Ezpz
No mad pls
- Apr 16, 2013
- 15,242
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Wouldn't shock me if we signed him in the summer. Kuz still has a little bit in the tank.
Too late for this season though.
HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread 92 Waiting on the DRAFT Edition
- Thread starter MarkovsKnee
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Too late for this season though.
BergevinBurner
Registered User
- Sep 27, 2019
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I don't think they'd gamble on him being the 2C next season, but if he's willing to take a low value "prove me" contract then I wouldn't hate having him as a potential Dvo replacement.
26Mats
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- Jun 23, 2018
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I don't Kuznetsov would be better than Newhook at this stage of his career. If he's ok with being an injury replacement, no harm in bringing him in.
sampollock
Registered User
ahmedou
DOU
- Oct 7, 2017
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Quatre Vingt Treize
Registered User
I'd probably package a bunch of picks to move up and get Desnoyers.
- Aug 21, 2016
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Yep I think we package both 1sts to get a top 6 center. Thats the year to do that.
Do you want that guy showing Mtl to our best prospect in 15years, a big no ty.
sampollock
Registered User
Beendair Donedat
You sold a Dead Bird to a Blind Kid??????
Not sure how this Crosby talk snowballed into these last dozen or so pages but I don’t think it’s a realistic option. I’d love to see him here, but I don’t think he leaves Pittsburgh, and I’m positive that Hughes isn’t going to spend all the draft and prospect wealth he’s accumulated to add him.
The two big questions going into the offseason:
1) Who’s our second line center going to be?
2) Which right hand shot defenseman can we add to solidify the group?
Currently, the second line is a Frankenstein monster of parts that don’t fit, and are cobbled together to resemble what a second line should look like. We need to infuse a true center that can both control the middle of the ice, and give the line an identity. Laine is a good piece as a sniping winger. Demidov should add a ton of talent and pace. Who can be the pivot that brings out the best in both of them?
I still think the answer is Sam Bennett, and that’s who we should target as a UFA, but I’ve made that point many times.
Brock Nelson would be a very solid option. He’s good for at least 25 goals a year, gives you great size up the middle, responsible defensively and a good left hand draw. Immediately gives you a top 6 that is feared and will draw away some of the tougher assignments that are only given to the top line now. I would make a big push for Nelson if Bennett is off the table.
I think it’s important to have two solid veterans on a line with Demidov when he gets here, so he can learn good and positive habits from established NHLers, which is why Bennett, Nelson, or a guy like Granlund would be good pickups for the second line center spot. If we’re going the UFA route.
If we’re going down the trade route, I’d try to exploit a team with limited cap space and fewer draft picks. Teams like Tampa or Vegas come to mind.
From Vegas: I’d take a long look at picking up young right hand shot defender Kaeden Korczac. This is the classic situation where there are simply too many guys in front of Korczac with big money contracts so there’s no room for him in Vegas. Ultra smooth skater, he plays a smart defensive game and can chip in offensively. He’s physical too, and would be able to easily slide on to a middle or bottom pairing and not look out of place. Has looked very solid in his brief NHL time, and is young enough to grow with the core of the team.
I’d offer them -
To Vegas: Kirby Dach, 2025 2nd round pick (Montreal).
To Montreal: Nicolas Roy, Kaedan Korczak
Vegas gets some draft capital back that they’re sorely missing and a younger, team controlled player with a higher upside than Roy (though often injured). Habs pick up some depth and size for their bottom six, as well as a young right hand shot defender that’s a victim of the numbers game in Vegas.
2025-2026 lineup looks like:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Demidov - Bennett/Nelson - Laine
Heineman - Roy - Anderson
Newhook - Evans - Gallagher
Guhle - Hutson
Matheson - Korczak
Xhekaj - Carrier
Struble
Montembeault
Fowler
The two big questions going into the offseason:
1) Who’s our second line center going to be?
2) Which right hand shot defenseman can we add to solidify the group?
Currently, the second line is a Frankenstein monster of parts that don’t fit, and are cobbled together to resemble what a second line should look like. We need to infuse a true center that can both control the middle of the ice, and give the line an identity. Laine is a good piece as a sniping winger. Demidov should add a ton of talent and pace. Who can be the pivot that brings out the best in both of them?
I still think the answer is Sam Bennett, and that’s who we should target as a UFA, but I’ve made that point many times.
Brock Nelson would be a very solid option. He’s good for at least 25 goals a year, gives you great size up the middle, responsible defensively and a good left hand draw. Immediately gives you a top 6 that is feared and will draw away some of the tougher assignments that are only given to the top line now. I would make a big push for Nelson if Bennett is off the table.
I think it’s important to have two solid veterans on a line with Demidov when he gets here, so he can learn good and positive habits from established NHLers, which is why Bennett, Nelson, or a guy like Granlund would be good pickups for the second line center spot. If we’re going the UFA route.
If we’re going down the trade route, I’d try to exploit a team with limited cap space and fewer draft picks. Teams like Tampa or Vegas come to mind.
From Vegas: I’d take a long look at picking up young right hand shot defender Kaeden Korczac. This is the classic situation where there are simply too many guys in front of Korczac with big money contracts so there’s no room for him in Vegas. Ultra smooth skater, he plays a smart defensive game and can chip in offensively. He’s physical too, and would be able to easily slide on to a middle or bottom pairing and not look out of place. Has looked very solid in his brief NHL time, and is young enough to grow with the core of the team.
