Post-Game Talk: Trade Deadline Day: March 7, 2025: Montreal stands pat

[The Gr8 Dane]

I did not want a 2C today but I really wanted us to sell off a bunch of old scrubs , oh well

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Da mix is overrated we are a one line team... nice of Suzuki to walk the walk and talk the talk but only him and caufield can actually do it

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Do they not have pro scouts? Is that not still a bias if you have this much of a blindspot for non Quartexx clients?

Presumably every GM has players they are more and less familiar with, they're just not concentrated under one agency.

We are talking character here. At least they would know that the players contract isn't going up his nose like Demidov's linemate.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Da mix is overrated we are a one line team... nice of Suzuki to walk the walk and talk the talk but only him and caufield can actually do it

Don’t forget about the legendary Lane Hutson

 

[Noble]

Well I think Ufas are even worse than TDL prices. Also the Ufas are awful. You don't build teams with ufas. Unless we somehow get a ppg player.

I just think they could have gave help to The AHL put beck for a playoff run in Laval.
Dvorak Evans and Beck is not it. People will ask why Laine is invisible outside the PP well matched with Newhook and Beck , the hell you want him to do.

I was moreso talking about trades in the summer and not free agency.

As for the rest; all fair points. The team needs to be improved, I'm not arguing that. I just don't believe the time is right now. No matter what Hughes did this deadline this team was likely going to still be a bubble team. I'd rather see those improvements come through trades in the off-season.

I've always viewed this year as a middling year and it's proving to be just that. If nothing significant is done this summer to improve the team, then I'll be getting on Hughes. But I don't have an issue with what he did this deadline.

 

[Tuggy]

I really don't care about not selling Armia, Savard or Dvorak. In fact, I think that's probably the right decision because they are more valuable to us at the moment than a 3rd (later) round pick.

What I don't like is not getting a center to replace Beck. Didn't need to be an allstar but someone that can play.

I actually think Beck can do the job fine for the moment, but if MSL isn't going to play him then send him back to Laval.

 

[SwiftyHab]

I think the team will play really hard as a "thank you" to Hughes. Lots of players were playing with a lot on their minds and will now be able to breathe stress free. I wouldn't be surprised seeing them go on a lil run to end the year.

I also think we're about to witness something special during this last stretch when it comes to Suzuki's production.

That’s the spirit! Great post.

Get your heads in the game boys! We’re 1 point out with 20 games left to play. Forget about a draft pick and let’s get after it!

 

[EveryDay]

Carlo was way too expensive for us anyway... I wouldn't give up Beck + 1st for him.

 

[Miller Time]

Laine is a PP specialist and almost completely useless 5v5

Nonsense. Both understating his PP impact and overstating his limitations this season, where he rushed back from a significant knee injury.

Sure, if he can't stay healthy then he's got limitations, but assuming Laine is toast is a stretch.

Can’t think of a single top 6 F worse than Laine on any Cup winner in recent memory

Reilly Smith
Anton Lundell
Lekhonen (wasn't even a top 6 player on the worst team in the league before playing top 6 minutes for cup Winners)

Laine, if traded to the Oilers or Stars or Avs or Knights etc. would've slotted into their respective top 6 heading into the playoffs.

 

[red devil]

 

[Miller Time]

You don't win cups with Newhook and Dach in your top 6

Guess we should've traded for Reilly Smith then lol

 

[Skip Bayless]

I support Kent's decision to do f*** all.

You people are just like children who don't get to eat their candy before dinner.

 

[Miller Time]

That's a pretty brutal self own...

If I'm the owner of that team, I'm not keeping that guy employed long

 

[Be a Hab]

Suzuki killing the rebuild

 

[absolute garbage]

The battleplan for next summer should be:

1) Look to trade Laine, Anderson and Matheson. Find the best deal possible, retain salary. Can also explore moving Dach and Newhook.

2) Try to add one impact forward from UFA. Go hard after Marner (Ehlers could be a backup if Marner goes elsewhere). If that doesn't work out, Granlund would be a good option on shorter term deal (2-3 years). Perhaps Marchand as well.

3) Keep drafting and developing. Hope Demidov, Reinbacher, Mailloux, Hage, Kapanen etc can step up in the next 1-2 years. I wouldn't be trading picks/prospects unless something really good comes up.

 

[austin316]

This offseason will be the first real test for Hughes. He absolutely has to deliver and find a 1A/1B centre to pair with Suzuki as well as a veteran defensemen (someone more reliable than Matheson)

The time to keep stock piling picks is over. We have 11 picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts. It’s time to start turning those picks into players who can add and compliment our core. Suzuki is turning 26 in a few months, we can’t wait until he’s 30-31 before we’re ready to compete and that’s what will happen if we don’t start turning our picks into players.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Guess we should've traded for Reilly Smith then lol

I was just quoting what you said . You said team does. If a team wins those 2 in their top6 they better have 2 Draisailt and 2Mcdavid xD

 

[rochab]

Still suffering for the horrible decisions Bergevin made... Armia, Dvorak and Savard should not have been on the 2024-2025 team to begin with.

