HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread #86: 2023-2024 Season

[ML16]

I'm not saying offer them Barron instead, I'm saying just trade Barron.

Would be hilarious to see a Barron + COL 2024 2nd for Lekhonen at the draft.

Turn back time, Kent!

 

[Destopcorner]

If there is any chance Meier is on the market after this miserable season, Kent needs to investigate. He cant seem to find his game in NJ for some reason. Something based around Andy and Barron could be enticing enough to help Devils depleted team. Timo is exactly the type of proven not too old scorer Kent is aiming for imo.

 

[ML16]

If the Habs aim to ice a competitive team in 2025-2026, they’ll need to use the last 2 salary retention spots for 2024-2025 shrewdly.

Savard seems like a given; he could very well fetch a late 1st or 2nd+ once traded with retention at TDL 2025.

Question is which other player enables the Habs to optimise their assets amongst the UFA-to-be at TDL 2025; Allen, Dvorak or maybe Armia?

Considering the current roster situation, Allen seems like the only one tradable this season ; retaining on him over 2 years however makes his price difficulty palatable to other teams…

I thus see 2 options to maintain flexibility:

A. If the Avs make a trade to acquire a C2 before TDL 2024, Habs could trade Allen without retention for Johansen (and add the latter to their list of prospective TDL 2025 assets). Could obviously be Allen to any contender for any cap dump C with similar contract terms.

B. Use a third party who would retain 50% of Allen’s contract over 2 years, in the perspective that the Habs leverage more (late 2nd?) than the incentive they pay (3rd?).

Actually, considering the amount of midround picks the Habs possess, using third parties to add 1-2 retention spot(s) to be able to trade Savard-Allen-Dvorak-Armia before the summer 2025 could be an interesting approach!

 

[HuGort]

If Hugues can’t make a trade for a young top 6 forward this summer, would you guys want to sign Toffoli for a couple of years?

If Toffoli will sign a short term contract I would. He had good chemistry with Suzuki and Caufield. He's guaranteed 30 goals.

 

[Egresch]

Actually, considering the amount of midround picks the Habs possess, using third parties to add 1-2 retention spot(s) to be able to trade Savard-Allen-Dvorak-Armia before the summer 2025 could be an interesting approach!

I totally see that happening, because cost is just marginal. We received 5th round pick for Bonino retention last TDL. Therefore, I also see possibility that KH will retain on Allen contract when he gets right price. It will only leave us with one retention spot (Edmundsson will be over in the summer), but this can be fixed pretty easily by using that 3rd party.

 

[Egresch]

For the TDL I see us making few minor moves.
Solid possibility:
Allen- there are just too many teams with goalie issue and I think one of them will take Allen with retention. Nobody likes this 3 goalie system.
Kovacevic- there are teams which would look for RHD depth and his contract for one more year makes him very valuable for any contender.
Small chance:
Savard- his value for Habs is probably higher than what teams are actually willing to pay
Pearson- GMs like vets, but his salary is just too much for what he actually brings
Armia, Evans, Ylonen, Harris, Struble have small chance to get traded if someone asks for them specifically.

 

[Egresch]

I think it’s important to stay nimble.

There is no hard and fast rule about how to best weaponize cap space. We all know however, how valuable it can be as currency. All it takes is a GM on the hot seat or making a mistake and Hughes swooping in as he’s done before.

Cap going up next year but still early in the cycle, you might still find teams on the cusp of maxing it out next season, so there may be big mileage to be had for Hughes to act as a power broker.

My bet would be Florida. Reinhart, Cousins, Lundell, Montour, Forsling, Ekman-Larsson, Kulikov and few others are all free agents, but they only have 28M to sign 13 players. In the summer, they might be forced to trade Aaron Ekblad who will have one year @ 7,5M left in his contract.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

My bet would be Florida. Reinhart, Cousins, Lundell, Montour, Forsling, Ekman-Larsson, Kulikov and few others are all free agents, but they only have 28M to sign 13 players. In the summer, they might be forced to trade Aaron Ekblad who will have one year @ 7,5M left in his contract.

Might lose 1.

Reinhart is the expensive one. The rest very meh players. Well, Forsling might cost 5 mill, or more but no one else should.

 

[Egresch]

Might lose 1.

Reinhart is the expensive one. The rest very meh players. Well, Forsling might cost 5 mill, or more but no one else should.

Agree, they will lose one key player and it will be their decision who they give up. Forsling and Montour could get 5M, OEL 2M, Lundell 3M. That leaves them with 13M for 9 players which is still not much to get at least solid 3rd line.

