HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread #85 - Offseason Editon

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

If Huberdeau did not want to play in Canada then why did he sign an extension just test the free agent market.

He wasn't fitting 10.5 on the market. His agent knew it and he knew it.

 

[sampollock]

No GM would be stupid enough to take on a contract like that.

not Kent for sure

 

[DAChampion]

It's amazing but Calgary might just need to suck for many years.

It's too bad, they probably won't be trading away 1st rounders anymore.

 

[ML16]

LOL not one person on this forum has come up with a Calgary or Edmonton proposal that would make sense.

Here's a "brain teaser" problem: Construct a three-way trade proposal for Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal that helps each team.

Can you do it?

Tough one. I could see the Habs trading with Edmonton in a « current needs vs futures assets » deal, but I hardly see how the Habs could benefit from a similar trade with Calgary, especially since Montreal own one of Flames’ 1st in either 2024, 2025 or 2026, depending on the conditions.

 

[Runner77]

From this week’s 32 Thoughts:

They’ve (Oilers) talked to Montreal — which doesn’t need a goalie — about the possibility of Jake Allen, but I don’t sense anything imminent.

Hardly surprising, GMs talk to each other all the time and most discussions go nowhere. Try harder, Elliotte.

 

[Adam Michaels]

From this week’s 32 Thoughts:

They’ve (Oilers) talked to Montreal — which doesn’t need a goalie — about the possibility of Jake Allen, but I don’t sense anything imminent.

Hardly surprising, GMs talk to each other all the time and most discussions go nowhere. Try harder, Elliotte.

Did Elliotte say that it can obviously change with a phone call? Or is that a Dreger copyright?

 

[Expos94]

Easy pass.

Too much term and cost left on Huberdeau's contract.

Gallagher should slow down and produce less than Huberdeau, but not at the amount it's worth it to trade for Huberdeau.

That contract sucks. Gallagher's sucks, too, but it's better than his and that's f***ing rare.

If Calgary retain 4 million its a win for both teams . Huberdeau would come back alive in Montreal

 

[Gustave]

I’d go absolutely crazy and go for ;
Price Andy Gally for Hubby Pelletier.

Hubby can play on the top line, to stop the madness of every player trying it out.

Egg me.

 

[sampollock]

From this week’s 32 Thoughts:

They’ve (Oilers) talked to Montreal — which doesn’t need a goalie — about the possibility of Jake Allen, but I don’t sense anything imminent.

Hardly surprising, GMs talk to each other all the time and most discussions go nowhere. Try harder, Elliotte.

he has to write something or else... agree with you try harder

 

[Miller Time]

I’d go absolutely crazy and go for ;
Price Andy Gally for Hubby Pelletier.

Hubby can play on the top line, to stop the madness of every player trying it out.

Egg me.

not sure Pelletier is a fit for us... with CC & Newhook in place and Mesar/Farrell/Roy/Kidney in the fwd pipeline, another diminutive winger that isn't a blue chip elite contributor doesn't seem like a good target imo.

If we are taking on Hubby's full cap hit, i'd would have to include a lot more value coming our way.

Something more like
To Calgary
Anderson, Gally, Primeau

To Mtl
Hubby 1.5M retained, Wolf
'24, '25, '26 2nd
'27 1st* (conditional, becomes '26 1st if the existing flames pick Mtl has vests in '24 or '25)

the 4 picks giving us some insulation should Hubby not be able to find his game in Mtl (giving us good odds at landing some more cost-controlled assets on ELC/RFA deals in the back-half of his contract years... that + anticipating the cap to go up would soften the blow of either a buy-out or carrying him at 9M$ if he is relegated to a bottom-6 role by his performance). Wolf looks like a good bet to become an NHL #1, freeing us up to sell Monty (keeping Allen as the vet back-up) and keeping our G cap cost low, further offsetting the initial burden of Hubby's 9M.

for the Flames, it's a stiff price to pay, but it saves them considerable actual cash and makes it more feasible to either try to stay in the playoff picture next 2 years and then commit to rebuild starting in '26-27, or to commit to it now by selling off Linstrom/Hanifin/Tanev/Markstrom to recoup draft capital given up to offload Hubby.

 

[sampollock]

I have to come clean.. I supported Anderson for a long time. said here many times we need his size.
Well I have to change my theory, he is bringing zero to the habs. If there was a 1st round pick skipped over for him, that is a loss that Kent may never get back.

 

[Gustave]

not sure Pelletier is a fit for us... with CC & Newhook in place and Mesar/Farrell/Roy/Kidney in the fwd pipeline, another diminutive winger that isn't a blue chip elite contributor doesn't seem like a good target imo.

