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

[lamp9post]

Dude, you wrote zero value now and next TDL. That in of itself is exactly what I described. You can backpaddle all you like, I'm not the only one who saw it.

You're right, I've adjusted my previous statement of "Zero value now and zero value next TDL" to "Zero value now and in my opinion likely zero value next TDL."

You really checkmated me there.

 

[EXPOS123]

So Kuzmenko was already beefing with Torts?

End result is Briere traded Frost and Farabee for Pelletier(bust) 2nd, 3rd.

Andrei Kuzmenko Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Andrei Kuzmenko, a hockey player from Yakutsk, Russia born Feb 4 1996 who was active from 2012 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

My losers for this TDL, along with Chicago who got stuck with their crap.

Also the Kings. That core is on their last legs and they stood pat

Someone needs to explain it to me because I have no idea what they’re doing or thinking

 

[Miller Time]

I was thinking the same thing. While I don’t watch the Sharks as much as everyone here seems to - fascinating that so many east coast posters stay up late to watch Zetterlund - I don’t see a huge delta in the numbers. And Zetterlund played almost 19 mins pg last year and had 44 points, and is a year older.

Not sure I understand why we need more bottom 6 talent.

Yup. Zetterlund took the opportunity SJ and ran with it... Will be interesting to see how he does on a roster where he won't likely see as many minutes nor have as much slack with his mediocre defensive play.

Not sure he's better than Heineman frankly and has a much smaller ceiling than Newhook.

 

[Erika]

Yup. Zetterlund took the opportunity SJ and ran with it... Will be interesting to see how he does on a roster where he won't likely see as many minutes nor have as much slack with his mediocre defensive play.

Not sure he's better than Heineman frankly and has a much smaller ceiling than Newhook.

Zetterlund with Tkachuk and Stutzle will be a 30-30 kind of player with Arturri Lehkonen potential entering his prime. You will see soon enough.

 

[ReHabs]

There is more to the GM job than managing assets. He need to manage the real people currently on his team. And right now, the people carrying the mail for his team wanted the opportunity to try to fight for a playoffs spot and as the GM he decided to allows them to do so. There is clear upside and a clear downside to this decision, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

He could’ve then acquired a middle6 player to help them in the fight for the playoff spot. He didn’t do anything — which is the point of contention.

And my comment about disagreements is mostly a broad one in response to the “quit whining” comments some have made and intoned. This is a discussion board and we discuss things, it’s not necessarily moaning and whining to disagree with a decision made.

 

[lamp9post]

There's a difference between well-founded speculation and your writing out narrative that you can't give any evidence to support. Opinions can be wrong and shitty, it doesn't protect you from responses and disagreement

I've given several arguments in support of my position. To summarize:

1. We took on Laine for free just last offseason and his value hasn't changed since then. The information hasn't changed, except for the fact that he has one year remaining on his contract instead of two, and he has a major knee injury under his belt. He's still slow, still really bad defensively, ineffective at even strength, still has an elite shot and is a weapon on the powerplay. On this point the burden of proof is on you to show that his value has increased. And it can, as was the case with Monahan. But nothing has changed between the time Laine was acquired for free and now to think that his value has changed.

2. Because of his player profile and contract, he's a roster construction nightmare. He makes too much to play on lower lines, creates matchup vulnerabilities 5-5 if he's playing on the top lines. There is no need for a contender to introduce those conditions to a successful team at the TDL.

3. The market is extremely limited for a player like Laine. We were uniquely positioned to take a gamble on him in the offseason given our cap situation and need to inject that kind of talent onto the roster. It was a gamble that we could afford to take, but that set of circumstances is rare. Limited market = limited value.

I'm all for disagreement, but that's not what you're doing here. You haven't addressed a single point I've made. Instead you're blanket dismissing, which makes me wonder why you bother to respond in the first place.

If you disagree with any of the above, please feel free to do so.

 

[Miller Time]

Zetterlund with Tkachuk and Stutzle will be a 30-30 kind of player with Arturri Lehkonen potential entering his prime. You will see soon enough.

That you are comparing Zetterlund and Lekhonen is fascinating... The two couldn't be more different as players.

 

[OnTheRun]

He could’ve then acquired a middle6 player to help them in the fight for the playoff spot. He didn’t do anything — which is the point of contention.

And my comment about disagreements is mostly a broad one in response to the “quit whining” comments some have made and intoned. This is a discussion board and we discuss things, it’s not necessarily moaning and whining to disagree with a decision made.

Yes they could have acquired depth, they could have sold too and the third option was to let the chips fall where they may.

We know they weren't on the market for rental, so that one wasn't a option. Did they feels that what was available on a more long term commitment wasn't what they were looking for in a long term commitment? Did they just hold back yesterday because they want to be aggressive during the off-season (they will need to do that at some point, be aggressive that is)?