 

[Garnet76]

Selling Savard with retention this year is a tough decision for me. If the plan is to compete in 25-26 selling Savard now with retention is an issue for me because we can trade Savard next year with likely no retention. The biggest issue I see is having to replace Savard in the off season. RD is thin and I don't want to see the prospects rushed into the line up. There for you have to sign a UFA which will likely be an overpayment in dollars and term, or make another trade for an experienced RD which will cost about the same assets Montreal received in the Savard deal.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Selling Savard with retention this year is a tough decision for me. If the plan is to compete in 25-26 selling Savard now with retention is an issue for me because we can trade Savard next year with likely no retention. The biggest issue I see is having to replace Savard in the off season. RD is thin and I don't want to see the prospects rushed into the line up. There for you have to sign a UFA which will likely be an overpayment in dollars and term, or make another trade for an experienced RD which will cost about the same assets Montreal received in the Savard deal.

There’s merit in what you say.

But like all things in life, it largely comes down to timing. Right now, its a sellers’ market and with Savard playing well, he may never have a higher market value. Savard is also at the age where serious injuries are more likely to occur. I am of the school that it is far better to trade a player one year too early than one year too late.

Hughes, like most of us, knows we are not going anywhere this year nor next year. Even 25/26 , with the uncertainty of Dach’s post recovery effectiveness, looks challenging. If some team offers a first round pick for Savard, Hughes will jump at it. It would be foolish not to, considering the current state of this team.

 

[Garnet76]

There’s merit in what you say.

But like all things in life, it largely comes down to timing. Right now, its a sellers’ market and with Savard playing well, he may never have a higher market value. Savard is also at the age where serious injuries are more likely to occur. I am of the school that it is far better to trade a player one year too early than one year too late.

Hughes, like most of us, knows we are not going anywhere this year nor next year. Even 25/26 , with the uncertainty of Dach’s post recovery effectiveness, looks challenging. If some team offers a first round pick for Savard, Hughes will jump at it. It would be foolish not to with current state of this team.

You have made some good points. I feel the same opportunity will be there at next years deadline. In this case Montreal saves a retention spot and get another year to see how the RD prospects have developed.

 

[SwiftyHab]

I cringed when i saw Sergachev fall on his ankle.

Might be time to consider Savard

 

[Sterling Archer]

Selling Savard with retention this year is a tough decision for me. If the plan is to compete in 25-26 selling Savard now with retention is an issue for me because we can trade Savard next year with likely no retention. The biggest issue I see is having to replace Savard in the off season. RD is thin and I don't want to see the prospects rushed into the line up. There for you have to sign a UFA which will likely be an overpayment in dollars and term, or make another trade for an experienced RD which will cost about the same assets Montreal received in the Savard deal.

Edmundston's retention falls off this summer so Habs would have at least 1 retention slot for next year. Maybe two spots, depending on if and on who they use their last retention spot n this year.

 

[morhilane]

If there is any chance Meier is on the market after this miserable season, Kent needs to investigate. He cant seem to find his game in NJ for some reason. Something based around Andy and Barron could be enticing enough to help Devils depleted team. Timo is exactly the type of proven not too old scorer Kent is aiming for imo.

Meier became meh the moment he joined NJ and signed his big contract. So either he doesn't care now that he has his money or the lack of Karlsson is hurting him a lot.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Who we watching?

Habs probably attended that game to talk to Calgary because both teams are still trying to understand the conditions of the pick from the Monahan trade.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Saw this article about trading Allen for Campbell for a 1st.

NHL Notebook: Is Jake Allen a fit for the Oilers, and news on the Coyotes’ future ‘days or weeks’ away

The Edmonton Oilers' turnaround this year has been significant. From o...

oilersnation.com

To me that sounds WAY TOO LITTLE. I’d want a 1st, a very good prospect or two, and maybe another pick.

Allen is probably worth their 2nd, taking Campbell is at least worth a 1st, and saving their butts at the last minute is priceless. They could make some noise in the playoffs if they have their goalie situation solved.

I would take Holloway (if injuries aren’t a concern) or Broberg (i could see him break out in a new environment).

Campbell is 5 mil until 2027. That’s too much for too long.

 

[Garnet76]

Edmundston's retention falls off this summer so Habs would have at least 1 retention slot for next year. Maybe two spots, depending on if and on who they use their last retention spot n this year.

