Proposal: Knies to the Canadiens almost happened. (Sports net article )

[HFFO]

He was baby Ovechkin dude

Still waiting on Reway man, he's coming!

 

[sandviper]

Personally, I don’t really believe a deal was that close at all. It just doesn’t make sense for Toronto and as nice a piece as Knies is, Hughes knew we needed a center.

Plus the whole revisiting thing… it must had been obvious that Treliving wasn’t going to be around much longer.

 

[MoneyManny]

Lol

Which of Bergevin's prospects won ROY in the KHL at 18?

KK was a bust from the day he was drafted and everyone except some Habs fans knew it.

 

[Gandalf The Habs Fan]

There are so many conflicting reports surrounding this Knies saga... but if I were Toronto and I actually came close to trading Knies, and the information leaked and I'm worried about the impact it could have on my player, maybe I would leak information to Dreger saying that it was just discussions and that it never came close.

 

[ExpatHabs]

Dreger is doing damage control for Chayka. Good for them.

Treveling is gone anyway, Knies won't have much cause to grumble.

 

[BLONG7]

I would take PLD anyday if it means only losing guys like Jake Evans, Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck or picks.

8.5M
For 45-50 pts
If we were lucky
Likely to buckle like Drouin

 

[LaP]

Remember how convinced this board was that Alexander Avtsin was going to be a superstar?

This board? There was nothing in Avtsin that was hinting at anything substantial. I don't remember very well but it was certainly not "the board". Was a few guys at most. A few guys is an anecdote.

This is Avtsin post draft

This his Florian Xhekaj

I really hate how every time we talk about prospects people are like yeah but but but in the past this prospect drafted in the 5th round that was hyped by two guys here but had awful AHL stats never developed. This is f***ing frustrating. Stats wise and also AHL play wise (eyes test) Xhekaj project as a better player than Avtsin ever did and Xhekaj is not a highly touted prospect.

 

[HFFO]

This board? There was nothing in Avtsin that was hinting at anything substantial. I don't remember very well but it was certainly not "the board". Was a few guys at most. A few guys is an anecdote.

This is Avtsin post draft

View attachment 1251262

This his Florian Xhekaj

View attachment 1251264

I really hate how every time we talk about prospects people are like yeah but but but in the past this prospect drafted in the 5th round that was hyped by two guys here but had awful AHL stats never developed. This is f***ing frustrating. Stats wise and also AHL play wise (eyes test) Xhekaj project as a better player than Avtsin ever did and Xhekaj is not a highly touted prospect.

This board was obsessed with Avtsin lol it wasn't just a small minority. You're welcome to go look through. I wouldn't know his name otherwise.

But also 9 points in the KHL at the time was a feat for a young player, was a much stronger Russian league than it is today.

 

[GoodKiwi]

This board? There was nothing in Avtsin that was hinting at anything substantial. I don't remember very well but it was certainly not "the board". Was a few guys at most. A few guys is an anecdote.

This is Avtsin post draft

View attachment 1251262

This his Florian Xhekaj

View attachment 1251264

I really hate how every time we talk about prospects people are like yeah but but but in the past this prospect drafted in the 5th round that was hyped by two guys here but had awful AHL stats never developed. This is f***ing frustrating. Stats wise and also AHL play wise (eyes test) Xhekaj project as a better player than Avtsin ever did and Xhekaj is not a highly touted prospect.

It's from before your time here probably. The OP is right. I was there to witness it too.

 

[The Great Weal]

It kinda makes sense if you look at the timeframe.

The Leafs needed to finish lower to keep their pick. They had also traded away several picks and their prospect cupboard is bare. This was before they won the lottery.

On the flipside the Canadiens were going into the playoffs and have slowly been adding pieces. Knies profile and age range fit with what we’re looking for almost perfectly. Us parting with Zarovsky and two firsts plays. I can see that.

Who’s the other prospect? If it’s Hage? No. If it’s Pickford I sure hope not. If it’s Joshua Roy? Fine.

The whole "1 minute too late" is the part that doesn't make sense (why does it have to be the Leafs who submit the trade? not to mention we could have still made the trade and just not play Knies in the playoffs) and Pagnotta is full of shit.

