Not unless he's coming fully retained.

Honest question to all Habs fans: do you think the Habs have enough in their system to use their guys to compete? Not spiteful or anything but your honest opinion and why

Compete this year? Probably not. Would be happy if they got within sniffing distance of a playoff spot. Compete in the future? Definitely.
I like how Hugo has really focused on their development team since they’ve come in. They’ve got the young pieces on d that are just going to get better with experience and Monty shows some promise in goal and if that doesn’t work out they could always snag a starter when the time to compete comes. Enough potential future high octane offense is what’s missing and I believe that’s a large part why so many fans were upset with the 5th pick this year. But I trust in the system they have in place. Watch them improve year over year until they’re ready to compete for a cup in 3 or so seasons.

I honestly don’t see why the oilers would do this there are unsigned UFA’s with similar numbers to Evan’s that they could likely sign for less and not give up a pick.

So, if everything works out the way Habs fans want with their prospects... With their current system with no trades, what would be the ideal lines?

can the habs compete..lets put it this way if you come to montreal and you dont play your A game you are going lose on alot of nights assuming that monty played like he did last year..... We dont have superstars but we have depth like Seattle did last year... And you saw what they did.... We have a solid goalie and a strong but young defense with two solid veterans in matheson and Savard... And our forwards are 15 deep but no superstars ... so they will lose close hockey games but you better be ready for a hard battle.....lots of hard nose types like Gallagher, anderson Harvey, guhle and Savard.... We wont be an easy 2 points next year unless the injuries dont improve.

That’s a tough call considering not all MTL’s prospects could fit in the lineup. Some won’t reach potential, some will be traded and I figure there will be at least one dark horse but I see the top 6 being something like:
Slafkovsky/Roy-Susuki-Caufield
Newhook-Dach-Slafkovsky/Roy
And the top 4 being:
Guhle-Barron/mailloux
Hutson-Reinbacher

Agreed. And they simply don't have the cap space to be spending $1.7M on a 4C... especially one who scored just 2 goals last season.

I just meant if no prospects get traded and they all live up to their own respective hype at this current moment... Would it be enough to win it all?

In all honesty even with everyone reaching their potential I believe there is still a missing piece on offence along with an elite goalie but the rebuild isn’t over.

Ok, thanks for letting me know... I see Habs fans all the time saying that they should compete (I don't think it would be wise for Hughes to do that) and wanted to make sure that I'm not crazy for thinking that

LOL there is literally no one with Evans pedigree in the Oilers farm or with past allegiance.. Hope and certainty are two different things... Who cares about a 3rd rounder. The Oilers had 2 picks this past draft.

This isnt a bottom 5 team. Only because another record amount of man games lost to injury otherwise they were bottom 10. Next year theyll be a bubble team with more development and stronger depth like Newhook on the team and guys like Roy and Heineman filling out the roster instead of useless Hoffman and Armia.

yes and i think we will surprise alot of teams if we stay healthy and are players make small progressions..... I really like roy and i think Beck will be an NHler for sure. But if Dach and suzuki and caufield can play like a top line and Newhook and monahan and either Slaf or anderson could be a solid second line with Dvorak with Gally and slaf or anderson as a third line a checking line and then Evans and Harvey and Pezzetta as a fourth line. And the extraS are hoffman and Armia and Ylonen.. Maybe hoffman or armia start in laval if we cant trade them.. I think that is four solid lines.

I dont think there is space for Beck up the middle unless they move both Dvorak and Evans. Beck should stay in junior and dominate. He was stuck in a more defensive role last season with the Petes. He needs to dominate the WHJC then 2024 he will have a spot.

Not sure how they can deal with Hoffman/Armia next season but Armia buyout next season makes sense. Hoffman salary will be next to impossible to move now. He should be dumped in the minors after being placed on waivers. Laval will be a very young team with guys like Belzille and Richard gone. Hoffman seems to hang out with the kids. May as well put him down, not like he has a choice. Just like they traded Eddy instead of maybe getting a 2nd or even late 1st at the TDL. They had to make room on D with Eddy shuffled away and they need to accept a loss on Hoffman as well, forget building his value up. I agree Ylonen also needs a shot.

I agree with most of this we sent alzner down so we can send down hoffman.. they wont buy him out as they dont want any cap charges on next year's cap. That is why they wont buyout Armia either. they will keep him this year and try to trade him next year when there is only one year left with retained salary. as for Beck he had a great camp last year and he is a solid two way player and great on faceoffs.. so if he has a great camp he could be the fourth line center and Evans becomes the third and Dvorak gets traded and dach or monahan play wing... Then it is suzuki Monahan and evans and beck with dach the extra center if needed but playing on the top line..... this could happen...not probable but could happen