Trade Deadline Day: March 7, 2025: Montreal stands pat

[Tyson]

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.

 

[jellybeans]

It matters when trying to trade players and teams not wanting to pay more money than cap hit. Not every team has bottomless pockets.

That was the point being made about Dvorak having less value.

You have a point

 

[Scriptor]

What's the point of over-emphasizing the roster's pleasure and satisfaction when all signs point to turnover and change?
1) it's clearly a below-average roster, possibly a bottom3rd roster in the NHL
2) there will be at least 2, possibly up to 7 or 8 new faces next year. Meaning 10-30% of the roster will be different
3) there are big holes in big-TOI roles, so whoever comes in will be a high-impact player and have a big impact in the new roster

the upside I can think of is the team culture continues to be reinforced. I hope it does.

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?

 

[le_sean]

Would have been nice to put in a claim for Fabbro AND traded for Carrier

Man is Trotz ever dumb

 

[BLONG7]

Dach is not a 200 ft player and doesn’t seem to have the IQ for center.

Assuming the above is an accurate assessment, we already know how most teams will value a big-sized, young player.

I’m curious as to how objectively detached Hughes will be in trading away players he has acquired and/or Quartexx clients. If they don’t work out or don’t fit, I want to see him not give them extra rope on account of a personal connection.

I don’t want to experience again the type of misguided decision-making that led to Bergevin’s bloated contract doled out to Gallagher in his declining years. By the same token, I would be repulsed at the idea of Hughes being overly patient or excessively compensating players because of some personal connection. I trust Hughes to know better.

i think that Hughes having Gorton looking over his shoulder in this instance, is a good thing.....ala Barron mistake being fixed fairly quickly.

 

[ExReHabs]

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?

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.

 

[DAChampion]

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.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

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

 

[DAChampion]

Did Carolina come out ahead with the two Rantanen trades?

 

[WeThreeKings]

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.

 

[lamp9post]

Did Carolina come out ahead with the two Rantanen trades?

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.

 

[ExReHabs]

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.

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!

 

[salbutera]

Sure looks like 4th team was one of Nashville or TBay the only two remaining no income tax markets

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

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

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.

 

[Goal Caufield50]

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?

lets review- we could turnover a goaltender- we are not good enough at the position
defense has savard and a 7th/ 8th d to add- potentially three adds- Mathison can be traded
Dvork, dach, armia pezz could all easily be gone- time to move on from gally

trades and prospect will enter the roster

 

[Goal Caufield50]

That's just f***ing insane. Gallagher makes his cap hit next year. Dvorak is getting a huge pay cut. He's not getting more than $1.5m on his next contract.

Hopefully, we can move Gallagher at 50%. $3.25m isn't too bad.

gally and a 3rd to san jose at 50% for futures

 

[Goal Caufield50]

What's the point of a bag loaded deal?

i think it makes players harder to trade-a NMC in a manner of speaking

 

[WeThreeKings]

“If there had been somebody for us to get that could play up the lineup and help, somebody who could’ve played with Newhook and Patrik Laine, that was where we were testing the waters for,” Hughes added. “But to bring in somebody down the lineup when (Canadiens coach) Marty (St. Louis) really liked the composition of his lines and wasn’t going to change them, we’d have just been bringing in injury depth, and the cost for injury depth was really significant.”

- Kent Hughes

 

[Redux91]

“If there had been somebody for us to get that could play up the lineup and help, somebody who could’ve played with Newhook and Patrik Laine, that was where we were testing the waters for,” Hughes added. “But to bring in somebody down the lineup when (Canadiens coach) Marty (St. Louis) really liked the composition of his lines and wasn’t going to change them, we’d have just been bringing in injury depth, and the cost for injury depth was really significant.”

- Kent Hughes

Bodes well for the summer

I wanted RD to be the main target but all of a sudden
2C is the problem, fix it HuGo
(They'll draft RD too probably)

 

[WeThreeKings]

Bodes well for the summer

I wanted RD to be the main target but all of a sudden
2C is the problem, fix it HuGo
(They'll draft RD too probably)

They still remain high on Mailloux and Reinbacher is there. Hutson has played exceptionally well on the right. Guhle can flex on the right side as needed. Engstrom has played RD a lot in Sweden. Carrier is there now.

I think the 2C issue is the most massive and glaring.

But yes, I wouldn't be surprised if they grabbed Hensler with their 2nd 1st round pick or grabbed someone like Tretheway in round 2.

 

[AHShadow]

They still remain high on Mailloux and Reinbacher is there. Hutson has played exceptionally well on the right. Guhle can flex on the right side as needed. Engstrom has played RD a lot in Sweden. Carrier is there now.

I think the 2C issue is the most massive and glaring.

But yes, I wouldn't be surprised if they grabbed Hensler with their 2nd 1st round pick or grabbed someone like Tretheway in round 2.

I doubt we keep 2 1st round picks by draft day. They're either packaged to draft Desnoyers (or another potential 2C) or packaged for a 2C.

Especially when Hughes is ok with overpaying to get a 2C.

 

[JadedRandom]

I doubt we keep 2 1st round picks by draft day. They're either packaged to draft Desnoyers (or another potential 2C) or packaged for a 2C.

Especially when Hughes is ok with overpaying to get a 2C.

Hate to break it to you, but CGY 1st will likely be 13-18, and ours should be 15-20, both of which would not be enough put together to acquire the likely top-6 pick that will be needed to draft Desnoyers.

And there are very few top-6 centers available for trade, even in the offseason.

The ones that could switch teams would be those with massive caveats to their games (example: Elias Pettersson and his injury woes + massive contract for the upcoming 7 years), or those that aren't true top-6 center but rather middle-6 types.

Many factors come into play, but I think that Kent Hughes will try and be more active in free agency this season to try and acquire that top-6 center, even if it ends up being a stop-gap like Duchene, Nelson, Granlund, or Tavares.

Sam Bennett likely won't make it to market, unless Florida decides to give more rope to Anton Lundell and decide to spend the Bennett money elsewhere. But if Bennett does make it to free agency, we should be all over that.

I think Bennett, even outside Florida's possession-driven system and talent-laden team, will be a good player for whichever team signs him. I see him in much the same light as Mason Marchment that signed in Dallas after having been in Florida for a while.

The only thing to be wary of will be giving Bennett too much term considering his playstyle and how it could backfire longevity-wise.

Barring a lucky break in trading for a true-blue #2 center and/or signing one of the big free agents, I'd say that shoring-up the defense will be the biggest job on Hughes' plate this offseason.

Since we're also losing Savard after this season, and that our D isn't looking too good out there minus Guhle, I'd say that we're looking at graduating/trading for/signing at least 2 defensemen this offseason.

And prospects-wise on defense, we've got many nice pieces, but I don't think either Mailloux or Engstrom will be ready to play pro as soon as next season starts, and Reinbacher's a big wildcard considering all the knee injury issues he's had to deal with this year.

So yeah, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Hughes ends up acquiring/signing multiple pieces this year.

No matter what happens it'll be fun to watch though.

When it comes to Draft day I will be looking forward to our picks/trades made with them and will be hoping other GMs than Hughes make dumb decisions at the top of the draft.

 

[habbubba]

That TDL went pretty much went as expected didn't it. No one can seriously have thought they would do anything when they didn't have to, well maybe some nubs' and dreamers. Would have been a nice surprise if they did and the fans and players sure deserved it. Lets see what's instore this summer to bolster the lineup.