well then maybe that's all they want to be... competitive enough to fill the building for 82 games and hope for a miracle run at some point.
- DoubleDown

That is what most teams are, nowadays.

David Fischer for the win

Claude Giroux...drafted 2 spots AFTER Fischer
- Symba007

I read a story about that...Giroux saying that he was pretty sure the Habs would pick him, he had a strong feeling after his interview with Timmins that they really wanted him. When the Habs stepped on the stage, he was ready to step up and was a bit surprised that they didn't picked him.

Apparently Fisher was Gauthier's pick

It's the pressure of being in Montreal. Would the fan base allow 4 ot 5 awful seasons to rebuild properly? After year 2 of being near the bottom, the fans would get impatient and demand to speed up the process.
- cburgess

dude they've sucked for almost 25 years

You know who's almost as good as Price? Holtby. You know what roster is 10x better than the Habs? Washington. Don't see them ever getting past the Caps, nor any team from the West should they some how manage to
- ehabs9

they won't get past Toronto Saturday FFS

Conclusion is they'll suck for a while, if Price doesn't get back to 100% (or gets injured even more often).
- Pecafan Fan

If that is what you believe. Sure.

yeah but then again you'll have a great goalie who gives you a chance to win.

should they get rid of price so they can suck for 7 more years and be able to redraft a great goalie?


fact is he took a team that had Price, Pacioretty, Subban, Plekanec, a younger Markov and some others, that's a solid core and a 3rd round pick in hand, Galagher already drafted.


4 years later he still has that same core but they're older and somehow pooptier and he's added NOTHING to it
- dt99999

But what was he supposed to acquire? The teams cupboards are emprty outside of those players you mentioned

20th overall Fischer
22nd Giroux
45th Petry
50th Lucic
52nd Seabrook


DAVID FISCHER TABARNAK
- Symba007

Riku Helenius
Ty Wishart
Mark Mitera

dude they've sucked for almost 25 years
- dt99999

Sucked or been average? Aka drafting in the 10-20 range for the last 25 years. You have to bottom out for 4 or 5 years and get the top picks.

Riku Helenius
Ty Wishart
Mark Mitera
- Fredo

If that is what you believe. Sure.
- Mashadar

This is the team without Price, so it seems like a fairly sound deduction

But what was he supposed to acquire? The teams cupboards are emprty outside of those players you mentioned
- cburgess

the picks he wanted to build with but hasn't really built with...



man trades really are hard

I read a story about that...Giroux saying that he was pretty sure the Habs would pick him, he had a strong feeling after his interview with Timmins that they really wanted him. When the Habs stepped on the stage, he was ready to step up and was a bit surprised that they didn't picked him.

Apparently Fisher was Gauthier's pick
- stinger67

While I won't let Timmins off the hook, there is some truth to the fact that GMs are the ones that make the final decisions. Not sure if this is the case here... like when Gainey picked Price, when Timmins wanted someone else.

Can go both ways, I guess.

Sucked or been average? Aka drafting in the 10-20 range for the last 25 years. You have to bottom out for 4 or 5 years and get the top picks.
- cburgess

Hasn't worked that well for the Oilers

You know who's almost as good as Price? Holtby. You know what roster is 10x better than the Habs? Washington. Don't see them ever getting past the Caps, nor any team from the West should they some how manage to
- ehabs9

And if it's Holtby that got injured all this time and Price had played, how do you think the standings would read?

- Symba007

Hasn't worked that well for the Oilers
- ehabs9

I think that's more of a development problem. But in 3 years romantic now they will be good. They have too much talent to not be good.

the picks he wanted to build with but hasn't really built with...



man trades really are hard
- dt99999

Yeah, cause all those guys from the last 3 drafts should be filling the Habs roster by now.

And if it's Holtby that got injured all this time and Price had played, how do you think the standings would read?
- obie

I'm sorry, but the Caps are perfectly capable of winning games without Holtby. I'll admit he's stolen some games for them, but 3/4 of the time they win he's not the only reason or the most prominent one.

Hasn't worked that well for the Oilers
- ehabs9

You will see how well it hasn't worked out for the oilers in the next few years.... or 12.

Yeah, cause all those guys from the last 3 drafts should be filling the Habs roster by now.
- Mashadar

no but they could have been used to acquire players who could help now while the best goalie in the world is in his prime and they have a supposed norris defenseman. you can't keep building for 5 years from now. At some point you have to say well we might as well go for it.

I'm sorry, but the Caps are perfectly capable of winning games without Holtby. I'll admit he's stolen some games for them, but 3/4 of the time they win he's nt the only reason or the most prominent one.
- ehabs9

Not saying they can't win without him but you take their all star goalie out and replace with an inexperienced back up for the whole season and they may play different

no but they could have been used to acquire players who could help now while the best goalie in the world is in his prime and they have a supposed norris defenseman. you can't keep building for 5 years from now. At some point you have to say well we might as well go for it.
- dt99999

He went for it with a pop gun offense, soft ass defense and the best goaltender in the world. He's either a bad talent evaluator or a poor decision maker.

no but they could have been used to acquire players who could help now while the best goalie in the world is in his prime and they have a supposed norris defenseman. you can't keep building for 5 years from now. At some point you have to say well we might as well go for it.
- dt99999

Is he alright building for 5 years from now if they were in a good position to do it. But as has been said, you don't build team foundations in the 20-30 range of the draft.

no but they could have been used to acquire players who could help now while the best goalie in the world is in his prime and they have a supposed norris defenseman. you can't keep building for 5 years from now. At some point you have to say well we might as well go for it.
- dt99999

Ya, but you don't have any prospects that are going to get you a top line Centre which you need. I agree they need to do something when price and Subban are in their prime tho

I'm sorry, but the Caps are perfectly capable of winning games without Holtby. I'll admit he's stolen some games for them, but 3/4 of the time they win he's not the only reason or the most prominent one.
- ehabs9

You should watch Philipp Grubauer play more often. Caps wouldn't be that high in the standings with him playing 40 games, not a chance.