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It doesn’t matter how you rank them. Montreal simply has too many draft picks and prospects not to use them in the strategic way that they did in this draft. We need to keep in mind that there is a 50 contract limit. From getting Dobson for Heineman and two picks to giving up picks to get the player they were targeting, HuGo ran a masterclass on leveraging picks and areas of strength to make the team stronger. You say you hope they don’t continue to trade picks. I hope that they do as long as the trades continue to be measured, strategic and bringing back excellent value. Picks are not the end goal. Using picks to build a Stanley Cup contender is the goal and picks and prospects need not always be retained to achieve it.

I expect pretty close, maybe only one zero less!

Next season is a stronger draft, but I reiterate if we keep getting good, young talent for picks I’m happy for them to be dealt. I think HuGo have demonstrated that they are looking long term to build a sustainable contender. If they were trading picks for older players I would not be happy unless we were a serious threat to win the Cup

If Koivu’s 11 is worn why not Subban’s 76?

Is that what that was? Looked to me like he was expressing disappointment, I don't think that's the same as "shitting on management". And even if he was, is that not (at least partially) the point to places like this? Just seemed like some unnecessary antagonism on your part...

Sergachev was in the NHL at 19. Mailloux is struggling defensively in the AHL at 22. They are not the same.

There just arent centres available. Unless we can get Granlund or Roslovic, my plan would be to be strong on the wings and defence. Put Dach and Newhook as your 2/3 C.... wait for a team to decide, we suck, the season is over, lets tank for Gavin McKenna, and then trade them a draft pick or prospect for a top 6 centre around late November or so. Better than overspending on a guy who can't do the job.

I couldn’t care less about +/-. It’s not accurate or meaningful. Liane’s goals helped us win games. Dach was a disappointment, I’m hopeful, but not optimistic that he will reach his potential this year. Arber was in and out of the lineup because the coaches decided that was the best option because of his deft defensive inconsistency— , I didn’t necessarily agree. I don’t think Liane showed a bad attitude and I think that he will be a much better player after a full offseason to recover from his injuries.

Maybe we will call him Ogie Ogil Thorpe

I think not too aggressive at all. They have not been selling their future but using selected picks to get high-quality young players (not veterans in their 30s) that can play with the team for years. As I said in an earlier post, the prospect pool rankings show that the Habs' pipeline is not emptying out, they continue to have one of the strongest sets of prospects in the league, even with the team being one of the youngest in the NHL (probably top three in the coming season).

No, because the centre market just doesn’t seem to be there anyway. There’s a shortage of top-6 C in the NHL. And as someone or other pointed out, the rising cap + a down draft year meant that most teams want to add NHL talent, not hoard draft picks, as they might have done in past seasons. Everyone thinks they’re “two players away” from their organizational goals (whether those goals be winning the Cup, becoming top-tier contenders, making the playoffs, or being “in the mix”). Besides that: we made the team better overall and now MM becomes a realistic trade chip. So it’s not as simple as “we’ve shot our load and have no more assets to move.”

Laval's site has a player tracker showing who's signed, who is a free agent, and who has left already. A decent summary so far of the state of the team: https://www.rocketlaval.com/en/press-release/portrait-of-the-rocket-lineup-2025-26/

Pezzetta is marginal, but I have to give him kudos for his hard work, which got him another contract. By the end of that one, he'll have earned about US$4.5M--not a lot by NHL standards, but it should hopefully put him in a good position for his post-hockey life.

I think you are going to play Hutson, Matheson, Dobson, Guhle all in your top 4. All of them will get over 20 minutes a game. the 15-16 or so minutes left will go to either Struble/Xhejak on the left and Carrier on the right.

Mailloux probably has a higher ceiling than Bolduc, but Bolduc is already an established NHLer with room to improve. Mailloux's defensive deficiencies might prevent him from ever reaching that level. We moved him at the right time while his value is high and he wasn't too disgruntled with the lack of NHL opportunity. We're not the only team with a hole at centre and it doesn't seem like there are many on the market. We already filled a huge hole on RD.

I feel like there's a Mailloux disconnect. Was he all of a sudden a top 5/can't miss pick? Did anyone watch him play? Granted, St. Louis must value his potential because Bolduc is not a throwaway player. This feels like the Lehkonen/Barron trade, but in reverse.

Do you think Hughes said.... I don't need a centre and not going to try? Do you think they didn't explore the options at C and come to the conclusion that adding a winger was actually the better move right now. As for trade chips. They still have Matheson, they have next year's first, they could move one of Kapanen/Beck, there are options man.

There was no hurry for you ... I'll trust HuGo to better understand the marketplace

YES The pick would be 16 - 32 anyway

Maybe if you go back far enough in history. Definitely not a grandson (or great-grandson), though. On the other hand ... he's heading to Cornell for NCAA hockey in a few months--just 59 years after Dryden did the same. I think that's enough of a legendary connection, even if he's not not related to Yvan.

Laws against street hockey are a national crime.

New season, new thread!

