Value of: Mason McTavish to Montreal

[KaseMeOutside]

A few local rumors circulating about offer sheets. Anaheim has their 1C in Carlsson so I wonder what it would take to see McTavish moved.

It's hard to believe since Anaheim has tons of cap space but for the sake of indulgence, can some Anaheim fans chip in what they'd want from Montreal?

No.

 

[duckpuck]

McTavish played great in spurts last year, including the final part of the season. I think most ducks fans are in favor of keeping all of the young players because we expect to see across the board improvement/development under Quenneville.

 

[Mrfenn92]

What anaheim would accept and what his value is are two different things.

What would it cost to acquire a 22 year old former #2 pick trending to be a 60-70 point two way center? A lot, but not Demidov plus 3 firsts. Definitely not 4 firsts either.

I would think a player like Mctavish would have a value equivalent to 3 first rounders in the 10-20 range. Similar to what Braden Schenn was traded for (2 firsts plus third liner Lehtera) But players like those are rarely traded.

Yeah don’t think it’s 4 first rounders. But if Anaheim would be willing to move him my guess it’s for a good young wing or right handed dman. Picks and lesser prospects packaged together aren’t getting it done.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

They would likely trade Zegras over McTavish. Hopefully a long future of Cutter/Leo/McTavish/Sennecke being the focus of the top 6

"Likely" wasn't really needed here.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

One of Caufield, Slafkovsky, or Guhle, plus something else significant. The plus would depend on which one it was.

I could maybe see Reinbacher++ if ANA likes him enough. The pluses there likely being 1st (16th or 17th) and 2nd (40th) round picks.

Too rich for my tastes. McTavish strikes me as a guy who is just as likely to stagnate and disappoint as he is to continue his development toward being a legit top-six C.

To me this would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Pass from this Habs fan.

Lol what you think they're adding to caufield for a guy whose career high is 52 pts

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Fair enough for them to ask for Demidov. I do wonder if an offersheet risks throwing a wrench in their internal cap plans when they'll need to resign Carlsson, LaCombe and all their young talent. This is on top of them being rumored to back up the brinks truck for Marner.

You going to give up 4 unprotected first round picks? That's the kind of offer sheet it will take.

 

[Legend123]

Understand what your saying but what do you expect Anaheim to accept for him?

They don't need to trade him away

Buy saying outlandish stuff is also stupid

 

[Mrfenn92]

They don't need to trade him away

Buy saying outlandish stuff is also stupid

Every trade thread is usually outlandish in either premise or price

 

[Gliff]

No.
Demidov+.

Those are the only 2 answers you should get.

There is no chance the Ducks trade him for a package of futures or don’t match any realistic offersheet.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Lol what you think they're adding to caufield for a guy whose career high is 52 pts

Idk, a 2nd round pick? If we were talking about a 25-26 year old, I’d agree with your sentiment, but McTavish is a 22 year old C who’s already decent at faceoffs, plays a strong two-way game, and has excellent underlying metrics.

Reducing the whole thing down to “Caufield for a 52 point guy” is either stupid or disingenuous. Caufield likely has some development runway left himself, but he’s two years older, and he’s a small scoring winger.

They’re close in value, imo, but the edge goes to McTavish due to position and age.

As expected, posters on both sides are being unreasonable.

 

[HanSolo]

An internal cap allocation still exists even if you're spending to the cap in order to maintain a balanced contract structure. We have one in Montreal where most Fs are taking the Suzuki contract as the upper limit. It's about spending wisely.

There's only so many players you can pay 10M+ to before you become Toronto.

And do you think Montreal is going to be chomping at the bit to pay McTavish 9+ million a year?

 

[Baksfamous112]

An internal cap allocation still exists even if you're spending to the cap in order to maintain a balanced contract structure. We have one in Montreal where most Fs are taking the Suzuki contract as the upper limit. It's about spending wisely.

There's only so many players you can pay 10M+ to before you become Toronto.

I’m sorry but if your plan is to pay McTavish 10M + a year you’ll find that gravity hit hard and comes fast.

The offer that would need to be thrown at McTavish that Anaheim wouldn’t match is not a number any Habs fan would be comfortable paying the guy.

