Carlsson, Smith, Michkov: rank them in order of preference

[Forsead]

...while the thought of Carlsson or Michkov dropping to us is exciting, I don't think it happens...I've been scouring the internet trying to find as much Michkov-content as I can and, I gotta say, that kid has changed my mind on drafting him if we get the chance; he looks like he could be a real gamebreaking talent...unfortunately, I think San Jose takes him...I truly think we end up with Smith or Dvorsky, which I am OK with...

I see the same for Michkov (he's the franchise defining ballsy move that GM/scout want in their CVs). However, it takes only one team to love Smith, or wanting Reinbacher as a D and I could see Carlsson falling to us.

 

[Koivu11]

If we don’t end up with one of these 3 players it will be a waste of a terrible season.

We finally have the chance to grab an elite forward in a strong draft, they better not mess this up.

 

[417]

If we don’t end up with one of these 3 players it will be a waste of a terrible season.

We finally have the chance to grab an elite forward in a strong draft, they better not mess this up.

Unless there's someone else they really like, who might end up as good if not better then one of or all of those 3 players.

 

[26Mats]

If they acquire PLD, which I mentioned in my post, I think they plug a couple of holes with elite talent.

I don't know how Hughes works it, but I could see them potentially moving back to 8th and trading with Washington (if they felt that Reinbacher was their guy and knew he would still be available). Say the Habs traded the 5th for 8th and Hendrix Lapierre or Connor McMichael, then they went ahead and drafted Reinbacher.

They could then move the Florida 1st, Christian Dvorak, and say Harris to Winnipeg for PLD.

You'd have acquired a top line center, a solid young prospect with a couple years of development, and a terrific prospect right hand shot defenseman, and not have given up a whole lot overall.

Then perhaps you'd be able to dump one of Mike Hoffman or Joel Armia on Chicago, since they will need warm bodies to flesh out their roster and get to the cap floor.

Ideally I'd like to add a tougher guy to play on the fourth line as well, someone with size that would take some of the onus off of Xhekaj doing the heavy lifting in the fighting department.

Habs potential lineup 2023-2024:

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Harvey-Pinard - Dubois - Anderson
Slafkovsky - Lapierre/McMichael - Gallagher
Pezzetta - Evans - _____

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - Barron
Xhekaj - Kovacevic

Montembeault
Allen

Yeah, it depends on their read of the talent level.

For me, if you think Michkov is elite, you try to trade up with Columbus to get him. Because they don't want him anyways. They'll get one of Will Smith or Carlsson at 5. So if we can give them a package that makes it worth their while to take whichever player falls to 5, we get Michkov.

 

[Adriatic]

Michkov all the way he's the next Pavel Bure no brainer.

 

[Naslundforever]

Michkov all the way he's the next Pavel Bure no brainer.

I don’t see the similarity at all but the enthusiasm is awesome.

Pavel skated fearlessly like the wind, this kid looks like a high iq dangler that has very average speed (And dare I say every highlight seems to be on the pp).

 

[Kennerback]

I don’t see the similarity at all but the enthusiasm is awesome.

Pavel skated fearlessly like the wind, this kid looks like a high iq dangler that has very average speed (And dare I say every highlight seems to be on the pp).

Maybe closer to Sergei Fedorov among the Russian stars.

 

[Adriatic]

I don’t see the similarity at all but the enthusiasm is awesome.

Pavel skated fearlessly like the wind, this kid looks like a high iq dangler that has very average speed (And dare I say every highlight seems to be on the pp).

I kid i kid. I haven't seen any of these prospects play a single minute.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Michkov all the way he's the next Pavel Bure no brainer.

He'll be way better than Bure.

Michkov has the IQ on top of the elite goalscoring abilities.

Bure's IQ was OK but nothing more. His skating however was one of the greatest ever.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Trading Beck to move up would be bold dumb. But you have to give to get, like we we did in the Romanov trade - although not so much like the Petry for Matheson trade, haha.

I do like that Gorton said they have the prospect depth and number of draft picks to make moves, and that Hughes is aggressive. At this point I'd sacrifice from our depth of quality prospects to try to get the game breaker.

Fixed that for you

 

[26Mats]

He'll be way better than Bure.

Michkov has the IQ on top of the elite goalscoring abilities.

Bure's IQ was OK but nothing more. His skating however was one of the greatest ever.

It's going to be hard for Michkov to match Bure, because of Burr's explosive skating, goal scoring touch, and fearlessness to go to the danger zones for scoring chances he was an offensive dynamo. The fearlessness also led to a shortened career due to injuries.

But I like that Michkov has some of that same fearlessness. I was watching some of his highlights the other day and he went to the net with the puck like a young Brendan Gallagher.

