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

[Skip Bayless]

Ya. Nope. They won’t draft. They will trade.

It just takes one team underperforming in the playoffs, one extension negotiation to go awry, one GM wanting to shake things up and we have our new top 6 C.

 

[Bring Bak Damphousse]

So, you do nothing to help the team, or Laval.

You see teams you're competing with go out there and do things they think improve their team and instead of taking that as a sign to buy, or sell, you chose to sit there and do nothing.

You can't bring Savard back, as you need to improve places.

You can't bring Armia back, as you need to improve and you're running the same team back.

So, like what the f*** did you do all day ? Just keep telling yourself you're a good GM because you didn't trade a popular player who has no future here and replace them with a random scrub for a 7th ?

people mad at hughes for keeping Armia, Dvorak and co, what are the realistic expectations on the return? A couple middling picks? Anyone who thinks were getting back anything to help us out is delusional. Our biggest trade chip was resigned, and we clearly lack the pieces required to pick up a Cozens or similar impact player.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

We did have someone as regularly injured as Norris, tho.

He could have been traded before he got injured, tho.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Suz : Concerning the trade deadline Kent, the team and I would like t-----


Kent :

lol

 

[SwiftyHab]

I wonder how Pasta and McAvoy feel about the Bruins tearing it all down.

Maybe they feel like they want to be Habs this summer

 

[GTA]

Ya. Nope. They won’t draft. They will trade.

Sweet - trade futures for a flawed 2C those team was ok to let go and then pretend Suzuki-2C is the Top 6 C lineup of a true cup contender.

 

[GTA]

Yes but you would give up on the season. Can't do that to the players when the majority have worked hard all season.

These are professionals - why do you think we have to tip toe around their feelings. It’s a business.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Please tell me how it's obvious when he said that PRIOR to the 4-nations they were talking of selling, and after those 5 games they decided not to? Frankly, we are almonst saying the same thing. You keep saying how he is consistent, I'm just saying that those 5-game stretch aren't enough to decide which way to go. Boston is 2 points down for us. But they are 2-6-2 in the last 10 games. So...they decide to sell. I mean....I guess Boston did go the direction they went ALSO based on a few games too? It happens? Whether I agree or not...it's just a matter of opinion. But isn't it also obivious that while Hughes did decide to stay put because of the last stretch, that Boston did decide to go the other way for the same reason?

And the reward things is also curious....I don't think you really reward a group who works hard by staying put...you give them some help. We have 1 forward extra who can' tplay in the NHL. And unless Guhle is ready, no d-man extra unless we strip Laval from their best players.

I would have rewarded them differently.

KH is still the man to have with this team. I'M just not a fan of his deadline approach. But he will have the draft and this summer to fix things.

yeah thought about that too. I understand doing nothing, but I was thinking about a stopgap based on who got dealt today.
Charlie Coyle maybe? Do we have a mittlestadt equivalent?
Dach was that chip but he got injured.
He certainly could've traded for a depth dman.

I think deep down he doesn't think team will make playoffs,
and he's like
show me Nick, and then I'll make summer moves accordingly

 

[OnTheRun]

Sweet - trade futures for a flawed 2C those team was ok to let go and then pretend Suzuki-2C is the Top 6 C lineup of a true cup contender.

Why our hypothetical 2C is already flawed tho?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

people mad at hughes for keeping Armia, Dvorak and co, what are the realistic expectations on the return? A couple middling picks? Anyone who thinks were getting back anything to help us out is delusional. Our biggest trade chip was resigned, and we clearly lack the pieces required to pick up a Cozens or similar impact player.

You don't need players back to make an impact. You need those assets acquired to trade to make an impact.

Dvorak, Armia and Savard now have 0 value.

That 2nd round pick you get for trading Armia now allows you to trade up, or you have it to take a gamble on a player like Kakko at a much more reasonable price than what you paid for Newhook, or Dach.

You have an extra 2nd so you can overpay to land a good player who's available.

What's the point of bringing Armia, Savard, or Dvorak back ? So you can take another run to be just outside the playoffs?

Furthermore, you could have used those assets attained and made a hockey trade so you're rewarding your team AND building for the future.

Kent Hughes didn't make a trade because he didn't want the team to be upset.

Now, I'll give him keeping Dvorak who wins faceoffs and does pretty much nothing else you couldn't easily find and given his contract even at 50% retained he's still not worth much, but the others would have returned a 2nd each, which is more than fine for a return.

Given that it's Winnipeg who supposedly had the most interest and went out and acquired similar players, the Habs could have asked for 2nds in 2026, 2027 and got a roster player luke Kupari, or Stanley back so they wouldn't be hindering Laval.

