Montreal Canadiens: How to Rebuild Organization in Three Easy Steps

Load up on 1st round picks

While the timing of the new hires might be tricky, because luring Madden from Anaheim and Darche from Tampa Bay probably wouldn’t happen until the offseason. They are under contract and teams don’t want to give up front office personnel in the middle of a season.

Gorton however, is working for the NHL Network and could be hired this afternoon is the Canadiens were serious about allowing an experienced rebuilder (retooler?) take over before the trade deadline. This would allow him to essentially do what he did a couple years ago with the New York Rangers.

During his tenure with the Rangers, Gorton traded away Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta for a first round pick that was 7th overall and Tony DeAngelo. Rick Nash, shortly before retirement was dealt for a first round pick, a good prospect in Ryan Lindgren and a couple of depth pieces in Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller were dealt for first and second round picks and a handful of prospects. Kevin Hayes was dealt for a first round pick shortly before becoming a free agent. Brady Skjei was also dealt for a first round pick.

That’s five first round picks he acquired in three years. The only first round pick Bergevin acquired was when the Carolina Hurricanes forced him to take theirs for Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Gorton also acquired Mika Zibanejad for Derick Brassard, he got second and third round picks for depth defenceman Brendan Smith. He dealt Mats Zuccarello for a second and a third, Michael Grabner for a second, Jimmy Vesey for a third. He even landed Ryan Strome for Ryan Spooner and acquired Adam Fox, the reining Norris Trophy winner, for a couple of second round picks.

Gorton is one of the only general managers to write a letter to season ticket holders and say the team is about to rebuild and we are going to be way better for it. He got fired at the end of last season, but clearly the 10-4-3 Rangers are better for going through a couple years of retooling.

The Canadiens could be much further ahead in a couple years if they do the same thing. Gorton has cleaned house before and he could do it again here. Trading Chiarot to the highest bidder is easy, but this would go deeper.

The Canadiens host the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal and their prerogative for this season should now be to acquire as many 2022 1st round draft picks as possible. Gorton has done well getting picks in the past, and could be trusted to make the right deals for players with some term as well as those whose contracts are up in June.

Could they get a first round pick for Tyler Toffoli? Absolutely, and a couple of prospects as well. Christian Dvorak isn’t having a great season but he was acquired for a first and second a couple of months ago. Sell him to the first team that offers a first round pick. Joel Edmundson played huge minutes at even strength and shorthanded for the Habs in last year’s Stanley Cup Final run. If someone offers a first round pick for him, ship him out.

The same could be said for Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Carey Price, Jake Allen, Jeff Petry, David Savard, Jonathan Drouin, Mike Hoffman and Joel Armia. Due to contract length, and the fact you can’t trade absolutely everyone, some of these players just won’t be dealt.

But if the Canadiens can acquire a first round pick at the draft they are hosting, as well as an intriguing prospect, anyone should be sold.

Fans are going to have much to cheer about at Canadiens games this season. SO why not give them a lot to cheer about during the NHL Draft at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Imagine the team having four or five first round picks heading into their own draft?

That would create some buzz and add some excitement to a team that has lost all hope in the middle of November.