Montreal Canadiens: Like the Toronto Maple Leafs, patience will pay off
By Zachary Cook
The Montreal Canadiens can learn a few things from the Toronto Maple Leafs, most importantly, the value of patience when building a team.
This isn’t going to be something that Montreal Canadiens fans want to hear. However, if the Habs want to be in the conversation for a 25th Stanley Cup in franchise history, they need to continue down a path the Toronto Maple Leafs laid out for them.
Ever since Marc Bergevin dealt P.K. Subban for Shea Weber, the Habs have been at a direct crossroad. It’s not a slight against Weber, but the NHL is trending towards skating and puck moving defencemen. Subban undoubtedly provides that.
The Montreal Canadiens have made puzzling moves within the organization during Bergevin’s tenure, but it seems that the Habs brain trust has finally figured out the solution, even if it wasn’t on purpose.
Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs laying out a trio of powerhouses atop the Atlantic Division and it seems that Montreal has finally gotten with the times. Building a team in the modern NHL has changed. You can look at Tampa Bay and Boston as solid examples. But Toronto’s method provides the best route for success.
It doesn’t happen overnight, in fact, it takes several years and tough decisions to get it to work.
Is tanking the surefire answer? Absolutely not. But the Canadiens need to do the sensible thing and trust their Director of Amateur Scouting Trevor Timmins to get them out of this mess.
The Maple Leafs may have been lucky to win the draft lottery and select franchise center Auston Matthews. It also comes down to fourth and eighth overall picks Mitch Marner and William Nylander. That said, it’s no coincidence that their current roster, including John Tavares, has nine first-round picks.
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This was a team built through the draft. Once it was built, much like Mike Babcock suggested, free agents will want to join, and they surely did.
Landing the biggest NHL free agent in the last decade was only possible because of how well the Leafs have set themselves up for success. Add to the fact that Tavares wanted to come home, and you have a match made in heaven. Coincidently, it’s lead to the best center depth in the league.
If the Montreal Canadiens play their cards right and follow this mantra, you’ll be shocked at how many talented French-Canadian NHLer’s will want to come home.
The 2018 NHL Draft was a start, and a step in the right direction. Jesperi Kotkaniemi headlined the team’s 11 selections. The Habs got themselves a haul that could pay dividends down the line.
Much like the importance of the 2018 draft, next year’s will be just as vital for Bergevin and Timmins. The Montreal Canadiens already hold 12 picks, and with a Max Pacioretty trade likely in the cards, that number will only increase in the coming months.
Next: Bergevin Has Build His Own Core
Now it’s highly unlikely Bergevin will ever commit to a full rebuild in Montreal and deal away veterans on the team, but he just might be onto something with this ‘reset’.