If Winnipeg was only offering a 3rd and Heinola for both then ok, keep them, but given the prices being paid that wasn't happening.

It's not a huge disappointment, but it's just another smaller disappointment that's starting to build up. No one is going to be great, but he's trending more towards mistakes than good plays.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

He wanted to keep one retention slot available last year to be used at the draft. Seems consistent with past thinking

That’s a good point, I didn’t consider that, you’re probably right. Thank you!

 

[Beendair Donedat]

When do the retention spots roll over?

If it's July 1st, maybe he wanted to keep it to have that option should a draft related trade involve shipping out Gally or Anderson with retention

Mr Shutt also pointed that out, and you’re both more than likely right. I didn’t even consider that, good stuff and thank you!

 

[hvac412]

Ouch.



« Habs will not make the playoffs, will end up drafting 14th, will not have liquidated its UFA assets in a strong sellers’ market BUT...All locker room buddies will be happy! »

 

[ReHabs]

people mad at hughes for keeping Armia, Dvorak and co, what are the realistic expectations on the return? A couple middling picks? Anyone who thinks were getting back anything to help us out is delusional. Our biggest trade chip was resigned, and we clearly lack the pieces required to pick up a Cozens or similar impact player.

Do you think he could’ve traded some middle picks for middle6 help for the playoff run?

 

[Runner77]

good question - he did mention he played well on suzuki's wing.
I think his C playing days in Mtl are over. Maybe he becomes an elite winger;
he doesn't have the work ethic or IQ for a 200 foot game, imo

His Habs-playing days ought to be over too.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

good question - he did mention he played well on suzuki's wing.
I think his C playing days in Mtl are over. Maybe he becomes an elite winger;
he doesn't have the work ethic or IQ for a 200 foot game, imo

No chance Dach becomes an elite anything in the NHL

 

[LPHabsFan]

At this point in the game, you need to get your guys some experience, so that they can learn what it takes to truly win in this game. The battle for making the playoffs will be much more valuable to the organization than whatever they would have gotten from other teams, and even if they get bounced in the first round, it's still valuable experience.

Look at other organizations who are constantly making their team worse and losing games. They end up with a losing culture and no leadership.

Our rebuild isn't over, but then again, our top prospects that we've drafted, that were taken during our actual rebuild, not the years we were just trash, aren't even in the NHL yet. And on top of that, we still have a ton of draft capital.

Let's be honest. Even if we got rid of Savard, Armia, and Dvorak, it's not like we would have dropped to a top 5 or even top 10 pick (unless we got lucky in the lottery).

They have a plan and are following it.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Technically two points as they don't have the tie break.

Correct. However, the point remains that the context of the TDL is different this year than in previous years.

 

[Runner77]

Ya. Nope. They won’t draft. They will trade.

Only if the likes of Caleb Desnoyers is within their grasp. A lot of things would have to align for that but you never know.

 

[schwang26]

I would have liked to get stopgap who could've allowed us to send Beck back to Laval, but let's not pretend Beck being 2C is only on paper. That line is pretty much the 4th line, Laine's been mostly getting 10-13 minutes, Newhook's at like 12-14, Beck is often not even getting 10 minutes most nights. And that's with Laine and Newhook getting PP time.

Laine - Beck - Newhook is our 4th line.

Beck needs to play 18-20 in Laval. Not 10 minutes. I don’t like this at all. Honestly, if he wasn’t so important to Laval, Dauphin would be a much better option at this stage as a 2C. If the Habs make the playoffs, how is it the plan to have Beck centering that line? Not a good plan. Plus it hurts Laval for their playoffs.

 

[Team_Spirit]

*I have 5 offers and yours is the worst* (not actually true)

 

[TomKosto]

Only if the likes of Caleb Desnoyers is within their grasp. A lot of things would have to align for that but you never know.

People are not going to give time to Desnoyers to developp and are gonna ask to trade him for 40yold Sidney Crosby in 2 years..! (We need to make the playoffs)

 

[26Mats]

Not at that salary no.

We had one retention spot. I think a team would be interested in Dvo at 2.25M, at the right trade price.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Dach would’ve been traded if not injured is my guess

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Which is irrelevant to the point I was making. He's helping us maintain our position of being in the mix, and being in the mix is good for the development because you learn what it takes to win by playing in must win games.

We already learned that, when we got our asses kicked by Tampa. We need more talent, the answer is easy. In order to get that talent, you trade future UFAs for picks, every pick matters. We should know it, since we got Hutson with a late 2nd.