I’d offer them -
To Vegas: Kirby Dach, 2025 2nd round pick (Montreal).
To Montreal: Nicolas Roy, Kaedan Korczak
Vegas gets some draft capital back that they’re sorely missing and a younger, team controlled player with a higher upside than Roy (though often injured). Habs pick up some depth and size for their bottom six, as well as a young right hand shot defender that’s a victim of the numbers game in Vegas.
2025-2026 lineup looks like:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Demidov - Bennett/Nelson - Laine
Heineman - Roy - Anderson
Newhook - Evans - Gallagher
Guhle - Hutson
Matheson - Korczak
Xhekaj - Carrier
Struble
Montembeault
Fowler
Lafleurs Guy
Guuuuuuuy!
- Jul 20, 2007
- 74,820
- 58,507
It's built. Not there yet? Okay. But Crosby fixes a lot of that. With Crosby and Demidov we have two first lines. With Reinbacher we've got a steadying presence on the blueline. Add another (non core) RD and we're in really good shape right away.
CC, Suzuki, Slaf, Hutson, Demidov, Guhle, RB... that's the core. Yes it's built.
There's an exception to every rule. Crosby is exceptional.
You don't have to waste cycles talking about it being unrealistic. We all know him moving is unrealistic. It's really just a discussion about value and what you'd pay. Let's not go back and forth on whether or not he'd come here. It's unlikely and we completely speculative.
Do you agree we'd have two first lines? With Hutson that means you can score your way out of a lot of problems.
The left side D looks fantastic. The right needs help. Reinbacher's coming and Carriere is okay. Add in another depth player and we're okay there too.
Our goaltending is average. It's not going to lead us anywhere but with a high scoring team it should be good enough. And we can always work to upgrade there too.
Two first lines, Hutson, Ghule, RB and a good bottom six? Yeah, we'd be contenders.
Brock Nelson is a shoot in for Minnesota to return home. He's not signing with any Canadian teams. Also, why would vegas do this? They don't care about picks
Gaylord Q Tinkledink
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- Apr 29, 2018
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DemidovSZN
Registered User
- May 21, 2022
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Probably not available and it would make little sense from Florida but who knows sometimes, I’d try to get Anton Lundell, he’d be perfect.
Bubba Gump
Registered User
- Mar 22, 2025
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Great analysis. Another C to consider might be Elias Lindholm. He was great with Gaudreau and Tkachuk. Great 200 foot player and on face offs. He can cover for Laine and young Demidov. He also scored 40 goals one year so we know he has it in him. Three years left on $7.75. What would Boston want?
Bottle Rocket
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- Jul 23, 2023
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Draft
Registered User
- Jan 23, 2013
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Unfortunately, I’m not sure that trade exists this offseason. Options are very limited and not many teams are looking for futures.
I haven’t had the time to focus on more than a handful of guys this year in much detail but have made a point of seeing most of the big WHL prospects in person. This is not a sexy draft class and I’m not sure I see a core player where Habs are picking from that WHL group. Barring McQueen dropping AND staying healthy or Mrtka having/continuing a steep development curve post-draft, options for C or RD are rough.
Not sure it’s any more likely than trying to trade for a top-6 C, but getting into the top-10 might be our best Plan B.
Draft
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- Jan 23, 2013
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Six more years at $7.75mil.
Way less attractive when we’re trading for a 30yo that doesn’t appear to be on the upswing.
covfefe
Zoltan Poszar's Burner
- Feb 5, 2014
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Others gms are not dumb either, they know there’s not a lot available with thoses picks.
- Aug 21, 2016
- 10,020
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I dont watch much NHL outside of the Habs, but guys like Barzal, Horvat?
Edit: And we dont know how Mcdavid feels about the situation in Edmonton, if he wants out, the Habs becomes a pretty attractive market. We have the assets and cap space...
Beendair Donedat
You sold a Dead Bird to a Blind Kid??????
I don’t know that Nelson will sign in Minnesota. They’ve got Eriksson-Ek and Rossi as their top two centers, I doubt he signs to be a number 3 guy. But maybe you have more inside info than me.
And Vegas does have to draft someone eventually. Adding a younger, more talented and cheaper player with team control also helps them with their annual maximum cap hit plunge. Losing Korczak does nothing to them because he can’t leapfrog anyone in their lineup.
it's been reported all summer and season when brock gets to free agency, he's going back home to Mn much like Thomas Vanek. It's all but set in motion which is why he hasn't signed with Coloroda either. All of his family including parents and wife and parents in law are in MN. Rossi will most likely be traded for as a package for top winger or Top C if he keeps seeking 9 to 10 mil per year
Bubba Gump
Registered User
- Mar 22, 2025
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True. I looked at Puck Pedia and it looked like 3 years left. I miss Cap Friendly. Boston would have to eat some salary but he would be a decent Center even if he is 3rd line his last three years. W. Karlsson may be the guy.
Ozmodiar
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
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teammates for several years.
Roommates.
And I’ve heard both call each other “my best friend” or buddy or whatever.
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