tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post8208985747533014913..comments2023-06-01T21:15:57.354-11:00Comments on The H Does NOT Stand For Habs: Win, Lose or DrawJ.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00012075493503316318noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-37251974788962767882008-02-25T07:13:00.000-11:002008-02-25T07:13:00.000-11:00Oh...and as for the "rent or not to rent" question...Oh...and as for the "rent or not to rent" question...I think if a team has a clear picture of its assets and their value AND it's ready for a serious Cup run, there's nothing wrong with bringing in outside help for the playoffs. I don't like it for the Habs right now because they'd be trading assets which have NOT been completely developed, and I believe they're not ready for a serious Cup run this year.J.T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00012075493503316318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-34190772913754448132008-02-25T07:10:00.000-11:002008-02-25T07:10:00.000-11:00I believe next season will be the time to separate...I believe next season will be the time to separate the wheat from the chaff in regards to the youth. There *will* be space to keep four to five key elements. With another year of observation, it will become more clear who are the keepers and who are the tradeable assets. Chris Higgins, for example. Next year will be his prove-it-or-shut-up year. If he continues his frustrating hot and cold play, maybe we have to say we use him to bring in a temporary, but valuable, part. I think once a core is determined, they will be the keepers and the other young players the satellites that will offset the nucleus. As time passes, some of the youth will become core as they outstrip the main guys, who'll then be traded in their turn. As long as the development pipeline continues to flow with talent, I don't see the team disintegrating under cap restrictions. It's just really, really important to make the right decisions about who are the most important players to keep.J.T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00012075493503316318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-53600732427939452302008-02-25T06:58:00.000-11:002008-02-25T06:58:00.000-11:00great post- i like all your trade deadline stuff, ...great post- i like all your trade deadline stuff, it's nice to have a calmer voice amidst the cacophony. however, i wanted to ask one question here. virtually all of the current roster is either ufa or rfa in the summer of 2009. regardless of what one thinks of keeping the veterans around, if our much-touted youth corps is even close to as good as we think they're going to be, we <I>will not</I> be able to afford to keep all of them. to do so would involve praying for a lot of guys to take a hometown (home system?) discount, and that'd be nice but i'm not counting on it. there'll be some ugly choices to be made.<BR/><BR/>i guess what i'm saying is that i'm not sure the sort of long term team-building that you're envisioning is feasible under the nhl's current rules and culture. what if this year and next year <I>are</I> the payoff before another short-cycle rebuild? does that change your assessment? or do you believe on general principle that it's never a good idea to rent players, even in the context of a do-or-die season? (which i'm not saying this season is, but next likely will be)Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09823553556651831315noreply@blogger.com