Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
A statement from Craig Button should have Montreal Canadiens fans feeling pretty good.
The former general manager sees the Canadiens as a legitimate long-term Stanley Cup contender.
Appearing on The Sick Podcast, Button explained why Montreal could remain competitive for several years, unlike teams built mainly around veterans.
According to him, the Canadiens’ young core is unique in the National Hockey League. And he didn’t hold back:
“This is a team that has a lot of good players in their lineup and still has good players on the horizon. I think they’re going to be in Stanley Cup contention and (the) conversation for at least the next half-dozen years.”
– Craig Button
One important distinction, though.
Button isn’t guaranteeing that the Canadiens will win the Stanley Cup. He’s talking about a very long competitive window.
Canadiens’ young core and cap structure create a legitimate long-term contention window
After several rebuilding seasons, the Canadiens are slowly entering a new phase of their development.
The core is taking shape, several young players are already establishing themselves in the NHL, and other prospects could eventually come in and complete the group.
If Hutson, Demidov and Slafkovsky keep progressing, and Fowler and Dobes develop into dominant goaltenders, the pieces could all be there.
On top of that, Kent Hughes will still have several opportunities to improve this roster over the next few seasons, a rare luxury for a team this young.
And a big part of that comes from the team’s excellent salary-cap structure.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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