If we are taking on Hubby's full cap hit, i'd would have to include a lot more value coming our way.

Something more like
To Calgary
Anderson, Gally, Primeau

To Mtl
Hubby 1.5M retained, Wolf
'24, '25, '26 2nd
'27 1st* (conditional, becomes '26 1st if the existing flames pick Mtl has vests in '24 or '25)

the 4 picks giving us some insulation should Hubby not be able to find his game in Mtl (giving us good odds at landing some more cost-controlled assets on ELC/RFA deals in the back-half of his contract years... that + anticipating the cap to go up would soften the blow of either a buy-out or carrying him at 9M$ if he is relegated to a bottom-6 role by his performance). Wolf looks like a good bet to become an NHL #1, freeing us up to sell Monty (keeping Allen as the vet back-up) and keeping our G cap cost low, further offsetting the initial burden of Hubby's 9M.

for the Flames, it's a stiff price to pay, but it saves them considerable actual cash and makes it more feasible to either try to stay in the playoff picture next 2 years and then commit to rebuild starting in '26-27, or to commit to it now by selling off Linstrom/Hanifin/Tanev/Markstrom to recoup draft capital given up to offload Hubby.

Sure your trade IS better for the Habs, but I think you just scared away the Flames here

Getting Wolf instead of Pelletier is a great suggestion. I approve.

 

[Miller Time]

To Van
Kovacevic, Armia

To Mtl
Garland, Beauvillier, '26 2nd

Van gets RD they are seeking (and one on a very favourable contract through next year), create cap space this season to shop at deadline and create additional cap space for next season. Armia slots well into their bottom 6.

Habs add 2 veteran forwards to a young roster. AB gets top-6 minutes to hopefully bump up his production and likely gets flipped again near deadline for additional futures. Garland isn't ideal, but perhaps gets moved with retention for a decent return. 2nd in '26 helps offset the risk.

 

[Miller Time]

Sure your trade IS better for the Habs, but I think you just scared away the Flames here

Getting Wolf instead of Pelletier is a great suggestion. I approve.

indeed... but Conroy is in a brutal spot (and one not of his making). It's not looking like Huberdeau is going to figure it out in Calgary for a bunch of reasons, the situation will only get uglier the longer they wait and the cost to move him higher. They can't demote him, so the only options are paying a huge premium to move him, or eventually bench him regularly in the hopes that he agrees to a contract termination, but that's a no-win option as well since he seems well liked/appreciated by his teammates. Buy-out is virtually impossible. This is one of the worst rock/hard place situations, if not the worst, we've ever seen.

I guess they could try to flip it and actively try to add some players that he gels with and adapt their system to his strengths, but i doubt they have the appetite for that either.

 

[calder candidate]

Any Huberdeau talk need to stop right now that contract is toxic and radioactive…

 

[HuGort]

To Van
Kovacevic, Armia

To Mtl
Garland, Beauvillier, '26 2nd

Van gets RD they are seeking (and one on a very favourable contract through next year), create cap space this season to shop at deadline and create additional cap space for next season. Armia slots well into their bottom 6.

Habs add 2 veteran forwards to a young roster. AB gets top-6 minutes to hopefully bump up his production and likely gets flipped again near deadline for additional futures. Garland isn't ideal, but perhaps gets moved with retention for a decent return. 2nd in '26 helps offset the risk.

Might work

 

[Ezpz]

I feel like many of you don't understand how much cap space we have this summer and especially next. We are literally swimming in cap space with nobody to sign at all. There are no good free agents either and the ones that are good have 0% chance of coming here. All our core guys are on sweetheart deals that are also not that far off from their fair value. We're closer to hitting the cap floor than the cap ceiling in the summer of 2025. We have 5 mil in dead cap, 10.5 in Carey cap, and still have over 5 mil to play with this year. We have 23 mil in the summer (before subtracting Pearson) with only Monahan to sign. We are absolutely in the position to take a gamble on an elite player falling out of favour. If we sell Dvo or Armia at the deadline we will be closer to 30 mil cap space.

Huberdeau, Kyrou, Couturier, Barzal, Hertl, whoever. Now is the time to take a chance. We have nothing even close to elite forward-wise coming up in the system.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I feel like many of you don't understand how much cap space we have this summer and especially next. We are literally swimming in cap space with nobody to sign at all. There are no good free agents either and the ones that are good have 0% chance of coming here. All our core guys are on sweetheart deals that are also not that far off from their fair value. We're closer to hitting the cap floor than the cap ceiling in the summer of 2025. We have 5 mil in dead cap, 10.5 in Carey cap, and still have over 5 mil to play with this year. We have 23 mil in the summer (before subtracting Pearson) with only Monahan to sign. We are absolutely in the position to take a gamble on an elite player falling out of favour. If we sell Dvo or Armia at the deadline we will be closer to 30 mil cap space.

