LeBrun: Price for Lehkonen is at least a 1st round pick, lots of teams interested

[Michoulicious]

... if Montreal trades Lehkonen, it will be for no less than a 1st round pick.

LeBrun: Jakob Chychrun’s injury complicates deadline plans, latest on Ben Chiarot, Tomas Hertl and more

Pierre LeBrun has the latest on the defenseman market ahead of the trade deadline.

theathletic.com

The Capitals are scouring the market for a middle-six forward. I think Artturi Lehkonen would potentially be a good fit. Although let me stress again the Habs aren’t 100 percent dealing the pending RFA. Six or seven teams have reached out to Montreal on Lehkonen and the message from GM Kent Hughes is that the Habs value what Lehkonen brings both on the ice and as part of the cultural fabric of the team. So the price is high: at least a first-round pick.

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[Seachd]

If I’m trading a 1st, I’m aiming a lot higher than Lehkonen, personally.

 

[BusQuets]

I don't like spending 1st round picks for guys that gonna play in bottom-6 on trade deadline. Fletcher used to do that on wild for so many years.

 

[3074326]

I'm sure that is the ask. I have my doubts about it being the eventual return (if we're talking player for pick and nothing else).

 

[McDoused]

Yikes.

 

[KingsCourt]

Keep him

 

[Larry Hanson]

He might be worth it but that is the asking price, not necessarily what they will get. There are only so many 1st's to go around, Habs already want one for Chiarot, Seattle wants one for Giordano, Flyers want one for Giroux (if he's traded), Chychrun, Rakell, Klingberg, etc etc.

 

[Foppberg]

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Yikes at Price's cap hit.

 

[Colezuki]

He might be worth it but that is the asking price, not necessarily what they will get. There are only so many 1st's to go around, Habs already want one for Chiarot, Seattle wants one for Giordano, Flyers want one for Giroux (if he's traded), Chychrun, Rakell, Klingberg, etc etc.

No need to trade him though as he is still under team control

 

[frederixx]

I think they get a really good prospect for him. He's been on fire lately and was really good last playoffs. Late bloomer

 

[Michoulicious]

If they don't get what they want for him, they can just keep him for another year, his arb be rights are really low.

 

[belair]

Meanwhile Chicago's beat guy at TA is suggesting Kubalik could be had for a third.

Toffoli had two additional years of term and he barely returned a 1st. The ask just doesn't compute.

 

[Ezpz]

I think they get a really good prospect for him. He's been on fire lately and was really good last playoffs. Late bloomer

Not sure it's even a case of late blooming or just that he's been forced onto the fourth line by depth on the wings for his entire career. Habs have had the most top 9 wingers in the league for many years running. We finally lost some depth and he filled in without missing a beat. He's also statistically one of the best defensive players in the league.

 

[Michoulicious]

Meanwhile Chicago's beat guy at TA is suggesting Kubalik could be had for a third.

Toffoli had two additional years of term and he barely returned a 1st. The ask just doesn't compute.

Toffoli got the Habs a 1st, a former 2nd rounder and a 5th.

Nit exactly "barely" a 1st.

Also, Kubalik sucks, and his arb rights are higher.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

"Lots of teams interested"

Habs: "1st round pick"
Everyone: "Yea we aren't interested anymore".

 

[JoeSakic13]

So Lekhonen isn’t moving. Got it.

 

[frederixx]

People think a 1st is too much but I'd bet he gets more than a 1st. Either a 2nd or a good prospect on top of it.

 

[Lays]

Toffoli, Buchnevich, Zuccarello, Anderson, Arvidsson all got traded for less. Feel bad for the team that gives up a 1st for arguably one of the most average players in the league

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Does Carey have a chance of returning, though?

 

[belair]

Toffoli got the Habs a 1st, a former 2nd rounder and a 5th.

Nit exactly "barely" a 1st.

Also, Kubalik sucks, and his arb rights are higher.

'Barely' was definitely an exaggeration but Toffoli is both the better player and has the two additional years of term. The difference in value is significantly more than a B prospect and a 5th.

It never hurts to ask, but the sellers in this market are going to get stuck with a lot of pieces they don't want if they're not willing to bend.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Just like how every other player is supposedly being traded for a 1st round pick at the deadline....


There's a reason no deals have been made yet. Sellers are asking absurd prices and buyers are just waiting them out. Eventually the prices will come down especially in a year with so many sellers and fewer buyers.


*Now, Lehkonen is slightly different as he's an RFA vs. UFA situation. But if the ask is a 1st round pick, I'd say it is far more likely he stays a Hab then actually getting traded for that value.

 

[Colezuki]

Just like how every other player is supposedly being traded for a 1st round pick at the deadline....


There's a reason no deals have been made yet. Sellers are asking obsurd prices and buyers are just waiting them out. Eventually the prices will come down especially in a year with so many sellers and fewer buyers.


*Now, Lehkonen is slightly different as he's an RFA vs. UFA situation. But if the ask is a 1st round pick, I'd say it is far more likely he stays a Hab then actually getting traded for that value.

Which is perfectly fine, because we’ll just keep him

 

[dubplatepressure]

This story sounds familiar. Did anyone give them a 1st for Chiarot yet?

 

[Baksfamous112]

So Lekhonen isn’t moving. Got it.

I’d love to sign him to a 4-5 years contract. We would have to find a way to move out Armia first though