The Canadiens’ sudden fall this season can be explained in several ways, but we must not hide the bottoming out in draft and development between 2008 and 2015 either.
The CH reached the Stanley Cup final among other things thanks to formidable vintages in 2005 and 2007. Carey Price and Shea Weber, this one obtained for P. K. Subban, were the pillars of the organization. Max Pacioretty, drafted in 2007 as Subban, reported Nick Suzuki. Imagine if Bob Gainey hadn’t stupidly traded 2007 No. 1 Ryan McDonagh.
Trevor Timmins was too often drafted late in the first round between 2008 and 2015, he did not have a first pick in 2008, nor a second pick in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (we exclude 2010 , because the second pick was traded to move up a few rows and pick up Jarred Tinordi).
Despite these extenuating circumstances, too few players have come to fill important positions within the team.
During this period, only Brendan Gallagher became a prominent player in Montreal, and Jake Evans and Artturi Lehkonen make good soldiers.
Alex Galchenyuk is still the third scorer in his vintage, and he ultimately earned Josh Anderson (after being traded for Max Domi), but he never became the big cross hoped for.
The organization was not lucky in the case of Noah Juulsen. He seemed on his way to establishing himself in the defensive top four when two pucks in quick succession to the face derailed his career.
One of the best drafted players during this period, Mikhail Sergachev, was traded to Tampa for Jonathan Drouin. The young Russian defenseman already has two Stanley Cup rings and averages over 22 minutes per game.
Marc Bergevin has allowed Timmins to fish more often since 2018. In the last four vintages, the CH has had 38 picks (10 on average per year). He drew 50 in eight vintages between 2008 and 2015 (6 on average per year).
He also drafted only 14 times in the first two rounds in nine cuvées between 2008 and 2016, and 15 times in just five cuvées since 2017.
And we feel the effects. The current succession shows certain promises. Cole Caufield has undeniable potential. Ryan Poehling appears to be on his way to establishing himself permanently in the NHL. Goalkeeper Cayden Primeau continues to progress well.
We hope to contract Jordan Harris, the best defenseman in the NCAA. Alexander Romanov is already a regular in the National League and will be called upon to rise through the ranks. Defenseman Kaiden Guhle will likely be the captain of the Canadian team at the World Junior Championship.
We will see what the Ylonen, Tuch, Kidney, Roy, Mysak, Biondi, Farrell, Struble, Norlinder, Mailloux and Kapanen have to offer in the coming years. Out of the lot, maybe two or three, if all goes well.
But the trough mentioned above prevented the Canadian from making an effective transition between the end of the cycle of Price and Weber and the current team due to the too few young players promoted in Montreal, while waiting for the players to the new grind are ready.
Hoping, of course, that the Caufields, Guhles, Poehling, Romanovs and company deliver on their long term promises.
The Long-Term Effects of Ryan O’Reilly’s Swap
Ryan O’Reilly’s trade to St. Louis in July 2018 was expected to pay short-term dividends for the Blues and long-term dividends for the Sabers. The Blues have already had their Cup thanks to O’Reilly in 2019. The Sabers are finally starting to profit from it. The hope secured for O’Reilly, Tage Thompson, 24, 6-7, 220 pounds, will be at the center of the first line Friday night against the Canadiens. He ranks first on the team’s scorers with 13 points, including 8 goals, in 19 games. The late-first-round pick in the trade, defenseman Ryan Johnson, 20, is progressing well at the University of Minnesota. The second-round pick saw Buffalo acquire offensive defenseman Colin Miller 11 points in 19 games this season.
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