Yes, I figure one spot is going to be used for Allen either at the deadline or the off season.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Z is a better player then Caufield always has been and Mailloux aint a A level prospect

I’ll take CC all day long. This year he should’ve been a 40+ goal scorer. Next year he will be.

Same with Caufield hes horrible defensively and i think Z would fit better on the wing today atleast until he works on some details but hes more talented then CC always has been

Im not too familiar with the draft this year outside Celebrini but yea not sure i would give a top 10 pick neither but im sure Ducks would get much better offers then a late 1st and Mailloux for Trevor

Cc isn’t horrible defensively. He’s very good at stripping pucks and transitioning to offense. We see that every game. Yes, he’s limited in what he can do physically and I don’t think it’s unfair to say he’s one dimensional offensively, but it’s overstating it to say he’s terrible defensively. He’s not.

And his offensive potential is significantly better than Zegras.

 

[EveryDay]

Might lose 1.

Reinhart is the expensive one. The rest very meh players. Well, Forsling might cost 5 mill, or more but no one else should.

Forsling is going to cost way more IMO. I'm guessing minimum 7M per season. He's one of the best defensive defenceman in the NHL in the last 3 years.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Feel like the Habs might be using Lebrun a bit here

Lebrun - • David Savard is very much in that Tanev, playoff-warrior mold, helping Tampa win the Cup in 2021. Except he’s not a pending UFA. He’s got another year on his deal next season at a reasonable $3.5 million. That actually could make him more alluring for some teams, who would like him for two playoff runs. While the re-tooling Habs always listen, my understanding is Montreal isn’t committed to trading Savard, who is valued for many reasons inside that organization. So it sounds to me like a team would need to be pretty aggressive there to force things. Which is always a possibility.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

You have made some good points. I feel the same opportunity will be there at next years deadline. In this case Montreal saves a retention spot and get another year to see how the RD prospects have developed.

I don't have the answer. No one has the proverbial crystal ball. But turning down an offered first round draft choice this year, means assuming the risk of a changing market ( higher cap regime) and the continued health of an aging player who continues to play a robust game. This is a risk that our talent challenged team can ill afford. A wise friend of mine had a good saying : if someone offers you a cookie, you take it. Of course, if that cookie is less than a first round choice, you can afford to be more cavalier in your chosen course of actions. But I can't see Hughes, or any other competent general manager for that matter, turning down a first round choice for Savard. One has to ask oneself: what more can you reasonably expect to garner for this aging, and frankly limited, player?

 

[morhilane]

Feel like the Habs might be using Lebrun a bit here

Lebrun - • David Savard is very much in that Tanev, playoff-warrior mold, helping Tampa win the Cup in 2021. Except he’s not a pending UFA. He’s got another year on his deal next season at a reasonable $3.5 million. That actually could make him more alluring for some teams, who would like him for two playoff runs. While the re-tooling Habs always listen, my understanding is Montreal isn’t committed to trading Savard, who is valued for many reasons inside that organization. So it sounds to me like a team would need to be pretty aggressive there to force things. Which is always a possibility.

He's just saying that Savard isn't for trade, probably trying to shut up all the people speculating about it.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Savard retire and join the Habs as a D dev coach after his contract is done, like Byron.

 

[salbutera]

Selling Savard with retention this year is a tough decision for me. If the plan is to compete in 25-26 selling Savard now with retention is an issue for me because we can trade Savard next year with likely no retention. The biggest issue I see is having to replace Savard in the off season. RD is thin and I don't want to see the prospects rushed into the line up. There for you have to sign a UFA which will likely be an overpayment in dollars and term, or make another trade for an experienced RD which will cost about the same assets Montreal received in the Savard deal.

Maybe it’s just me, but my inkling is retention has been reserved for the likes of Armia…not Savard - who’s a known entity and deadline acquisition Cup winner.

People can choose to denigrate the player all they wish, “he was only a 3rd paying D on TBay” etc., but GMs at deadline value vets w intangibles (character, leadership qualities) and of course successful track record.

HuGo might need to take a contract in return to offset AAV impact (even that’s not a given), but i don’t see a retention slot being used on Savard.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

If there is any chance Meier is on the market after this miserable season, Kent needs to investigate. He cant seem to find his game in NJ for some reason. Something based around Andy and Barron could be enticing enough to help Devils depleted team. Timo is exactly the type of proven not too old scorer Kent is aiming for imo.

What the Devils paid to get Timo, you ain't getting him signed for that package, voyons donc!! lol