Giving up what's essentially 3 1sts and another top prospect not named Reinbacher or Hage for a winger without addressing the 2C or RHD would be a terrible idea.

 

[LaP]

It's from before your time here probably. The OP is right. I was there to witness it too.

But why in hell would anybody be high on Avtsin? He had a semi interesting 1st season post draft in the KHL but as soon as he started to play in the AHL it was like let's move on there's likely nothing here like Tuch. Reway was a bit more interesting but he was 5'06 on skate and when you're that small you need to be special like Caufield.

But anyway those guys should not be used to bring down our current pool of prospects. Guys like Hage and Zharovsky are much much better prospects. Those guys (Avtsin, Rway, Ghetto, Bozon, ...) are comparable to Beck, Protz and F, Xhekaj i.e. interesting prospects but bottom 6 at most IF it works out.

 

[LaP]

The whole "1 minute too late" is the part that doesn't make sense (why does it have to be the Leafs who submit the trade? not to mention we could have still made the trade and just not play Knies in the playoffs) and Pagnotta is full of shit.

Giving up what's essentially 3 1sts and another top prospect not named Reinbacher or Hage for a winger without addressing the 2C or RHD would be a terrible idea.

Both teams have to submit the trade i think. The story is that the Leafs submitted it too late not the CH. Could be wrong not super familiar with the rule.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

But why in hell would anybody be high on Avtsin? He had a semi interesting 1st season post draft in the KHL but as soon as he started to play in the AHL it was like let's move on there's likely nothing here like Tuch. Reway was a bit more interesting but he was 5'06 on skate and when you're that small you need to be special like Caufield.

But anyway those guys should not be used to bring down our current pool of prospects. Guys like Hage and Zharovsky are much much better prospects. Those guys (Actison, Rway, Ghetto, Bozon, ...) are comparable to Beck, Protz and F, Xhekaj i.e. interesting prospects but bottom 6 at most IF it works out.

He was hyped solely off the quote of him playing a Ovechkin style of play lol

 

[JianYang]

I really wish this wouldn't have come out. That's not good for the young players involved.

Its not good for anybody but that's just part of the package when playing in these types of markets.

This story is evolving from media report to sewage gossip.

 

[WeThreeKings]

But why in hell would anybody be high on Avtsin? He had a semi interesting 1st season post draft in the KHL but as soon as he started to play in the AHL it was like let's move on there's likely nothing here like Tuch. Reway was a bit more interesting but he was 5'06 on skate and when you're that small you need to be special like Caufield.

But anyway those guys should not be used to bring down our current pool of prospects. Guys like Hage and Zharovsky are much much better prospects. Those guys (Avtsin, Rway, Ghetto, Bozon, ...) are comparable to Beck, Protz and F, Xhekaj i.e. interesting prospects but bottom 6 at most IF it works out.

Avtsin was brought over way too early and was coached by Lefebvre. Guy was playing a different position on a different line every night.

He was a super talented swing who was by no means a guarantee to be anything but you couldn't have handled his development worse.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The whole "1 minute too late" is the part that doesn't make sense (why does it have to be the Leafs who submit the trade? not to mention we could have still made the trade and just not play Knies in the playoffs) and Pagnotta is full of shit.

I’m pretty sure the Canadiens have to submit as do the Leafs. Not sure about the mechanics of it but…

Giving up what's essentially 3 1sts and another top prospect not named Reinbacher or Hage for a winger without addressing the 2C or RHD would be a terrible idea.

We have two big needs. Power winger and center. Both on the second line.

To me those two firsts are trade bait. We don’t need them now. It comes down to giving up Zarovsky and for me - it’s a trade I make. Not because I think Knies will be better but because of the timeline and he addresses a need.

A few years from now I may hang my head in shame over this post but the rationale is the timeline, not faith in the player.

Now… there’s talk of another prospect. If it’s Pickford or Hage or RB/Engstrom then yeah, screw that.

 

[The Great Weal]

We have two big needs. Power winger and center. Both on the second line.

Power winger is most defnitely not a bigger need than a RHD and 2C is far and away the much bigger need, blowing 4 good assets on like our 3rd need is terrible asset management.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I’m pretty sure the Canadiens have to submit as do the Leafs. Not sure about the mechanics of it but…

We have two big needs. Power winger and center. Both on the second line.

