the way to an upswing has evaporated. We are NOT going to get Bedard and we are not going to get into the bottom 2 unless we plan to lose every game for months...which may look possible at this rate of bottom feeding.
My early complaint about goaltending is coming to fruition and creating a defeatist attitude on the team. I'm good with that but it's also could be pretty demoralizing for the team. Will it have long term effect? Look at how Buffalo is performing after YEARS of top picks. On the other hand, Devils look like they are out of it and on their way to top 10 team.
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Post by Willie Dog on Jan 1, 2023 18:37:50 GMT -5
The early signs of of hitting rock bottom last year and we are on the way to an upswing has evaporated. We are NOT going to get Bedard and we are not going to get into the bottom 2 unless we plan to lose every game for months...which may look possible at this rate of bottom feeding. My early complaint about goaltending is coming to fruition and creating a defeatist attitude on the team. I'm good with that but it's also could be pretty demoralizing for the team. Will it have long term effect? Look at how Buffalo is performing after YEARS of top picks. On the other hand, Devils look like they are out of it and on their way to top 10 team. I think the difference between Buffalo and New Jersey is the organization... it's just better in New Jersey. I feel we have a strong organization with HuGo in charge, I wish we still had Richardson behind the bench and I'm not a fan of Houle on the farm... Richardson would have been ideal in Laval as the HC. I am for the tank because we need more talent... plain and simple, no one can dispute that... We also have dead weight we have to shed, that takes time... if the tank and the shedding of deadweight can happen at the same time all the better. I believe that the players going through this misery will come out better for it... the ones that don't are not the ones you win a cup with. |
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Post by folatre on Jan 1, 2023 19:41:31 GMT -5
Buffalo and New Jersey may both have managed to turn the corner, though it took about a decade in each case. However, one has to recognize they did not draft and develop well for much of that period, iced low budget rosters, and were the opposite of a 'destination' in the eyes of good players. Montreal has some structural advantages that would make ten years of losing extremely unlikely.
Back to the tank thing, yeah this road trip has exposed how feeble the current roster is. When the goalies are not stealing points, the tumble down the standing seems inevitable. There are too many rookies simultaneously learning what it takes to play NHL level hockey. Mental and physical fatigue is setting in.
Montreal needs more difference-makers and this draft offers a real opportunity to get one or two.
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Post by seventeen on Jan 1, 2023 19:52:42 GMT -5
Maybe 2 difference makers. Florida lost again, today. Zito is not sending Hughes any Christmas cards.
All I can say is “EEEEEEHHHHHAAAAA!!!”
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Post by Tankdriver on Jan 1, 2023 20:12:49 GMT -5
The tank won't be complete until we clear the bad contracts. So we'll have another year to go. By then maybe we can sign Dubois, trade for a goalie prospect and find another forward up front.
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Post by madhabber on Jan 1, 2023 21:52:49 GMT -5
We already had a few pieces in place. Suzuki, Caufield, Guhle, the other D's. Plus what we added this past year, Slaf, Hutson, Beck, Mesar, Dach, Mailloux, Roy, Farrell, Barron. Plus what we will add this year. If we can get lucky in the lottery with either pick. A few good veterans to help the kids. A new coach in the AHL would be nice. One who is more interested in teaching than winning.
Getting rid of all the bad contracts will take a bit of time, but we knew that, and we'll get rid of a few this year. Leaving us with Armia and Hoffman. I didn't count Gallagher because a few vets who can show the way to the kids is important. No one will take his contract, and at least Gally works, when he's not injured. He may never play to the end of his contract anyway.
Not all those young'uns will play for us, not in the long term anyways. So a trade for a goalie will be in our future if none of our goalie prospects pan out. I know Cranky is worried about that but not me. Some team will end up with too many goalies and not be able to pay both, and want to trade one for a young prospect ready to come in. We'll have those.
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Post by Skilly on Jan 2, 2023 9:16:56 GMT -5
Buffalo, New Jersey AND Edmonton.
Buffalo still won't make the playoffs this year
Edmonton is currently in a dog fight for the 8th playoff spot
New Jersey is 5 points from being in 9th in the conference.
A tank will take longer than just last year and this year. Way longer. We have Suzuki signed for 8 years. A lot has to be done to take advantage of his prime years, because he will be gone before the end of those 8 years.
With the current "tank" plan, we have to find money for Caufield, 2023 draft pick #1, 2023 draft pick #2, and a #1 goalie. That doesn't even consider the defense. Some still want an elite defenseman, and Guhle will be looking at a big raise in 2025. That would be a nice problem to have, but that's the current "plan".
Added into this mess, is if we are fortunate enough to get Connor Bedard, we can't draft first again until 2027.
This team is better than what it's record is showing. There are just too many useless filler players on the 2nd and 3rd lines.
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Post by Skilly on Jan 2, 2023 9:33:08 GMT -5
Based on points percentage we'd currently be drafting 5th and 8th
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Post by Willie Dog on Jan 2, 2023 11:57:32 GMT -5
This team is better than what it's record is showing. There are just too many useless filler players on the 2nd and 3rd lines. ^^^^ THIS!!! |
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Post by folatre on Jan 2, 2023 12:34:04 GMT -5
Well, having Savard, Monahan, and Matheson would help. But I see a bottom ten roster even with all hands on deck. Inconsistent goalies, too many rookie d-men, and forwards providing almost no secondary scoring pretty much equates to a feeble roster.
I am not saying there is nothing to worry about in terms of rebuilds veering off course and leaving teams in the wilderness for 5-10 years. For sure, it can happen and there are examples of this.
However, there are also plenty of examples of rebuilds being relatively brief, where the organization returns to competitiveness in fairly short order. Boston was really bad from 2005-07. Toronto was terrible from 2013-16. The Rangers infamous declared rebuild was basically from 2017-19. The Kings stunk from 2018-21. So there are instances where competitive teams see the writing on the wall, hit the rebuild button, struggle for a short number of seasons, and then become competitive again.
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