That's it that's how!

"Byram, Broberg, Robertson, Soderstrom, etc"
etc. includes York right?

That's why i wrote "etc". or should i name every single dman prospect who could potentially go in the first round come the draft?

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 agree, 100 percent for this year. Although the age of weber and price makes it necessary for them to try and make a run in the next 2-3 years. Find a good young LD this summer through trade, free agency, or draft whatever it takes, and set the team up for a run in 20-21

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....

I'm just a big fan of Cam York

Not a big fan of the "squeeze in" line of thought either, but one way or another its an odds game. If winning the cup is your goal, you can either get yourself satisfied with a 1 in 16 chance to win now, or you can wait and stockpile top prospects over the next 4-5 years hoping to get a slightly better chance to win. And by slightly, I mean that even powerhouse teams like WPG and NSH don't have a 1 in 8 chance to win this year as we speak - cf. Dom Luszczyszyn projections on The Athletic.

The way I see it, the Habs don't have a clear course of action. The team wins, but it's not strong enough to reach contender status even if it flips all of its picks for established players - no thanks to you, poor 2008-2014 draft class. They have a solid pipe of prospects, yet they are locked in with 2 aging stars they can't trade. Looks like a table set for lots of "go with the flow" decisions - MB style. It's going to be a fun season after all...

I actually don't think saying any team in the playoffs has a 1/16 chance at the cup, is really true. Those odds are based on even comparables and teams identical to each other. MTL making it into 7th in the east does not have a 1/16 chance at the cup. Yes i understand technically they do, but realistically they have more of the Vegas odds to winning it. So this idea of once you get in, you have a shot, is a delusional premise to actually have. Like I said, saying it to the media and fans is one thing. Need keep up appearances and give hope for surprise. Its sells tickets and creates a buzz so there is a reason for it.

I agree with you though as to the no clear course of action. That's why I have been preaching rebuild and that the idea that a team can't rebuild with Price and Weber is silly. that's not true.
Both guys are not good enough to take a sub par team devoid of veteran talent into the playoffs, and if they get injured the team sucks also so..... If the Habs replaced every 27+ aged guy by trading them away for picks and prospects, with a player from their Laval team except for Price and Weber, the Habs would be bottom 5 right now, easily. Heck where would the Habs be without Petry alone this year?

You can rebuild faster and faster nowadays. It doesn't take 5 years anymore. Its takes management being "all in" on a rebuild and not dancing around it and a little luck obviously. That luck doesn't have to be winning the lottery and drafting a generational talent. Although look at the last 10 teams to win a cup, every team had a player drafted who is considered a elite to generational talent on it. Not to mention a plethora of other former 1st round players who they drafted and become instrumental pieces for them. The data is right there for anyone to view yet MB still thinks he knows best. He's arrogant and he's been wrong on numerous times that have sent the Habs development back years.

You're right, current Habs don't have a 1 in 16 chances if they squeeze into the playoffs, especially if they would face both TBL and TOR in the first rounds. My point was just to put in perspective that it's a betting game one way or another. Stockpiling elite talents and top 5 picks has worked out for PIT, CHI and LA, but it didn't worked out so well for EDM and PHI so far.

I agree with you, rebuilding around Price and Weber is possible - as a matter of fact, that's what I'd like to happen. Adding Kakko and Lafrenière would be just insane - it wouldn't be 70's Habs again, but it would get close. I just don't think that's what the owners are asking MB to do. He's buying on Petry, making lateral moves on Weber and Galchenyuk, he's selling on Pacioretty, etc. Where is this going?

Yup agreed with everything you said. Just want to point out that EDM is the anomaly though. It the equivalent of saying the Hall for Larsson trade is the standard now for elite wingers and subpar top 4 dmen. Its isn't and its an outlier. That team has problems that extend their roster and its clear as day. Philly has not been a rebuilding team. They've lucked into some of those high draft picks. Regardless to that though yes they have been quietly amassing tons of picks and prospects. But like Edm they have an internal problem of thinking that any goalie is capable of winning them a cup. Hey Pittsburgh won with Murray, right. We can win with BRIAN ****ING ELLIOTT I GUESS...... Philly could have fixed their goaltending problems years ago but were right off the heels of Bryzgalov termination and vowed to never get a true #1 goalie again until it came from within the organization. Carter Hart appears to be that guy. I just hope for his sake they don't put too much pressure on him as the savoir of the franchise. At 20 years old.

If you have one true #1 center, one true top pairing dman and one true #1 goalie. You are ready to contend. Amassing the other parts to your team can all be done with minor trades, free agency and from within the organization.

Well MTL has this right? Kotkaniemi/Domi, Weber and Price? Well not exactly. Those teams that won all 3 of those players in their prime. Weber and price are no longer in their prime and KK and Domi are not #1 centers, yet.