Fixed that for you

I like Beck, but with Suzuki, Dach, and Dubois at C, he has to be on thectablecto help land an elite talent. I know we would possibly come to regret it, given he could be a real playoff warrior, but sometimes you have to give to get.

 

[Sterling Archer]

It's going to be hard for Michkov to match Bure, because of Burr's explosive skating, goal scoring touch, and fearlessness to go to the danger zones for scoring chances he was an offensive dynamo. The fearlessness also led to a shortened career due to injuries.

But I like that Michkov has some of that same fearlessness. I was watching some of his highlights the other day and he went to the net with the puck like a young Brendan Gallagher.


I like Beck, but with Suzuki, Dach, and Dubois at C, he has to be on thectablecto help land an elite talent. I know we would possibly come to regret it, given he could be a real playoff warrior, but sometimes you have to give to get.

I just don’t think they’ll have to give up Beck to get Michkov. Besides, Beck is going to be a very effective NHLer. He’s already shown a lot as an 18 year old and he’ll just get better and better. He’s not the kind of player you trade to move up a spot IMO.

 

[salbutera]

He'll be way better than Bure.

Michkov has the IQ on top of the elite goalscoring abilities.

Bure's IQ was OK but nothing more. His skating however was one of the greatest ever.

Holy projections Batman!

Patrice Lefebvre & Stephane Lebeau are 1 & 2 respectively in all time QMJHL scoring & Kent Hughes is all time leading scorer of Middlebury College…. just sayin

 

[26Mats]

I just don’t think they’ll have to give up Beck to get Michkov. Besides, Beck is going to be a very effective NHLer. He’s already shown a lot as an 18 year old and he’ll just get better and better. He’s not the kind of player you trade to move up a spot IMO.

If you were Hughes and you and your scouting team project Michkov to be as good as Bure, and were less high on Will Smith, say you projected him to be Kadri, would you be willing to give up Beck?

I like Beck. I'm not looking to give him up unless I have the type of read above. I'm just not in a position to know either way. I'm just saying if we have such a read on Michkov and Smith, we probably can get Michkov, given Columbus isn't going to draft him and can get a center at 5. Just have to make the right offer.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I kid i kid. I haven't seen any of these prospects play a single minute.

The first honest person in this thread.

 

[26Mats]

I just don’t think they’ll have to give up Beck to get Michkov. Besides, Beck is going to be a very effective NHLer. He’s already shown a lot as an 18 year old and he’ll just get better and better. He’s not the kind of player you trade to move up a spot IMO.

How do they get Michkov without giving up Beck, or something of equal value, in a package?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Columbus flat out said that they are taking a center

He's setting up trade talks. Nothing more.

 

[Sterling Archer]

How do they get Michkov without giving up Beck, or something of equal value, in a package?

Habs have plenty of assets beyond Beck. It’s not like he’s the only prospect Habs have to offer. Also, I think the odds of them trading up to grab Michkov are basically zero. They’ll pick who lands to them.

The only team who would take him before Habs is SJ and I don’t think they have the appetite to wait 3 years when they’ve been terrible for so long. They’ll go for Smith or Carlsson, whichever falls to them. I think that’s most likely hence why I wouldn’t offer a package for a player I think would fall to me anyways. Particularly not one as valuable as Beck.

 

[26Mats]

Habs have plenty of assets beyond Beck. It’s not like he’s the only prospect Habs have to offer. Also, I think the odds of them trading up to grab Michkov are basically zero. They’ll pick who lands to them.

True Habs can get Michkov if he falls to them - or not.

They can 100% get him if they trade up for him.

 

[Sterling Archer]

True Habs can get Michkov if he falls to them - or not.

They can 100% get him if they trade up for him.

I wouldn’t pay a premium of Beck to assure the pick.

 

[No More Subban]

im not trading any prospects right now. beck even looked nhl-ready in the preseason last year. team just didn't have a spot for him.

 

[salbutera]

If you were Hughes and you and your scouting team project Michkov to be as good as Bure, and were less high on Will Smith, say you projected him to be Kadri, would you be willing to give up Beck?

I like Beck. I'm not looking to give him up unless I have the type of read above. I'm just not in a position to know either way. I'm just saying if we have such a read on Michkov and Smith, we probably can get Michkov, given Columbus isn't going to draft him and can get a center at 5. Just have to make the right offer.

I guarantee you Hughes does not rate Michkov higher than Smith.

 

[26Mats]

I guarantee you Hughes does not rate Michkov higher than Smith.

Based on what? I'm not feeling very confident in your guarantee.

 

[Belial]

I guarantee you Hughes does not rate Michkov higher than Smith.

Would be really interesting if Michkov and Smith are on the table.

Based on what? I'm not feeling very confident in your guarantee.

Smith is like Hughes third son...

 

[26Mats]

Smith is like Hughes third son...

Ok, but Hughes didn't draft his own son last year.