Update From Montreal

  The rebuild in Montreal is under way.  In the past GM Rainville has built his teams from the back end to the front.  Goaltending and defense are generally the focus when making moves.  But the times are changing and so is the game we all love.  Speed over size.  Skill over strength.  Youth over experience.  Position, position, position!  The center ice position is the most important and that's where the focus has been.  Martin Necas, Aliaksei Protas, Kent Johnson and Jiri Kulich will lead this team into the future.  These kids will be insulated by veterans like Zucarrello, Rakell, Huberdeau and Pacioretty.

  On defense things are going to take longer.  The team has decent young talent but nobody is left to eat up the important minutes on the ice.  Chris Tanev is asked to shoulder the burden of taking on the leagues' best players every night with young Kayden Guhle by his side.  Chrystian Kyrou is the about the best of a young group of defense who will all have to battle for their spot in the lineup in the next few years.

  In net things are simple.  Markstrom has signalled his intent to sign in Montreal at the end of the year unless he can be moved to a contender.  Montembeault has been fantastic as a back up and his 92% save percentage is making him look like a starter more and more every game.  No worries in net in Montreal.  In fact, their play is the reason the team has a near .500 record instead of competing for a top ten pick.

  Cole Perfetti, two 1st round picks and two 2nd round picks help round out the good news for the Habs.  The team is far from being a contender and has to deal with salary cap issues.  After four years of banging my head on the cap ceiling the struggle now is making moves while remaining cap compliant.  Expect Montreal to be a middle of the pack team for the next few years.  Barring some phenomenol drafting, there will be no meteoric rise back to the top of the standings.  That's okay.  We've got the time.