Here’s why the CH has successfully rebuilt its team

Juraj Slafkovsky

The author of these lines has been a believer in Juraj Slafkovsky's talent from the very beginning. Excerpts from a piece written before the draft in which I preferred him over Shane Wright:

Slafkovsky fits the mold of the “new breed” of power forwards: big, strong, agile, and talented. As others have noted, he's a mix of Svechnikov (2nd overall in 2018), Nichushkin (10^th
overall in 2013), and Rantanen (10th overall in 2015). He seems to have the scoring touch, shot, and soft hands of the first, the raw strength of the second, and the creativity of the third. So he's not a more traditional “meat and potatoes
” style like Brady Tkachuk.
[…]
As others have said, he's a lot like Svechnikov, but bigger and stronger. In that regard, I'd say he also brings to mind Hossa and Jagr. Not exactly a style that goes unnoticed by scouts!
[…]
But if they do draft him, it would mean there was a very, very strong consensus within the organization that the Slovakian is the best player in the draft, all positions combined.
[…]
It would also imply that the decision was made to give Suzuki another top-tier winger who, in theory, could perfectly complement the duo he forms with Caufield.
[…]
Slafkovsky could allow the two friends to really shine and would give the Habs a REAL first line. Just imagine how he would lighten the load for his linemates, who need time and space to be effective…
[…] in addition to his strong defensive backchecking, his ability to carry the puck in the neutral zone and make zone entries with ease is another factor that shouldn't go unnoticed by the Habs.
[…]

At the risk of repeating myself, personally, if we set aside more recent comparisons for a moment—and without saying he's a lock
for the Hall of Fame—I think we can even see certain similarities with Hossa and Jagr.

That might sound like a stretch, I know, but the young Slovak has all the attributes to become one of the top power forwards of his generation and possibly become a “superstar”
[…]
Already a threat, even dominant, against seasoned adults and professionals on a fairly competitive international stage, it's logically not very difficult to argue that he should be very good in the NHL in five years. If he stays healthy and avoids injuries, if he isn't the best of the draft class, he really shouldn't be far off…
[…]

Like most well-rounded and dominant wingers—let's revisit our comparisons—Slafkovsky, with his ability to carry the puck, shoot, create plays, drive into traffic, and a desire to be the game-breaker
, plays a bit like a “center.”
[…]

Right now, with all due respect to the young Ontarian [Wright] and his statement—which sounded pretty much memorized
—that he is “the best and deserves to be drafted first,” the top dog
is Slafkovsky. Right now, based on what we've seen from him this season, Wright wouldn't be able to dominate among men the way Slafkovsky does.

And, if I had to bet, I'd still say Slafkovsky will be the better of the two in five years.

Enough said!

Not even four years after his draft, Slafkovsky has fully lived up to all the hype and helped Caufield and Suzuki reach almost unimaginable personal heights.

And the Shane Wright jersey “carriers” have disappeared…

Lane Hutson

We've always believed Hutson had what it takes to quickly become an NHL star. Just a few weeks after being drafted 62nd overall, he entered our rankings at No. 4 in the summer of 2022:

Hutson is the player who has earned the highest rating on our list so far in terms of potential. And he's also the first to be granted true “star power
”; when the time is right, Lane Hutson could become an almost instant star in the NHL.
[…]
In addition to possessing what many considered to be the best hockey IQ in the last draft, Hutson has blistering foot and hand speed along with dream-worthy dekes. It looks like he's trapped and about to lose the puck, but no! He activates every mechanism in his body and brain and works his way out of the jam!
[…]
The best assurance that Hutson will capitalize on his potential likely comes from his own character, which is best illustrated by the following quote from the man himself:

“It's all about how you play the game, not how big you are. When you get on the ice, everyone's the same size.”

That is Hutson's mindset, a mindset that seems to shine through in his play.

There you have it. Less than three years after being drafted, Hutson was already a superstar with a Calder Trophy under his belt.

And, of course, he's even better this season.

Ivan Demidov

The 2024 draft is undoubtedly the one I analyzed the most beforehand, and in my view, Ivan Demidov was the only one who had a chance to rival Macklin Celebrini over the course of his career:

In terms of raw talent, it's quite possible that Demidov (Demigod?) is ahead of Celebrini. He may not be as fast a skater in a straight line, and his shot seems a bit weaker, but he has better hands, superior creativity, and unmatched lateral mobility. His incredible balance on the ice is also striking. Highly engaged and dynamic, he seems powered by a tireless engine, always eagerly attacking open space.

