Confirmed Trade: [MTL/NJD] Johnathan Kovacevic for a 2026 conditional 4th round pick (best of the 3)

bud12

Registered User
Oct 8, 2012
2,202
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Don't see Engstrom or Reinbacher as realistic options next year so basically
left side: Guhle, Hutson, Matheson, Xhekaj, Struble, Harris
right side: Savard, Barron, Mailloux

One of Mailloux or Hutson starts in Laval just due to numbers/waivers, but even with that they still need to move a lefty.
Good chance Guhle will play on the right side again next year
 

Souker

Registered User
Feb 10, 2020
278
271
This isn't the D-Men that should've been gone.
Of course he is.
The 2 most expandable D we had were Kovy and Harris. Wouldn’t be surprised if Harris gets shipped soon too.

People are making a big fuss about a decent bottom pairing D that’s not so young anymore with very limited upside. The value is right and he’s easily replaceable. He’s a 6-7. Good move, clear some space with the logjam.
 

Kojo

Registered User
Nov 22, 2013
5,981
2,436
Good chance Guhle will play on the right side again next year
Hutson is a LD but can play on both sides. I liked Savard with Hutson in the small sample we had but Hutson with Guhle could work too.
 

Whalers Fan

Go Habs!
Sep 24, 2012
4,323
4,222
Plymouth, MI
Very good value for the Devils. Kovacevic flies completely under the radar, but he's an ideal, low-cost bottom pairing defenseman who leaves you feeling comfortable when he's on the ice.
It's a good deal for both teams. The Devils get a decent RD who can play on the 3rd pair at a reasonable cost, and the Habs get a mid-round pick for a player that they would otherwise have probably put on waivers before the start of the season. Win / win.
 
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Treb

Global Flanderator
May 31, 2011
29,692
30,478
Montreal
Reinacher and Mailloux are likely our 2 top RHDs for the future. So where do you picture Barron ? On the 3rd pair ? I'd rather have a Kovacevic there than a Barron.

Traded after Reinbacher and Mailloux establish themselves. By that time, Barron will likely have established himself and garner a better return than if traded now.

Maximizing assets.
 

HabsQC

Registered User
Sep 27, 2008
5,853
5,782
Gatineau, Quebec
Traded after Reinbacher and Mailloux establish themselves. By that time, Barron will likely have established himself and garner a better return than if traded now.

Maximizing assets.

I wish I had your optimism about Barron. I see him more going towards walking for nothing because he has no value than establishing himself, but I hope I'm wrong
 

Jeune Poulet

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Oct 31, 2019
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Kovacevic is a 6/7 that doesn't always use his size very well, doesn't have great hockey sense and unfortunately, doesn't have a mean streak. His play was encouraging his first year with us but he didn't grow at all the second year. He was less assertive on the ice.

It's getting late as a 27 years old, but he improved moving from the Jets to Montreal and he still has a shot establish himself for good in New Jersey. I was hoping we'd keep him. It's a contract year for him. It's make or break time.

Seems like a great guy. I hope it works out for him.
 
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biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
27,233
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Not much of a return, but for a free waivers asset...easy come, easy go. That's fine. Everyone knew Habs needed to clear at least one of their logjam of bottom-pairing defencemen. I thought it'd be Barron as the odd man out, and also the one with a little more potential "upside". But this makes sense too. Kovacevic isn't a difference-maker and won't ever be at his age.

Fine enough as a #6/7/8D though. Which is probably all NJD will need him to be. Saving some cap.
 
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DEANYOUNGBLOOD17

Registered User
May 10, 2011
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As a Jet fan, never liked that we lost him on Waivers. After 3 years on the Manitoba Moose he deserved his NHL shot as a 6/7 D-man.
 
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tmg

Registered User
Jul 10, 2003
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Ottawa
How could he be below the minimum?
His actual salary is exactly the current league minimum 775k (just like Woll). His AAV / Cap Hit is less than the league minimum because the cap hit is the total amount of the contract divided equally among all years of the contract, and because the minimum was lower two years ago (the first year of his three year contract), the average is 766,667 (also, just like Woll).
 

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