My energies are with the future which is right around the corner. I can barely stomach watching this current team but with Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, Hage on the horizon I am holding out hope.
Trade Deadline Day: March 7, 2025: Montreal stands pat
- Thread starter MarkovsKnee
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What 7 or 8 players? You're out to lunch, IMO.
With Anderson and Gallagher, plus Evans being extended, the fourth (or third) line is set.
With Heineman and Beck, there is one spot to attribute from the 3rd line and, even if, somehow, Dach or Newhook are the 3rd line C, there's still only one spot to fill.
The second line needs a C and, with Caufield, Slafkovsky and Demidov, there is only one winger spot available.
All of these spots can be filled from within -- Laine, Dach, Newhook, Roy -- but the 2C will probably still need to be filled.
IMO, a top-6 C and a mid-6 winger or two, at best, will be the spots available up front.
On the back end, there could be as many as two new RHDs as available spots, with matheson likely getting traded by the trade deadline next season.
At most, five spots. Likely, four.
Seven or Eight? Really?
Would have been nice to put in a claim for Fabbro AND traded for Carrier
Man is Trotz ever dumb
Man is Trotz ever dumb
i think that Hughes having Gorton looking over his shoulder in this instance, is a good thing.....ala Barron mistake being fixed fairly quickly.
I don't think Laine, Xhekaj, Matheson, Anderson, and/or Gallagher are 100% certain to be Habs next season. Then there's Pezz, RHP, and Roy who are not NHLers in any meaningful sense.
It implies a lot of potential turnover.
I'll be very disappointed if Anderson, Gallagher, and Matheson are all extended. There's a good argument to extend none, but maybe the Habs will keep one.
I seriously doubt Anderson and Gallagher get extended
I think the nuance that kind of happened at the trade deadline was that they started out completely cold. Went red hot and got themselves back in the picture.. then went ice cold again to head into the 4 nations.
Suzuki last deadline was adamant they didn't want to be in a position to be sellers again next year. They were coming out of the break, so they went hot and got themselves back in the conversation.
The mercurial nature of their play all year long basically meant to management that paying assets, especially in a sellers market, for help, was not on the table. The team didn't earn the right to have additions made in short term interest for this year. But their winning ways got them back to a place where Hughes acquiesced and let this current group fight it out.
TL;DR they played well enough to stay in tact.. they did not play well enough all season to warrant additions.
Suzuki last deadline was adamant they didn't want to be in a position to be sellers again next year. They were coming out of the break, so they went hot and got themselves back in the conversation.
The mercurial nature of their play all year long basically meant to management that paying assets, especially in a sellers market, for help, was not on the table. The team didn't earn the right to have additions made in short term interest for this year. But their winning ways got them back to a place where Hughes acquiesced and let this current group fight it out.
TL;DR they played well enough to stay in tact.. they did not play well enough all season to warrant additions.
It depends on how you value Stankoven, but trading one of your best players (and leading scorer at the time) for a 5'8" rookie winger and 2 late 1sts doesn't look good to me when you're trying to contend for a cup.
Well their deals are not expiring this summer but I still think there is a non-zero chance they won’t be in Habs colours next season.
I think the powers that be won’t make too many changes (in order to retain the Culture) but I don’t like to think they are particularly enamoured with this roster and player mix that has not yet even finished above 0.500 and spent over 1/3rd of the year playing like garbage. I hope to see Hughes make some roster changes to make spot upgrades.
Improving from Gallagher would be a big change, improving on Dach and Newhook on the scoring lines, etc.
If we can’t easily get more talented then at least we have to get faster, stronger, and more athletic. Am getting sick of seeing Gallagher and Savard out there… at least brittle Laine is super skilled!
Sure looks like 4th team was one of Nashville or TBay the only two remaining no income tax markets
What if we brought Phil Danault back into the fold?
PROS:
Great Defense/Faceoffs
Just the right age for a stopgap
Contract is a good length (til 2026-27)
Caphit is just 5.5 so cost controlled and even better with the cap rising
Was a great Hab
Suzuki+Danault+Evans+Beck is a very good defensive C line
CONS:
Might be too expensive to trade for
Could decline(though he looks pretty consistent)
Might not be the best C to feed Laine (But maybe not, some people talk about Laine having the best chemistry with more grinding players in his career)
Suzuki+Danault+Evans+Beck is very average in size.
Maybe he doesn't want to come back? (no idea)
CRAZY BLUE SKY IDEAL WORLD MODE:
We get Danault, but also get a 2C and its Suzuki+2C+Danault+Evans could be contender worthy
PROS:
Great Defense/Faceoffs
Just the right age for a stopgap
Contract is a good length (til 2026-27)
Caphit is just 5.5 so cost controlled and even better with the cap rising
Was a great Hab
Suzuki+Danault+Evans+Beck is a very good defensive C line
CONS:
Might be too expensive to trade for
Could decline(though he looks pretty consistent)
Might not be the best C to feed Laine (But maybe not, some people talk about Laine having the best chemistry with more grinding players in his career)
Suzuki+Danault+Evans+Beck is very average in size.
Maybe he doesn't want to come back? (no idea)
CRAZY BLUE SKY IDEAL WORLD MODE:
We get Danault, but also get a 2C and its Suzuki+2C+Danault+Evans could be contender worthy
over my dead body seeing back the most overrated 2way center of the league
We need someone who actually can pass the puck and play hockey.
