Value of: A 2nd line center to Montreal.

[MasterMatt25]

Bennett ? (The size & gritty option)

Bennett screams contract that'll be regretted two years later

 

[Chose]

Bennett screams contract that'll be regretted two years later

What if we overpaid for a 3y contract, and trade him at 50% that last year ?

 

[Captain97]

What if we overpaid for a 3y contract, and trade him at 50% that last year ?

Bennet is getting 7 years almost certainly

 

[tomd]

My gut says

One of our mid 1sts + Mailloux + Dach

For

Zegras + late 2nd/early 3rd

I'm not commenting on fair but I think it's gonna happen.

Trades never go down as we think they will but this one makes too much sense not to happen. Win-win for both teams IMO.

 

[pth2]

These boards have a tendency to overrate 1st round picks. But since this is a Habs thread it seems like we’re undervaluing them a lot? Like they’re throwaway or something. I mean just in the Habs we got Guhle, Caufield, Suzuki at those spots. Countless other example around the league.

I think the Habs would be better off drafting in those 2 spots, and same in the 2nd round. In less than 2 years the succesful picks will be signing and joining the team.

 

[billy piton]

Zero interest in Barzal; he’s 27, his best season was his rookie year, he’s buttery soft, sucks defensively, and can’t win faceoffs. Not the type of C the Habs need. Isles can keep him.

Um Barzal is pretty good defensively, his Faceoffs are meh but in terms of play he is solid

barzal is right handed. the habs already have two rh centers good on the dot and only dvorak as a lh center, who is also ufa. bo horvat would be a prime target from the isles for us and i'd give pretty good package for him. for example hage, mailoux, cgy 1st in 2025, cbj 2nd in 2026.

 

[jfhabs]

I think nobody wants KK back. This ship has sailed.

But otherwise, what are the options?

- Zegras? He seems to stagnate in Anaheim. Has worked on his defensive play but his offensive numbers have plummeted. Another flyer at center for the Habs?

- Matt Duchene? Some say he wouldn't come to MTL since he wants to stay in Dallas. Personally I think that if things don't work out there for him as a UFA, I'd make him a 3 years offer at the UFA opening.

Brock Nelson? Same as Duchene, would he sign a 3 years deal?

- O'Reilly? Old guy with a good 2 years contract (4,5 mil). Would cost some future for an older guy, not sure it's a move that fit with where the Habs stand at the moment. More of a contender thing.

- Pavel Zacha? Morgan Geekie? Will the Boston Bruins blow it all up? Don't think so...

Brayden Schenn/Steven Stamkos? Older guy with a big contract that are showing signs of slowing down. Mmmm, nope... They'd be quick fixes, but at the expense of the middle term, the middle terms where we expect the Habs to be contenders... Not a good timing.

- Matty Beniers? Would cost a ton to extract from Seattle but maybe if they draft one of the good center available at the 2025 draft with their +/- 6th overall pick, they'd be open to trade him... maybe...

- Cole Sillinger? Columbus has a plethora of centers, young and less young. Would they trade him? Not sure... and not sure he has 2nd line center potential, he'd be another gamble for Kent Hughes.

Another proposal?

Beniers is probably going to be very expensive. I don't see them trading young guys away considering they're not a playoff team or contender. However, Stephenson could probably be a cheaper option. He's signed until 2031, but at that cap it, he can slow down as a 3rd line center for the last 2-3 years of his deal while we have a younger guy take on the 2nd line center.

 

[jfhabs]

Zero interest in Barzal; he’s 27, his best season was his rookie year, he’s buttery soft, sucks defensively, and can’t win faceoffs. Not the type of C the Habs need. Isles can keep him.

Come on, Barzal is a great player, we'd be a much better team with him. If we can add him and only give up futures not name Reinbacher, sign me up.

 

[jfhabs]

Nobody are talking about Nazem Kadri or Nicolas Roy.

Yes Kadri is 34 yrs old but he's a perfect fit+ still have 2-3 yrs left in the tank

Nic Roy play 3rd Line role in VGK but I think have the potential for top 6 role

I'd love Kadri, but his contract is very risky. It's just a little too long for my liking. He's 34 now and signed for an extra 4 years. He'd be 38 in his last season, making 7M...

 

[Canovin]

I'd love Kadri, but his contract is very risky. It's just a little too long for my liking. He's 34 now and signed for an extra 4 years. He'd be 38 in his last season, making 7M...

That's not risky at all. In 4 years the cap will be 120M. In the meantime, he would be good 2C for the Habs for at least another 2 years.

 

[Baksfamous112]

That's not risky at all. In 4 years the cap will be 120M. In the meantime, he would be good 2C for the Habs for at least another 2 years.

and an anchor for the rest of the contract where Montreal's core will be in its prime.

Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[Canovin]

and an anchor for the rest of the contract where Montreal's core will be in its prime.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Kadri game allows him to play in the bottom 6. Not an anchor at all.

 

[Baksfamous112]

Kadri game allows him to play in the bottom 6. Not an anchor at all.

His contract will.

 

[Canovin]

His contract will.

Like I said in my previous post. 7M for what he provides is nothing when the cap is 120M. Who exactly are the Habs going to sign with 50M? lol

 

[DemidovSZN]

I think the Habs would be better off drafting in those 2 spots, and same in the 2nd round. In less than 2 years the succesful picks will be signing and joining the team.

