Dreger: High interest on Arturi Lehkonen. Now in play for trade.

[Jee]

Guys, Lehkonen is not a rental.

 

[BlueBaron]

I was under the impression all but a few Habs were available but I guess his age puts him in a position that it's got to be a good payment

I'm really surprised Dvorak hasn't come up.

 

[RationalExpectations]

I was under the impression all but a few Habs were available but I guess his age puts him in a position that it's got to be a good payment

I'm really surprised Dvorak hasn't come up.

His value is at his lowest, just came back to play Yesterday !

 

[1000eeer]

Lekhonen is worth more than Chariot.

1st round pick + Nils Lundkvist and we got a deal

 

[BlueBaron]

His value is at his lowest, just came back to play Yesterday !

Yeah but Cs at playoff time are precious.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I was under the impression all but a few Habs were available but I guess his age puts him in a position that it's got to be a good payment

I'm really surprised Dvorak hasn't come up.

I think we are open to trading Dvorak but we are not shopping him. After Suzuki, our center depth is thin (rebuild years or not). We have a cluster of forwards that we will consider moving and it remains to be seen who that is. Lehkonen is obvious cause we can get value for him if we trade him how. If we don't get the offer we want, we extend him for probably 3/4 years from 27-29/30 and I believe that's around $3.5M-$4M range. Value contract for his prime. If that plays out, we will look at moving other forwards to provide the cap flexibility we are after. Could be Hoffman.

Hughes has basically come in to be GM and thank you Bergevin, I'll take it from here. He's not rebuild obsessive and for any move we make, we are not looking to liquidate our assets in trade value. It has to make sense and he's looking at each player offer 1/1 and he will head towards more youth year/year.

Guys like Dvorak, Hoffman, Drouin, Armia, Eddy, Savard could stay during those rebuild years. It's not going to be a complete roster age 25 and under that quickly.

 

[BlueBaron]

I think we are open to trading Dvorak but we are not shopping him. After Suzuki, our center depth is thin (rebuild years or not). We have a cluster of forwards that we will consider moving and it remains to be seen who that is. Lehkonen is obvious cause we can get value for him if we trade him how. If we don't get the offer we want, we extend him for probably 3/4 years from 27-29/30 and I believe that's around $3.5M-$4M range. Value contract for his prime. If that plays out, we will look at moving other forwards to provide the cap flexibility we are after. Could be Hoffman

It's your job to get Bergeron to troll the Bruins.

 

[Habs Halifax]

It's your job to get Bergeron to troll the Bruins.

Habs need to clear a lot of cap if we are making any big UFA splash this summer. Starts with Weber being offloaded and more required after that.

I'd be surprised if the Habs land both Letang and Bergeron. I do see Letang leaving the Pens but I don't see Bergeron leaving the Bruins. If the Habs can move Petry for futures and not take a big contract back and also move Weber to the Coyotes, that does give us a fair amount of cap flexibility. Add Lehkonen being moved this deadline and it's better.

However, right now, we have 17 players signed with about $80M in cap hits (including Weber). Got Lehkonen, Romanov, and Pitlick to sign. If Weber stays, I doubt the Habs want him on LTIR before the season starts but depending on our ability to move others, we might have too. A lot of unanswered questions still left for the Habs even after we moved Toffoli and Chiarot.

 

[TT1]

Lekhonen is worth more than Chariot.

1st round pick + Nils Lundkvist and we got a deal

this is the type of deal i'm looking for if i'm moving Lehki

 

[BlueBaron]

Habs need to clear a lot of cap if we are making any big UFA splash this summer. Starts with Weber being offloaded and more required after that.

I'd be surprised if the Habs land both Letang and Bergeron. I do see Letang leaving the Pens but I don't see Bergeron leaving the Bruins. If the Habs can move Petry for futures and not take a big contract back and also move Weber to the Coyotes, that does give us a fair amount of cap flexibility. Add Lehkonen being moved this deadline and it's better.

However, right now, we have 17 players signed with about $80M in cap hits (including Weber). Got Lehkonen, Romanov, and Pitlick to sign. If Weber stays, I doubt the Habs want him on LTIR before the season starts but depending on our ability to move others, we might have too. A lot of unanswered questions still left for the Habs even after we moved Toffoli and Chiarot.

I'm more confident Weber will be a Coyote than a Hab next year.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm more confident Weber will be a Coyote than a Hab next year.

Seems like a logical fit. We are not desperate to move it but we prefer too and the Coyotes appear to need it to reach the cap floor and save a little money with Insurance paying most of his $3M salary.

 

[JustAHabFan]

Habs fans have said Chariot will be traded for 1st+. We did get that. If Lehkonen is traded, he will also get 1st+ or grade A prospect.

 

[CDN24]

Assuming Hagel goes to Tampa and Panthers get Giroux does this up the pressure on the Metro teams (canes/pens Rangers) to make a significant add too. Any of them consider Lehkonen to be significant? That playoff run last year certainly added to the value of the Habs assets. no way Chiarot gets what he did without that run. No way we even think Lehkonen might get a 1st without it

 

[Justin11]

Price just went slightly up

 

[frederixx]

Price just went slightly up

If by slightly you meant crazy, yes, probably

 

[Justin11]

If by slightly you meant crazy, yes, probably

Well, It is a crazy market

 

[Kairi Zaide]

Price just went slightly up

Most likely not. Tampa loves to overpay for cheap contracts.

 

[Justin11]

Most likely not. Tampa loves to overpay for cheap contracts.

All I have seen so far is overpayment. Not just Tampa.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

All I have seen far is overpayment. Not just Tampa.

What I mean is that while Lehky is better than Hagel overall, Hagel comes in at very, very cheap. For a team strapped to the cap, that inflates his value. Lehkonen is "cheap" if retained, but he is either going to arbitration (he's definitely not signing the QO) or getting 3.5-4.0M+ for multiple years after that.

 

[Justin11]

What I mean is that while Lehky is better than Hagel overall, Hagel comes in at very, very cheap. For a team strapped to the cap, that inflates his value. Lehkonen is "cheap" if retained, but he is either going to arbitration (he's definitely not signing the QO) or getting 3.5-4.0M+ for multiple years after that.

I understood what you meant. It's just moves like the one Tampa just did will put pressure on the other teams competing and will probably pay up. We will see by Monday how some teams might get desperate.

 

[cave troll]

Well, after Hagel trade, no way Lehki gets moved without a 1st.

 

[hughdreamz]

Well, after Hagel trade, no way Lehki gets moved without a 1st.

Maybe. Maybe not. Lehkonen has never come close to 20 goals, is older, and will demand at least double what Tampa is paying Hagel the next 3 years.

 

[Petes2424]

Even if a first is the return, it’s horrible asset management. The guy is a good player, he’s not a UFA, and that pick is going to take a few years to develop. All while they could’ve had this player in their lineup.

 

[EveryDay]

Maybe. Maybe not. Lehkonen has never come close to 20 goals, is older, and will demand at least double what Tampa is paying Hagel the next 3 years.

This is all true but another huge difference is Lehkonen is one of the best defensive winger in the NHL.

 

[BKarchitect]

This is all true but another huge difference is Lehkonen is one of the best defensive winger in the NHL.

Yeah, I think you can rest easy that you'll get a first for Lehkonen if he is dealt. I don't think the Hagel deal really has any impact - the contractual differences make it an apples to oranges comparison. But Lehkonen is a fantastic mid-sixer with a game made for the playoffs and with team control (even if he won't be such a bargain in the future). If you are Montreal - you don't even pick up the phone unless a first or first-equivalent prospect is involved.