100%. We don’t make the playoffs without Laine’s hot streak when he came back we d his 20 goals. Dach needs to stay healthy for us to know what he is cabable of and as a starting point he needs to have a hard summer of work to prepare for this season. He has shown flashes of being dominant, but he needs to come in strong and confident and then let’s hope he is finally healthy. Xhejac should heavy been left in the minors for that full season when he was sent down to get more reps and ice time. It is what it is now. But he’s another guy who has to come back and not just play hard, but play smart.

Sorry, that’s not ultra-aggressive, that’s overloading the lineup with young players who may not be ready. That is the path of Buffalo and other failed rebuilds. Every successful team needs to balance youth and experience and even with Dach and Liane, the Habs are a very young team. Am I against moving either of those two players to upgrade the roster? No. Am I opposed to moving them only in order to “ open up space for younger players”? Yes, 100%. We have already opened two forward spots by not retaining older UFA’s. With the Dobson and Bolduc moves that is enough roster churn for one off-season, barring, of course, a trade for a young 2C.

Roy=Charles Hudon 2.0?

My biggest concern is dumping NHLers to force youngsters who have not yet proven they are ready into the NHL ... no player has been ruined by staying too long in the AHL but players have been ruined, or at least failed to reach their potential, by being rushed to the NHL.

Didn't ZZ top write a song about him "I'm just looking for some Tuch"

I very much doubt it and not interested. Don't want to overpay for a winger who is talented but not overly physical. Also not really the cap space to pay him without moving other assets.

Canadiens' trade for Bolduc another building block towards contention - Sportsnet.ca BROSSARD, Que.— The broadcast featured Jeff Gorton as an NHL Network panelist, breaking down the attributes of prospects in real-time as they were being drafted into the NHL just four months before he formally accepted the job he currently occupies as executive vice-president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. It was when Zachary Bolduc was taken 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues that the former GM of the New York Rangers perked up a bit. “Beautiful skater, lots of talent here,” Gorton started. “He played with (2020 first-overall pick of the New York Rangers Alexis) Lafreniere (in junior), scored 30 goals as a 16-year-old, so he’s been on the map a little bit. Maybe a little bit undersized. But as he gets a little bigger and stronger, he can be a real top-six player for somebody.”

That's what it's looking like and I think that was always in the back of Hughes mind that if he can't make the right trade then Dach will get another chance.

Vincent gets a "cup of coffee" filling in as a coach?

thanks for stating the obvious. I was not criticizing management, just expressing my disappointment since I believe that the Habs will be missing a decent left-handed center.

There is a difference when he does it EVERY TIME.... ask guys like @GHT120 Its a known thing that he is hyper critical of this management while not taking the same approach with Bergevin/Ducharme. Its clearly bias. Just today, we have to give Bergevin credit for picking and believing in Mailloux (who has played what a dozen NHL games), but we don't have enough first and second round picks under Hughes. WHAT?

Did I miss anyone? (Didn't include picks that were not first rounders). In: Dobson Bolduc Blais Kahkonen Clurman Belzile Out: Heineman Mailloux Dvorak Armia Pezetta Primeau 16 17

He already has played for the Habs🙄

I think so, also a possible callup if a goalie in Montreal is hurt. You don't want Fowler riding the bench.

Mailloux still needs to work on his defence, but he was named one of the top prospects in the AHL this year, so he is not a throwaway, either. Not Sergachev, but a high-quality RHD prospect with strong offence and weaker defence. That said, I think the trade makes sense, and it should make the Habs a better team.

Leafs sign Pezzetta for 2 years and under 800K AAV.

Corey Perry to the kings! Ready for a rematch from 1993 in the finals? 😁

High, forechecking motor is perfect

Its a 22 year old, who scored 19 goals last year for a guy whose defensive deficiencies have kept him in the AHL.

Kills penalties, plays physical, can score goals. He's an Armia UPGRADE Is a third liner now, but could be a 2nd liner in time and i think he'd fit well with Demidov. I really like this trade, even if its not a centre.

You would need to offer alot for a 25 yr old 6'3" winger who just had a 80 point season.

Full credit to Alfredo who frequently suggested that Primeau could be worth a seventh somewhere. I didn't see it happening but it's better than losing him for nothing altogether. Now they need to sign a goalie somewhere.

NYI has signed Romanov to an eight-year extension, $6.25M AAV.

I believe Kyrou has a NYC that kicks in tomorrow. If that's the case, St Louis may be looking to get the deal done before then...

Personally I never cared about the "trading in division" problem - as long as the trade makes you stronger. Now whether those either of thise guys are adequate return on MM and a sufficient upgrade at C is another question.

Couple writers thank Patrick Roy for pushing him out. Couple question the overall timing of adding him. Writers Weigh In: Discussing the Dobson Deal – HabsWorld.net

If a D can play 25 minutes a night. I want Hutson playing 5 min PP and 20.min 5 on 5. He can PK sure, but let someone else do it cause they can PK as well as him but not create offense like him

I agree, just speculating on what might be possible which is what we do on a thread called Permanent Rumour Thread with the emphasis on Rumour.