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There are 2 generational talents on this list.... McDavid and Crosby. That's it. If you think the others are generational talents, then you simply don't understand the definition of generational talent. Its not someone who has one or two seasons at the top of the league, its a player who quite simply comes along once in a generation and is going to dominate the NHL for a decade, as Crosby and McDavid have. There might be a third in Ovechkin, but I think he's more a generational goal scorer than overall talent. His all-around game isn't quite at the level of others but his goal scoring has been elite for a generation.

I want him in Montreal or suffering in the desert. Don’t want him on the California rebuilds, or on any eastern teams. Sick of the California teams having more elite talent than the habs have had over the past two decades. The east is already too strong. Don’t need any of the eastern teams getting a boast with Bedard.

Because there doesn’t appear to be a generational player other than Bedard the next few years. And there is no way to get Bedard, outside of a luck of the draw. So you can’t actually have a plan and evaluate Mgmts performance in getting the generational player. You can evaluate their performance in selecting and developing elite players (ie Tampa with Kucherov), but basically you want to win thr lottery. Well, I’d love to win the Lotto Max, but won’t be complaining when I won’t.

I agree. It makes a hell of a lot more sense to talk in terms of "franchise players" than "generational players." Generational players are historic players. Next level up from "superstars." Orr. Gretzky. Lemieux. Crosby. McDavid. Maybe Lidstrom. Maybe Roy/Hasek/Brodeur. Even guys like Sakic and Yzerman, I don't see as "generational." They were franchise players for sure, though. Lafleur is probably closer to "franchise" than generational. Price was a franchise player. A team that finishes in the bottom of the standings, especially over 2-3 years, should be able to draft itself a franchise player. Bagging a generational player is another matter, you need a happy confluence of timing to do it.

And what about Montreal? Them getting back to the playoffs gets harder with Bedard on Buffalo compared to any team in the West.

"Generational" really implies one in a generation. Six forwards (plus D and G) playing today is not "generational". Elite, maybe, but not generational. Even if they carried a team further than expected in one playoff season.