Yes, the Canadian was excluded from the playoffs for a third consecutive season, a fifth time in seven years. Nevertheless, the end of season assessment drawn up by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton was full of hope.
- Watch the full press briefing in the video above
Not only is the “p-word” (for playoffs) no longer taboo within the team’s entourage, but we see the “c-word” emerging on the horizon.
“Winning a Stanley Cup in Montreal is all I want,” declared the Canadiens’ vice-president of hockey operations, who some rumors were sending to other lands.
Obviously, that won’t happen next year. And probably not next season either.
“We don’t have the training to win the Stanley Cup today,” said Hughes. I think everyone here is aware of that. It’s our responsibility, Jeff and I, to offer that, but it’s not something that can be done in 24 hours.”
And what is missing to improve the Canadian’s fate?
“We need to add talent on offense. We must also improve in terms of physical play, replied the general manager of the team. Will it be by adding players or by being more demanding with those we already have in place?
A question that the team’s staff will consider over the coming weeks. It is from these internal meetings that the continuation of the plan set in motion by the two men when Hughes arrived in office in January 2022 will be determined.
“So far, this will be my most important summer,” said Hughes before adding that the next one would possibly be even more important.
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Nothing on a whim
That said, there is no question of leaving in fear. As in years past, Hughes will not rush headlong into the free agent market or the trade market. Yes, there may be movement, but once again, everyone will be carefully calculated.
“We have reached a point where we have a lot of assets, we have a lot of good players. We are heading in the right direction, Gorton said. It’s hard to say when the time will be right [de passer à l’autre étape]. That would just be speculation. We have a long-term plan from which we do not want to deviate.
Photo Ben Pelosse
“That said, if there is a player on the free agent market who can help us, we will evaluate this option,” continued the American. We have already carried out several transactions since we have been in office, but if we can do others, we will do them.
The Canadian has 24 picks, including four first-round picks, in the next two drafts. The number of young prospects on the blue line would be enough to equip two teams for several seasons.
Two realities that will ensure that Hughes’ phone will ring often in the coming weeks.
Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Justin Barron, Jayden Struble, Logan Mailloux, Arber Xhekaj, Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher. It will be impossible to keep all these guards 23 and under with the team. Hughes will have to make choices. These will likely depend on the offers that are on the table.
“The agents of our young defenders called me during the season [pour demander quel était l’avenir de leur client]. For the moment, I have not made any decision on who will leave,” he stressed.
• Read also: “I have no excuses for the way I played this season” – Josh Anderson
Doubts about progress
So much for the future. Moreover, if Hughes and Gorton see the future of the team with such an optimistic eye, it is because they liked what they noticed within their group over the last seven months.
And this, even if the team will still finish at 27e or 28e rank, that she won one victory less than last year, that she took the 26e rank in the column of goals scored and the 27e for the goals allowed.
“I am satisfied with the progress of our team and our young players. We saw progression in the team’s play. We have young people who continue to progress in Montreal, Laval and in the amateur ranks,” said Hughes.
“We saw progression in Alex Newhook and Joel Armia. Mike Matheson has taken his game to another level. Kaiden Guhle too, he added, also naming during the press briefing Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Samuel Montembeault. In the second half of the season, we managed the matches better. That too is part of the progression of a team.”
Now, for the scent of the “c-word” to become visual, the next progression will have to be displayed on the general ranking.
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