The hate on Newhook is unreal
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook-Lindstrom-Dach
Roy-Beck-Mesar
Tuch-Kapanen-Heineman
F.Xhekaj (don’t know why he is on your 3rd line)

Why do you think I "hate" Newhook? I actually like him quite a lot, but I am unsure at this point if he's a top 6 or top 9 player. Being the 7th best forward on the team and running his own line is actually a more valuable thing than being the lowest scoring top 6 forward.

I am hoping that Florian becomes a top 9 player do we can get some size on each line.

You really did not answer my question, do you think this group with a little outside help can win a cup once they mature? Because we will have a LOT of money invested in this group and it's only gonna get worse in 2027-28.

I think we need to find a trade that brings in at least one Elite forward.

Okay I don’t think you hate Newhook, but he only proved us he has a really good shot and speed. He was carrying his line big time, imagine playing with actual good players. He is not a top 6 F yet, but he is definitely higher than Mesar and Roy for exemple.

The chance Florian Xhekaj becomes a NHLer are slim, I think your expectations on him are too high. If he can become a 13th F, or 4th line grinder, than good.

I don’t think the group above can win a Stanley Cup, I think MTL future group will have the same parcours the Carolina Hurricanes are having. But a big UFA or big trade for an Elite F could change that. Just my opinion tho

Even though we have small differences in how we perceive certain players, I think we are mostly aligned. This team needs to package some of these players in order to bring in a franchise forward.

We need 2-way players more than unidimensional snipers who hit the post 9 times out of 10! We also need size. We need to build a playoff core.

I agree. I dislike the idea that this group is who we go to war with. This team is not good enough...

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook-Kapanen-Dach
Roy-Lindstrom-Mesar
Xhekaj-Beck-Heineman
Tuch

I think we have in Kapanen a raiser like Suzuki a few years ago. Questions are : if Kidney or Kapanen do not pan out how can we get a 2nd line center? How can we refrain from coming back to smurfs land? Are we sure we want Caufield to be part of that core (Yes we need wild questioning)? In 10 years who's going to be that top first line?

I hate to say it, but I'm asking myself the same questions about Caufield...

Personally, I would add Tuch, Kapanen and Konyushkov to the traded list as none of them are likely part of the long-term plans

For me so far if we were to do the core listing :

? -Suzuki - Slaf
? - ?* - Dach
Roy - Newhook - ?
? - Beck/* - ?

Ghule - Reinbacher
Hutson - ?
Xhekaj** - Mailloux
?-?

Fowler
Dobes
Volokhin

* Is Kapanen a 4th liner with 2-way sense and offensive acumen or is it more (he got some psyche and mental sparks in the big picture)
** I might be wrong but Xhekaj's charisma and mindset show us leadership and probably core attitude.

I do not have Caufield in that because sometimes he has mental laps and looks easily mind-tossed by frustration. I still want a Caufield-Boldy swap lol!!

I'd say we need to see them first before trading them. Vegas still regrets the Suzuki deal

Interesting group. I think their play at the WC has highlighted the differences between Caufield & Boldy. I would take Boldy over Caufield as well as he is more consistent, which I think translates to helping his team win more games. The one thing I WILL say about Caufield, he seems like a guy who turns it on in the playoffs...

If you follow Corey Pronman's mock draft, he has Demidov falling to the Habs at 5OA. If that were to happen we would get a truly elite offensive player but still have issues with size. Is a PLD acquisition completely insane?

Absolutely but with Konyushkov specifically, Mailloux and Reinbacher have a solid leg up on him since Mailloux has played a full season in the AHL and got a look in the NHL and has done well and Reinbacher came over and has shown why he was selected 5th last year over more flashy forwards. Given that they will both likely be full time NHL'ers before Konyushkov can even think about coming over will make it really hard for him to unseat either of them.

I would love either Demidov or Eiserman (I might actually prefer Eiserman though) and if either of those happen PLD would be a great fit to add size, speed and skill.

His play in the KHL is equivalent to Mailloux's in the AHL IMO. Don't underestimate his leadership. He's viewed in the KHL the way we view Guhle. A natural leader.

I know all of this but how many KHL players can't make the transition?! I don't want them to or think they will trade him before they find out if he can transition. I just think once he comes over it will be harder for him to earn a spot when the other 2 have 2-3 years more NHL experience.

If we get Demidov :

Demidov - Suzuki - Slafkovsky : this is a no-brainer and a huge first line if we get him.

Trade Caufield with Winnipeg 1st and let's say Konyushkov for the shake to add a young d-man prospect vs Boldy and a 3rd

Boldy - ??? - Dach
Roy - Newhook - Armia

This is starting to look like a true top 9, should we sign one of Monahan, and Lindholm to complete or tank another season to land a real big 2-way center?

I was a big fan of PLD coming to Montreal, but he said something like Huberdeau about habs should ... And just for that he's on the blacklist for me.

Konyushkov is a true wildcard. if we trade him it's the biggest trade in our history (just like the Boldy one I've pointed out up here)

As for the future core, next year I see this lineup

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky (easily our top line)

Roy-Dach-Anderson (size speed and skill possibly it ignites Anderson to play better and hopefully Dach can stay healthy for more than 40 games)

Armia-Newhook-Gallagher (this line was reminiscent of the Tatar-Danault-Gallagher line)

RHP-Evans-Pezzetta (the best of the rest)

Matheson-Guhle
Hutson-Savard
Xhekaj-Mailloux

Montembeault
Primeau

Providing a healthy season from Dach and a resurgence from Anderson, this team will push for a wildcard spot. Now lets get to the future core.

Eiserman/Demidov*-Suzuki-Slafkovsky our top line
Caufield-PLD-Dach/Anderson/XXX
Roy-Beck-Mesar
Xhekaj-XXX-XXX
Guhle-Mailloux
Hutson-Reinbacher
Xhekaj-Konyushkov**

Fowler
Montembeault

* Eiserman is my pick at 5th, he has broken Caufield's scoring record in the USNDT and he set a goal next season of working on becoming a better 2-way player. He is not as small as CC so he has that going for him as well (he is the same size as Suzuki)