September 7, 2021 – Cap & asset management are critical in today’s NHL. This week we have seen Habs GM Marc Bergevin lose a 3rd overall pick for a 1st and 3rd round pick.
Cleary the drafting and development of KK was an error. A bad pick for #3 overall and poor development as the kid needed a year back in Finland, if not two, before playing with men.
After losing Phil Danault the team needed a replacement centre. I really like Christian Dvorak. A 1st and 2nd is a pretty steep price. We’ve seen worse trades, by Bergevin even, but when you put yourself in a crisis situation that’s what you do; you overpay. You need to move closer to Lord Stanley’s cup each season and improve your franchise talent level.
Could you imagine if KK was managed better and had been traded or developed? You still could pick up Dvorak for a 1+2. In today’s NHL a mid level 1 and 2 is a huge price.
I know many are rationalizing that the picks from letting KK go essentially pay for Dvorak, but how much better is the team? Essentially Bergy traded a #3 overall 21 year old and a 2nd rounder for a 3rd rounder and 25 year old player picked in the 2 round.
Is Dvorak better than Danault? Is Hoffman better than KK and Perry? Is David Savard an improvement over an aging Weber?
There’s a lot of good on the Habs roster and players I like. But it’s an aging roster that has to get out of the gate early and earn a play off spot early. And this roster still needs a piece or two if they truly expect to make the playoffs unless a lot of players have career seasons.
If they start ugly and it appears they won’t make the playoffs it will be the end of the Bergevin era. There are only so many Band-Aids in the box.
jamie@cornwallfreenews.com