It’s just not a possibility

 

[HanSolo]

I love McTavish but damn the over valuing of him as an asset is insane lmao

This is what you get when the ask is for a young cost controlled player with upside whose team has zero reason to trade him. Value in a bubble is not the same thing as value to a team.

 

[DJN21]

McTavish is a stud but I wouldn't be surprised if Demidov outproduces his 24-25 season next year as a rookie. 1st+Beck aren't just throw-ins either.

Neither were Ryder, Halak and a 2nd but we saw how that went....

 

[Michoulicious]

Neither were Ryder, Halak and a 2nd but we saw how that went....

That package was fricking solid in hindsight.

 

[WhyVerbeekWhy]

You offer sheet a player for two reasons:

1) If you believe there is a legit shot it won't be matched
or
2) Possibly to screw up a direct rival's cap situation, if you believe they won't be in position to ever retaliate

Montreal GM knows there is no legit shot here and Ducks/Habs are certainly not direct rivals.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

Idk, a 2nd round pick? If we were talking about a 25-26 year old, I’d agree with your sentiment, but McTavish is a 22 year old C who’s already decent at faceoffs, plays a strong two-way game, and has excellent underlying metrics.

Reducing the whole thing down to “Caufield for a 52 point guy” is either stupid or disingenuous. Caufield likely has some development runway left himself, but he’s two years older, and he’s a small scoring winger.

They’re close in value, imo, but the edge goes to McTavish due to position and age.

As expected, posters on both sides are being unreasonable.

Caufield has increased his goal input every year and is 24 lol the only one being g disingenuous is you. And for the record you had add something significant in your original post nobodies adding to caufield if all your getting back is marchment and I like marchment. The add is on the wrong side.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Caufield has increased his goal input every year and is 24 lol the only one being g disingenuous is you. And for the record you had add something significant in your original post nobodies adding to caufield if all your getting back is marchment and I like marchment. The add is on the wrong side.

You’re confused lmao

 

[BKarchitect]

This is one of those cases where breaking down splits and development tell more of a story than just looking at the counting stats...

McTavish had 16 points in 30 games from the start of the season through the end of 2024 on unsustainably cold 8.5% shooting.

In 2025, McTavish had 17 goals and 36 points in 46 games on very sustainable 14.1% shooting while earning a minute more of ice time per game as his game developed. Interestingly, all that extra ice time occurred at even strength, his PP time actually went down as his all-around game and scoring went way up. No PP heater mirages here.

McTavish is a guy primed for a big year given how his metrics and even strength quality improved over the season and with Cronin gone, expect an even bigger boost.

It's helpful to look at more than the NHL.com or EP scoring list. You can get a lot of insight by breaking down the composition of a player's season, especially a young player who is still developing. Ducks fans should be very bullish on the McTavish outlook for 2025-26. I think a 70-75 point season is very reasonable as he and Leo form a pretty ridiculous young 1-2 punch at center. In a world where hardly anybody is satisfied with their outlook down the middle, that's a premium position to be in.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

That package was fricking solid in hindsight.

Wasn’t the 2nd used to pick Subban?

 

[Frank Drebin]

Wasn’t the 2nd used to pick Subban?

Subban was drafted in 07. Halak broke into the league and developed his trade “value” as a potential starter in 2007-09. I think those proposals started in 07 or 08.

So probably not

 

[Frank Drebin]

I actually would trade our next 4 firsts for mm. The two this year, 26 and 27. Anaheim declines for the same reason Montreal offers

 

[GhostfaceWu]

You’re confused lmao

I clearly meant mactavish I mean it's not like I alluded to his 52 pt career year or anything

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

McTavish is a stud but I wouldn't be surprised if Demidov outproduces his 24-25 season next year as a rookie. 1st+Beck aren't just throw-ins either.

They arnt not throw ins either tho

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

I actually would trade our next 4 firsts for mm. The two this year, 26 and 27. Anaheim declines for the same reason Montreal offers

Its just 1 of those things that wont happen.

Anaheim needs a 2c, mctavish fills that
Gauthier has settled on to carlssons wing.
Zegras was playing pretty well on mctavish wing.

The team wants to win now, were in a good position, and i wont be shocked if anaheim takes a montreal step forward. We have a coach thatll hopefully push us to the next lvl, and our owners are tired of losing now.