This year has been a shocking one to say the least. As a Canadiens fan, I fully expected the team to finish anywhere from 6th to 8th in the conference, but certainly not any lower. Now it looks like we will in fact miss the playoffs, and could potentially have a lottery pick on our hands. Now, there are some options looking forward.
With Jacques Martin gone, and his system of coaching and play out the door, I believe this team is going to have a new look very soon. The Canadiens were built in his vision, it was a team he could work with. We saw that as we went to the Conference Finals one year, and pushed the Cup Champs to a Game 7 OT the next. But now Martin is out, Cunneyworth is in. Not to mention Gauthier's job could be on thin ice if things don't work out.
So, those options I spoke about earlier. We could go the way of the Oilers, the Penguins, the Blackhawks, and rebuild. It's a nice option if we simply look at the future. A few superstars and a team that will compete year after year for a very long time. But that also means a long period of mediocrity. It means missing the playoffs year after year, with the media scrutinizing every loss, and we as fans potentially becoming uninterested. It does however, provide what is probably the biggest payoff.
OR, we could re-tool. We saw it with the Flyers a while back when they pulled a one-year rebuild. Gauthier seems to be on the verge of doing just that. He has managed to make some good, even trades without trading much in the way of draft picks or prospects. This would basically be a rebuild through trades and free agency, while picking up a solid prospect in the early picks of the upcoming draft.
In your opinion, what should the Habs do? Inevitably changes are coming, but should they pick the longer process with a proven track record, or go for a retool that allows them contend again quickly?
Rebuilding (or tanking) is not an "option". It happens when you're team is just terrible, you don't do that on purpose. No professionnal athlete wants to lose on purpose.
I don't like when people talk about penguins and blackhawks and how they had a good strategy. They drafted early because they sucked not because they choose to suck.
It worked for Pittsburgh and Chicago but it didn't for columbus, atlanta and even edmonton who are still in the bottom.
However, I'm in for a kind of rebuild like Ottawa. Trade your veterans for picks (Gill, Moen, Campoli and even Gionta) and live and die with your young players. Give them a lot of ice time.
Quote:Originally posted by kebrik@Jan 15 2012, 02:32 PM Rebuilding (or tanking) is not an "option". It happens when you're team is just terrible, you don't do that on purpose. No professionnal athlete wants to lose on purpose.
I don't like when people talk about penguins and blackhawks and how they had a good strategy. They drafted early because they sucked not because they choose to suck.
It worked for Pittsburgh and Chicago but it didn't for columbus, atlanta and even edmonton who are still in the bottom.
However, I'm in for a kind of rebuild like Ottawa. Trade your veterans for picks (Gill, Moen, Campoli and even Gionta) and live and die with your young players. Give them a lot of ice time.
I'd be fine with this, and then plug any holes we leave via free agency.
Quote:Originally posted by kebrik@Jan 15 2012, 02:32 PM Rebuilding (or tanking) is not an "option". It happens when you're team is just terrible, you don't do that on purpose. No professionnal athlete wants to lose on purpose.
I don't like when people talk about penguins and blackhawks and how they had a good strategy. They drafted early because they sucked not because they choose to suck.
It worked for Pittsburgh and Chicago but it didn't for columbus, atlanta and even edmonton who are still in the bottom.
However, I'm in for a kind of rebuild like Ottawa. Trade your veterans for picks (Gill, Moen, Campoli and even Gionta) and live and die with your young players. Give them a lot of ice time.
but do u realize edmonton is going to be amazing
i rather trade all our veterans for picks and use those picks to get quality picks to get QUALITY TALENT not just a french kid
Quote:Originally posted by kebrik@Jan 15 2012, 01:32 PM Rebuilding (or tanking) is not an "option". It happens when you're team is just terrible, you don't do that on purpose. No professionnal athlete wants to lose on purpose.
I don't like when people talk about penguins and blackhawks and how they had a good strategy. They drafted early because they sucked not because they choose to suck.
It worked for Pittsburgh and Chicago but it didn't for columbus, atlanta and even edmonton who are still in the bottom.
However, I'm in for a kind of rebuild like Ottawa. Trade your veterans for picks (Gill, Moen, Campoli and even Gionta) and live and die with your young players. Give them a lot of ice time.
Quote:Originally posted by Snappy@Jan 15 2012, 02:39 PM this is one of the worst seasons in the HISTORY of the team IMO. I wish I was alive to see a cup in Montreal :( .
me too
i wanted to see our guys be talented, rough, skilled with amazing goaltending
and not to mention the great coaaches we had
teztify![[Image: help.gif]](http://hfboards.com/images/smilies/help.gif)
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) lol
