Quoting: gm_jeanguy
This all makes perfect sense, still - given that Price and Weber are going nowhere - MTL doesn't look like they have a choice but pry their way back into contender status within the next year or so. And since the forward corps is about to peak and d-mens take more time to pan out, they should consider trading picks for a young top 4 LD (mid-20's max) before next season starts. Let's say MTL trades for Klefbom, would the team become an obvious contender a la TB or WIN? No. But who would have guessed at season opener last year that cup finalists would be VGK and WSH? As long as you're in the playoffs, there's a chance. Judging by his actions, that's how MB seems to think anyway.
I can only give my opinion on the matter, I know MB will probably do something completely different lol.
True but I've seen this old adage about having Weber and Price means the team can't really rebuild. That's fine (I disagree) but that doesn't mean they should mortgage their futures for players right now because of these two players demands. Management does not need to over cater to these guys. They are paid handsomely, that's enough. Since their contracts make any potential trade virtually impossible or not worth it, both players need to cater to management if anything.
Teams can have two juggernaut contracts like Price and Weber, and still try to restart with a new young nucleus. If Price and Weber don't like it, they can void their contracts. Seeing as anyone not named Berglund wouldn't throw away millions of dollars to not play somewhere, they have little other choice.
It should be more about Price and Weber staying competitive for the duration of their over extended contracts than it is the Habs management having to mismanage the team to benefit them. We had a good team a couple years ago and the team was outplayed by an inferior (IMO) NYR team. If they want to be surrounded by better players, so that they can actually win, they need to remain good players for the remainder of their contracts while the team can stock pile prospects and develop them into those quality players.
As for the other adage that simply making the playoffs, that means you got a chance........ is so effing silly it blows my mind. Some how a 8th seeded LAK win the cup and that is the goal for all non contender teams going forward? That team had a 24 year old #1 centerman calibre in Kopitar, a 21 year old Norris calibre Doughty and 25 year old Vezina calibre Quick.
Complete madness if that's the way you manage. Now I understand in front of the camera's saying that may be all a GM can do but behind closed doors? I can't fathom any GM going into the year saying all we have to do is make the playoffs and anything can happen...... yeah technically anything is possible, that is true but a team with major holes in it trying to winning the cup has very very low odds. But yeah, it could happen...technically....
As for last year, Washington has been a juggernaut all these years. They shouldn't have ever been doubted, people only doubted them because of the lack-lustre performances the past years but that team even when the stats didn't show it were contenders. For Vegas, that was simply a fluke. An anomaly. This is the same type of magic joojoo from the hockey gods that sent Hall to the Devils for Larsson and saw Hall have an MVP season. And even then, this magical team with all its amazingness still lost handedly to Washington so.... isn't the goal to actually win? Not to just make it the finals?
However, the one thing that GM's nowadays have that they didn't 20 years ago is the ability to rebuild on the fly. Rebuilds don't take 5 years anymore. You draft high one year, you trade some higher end roster players for more prospects and picks and you get to work developing them. Players are much more ready to enter the league and start producing than ever before. Within a span of two full seasons you could have the nucleus of the team that can win you a cup. Obviously a little luck will be the final determining factor but there's way less needed than "getting into the playoffs and anything can happen" type of luck....