Karine Hains: In Hainsight: Failure to Launch The Rocket’s playoff journey lasted only two little games, after giving their all to qualify, Jean-François Houle’s men were running on empty.

Good summary of the Habs' situation moving into off season. There are definitely plenty of young players getting ready to push for a spot, making trades likely. Draft should be interesting....

first chicken to post!

What do you think mtl will or should do with the Florida pick? Maybe it depends where that pick will be as well.

Will they trade it? Should they? If they keep it, anybody they should or could target with that later first round pick?

And I get it that Bedard is the prize this year, but if this is a deep draft, should we not hear a little bit more about the others prospects? Just my 2 god damn cents

What do you think mtl will or should do with the Florida pick? Maybe it depends where that pick will be as well.

Will they trade it? Should they? If they keep it, anybody they should or could target with that later first round pick?

And I get it that Bedard is the prize this year, but if this is a deep draft, should we not hear a little bit more about the others prospects? Just my 2 god damn cents
- deadpoulet

Use it to get pld

Use it to get pld
- mr.peanut

I guess

but would it get it done by itself?

As much as I would like Dubois as a Habs, Winnipeg are in a bad spot here

I guess

but would it get it done by itself?

As much as I would like Dubois as a Habs, Winnipeg are in a bad spot here
- deadpoulet

The Jets are on the brink of being in a rebuild. Shuffles and wheeler aren't as good as they used to be. Defense besides Morrissy is bad and they're wasting Hellabucyk's best years

I guess

but would it get it done by itself?

As much as I would like Dubois as a Habs, Winnipeg are in a bad spot here
- deadpoulet

Not likely, and there is just too much unknown about which young D-men they want to keep, and which might be available. Regardless, I would just use the Panther pick on a C, let him develop along with the other youngsters. If PLD really wants to be a Hab, let him do it as a FA.....

The Jets are on the brink of being in a rebuild. Shuffles and wheeler aren't as good as they used to be. Defense besides Morrissy is bad and they're wasting Hellabucyk's best years
- mr.peanut

Wonder what it would take to get Hellabucyk?

The Jets are on the brink of being in a rebuild. Shuffles and wheeler aren't as good as they used to be. Defense besides Morrissy is bad and they're wasting Hellabucyk's best years
- mr.peanut

I think they may ask for Mailloux as well and considering the lack of RHD prospects in mtl, I would not like that all that much. Barron is young and might be ok but thats pretty much it for what the Habs have on the right side of defense. All of their young defensemen or prospects are LHDS

if the draft is as deep as they say it is, the Jets could get a pretty good player around 17-18th.

Not sure they would get a better offer from another team, considering Dubois said he wanted to be a Habs.

Not likely, and there is just too much unknown about which young D-men they want to keep, and which might be available. Regardless, I would just use the Panther pick on a C, let him develop along with the other youngsters. If PLD really wants to be a Hab, let him do it as a FA.....
- Frozendisc

I think you should always go BPA at the draft. See the KK pick at 3 overall.

Karine
Hains: In Hainsight: Failure to Launch
The Rocket’s playoff journey lasted only two little games, after giving their all to qualify, Jean-François Houle’s men were running on empty.
- Karine Hains

It was a tough year for Laval, but for a change, it was for the right reasons.

In the past the Habs AHL team just plain sucked, was poor at coaching and development of players. When players were called up, they were just not prepared to step into the line-up or have any experience with the Habs system (or used marginally in roles that did not suit them on the 4th line playing 4-5 minutes a game). This year, we have seen the effort they put in to improving their development system, that is organizationally wide not just at the NHL level, which allowed players to come to Montreal and fit in right away.

I would have liked to see Laval go for a deep run - and they may just do that in the next few years with all the picks coming on board - but the fact the kids they sent to Montreal were productive shows a turning point in the organization.

Hopefully next up is fixing the medical, training and conditioning teams.

Tough year for both Montreal and Laval, but you can see the changes starting to make things better.

So I am happy with the progress made this season.

I think you should always go BPA at the draft. See the KK pick at 3 overall.
- deadpoulet

Taking a player 3rd overall that should have been middle to late 1st rarely works out well, eh

Taking a player 3rd overall that should have been middle to late 1st rarely works out well, eh
- Frozendisc

yes, but its the we need to draft a centre that led to this.

Dont draft base on needs. You can always make some trades later on if you need to (see Romanov for Dach).

Taking a player 3rd overall that should have been middle to late 1st rarely works out well, eh
- Frozendisc

At draft, he was ranked 5th.

Not defending the pick, just saying that is was not that much of a reach based on what most people thought at the time.

yes, but its the we need to draft a centre that led to this.

Dont draft base on needs. You can always make some trades later on if you need to (see Romanov for Dach).
- deadpoulet

True.....but I see Centre as the BPA at or around 17th pick.....maybe a confused forward such as Matt Wood ( I mean no disrespect, he is probably a wing, not C) or maybe shore up the RD by taking the Swede Pellikka. Don't trade the pick for PLD though.....

At draft, he was ranked 5th.

Not defending the pick, just saying that is was not that much of a reach based on what most people thought at the time.
- Mashadar

Yes, plenty of people missed on him.....but the hindsight allows us to see he should not have gone anywhere near that high.

Yes, plenty of people missed on him.....but the hindsight allows us to see he should not have gone anywhere near that high.
- Frozendisc

You can say that for most of the players picked in the first round.

You can say that for most of the players picked in the first round.
- Mashadar

That seems like far too much work....besides, you just said it.

What do you think mtl will or should do with the Florida pick? Maybe it depends where that pick will be as well.

Will they trade it? Should they? If they keep it, anybody they should or could target with that later first round pick?

And I get it that Bedard is the prize this year, but if this is a deep draft, should we not hear a little bit more about the others prospects? Just my 2 god damn cents
- deadpoulet

Should they trade the Panthers pick? Answer is, depends what they can get with it. That a d a prospect probably gets PLD but I wouldn’t di it if he wants an absurd amount of money, the guy is good but he’s not franchise cornerstone good. If he’s ready to fit in the team’s salary structure fine, if not pass.i wouldnt put it past Hughes to use it for a hockey deal no one saw coming like the Dach trade last year. Judging how his trades have turned out so far, he has my full confidence

Should they trade the Panthers pick? Answer is, depends what they can get with it. That a d a prospect probably gets PLD but I wouldn’t di it if he wants an absurd amount of money, the guy is good but he’s not franchise cornerstone good. If he’s ready to fit in the team’s salary structure fine, if not pass.i wouldnt put it past Hughes to use it for a hockey deal no one saw coming like the Dach trade last year. Judging how his trades have turned out so far, he has my full confidence
- Karine Hains

Lehkonen is one guy I would like to still be around, but the need for a RHD was strong. But he is only 27 and getting better.

Lehkonen is one guy I would like to still be around, but the need for a RHD was strong. But he is only 27 and getting better.
- deadpoulet

Danault could've been really useful to that team as well, I would've liked to see him play under St-Louis.

Lehkonen is one guy I would like to still be around, but the need for a RHD was strong. But he is only 27 and getting better.
- deadpoulet

Crazy they got rid of a guy like that

Danault could've been really useful to that team as well, I would've liked to see him play under St-Louis.
- Pat1993

Crazy they got rid of a guy like that

I think you should always go BPA at the draft. See the KK pick at 3 overall.
- deadpoulet

Crazy they got rid of a guy like that