To me those two firsts are trade bait. We don’t need them now. It comes down to giving up Zarovsky and for me - it’s a trade I make. Not because I think Knies will be better but because of the timeline and he addresses a need.

A few years from now I may hang my head in shame over this post but the rationale is the timeline, not faith in the player.

Now… there’s talk of another prospect. If it’s Pickford or Hage or RB/Engstrom then yeah, screw that.

Marek says it was Pickford.

 

[Deus ex machina]

Marek says it was Pickford.

D'Amico said it was a defense prospect but not Reinbacher. So it fits.

 

[Sorinth]

Which of Bergevin's prospects won ROY in the KHL at 18?

KK was a bust from the day he was drafted and everyone except some Habs fans knew it.

Neither Demidov nor Zharovsky won that award at 18, both were 19 when they won it. In fact the last player to win it as an 18 year old was actually Kratzov who was a complete bust in the NHL. In fact most winners haven't gone on to have good careers.

 

[Deus ex machina]

Marek says it was Pickford.

Where did he say that?

Edit: Never mind

 

[badfish]

Another thing on the Avtsin lore, he had some insane stats in a Russian Junior League, and I believe had more goals in that league then Ovechkin had thus the hype.

 

[Sorinth]

The whole "1 minute too late" is the part that doesn't make sense (why does it have to be the Leafs who submit the trade? not to mention we could have still made the trade and just not play Knies in the playoffs) and Pagnotta is full of shit.

Giving up what's essentially 3 1sts and another top prospect not named Reinbacher or Hage for a winger without addressing the 2C or RHD would be a terrible idea.

If it was just Pagnotta I would agree that it's just BS. But Friedman did confirm he heard the same thing. So at a minimum we know Pagnotta isn't just making it up and there is somebody in the know who is saying this was the trade.

That doesn't mean the rumour is 100% true though since the source might be wrong/lying, but Friedman wouldn't have backed it up if it was coming from some crackpot. As an example, if Treliving is the source of this leak, he might be leaking this to make himself look good, and if he's doing that then it's not much of a step to think he might be exaggerating the return. There was that Tampa GM who kept changing the supposed return of the Lecavalier trade to the Habs that got nixed based on who on the Habs were having a good season, this smells a bit like that.

3 1sts and a B prospect is an overpayment, but it's not exactly a crazy one, and might very well have been worth doing for us.

 

[Hockey Lifer]

The whole "1 minute too late" is the part that doesn't make sense (why does it have to be the Leafs who submit the trade? not to mention we could have still made the trade and just not play Knies in the playoffs) and Pagnotta is full of shit.

Giving up what's essentially 3 1sts and another top prospect not named Reinbacher or Hage for a winger without addressing the 2C or RHD would be a terrible idea.

We have enough assets for both.

Zharovsky, Pickford, 2 1sts for Knies
Hage, Kapanen, Reinbacher, 2 2nds for Thomas

Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf
Thomas, Demidov, Knies

You have 2 first lines playing 20 mins each.

Evans, Dach, Bolduc
Florian, AJ Greer, Anderson

Your bottom 6 plays 10 mins each.

You dangle Newhook, Beck, Arber, Struble, Fowler for that RHD.

 

[JianYang]

I’m pretty sure the Canadiens have to submit as do the Leafs. Not sure about the mechanics of it but…

We have two big needs. Power winger and center. Both on the second line.

To me those two firsts are trade bait. We don’t need them now. It comes down to giving up Zarovsky and for me - it’s a trade I make. Not because I think Knies will be better but because of the timeline and he addresses a need.

A few years from now I may hang my head in shame over this post but the rationale is the timeline, not faith in the player.

Now… there’s talk of another prospect. If it’s Pickford or Hage or RB/Engstrom then yeah, screw that.

100%. Its all about timeline and the management has always dropped hints about that.

They mentioned last year when they got dobson last year that they want someone who fits the age group.

Now we are hearing the same sentiment this time around as the right fit being in the same age group.

At some point, you have to realize when its go time and leverage the assets who dont fit with the age group (or timeline).