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Proposal: Poll: Will Smith or trade 5th overall for Clayton Keller?

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Will Smith or trade 5th overall for Clayton Keller?

  • Will Smith

    Votes: 178 66.4%

  • Clayton Keller

    Votes: 90 33.6%
  • Total voters
    268
  • Poll closed .
I'm actually a really big fan of Keller and it's a tough decision. I think at this point the cost control of Smith going forwards lines up better for the Habs. But I wouldn't be heavily opposed to this trade, Keller has some high end skill that can get overlooked by many because of where he plays.
 
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River Meadow said:
Yes but he also costs 7 million dollars a year, to start.

When will a player like him start to decline, at 30?

When will we contend? in 4-5 years?

IMO it doesn't make sense to accelerate the rebuild like this.

The cap matters, a lot.
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Hughes did mention they'd like an accelerated rebuild. And a hypothetical trade of Keller definitely fits with that. Similar to how a hypothetical scenario where PLD comes in (whether via trade or as a UFA) would.

Also regarding the cap hit, it's not like his contract is up in a year or two. He's still under contract for another 5 years. He had 86 pts in 82 games last season. And the year before, he was on pace for another 80+ point season.

As for the cap, Keller makes less than both Caufield and Suzuki. And if I have a player putting up around 80 pts a season at that cap hit, it's worth it.
 
Last edited:
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Easy answer for me.

Trust your scouting - smith will be finishing his ELC when Keller becomes a UFA.

In the meantime, the extra cap space can be used to: a) accelerate the rebuild with another player (UFA or trade not involving 5OA); or b) acquire draft picks by taking on bad contracts.

In other words, Keller won’t just cost them Smith. There’s also cap space and/or extra draft capital to consider.
 
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That’s a tough one.

I went Will Smith due to the cost control, but you have to admit Keller-Dach would make a pretty dynamic duo.
 
5th overall for Clayton Keller is a weak move.

The point that we would be lucky to draft a player as good as Keller at 5, although true, is shortsighted.

Keller is at the peak of his prime now and he is a UFA in 4 years. Will be close to 30.

Even if the player we draft at 5 don't end up as good as Keller, we may extract a lot more value out of him

So Smith, or whoever the f*** we want at 5.
 
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I'd take Smith. ECL and would be under control for longer period of time. Also, you can use that money on another top line or top pairing player to further add skill and depth to the team and address one of the many holes.
 
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With one, you control for at least 7-8 years. The other you only control for a few years. I'll take Smith. He won't be rushed anyways cause he's already committed to ncaa
 
Vachon23 said:
We won't money to sign them all, I prefer keeping Smith and put money elsewhere.

They are no special recipe to build a winning team (except that you need at least a #1C and #1D). We won't have a franchise player to build around, so if we want to win, we will need a super complete team with no major hole.
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I think getting all of Suzuki, Caufield, Dubous, and Keller at under 8M lpng term would be good cap management, especially since the cap is about to start going up a lot again.
 
HuGo Burner Acc said:
With one, you control for at least 7-8 years. The other you only control for a few years. I'll take Smith. He won't be rushed anyways cause he's already committed to ncaa
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A few years as in 5 years. And chances are he'd re-sign.
 
If theres a salary going back, like Gally, Im up for it.

Realistically, Smith isnt gonna be much better than Keller. I love Reinbacher and Benson but both are going to be similar value players.

If one of the top 4 is there, Id hold onto it. Otherwise Id just go for it. Keller is the kind of offensive talent the Habs are missing.
 
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DAChampion said:
Who's going to be better in 2028, Keller or Smith?
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That's the question - along with who's going to be better over the next 5 years.

Will Smith could be a bust in the NHL or a bigger star than Keller...Risk vs. Reward...
 
26Mats said:
A few years as in 5 years. And chances are he'd re-sign.
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Maybe who knows, he is American. Also you gotta think of the cap implications. Getting Keller means no room for PLD when you also take into account that HuGo will probably try to sign a star goalie in 2024 FA
 
Habs said:
not even for Cooley
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Cooley > Keller?

Stompin Paul Peller said:
Smith by a mile. Similar players but ELC and 7 years younger. No brainer
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Smith may well turn out to be a Keller. But that's far from assured.

HuGo Burner Acc said:
Maybe who knows, he is American. Also you gotta think of the cap implications. Getting Keller means no room for PLD when you also take into account that HuGo will probably try to sign a star goalie in 2024 FA
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I think there will be room for both. Hoffman comes off the books next summer and Armia's last year can be moved. Also, maybe Armia is part of the deal for Keller to equilibrate salaries.

Also, when's the last time an American wanted out? Petry was due to covid. Was it Rod Langway???
 
Nico Cauzuki said:
unless we draft Michkov nobody at #5 will be better then Keller and hes under a great contract for the next 5 years he makes less then Caufield and Suzuki and much better

Dubois* - Suzuki - Caufield
Slafkovsky - Dach - Keller*


we would need to move some cap tho
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Honestly thats as good a top 6 as the Habs are gonna get short of Michkov falling.

If Montanbeaults ready for the job and Guhle+Arber+Barron keep progressing the Habs have a low end contender.

And I must say that Kellers speed would be a much needed addition vs the slower Smith. Also? All players could potentially churn out PPG seasons, kind of like the Peg got out of their core.
 
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