Ultimately people are probably disappointed because there was no movement on a day traditionally associated with movement. There is a lot of buildup going in the TDL and when nothing happen it obviously feel like a dud of a day.

 

[japhi27returns]

Zetterlund with Tkachuk and Stutzle will be a 30-30 kind of player with Arturri Lehkonen potential entering his prime. You will see soon enough.

Maybe, I mean he is 25 and has 100 NHL points. Thats definitely a bold call.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

You're right, I've adjusted my previous statement of "Zero value now and next TDL" to "Zero value now and in my opinion likely zero value next TDL."

You really checkmated me there.

Checkmated you? This is about you thinking you know all GM's perception of Laine's value and his future value & performance. This further reaction, trying to pretend my intention to try and sound like you're above being corrected, is just juvenile. Goes hand in hand with someone stating their profession on a forum in a lame attempt to gain an appeal to authority. I simply pointed out your absolutist tone. There's no desire to checkmate, but simply defending my point, which YOU interjected on in the first place.

 

[Frankenheimer]

Players seem quite happy with the fact Hughes kept the team intact. Really continues to show how great our locker room is, perhaps one of the best in recent decades.

 

[Vachon23]

 

[Andrei79]

Nah, those players would have garnered franchise altering picks. Everyone knows this you silly silly person

 

[lamp9post]

Checkmated you? This is about you thinking you know all GM's perception of Laine's value and his future value & performance. This further reaction, trying to pretend my intention to try and sound like you're above being corrected, is just juvenile. Goes hand in hand with someone stating their profession on a forum in a lame attempt to gain an appeal to authority. I simply pointed out your absolutist tone. There's no desire to checkmate, but simply defending my point, which YOU interjected on in the first place.

The checkmate comment was obvious sarcasm.

And clearly I don't know all GM's perception of Laine's value. I don't know why this needs to be stated, but I will again remind you that my comments are my opinion and that I can't read minds or see the future. I hope that helps.

Also, I have never stated my profession on these forums. I don't know what the 2nd bolded statement is in reference to whatsoever. Kindly explain yourself. Or are you above being corrected?

I admit that my first foray into this conversation was too absolute and I agree that professional sports is a shifting landscape. I'm sorry if I introduced an unconstructive tone to the discussion.

 

[DAChampion]

I remember at the end of the 2007 season a lot of people were unhappy because Sheldon Sourray wasn't traded for picks or prospects. There was an urban legend going around that Brian Burke offered Getzlaf for Sourray.

In the end, the Habs replaced Sourray with Hamrlik (an upgrade) and life went on.

 

[DAChampion]

I don't understand how anybody could think that it would be ok for Hughes to stab the players in the back.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I don't understand how anybody could think that it would be ok for Hughes to stab the players in the back.

Not only that, it's infinitely more valuable for this group to play meaningful games at this point than getting another late 2nd or 4th round pick.

2 years ago, or even last year I would've said sell sell sell. But the guys need to start playing for something at this point, taking that away is counter productive to development.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Not only that, it's infinitely more valuable for this group to play meaningful games at this point than getting another late 2nd or 4th round pick.

2 years ago, or even last year I would've said sell sell sell. But the guys need to start playing for something at this point, taking that away is counter productive to development.

I'm not sure I agree with you, with the ultimate value of the experience, although I don't disagree there is value, but to me it's more about them having earned the right to be spared from losing depth, which is all too important for a team like the Habs, who have limited depth. It's all the more impressive they are doing it without one of their best Ds. Doing the opposite would send the wrong message. Not just the players either, but the coaches too. MSL has received so much flack, but his capacity to keep them together is incredibly underrated.

 

[salbutera]

I don't understand how anybody could think that it would be ok for Hughes to stab the players in the back.

Because the it’s the magic of getting a pick ..

 

[Playmaker09]

The mistake, once again, was not selling Savard last year when the price was high and instead moving Kovacevic in the offseason for peanuts.

Hughes has consistently failed to identify opportunities to sell high. Anderson, Matheson, Savard, Newhook, Evans.

 

[DAChampion]

Because the it’s the magic of getting a pick ..

The Habs already have a lot of picks.

 

[salbutera]

The Habs already have a lot of picks.

But THIS pick would’ve turned into McDavid you know …

 

[Skip Bayless]

The only deal that kinda bothers me we were not in was Brandon Carlo.

 

[Kimota]

How much is O'Reily making? That''s the thing, he could have been the replacement second center for the rest of the year and then replace Dvorak next year. Maybe we could have given them the Calgary pick for him. But we can still make that deal in the summer.