Huberdeau, Kyrou, Couturier, Barzal, Hertl, whoever. Now is the time to take a chance. We have nothing even close to elite forward-wise coming up in the system.

All the players you mentioned (except Hertl) are not any better than what the Habs already have on the roster. If there is an abundance of cap space Habs are better off taking short term cap dumps for draft picks or good prospects.

 

[WeThreeKings]

All the players you mentioned (except Hertl) are not any better than what the Habs already have on the roster. If there is an abundance of cap space Habs are better off taking short term cap dumps for draft picks or good prospects.

Barzal is definitely an upgrade in our top 6.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

I feel like many of you don't understand how much cap space we have this summer and especially next. We are literally swimming in cap space with nobody to sign at all. There are no good free agents either and the ones that are good have 0% chance of coming here. All our core guys are on sweetheart deals that are also not that far off from their fair value. We're closer to hitting the cap floor than the cap ceiling in the summer of 2025. We have 5 mil in dead cap, 10.5 in Carey cap, and still have over 5 mil to play with this year. We have 23 mil in the summer (before subtracting Pearson) with only Monahan to sign. We are absolutely in the position to take a gamble on an elite player falling out of favour. If we sell Dvo or Armia at the deadline we will be closer to 30 mil cap space.

Huberdeau, Kyrou, Couturier, Barzal, Hertl, whoever. Now is the time to take a chance. We have nothing even close to elite forward-wise coming up in the system.

Gallagher extended at 8x9.5 will cut it down a lot

 

[WeThreeKings]

Gallagher extended at 8x9.5 will cut it down a lot

Bergevin executed a coup?

 

[TT1]

it's mainly about when management thinks we'll be ready to contend, the more time we spend taking on dumps for picks/prospects = the more time we waste off Suzuki/Caufield prime years + contracts

we definitely don't wanna rush into a situation where we're forcing the team to go into contention mode tho, cus that's when you end up making a big mistake that could set you back 5+ years (i.e: Huberdeau trade), it always depends on what deals are available

there's definitely an issue (the good type) where we have way more cap space available vs the amount of talent on the roster that can fill that up, so we either need to tank and hope for high end players (hoping for something is never a good plan) that could eventually fill that space up or trade for some type of high end/youngish player that's struggling a bit with a big cap hit.. but u have to nail that type of trade, it's a high risk move

it's basically an optimization problem and there's other factors like Gally's contract to consider etc., Hutson is gonna be ready in ~1-2 years so that's probably the timeframe the team is working on, he's the type of player you definitely wanna see in the NHL before making big moves

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Barzal is definitely an upgrade in our top 6.

I just don't see him as a guy who elevates his game in the playoffs.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I just don't see him as a guy who elevates his game in the playoffs.

I think his line is pretty good, other than last year, on teams built for defense and not much up front.

7 pts in 8 games.
17 pts in 22
14 pts in 19.

 

[Ezpz]

Barzal is definitely an upgrade in our top 6.

On top of my first post, I'll add that many people don't understand how bad half of our top 6 is. RHP, Gally, Pearson, Anderson, Slaf, and Newhook are not long-term solutions. If Newhook and Slaf top out as a third line because our top 6 is too deep, that makes our team stronger, not weaker. It gives Slaf the chance to play against weaker D and develop his game slowly.

Even If Huberdeau, as an example, skates on the third at ES and plays PP1 and puts up 2 points a game, who cares that he doesn't play with Suzuki or Caufield? Monahan is second on the team in points from the third line. He's carrying two corpses to respectable numbers. He gets his extra minutes from doubleshifts, OT and special teams.

Roy is the only top 6 prospect coming up any time soon and he wouldn't be hurt by a couple years in the AHL/3rd line. Does anyone realistically think we're getting Draisatl or McDavid? Does anyone think Marner, Rantanen, Chrychun, Hedman or Boeser will actually hit the market in 2025? We have a lot of depth prospects but we don't have anyone projecting to be a top line player. We also don't have enough desirable assets to trade for a guy that isn't out of favour with their organization. Like would anyone trade Guhle for Boldy or something along those lines? Do we think anyone else has Guhle's upside as a #1D in our organization?

Or would everyone just prefer we sign Toffoli to another 3-4 year deal this summer?