I'll keep this brief, but after seeing Celebrini's second season in the NHL, we're all already looking forward to Demidov's, aren't we?

He might not win the Calder, but he's already showing us a whole new level of play as the season winds down, becoming the undisputed leader of the second line.

Alex Newhook

Yes, yes, Newhook briefly made it into our rankings in 2023, right after he was acquired by the Habs. Here's what we thought back then:

So, we've already seen Newhook's “floor” in the NHL [in Colorado], namely that of a third-line center capable of scoring around 30 points. There are players like Lars Eller out there who've had pretty decent careers with that. Ironically, it was that same Eller—now on the decline—who stepped in to take Newhook's spot late last season with the Avalanche, without much success…

So all that remains is to hope to see the full height of the new #15's “ceiling,” which can still be estimated at around 60 points per season. To achieve that, we suggest he become a key player on the power play—where the Habs are still looking for a dominant player to carry the puck—as well as in the famous “bumper” role […].

Well, Newhook will have to continue settling for the scraps left over on the second power-play unit. But he's currently playing on an effective second line, and without his ankle injury, he'd be on track for a 53-point season—his second 50-point season on a per-game basis in Montreal.

He'll need to stay healthy, though, if he wants to keep that role in Montreal, as competition on the second line will heat up very soon…

Still, Newhook seems like a good move for Hughes and Gorton in exchange for the 31st and 37th picks in 2023. He's a very good, fast, hard-working center who can fill in “higher up” when needed. We also like that he's greatly improved his shot this season.

And what about Kirby Dach?

Speaking of injuries…

After giving us hope that he could compete with Suzuki for the top center spot for a few months in 2022-2023, the healthy Kirby Dach we've seen here and there since his arrival in Montreal is, in the end, pretty much the player we anticipated in 2022, when he had only 152 NHL games under his belt:

We must then consider what the organization anticipates in light of the four-year contract he has just signed.

And what might this anticipated overall contribution from the organization look like?

For now, the organization seems to view Dach as a young third-line center who can aspire to the role of second-line center over the next four seasons, while producing 35 to 55 points. But to remain at center, Dach will need to improve at the faceoff circle; otherwise, a move to the wing certainly cannot be ruled out.

Perhaps such a move could help him break through offensively.

To be continued…

Dach has also primarily played on the wing this season, sometimes on the second line, sometimes on the third.

It is, of course, easy and tempting to give up on him after another season marred by relatively serious injuries to his foot and then his shoulder.

We'll see if management is willing to bet on him again by offering him another contract this summer. But so far, while it hasn't been a disaster because the player is bad, it hasn't been the best bet for HuGo.

The others…

There's still plenty of the Bergevin/Timmins legacy among “the others.” Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble, Oliver Kapanen, and above all, a certain Jakub Dobes—who increasingly looks like a potential dominant No. 1 goaltender in the NHL—have all met or exceeded the expectations placed on them.

I've often been very critical of him because of his kamikaze style, but when healthy, Guhle is a solid top-4 defenseman whom we currently have the luxury of playing on a third pairing. He adds a lot to the defensive awareness and competitive spirit of the Montreal squad. I had selected him 12th overall in our 2020 mock draft. Certainly not a bad pick by the Habs at No. 16 that year…

Struble, the 46th overall pick in 2019, is a solid insurance policy. He's living up to his draft position.

Kapanen, the 64th pick in 2021, is exceeding expectations this season. While not spectacular or a major playmaker as a center, he is highly effective around the opponent's net and displays a mature game in all three zones.

Conclusion

It's clear, then, that the Habs' rebuild is built around a dynamic quintet, to which they've added another key piece in Noah Dobson.

This quintet—perhaps already the best in the NHL?—will likely have no equal in the entire NHL for the next 6 to 8 years.

Who will be able to put five players as good as Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Hutson, and Demidov on the ice at the same time—five superstars, or even elite players?

Then there's Dobes and Fowler, who are poised to become perhaps one of the best goaltending duos in the league.

And there's still Hage, Zharovsky, and Reinbacher in the system, plus others like Engstrom and Pickford up their sleeves…

Do you remember the TV series “Dynasty” on TVA? It was really good…