Why not let this team (as is) compete for the wildcard... Whether they make it or not, the team will gain invaluable experience (and MSL will see how the players respond to the pressure) in the next 20 gaines. The Rocket also keep the same roster and they can make a long run in the Calder Cup playoffs.

I think Hughes did the best with the situation he was given.

The fun starts after the season is over with significant money/contracts coming off the books and we can actively start building the roster with FA's and NHL trades, not picks and reclamation projects.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Nonsense. Both understating his PP impact and overstating his limitations this season, where he rushed back from a significant knee injury.

Sure, if he can't stay healthy then he's got limitations, but assuming Laine is toast is a stretch.



Reilly Smith
Anton Lundell
Lekhonen (wasn't even a top 6 player on the worst team in the league before playing top 6 minutes for cup Winners)

Laine, if traded to the Oilers or Stars or Avs or Knights etc. would've slotted into their respective top 6 heading into the playoffs.

Did you post this with a straight face? We got paid to take Laine, if he was a serviceable player one of those teams would have added him considering in your mind he’s a free top 6 player

Lekhonen developed further once he left. Smith has six 50+ pt seasons. Even Lundells rookie season is better than Newhook’s career high.

Not a serious opinion!

Edit: I realize now you posted those players as being worse than Laine specifically but I still don’t agree with that. Laine stands in one spot and shoots one timers. He cannot skate at an ECHL level even.

 

[HabsMD97]

For some.

Others saw the 11 out of 12 points post 4 nations and expectations changed there too.

Ignoring the fact we don't know what offers there may have been, Montreal didn't need to add picks or prospects for their rebuild. More would have been nice, but the front office, rightly or wrongly, decided rewarding the players by not selling was worth more. I think that may be a mistake, but not nearly the level of mistake some people here seem to think.

Again, what they don't need is to USE picks and and hang on to prospects. What they DO NEED is to accumulate assets. Right now they are missing 2 Premium pieces to build a contender that isn't within the organization. A 2C and a top 4 RD. These players cost A LOT and they're not available every year unless they are on the wrong side of 30, and even then as we saw with Nelson the price remains steep.
In a normal year, armia is worth a 4th, this year he gets you min a 2nd.

If we were only missing 1 premium piece, I would probably agree we don't need more picks. However that is not the case. The more quality pieces you're missing, the more assets you need to accumulate in order to get them.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Again, what they don't need is to USE picks and and hang on to prospects. What they DO NEED is to accumulate assets. Right now they are missing 2 Premium pieces to build a contender that isn't within the organization. A 2C and a top 4 RD. These players cost A LOT and they're not available every year unless they are on the wrong side of 30, and even then as we saw with Nelson the price remains steep.
In a normal year, armia is worth a 4th, this year he gets you min a 2nd.

If we were only missing 1 premium piece, I would probably agree we don't need more picks. However that is not the case. The more quality pieces you're missing, the more assets you need to accumulate in order to get them.

An extra 2nd doesn't get Montreal a premium piece. There is nothing Montreal could have gotten for their rentals at this deadline that would have tipped the balance to getting 2 premium pieces, nor would it have seriously affected their ability to go from being in the mix to being a lottery contender.

Would adding a 2nd or more have been nice in the long run? Yes. Was it a mistake long term not to sell? Likely. But its not that big of mistake. The complaining doesn't match the reality that Montreal has extra picks and prospects to acquire those pieces.

 

[Miller Time]

I was just quoting what you said . You said team does. If a team wins those 2 in their top6 they better have 2 Draisailt and 2Mcdavid xD

Yes, the Habs will need to be better to contend for a cup.

Yes, Habs are the youngest roster in the league, and their best players right now are all U25.

Yes, U25 players typically improve.

No, you don't need McD & Drain to win a cup (note, neither has actually won).

Barkov, at 25, had been to playoffs 1x
Eichel's first playoffs came at 26

I know, patience and context arenta great fit for emotional hot takes...

 

[Habs]

lets finish 16th , that'll help the rebuild. Then next year when Fatso, Armia, Dvorak and MM prove to be even more useless we can all talk about next years draft, yet again

 

[Meandmyself]

yet is the way pretty much all cup contenders are built rofl

Yeah you are right Florida drafted Barkov, Ekblad and? Oh yeah Tkachuk, Reinhart, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Rodrigues, Forsling and Bobrovsky.

We should hiring their scout. ROFL.

 

[dinodebino]

@Miller Time Okay, here's what he said.....word for word in french.

''Au congé des 4 nations, on était sur un down, on pensait que probablement, on ferait la même chose dans les années passées pis on aurait échanger nos joueurs, pis eux crédit à l'équipe et au coach, y'ont gagné 5 matchs de suite, y'ont reviré les choses et j'avais promis aux joueurs à Tremblant que pour la 1ère fois on avait PAS un plan établi cette saison et que leur jeu va avoir leur mot à dire de qu'est-ce qu'on fait....aujourd'hui et cette semaine on les a récompensés pour leur effort''

Word for word in french, feel free to translate on your side instead of me doing it and actually taking things out of context to fit a narrative....

Thanks!