Kent Hughes isn’t begging fans for patience for nothing.
Posted at 12:38 p.m.
Not only will the Canadiens still have to compete with top teams in the Atlantic section in the next few years, Tampa, Toronto, Florida, maybe Boston again, but Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo have a lead of a few years over Montreal in the process of rebuilding/resetting.
We analyzed the core of the National League’s leading teams on Monday by dissecting their core and comparing it to the Canadiens.
Now let’s do the same exercise over the next few days with the Sabers, Senators and Red Wings, extrapolating a bit of course since these formations have a look at the future and not the present.
As the day before, we will identify the first two centers, the first two wingers, the first two defenders and the goalkeeper, current or prospective, for the four teams.
Of course, there are the imponderables. The development of young people is variable, the corporate culture can be flawed, team play and depth remain important.
As proof, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen were supposed to be at the heart of the Sabers’ reconstruction a few years ago and they are not even with the organization anymore.
But the skeleton of a club can nevertheless give a glimpse of its potential. Today, the Detroit Red Wings. Tomorrow, the Ottawa Senators and Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings’ reconstruction began in 2017, after a first exclusion from the playoffs after 25 consecutive appearances, first with Ken Holland, then his successor Steve Yzerman.
Detroit would then go on to draft in the top ten for the first time since a certain Martin Lapointe in 1991. Detroit took the opportunity that year to liquidate Thomas Vanek, Tomas Jurco and Brendan Smith for draft picks.
Detroit hasn’t been close to a playoff berth since because its draft picks between 2015 and 2018 have yet to unlock.
First-round picks in 2015 and 2016, Evgeni Svechnikov and Dennis Cholowski, are already no longer with the team. Great center Michael Rasmussen, the ninth overall pick in 2017, will be a third center at best. He has the age and production of Ryan Poehling.
The sixth overall pick in 2018, Filip Zadina, has 23 points in 73 games this season. We do not despair in his case, but he was one of the oldest players in his vintage, having been born in November, and he will already be 23 this fall.
But Detroit has moved forward thanks to its recent draft picks. She boasts two of the NHL’s best rookies, 21-year-old 6-foot-4 right-handed defenseman Moritz Seider, sixth overall pick in 2019, already 47 points in 74 games this season, and an average ATS of 23: 05, a team high, and also winger Lucas Raymond, just 20, fourth overall pick in 2020, already 55 points this season.
Tyler Bertuzzi is still considered the club’s leading winger, he has 27 goals and 56 points in 63 games (he missed ten due to his unvaccinated status), but he is 27 years old. In an ideal world, Zadina would flourish next year. Or would it be Jonatan Berggren, also a 2018 second-round pick, 54 points in 64 games at Grand Rapids, AHL.
Filip Hronek, 24, is considered the organization’s second-largest defenseman right now, but Detroit has a nugget in Sweden, Simon Edvinsson, 19, sixth overall pick in 2021, 19 points in 44 games at Frolunda , very mobile and fluid for a 6-foot-5, 210-pound defender.
Without being an elite center like a MacKinnon or a Barkov, Dylan Larkin, 25, is a safe bet. He has almost a point per game. However, there is a void after him. We will have to find a second quality center, because neither Pius Suter nor Joe Veleno have yet seized the opportunity, although Veleno is only 22 years old and can be forgiven for his 14 points in 60 games.
The Red Wings are betting on Sebastian Cossa long term in net. The 6-foot-6 giant was a first-round pick, 15and in total, in 2021. Detroit used the choice obtained in the exchange of Anthony Mantha to the Capitals to obtain it.
Detroit has drafted 28 times in the first three rounds over the past five years. Potential quality players could emerge from the lot.
Detroit had a strong start to the season with an 8-6-2 record, but it all fell apart. They are almost twenty points from a playoff spot with a 29-37-10 record, behind Buffalo and Columbus, among others.
According to many, Detroit will have to replace coach Jeff Blashill, in office for seven years, to reach another level.
Participation in playoffs for 5 years: 0.
First-round pick for 5 years: 7.
Picks in the top five for the past 5 years: 1.
Choice in the top ten for 5 years: 5.
Picks in the first three rounds for the past 5 years: 28.
2022 draft rank before the lottery: 9and rank.
Center #1: Dylan Larkin, 25.
Center #2 expected: Joe Veleno, 22 years old.
Winger #1 expected: Lucas Raymond, 20 years old.
Winger #2: Tyler Bertuzzi, 27.
Defender #1: Moritz Seider, 21.
Defender #2 expected: Simon Edvinsson, 19 years old.
Expected goalkeeper: Sebastian Cossa, 19 years old.
(Tomorrow, the Ottawa Senators)
Suffer, before winning…
Among the six leading teams analyzed on Monday, most have experienced a desert crossing before becoming competitive. The Colorado Avalanche missed the playoffs six times in seven years between 2011 and 2017; the Florida Panthers made the playoffs twice between 2000 and 2019 and finished among the NHL’s three worst clubs in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014; the Hurricanes were out of the playoffs nine years in a row between 2010 and 2018; the Maple Leafs made the playoffs once in 11 spring between 2006 and 2016; the Rangers missed the playoffs three times in four years between 2018 and 2021. Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning were ruled out five out of six years between 2008 and 2013 and finished at 25and rank or worse four years during this period. So moderate your expectations for the Canadian in the coming seasons…
Do not miss
1- Could Jeff Petry terminate his contract with the Canadian to leave the organization and play for an American team? Our journalists answer your questions and Simon-Olivier Lorange this one in particular.
2-What pushes Carey Price to continue despite injuries and numerous rehabilitations? Guillaume Lefrançois looks into the question.
3- Hendrix Lapierre surprised by earning a position in Washington at the start of the season, but he spent the winter in the junior ranks and had to watch the Capitals game at the Bell Center on TV. Katherine Harvey-Pinard spoke to him.