John

Man on the Moon

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @PinguZaide @HabsWest @gb_nadeau Maybe but the end result is getting points and winning hockey games. That’s what matters.

Championship teams often have a 1C like Suzuki.

[John @stosay]

@HabsWest @PinguZaide @gb_nadeau @Loubrass2 Personally I enjoy watching him play because of his IQ, and ultimately enjoy winning. Especially after suffering through years of David Deharnais and a washed Gionta as my 1C lol

I also can’t say I was bored watching the Habs this year.

[John @stosay]

@SlafCaufZukes @Loubrass2 It makes no sense. We have two real tangible superstars on our team and people are clamouring for theoreticals.

The window is open, and we can win now with this group.

And those young guys in the system will continue to develop and eventually be added in. Not mutually exclusive

[John @stosay]

@HabsWest @PinguZaide @gb_nadeau @Loubrass2 100 points and he’s boring 😂😂

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @gb_nadeau @PinguZaide @HabsWest Thomas is already a 70-90 point center, and with him Demidov has better odds to be a 100+ player in the next 2 years.

But Demidov won’t get there in the next 2 years with Hage, because Hage may not even be in the NHL by then.

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @gb_nadeau @PinguZaide @HabsWest 8 players in the entire NHL scored 100 points.

2 players in the entire NHL scored 50 goals.

This is not easy to do lol suggesting we can’t win by adding around either of them is crazy. It took us almost 30 years to see that as Habs fan, come on now. Nothing is guaranteed.

[John @stosay]

@HabsWest @PinguZaide @gb_nadeau @Loubrass2 Having no true 2nd line is too easy to shut down in playoff hockey.

Get a player like Thomas or Hischier on the second line and we will see more production from the first line.

[John @stosay]

@HabsWest @PinguZaide @gb_nadeau @Loubrass2 Yes but that’s the key word isn’t it: Expect

All we have is expectations, and expectations don’t always work out.

Meanwhile we are staring at a real, existing 100 point player and 50 goal scorer.

[John @stosay]

@PinguZaide @HabsWest @gb_nadeau @Loubrass2 I couldn’t have said this better.

I do care about prospects, but also understand that they rarely turn out how you expect. Artificially increasing our window gives no guarantee.

Put another way, we hope that Hage and Zhar become what Suzuki and Caufield already are.

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @HabsWest Nothing is promised my friend. There are teams that rebuild and never get anywhere; prospects rarely turn out how you expect them to.

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @HabsWest How can you possibly throw in the towel that quickly lol

We got to the ECF without a 2C - if anything that should give you hope that we are only a few pieces away, especially as Demi/Slaf/Hutson enter their prime.

[John @stosay]

@gb_nadeau @PinguZaide @HabsWest @Loubrass2 When Demidov is 25, Thomas would be 30. Wouldn’t consider that no one to play with, or too old. Eichel is 29..

And at that point you can insert a younger winger who doesn’t need as much development as a center

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @PinguZaide @gb_nadeau @HabsWest No because it’s unlikely Hage comes in at 22 and is impactful out the gate. Development doesn’t work like that, look at Kapanen.

It will probably take him until he reaches his prime at 25-26, like Suzuki, to be a true 2C… exactly where Thomas and Hischier already are

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @HabsWest Yeah 100% you insert them into your lineup, that’s the goal. But doesn’t mean the window is closed right now; its clearly open

Suz 27
Dobson 27
CC 26
Hutson 23
Slaf 23
Demi 21

This is the current core, and you can win with this group; especially with a guy like Thomas

[John @stosay]

@gb_nadeau @HabsWest @PinguZaide @Loubrass2 Just because they are the same age doesn’t mean they are at the same development.

By the time Hage gets to year 1 in the NHL, Demi will be in year 4 and Slaf year 6. This matters.

He’s way behind them, and it will take a few years after that before he’s impactful.

[John @stosay]

@HabsWest @PinguZaide @Loubrass2 I agree that Thomas and Hischier will age better than Cole

But, he’s still in his prime right now

You add one of those centers into the mix and you’ve got an immediate window where Slaf Hutson and Demi will also be entering their prime. Hage will take longer than this timeline

[John @stosay]

@Mack_Maring @MitchyGallo That’s what I think. I feel it would take a prospect and a first. Maybe someone like Hage

[John @stosay]

@MitchyGallo Really think either of them will cost at least Hage no?

[John @stosay]

@Loubrass2 @HabsWest Dude Suzuki will be 27 and Caufield 26

You can’t rebuild forever, it’s been 5 years; it’s clear our window is open

If you keep waiting for unproven prospects then eventually those 2 will also age out

Our core is already young and solid, it’s OK to add quality vets to win now

[John @stosay]

@GrumpaDotCA Pretty sure he was drafted by Gorton also in NY