This still doesn't include the majority of the 2022/2021 classes, and guys like RHP, Struble, Norlinder and Dobes.

It is lofty to hope that all these guys pan out the way they can, but the Habs have a great prospect pool already. Mix that in with another 2 solid drafts...they'll be good to go.

I don’t think we are bad enough to land Bedard. We should be in the top 5 though

As long as Price doesn't play, we should be able to land one of Bedard/Fantilli. If Price plays... all bets are off

I totally get that this is an optimistic view and of course if we trade all those guys we will need to bring players back. But indeed I was just making the point that the cupboards are far from bare. They really need a star goalie to emerge, to draft a few more RHD and then of course the players in the team who fail should be replaced by 44M in veterans on shorter term deals.

I'd be happy with Fantili as well

They could use another goalie but between Dichow, Primeau and Dobes I think one should emerge as a No. 1. Primeau was awesome in the AHL playoffs (needs to make that next step though), Dobes is massive and dominated the NCAA, and Dichow was solid as Denmark's no. 1 in the Olympics

I agree. I think there's at least one starter amongst them. Those were all Timmins picks however and other than Price & Halak he never drafted a Goalie that made the NHL as a starter

And asides from 1 playoff run Halak wasn't even a starter in Montreal

True. But that run was Magic! Timmins was not entirely to blame. This organization has been so bad at development it's like they perfected how to ruin players. Fucale for instance... He should have been a starter in the NHL. I am convinced they ruined him.

I am convinced that Fucale was a product of Mackinnon and Drouin in junior, but that's just my thought

Drouin is not exactly know for bringing the defense, but I understand your point. Look at Caufield last year under Ducharme vs. MSL - he almost destroyed his confidence. Coaching and development matters. Players need to believe in themselves.

Like Fantili too.... But, I think we need to start thinking about players drafted in positions 4 to 7 at next year's draft.
**** rarely goes our way... So 2 years in a row, I doubt it.

I hope you are wrong:

-Anaheim got better through free agency
-Seattle got better through free agency
-New Jersey got better by having their players improve
-Philadelphia want to win now
-Detroit got better through free agency
-Ottawa got better through trades and free agency
-Columbus got better through free agency
-Buffalo got better through free agency

I think it's gonna be a race to the bottom between Arizona, Chicago, and Montreal. What am I missing?

EDIT - Forgot to add that the Habs got worse defensively when they traded Romanov, Petry, Poehling for Dach & Matheson. Habs will also be trading Drouin & Dadanov as soon as is humanely possible and not waiting to the trade deadline.

I also hope am wrong.

My thinking is that we were not as bad as our record showed last year. And so much depends on Price. Even a Price at 80% for 40 games brings us higher in the standings.

Arizona and Chicago did not improve, in fact Chicago is doing the opposite. There going to be the front runners for last position I think. Philly did nothing I think.
The impact a player like Bedard has on a franchise will have teams pull the plug early.

One thing working in our favour is the migration of great players from the west to the east.
So on paper the matchups in the West will be a little easier than in the east.

I still think that we end up with around 70 pts.
So Chicago in the 50's
Phily, NJ, Arizona 60's
Seattle 70

Not sure we are ahead of New Jersey or Philadelphia. I genuinely hope they find buyers for Drouin and Dadonov early and that Price doesn't play.

Also, of our 8 defensemen who will maybe play, 4 are incredibly inexperienced:

Schueneman
Harris
Barron
Guhle

Not to mention:

Edmundson
Savard
Matheson
Wideman

There's not a traditional top 2 defensemen in the bunch