Agree. Or at least draft with the 16th overall for sure and IF they have a good trade with the 17th overall then okay otherwise they should draft with it.

 

[Baksfamous112]

Like I said in my previous post. 7M for what he provides is nothing when the cap is 120M. Who exactly are the Habs going to sign with 50M? lol

Slafkovsky's 7.6M is kicking in next year
Guhle's 5.5M is kicking in next year
Hutson will likely cost 9-10M starting in two years
Demidov will likely cost 8-10M starting in two years
Montembeault will need big raise in two years as well. Probably cost an extra 3-4M/year
Reinbacher will cost a pretty penny in three years as well

Not even counting Reinbacher's and including Kadri's, there's 44M right there in raises and I didn't even go into replacing Matheson and Carrier minutes/contracts.

Montreal aren't really interested in being stuck in the same situation that Edmonton was last summer and lose really, really good young players because they have too many $ locked in depth players like Nurse for example.

 

[Canovin]

Slafkovsky's 7.6M is kicking in next year
Guhle's 5.5M is kicking in next year
Hutson will likely cost 9-10M starting in two years
Demidov will likely cost 8-10M starting in two years
Montembeault will need big raise in two years as well. Probably cost an extra 3-4M/year
Reinbacher will cost a pretty penny in three years as well

Not even counting Reinbacher's and including Kadri's, there's 44M right there in raises and I didn't even go into replacing Matheson and Carrier minutes/contracts.

Montreal aren't really interested in being stuck in the same situation that Edmonton was last summer and lose really, really good young players because they have too many $ locked in depth players like Nurse for example.

2026-27 would be year 2 if Kadri was traded to Montreal this offseason. Hutson deal would not kick in until 2026-27 with 48.6M. Demidov not until 2027-28 with 81.7M. There would be even more cap space for Kadri's last year. Kadri is far from crippling if he was traded to Montreal.

 

[Baksfamous112]

2026-27 would be year 2 if Kadri was traded to Montreal this offseason. Hutson deal would not kick in until 2026-27 with 48.6M. Demidov not until 2027-28 with 81.7M. There would be even more cap space for Kadri's last year. Kadri is far from crippling if he was traded to Montreal.View attachment 1025617

Again, you're totally ignoring the fact that for 2025-2026 we would have 1.6M to fill out 3-4 roster spots. This only makes it harder for 2026 onward to fill out the remaining roster spot while we have 7M locked on a declining asset.

Kadri would be a good option if he was 29-30. He isn't. He's 34 and still has 4 more years after this one. Montreal ain't touching that contract.

 

[Kojo]

How about
to the Montreal Canadiens:
-Jesperi Kotkaniemi

to Carolina Hurricanes:
-Owen Beck
-Jayden Struble
-3rd round pick

It might sound funny, but kind of a cheaper option compared to the other proposals.

The Habs wished Kotkaniemi was still with the team at this moment. At 4.5 millions a year for a future 2B/3A centerman is pretty reasonable. Him and Demidov on the 2nd line could have been something. Add a UFA like Nikolej Ehlers and there goes your second line for next year.

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Ehlers - Kotkaniemi - Demidov

Kotkaniemi with Ehlers and Demidov could get 50 points easily on a top 6 and pp2 ice time.

That is one of most ridiculous thing I've read on this board. KK? In MTL?

He sucked back then and now he's getting paid big bucks and hasn't improved.

 

[jfhabs]

That's not risky at all. In 4 years the cap will be 120M. In the meantime, he would be good 2C for the Habs for at least another 2 years.

The thing is, our window isn't even open yet. I'd much rather do this exact type of deal 2-3 years from now, to have a vet on a good deal for the next 2-3 years, with 2-3 extra years of bad value on his deal.

If we're going to pay good assets for a player now, it needs to be for a player that won't hurt our true window.

 

[Canovin]

The thing is, our window isn't even open yet. I'd much rather do this exact type of deal 2-3 years from now, to have a vet on a good deal for the next 2-3 years, with 2-3 extra years of bad value on his deal.

If we're going to pay good assets for a player now, it needs to be for a player that won't hurt our true window.

The window is now. You guys just made the playoffs with Suzuki and Caufield in the primes. Waiting 2 years just so their games can take a dip is risky also

 

[Baksfamous112]

The window is now. You guys just made the playoffs with Suzuki and Caufield in the primes. Waiting 2 years just so their games can take a dip is risky also

What do you mean their game could take a dip? They’re 25 and 24. They’re not even in their prime yet. Even if they were, adding a pricey declining asset isn’t the way. Far from it

 

[General Fanager]

What if we overpaid for a 3y contract, and trade him at 50% that last year ?

Bennet is getting 7 years almost certainly

He would be a fool to leave Fla. Even if it meant taking a bit less money to stay.

 

[Canovin]

What do you mean their game could take a dip? They’re 25 and 24. They’re not even in their prime yet. Even if they were, adding a pricey declining asset isn’t the way. Far from it

Suzuki and Caufield are in the prime. Anything can happen in 2 years so of course their game can fall off. Need to consider their size and longevity. Adding Kadri can work as soon as this offseason. Habs can trade Dach and Newhook. Two useless players.

 

[tomd]

Legit 2C's are a pretty valuable commodity in the NHL. Who is realistically available to trade for?