If Connor McDavid hasn’t won the Stanley Cup after nine seasons in the NHL, how long will it take for the Canadian to bring the Holy Grail of hockey back to Montreal?

The question came to mind as the Florida Panthers celebrated their first championship in their 31-year history.

First, the Canadian must find a way to return to the playoffs. That means not only participating, but also putting together a training regimen that can withstand and overcome the rigors of that exercise.

It is clear that the Habs do not have the resources to face such a challenge at the moment.

Players of the younger generation are getting bigger than ever. There is no more room on the ice. The ice rinks have become sand courts.

Since he is unable to expand the playing area, the Canadian will need two or three more attackers who are built like Juraj Slafkovsky.

How will Lane Hutson fare on defense in this world of giants?

It’s one thing to have speed, agility and skill, but it’s virtually impossible to dodge blows from rivals trying to rip your head off.

Let’s hope Hutson stays healthy.

McDavid is not an isolated case

You could say that my picture of the situation is apocalyptic, but it is the reality. Rebuilding a team takes time.

Let us be patient!

We are still a long way from the average. I would add that it is unfortunate, but that is the way it is. We also see it in teams that have acquired exceptional players.

Thirteen years passed between the day Alex Ovechkin first showed his skates on a National League rink (2005) and his only Stanley Cup victory (2018).

John Tavares, who was considered the Islanders’ savior in his first draft in 2008, did not win with the New York team or with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he has played since 2018.

Steven Stamkos (2009) had to wait 11 years before he could dip his lips in the big silver bowl. Auston Matthews (2016) only reached the second round of the playoffs in his first eight seasons with the Leafs.

Obviously, the timelines were shorter for some players. Patrick Kane (2007) etched his name on the Cup in his third season, but the Chicago Blackhawks missed the playoffs five years in a row, including the fifth with Kane on their roster, before winning their first championship in 49 years.

Will we experience a surprise?

Still, the Gorton-Hughes duo deserves trust. The two men convinced Geoff Molson that the Canadian’s revival required an overhaul of the squad, and they were absolutely right.

Either the team continued to tread water or they were thinking about the future. We don’t know what next week will bring, but it would be surprising if a star player ended up in Montreal.

The Carolina Hurricanes won’t let Martin Necas go for a song. The same goes for the Anaheim Ducks with Trevor Zegras.

By the way, why would the Ducks trade Zegras?

We are talking about a 31-year-old player whose last season was limited to 31 games due to injury.

Gorton and Hughes will not deviate from their plan, but they now have resources that could enable them to take a step.

We only ask that you be surprised.

As for the draft, the most widely held belief is that the Canadiens will draft big-box center Cayden Lindstrom, but that doesn’t mean the Lapointe-Bobrov tandem doesn’t have a hidden card up its sleeve.

We’ll see on Friday night.