HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread #88: 2024 Off-Season Thread

[Lafleurs Guy]

If Laine plays well, why trade him? Assuming that “well” means a return to 40g form

Those players are hard to find and he is 26 years old

It would depend on how much money he wants.

 

[DAChampion]

It would depend on how much money he wants.

Obviously, but if Laine plays like a 7.5 million dollar player then that's a good argument to offer him 7.5 million a year.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Obviously, but if Laine plays like a 7.5 million dollar player then that's a good argument to offer him 7.5 million a year.

But he's making 8.7 million now. Players generally don't want to take paycuts, they want raises.

 

[sampollock]

If Laine plays well, why trade him? Assuming that “well” means a return to 40g form

Those players are hard to find and he is 26 years old

Agreed why trade him
Time to build with studs we have

 

[Captain Mountain]

But he's making 8.7 million now. Players generally don't want to take paycuts, they want raises.

Players take pay cuts when the market determines that they aren't worth their contact, as it has done with Laine.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Players take pay cuts when the market determines that they aren't worth their contact, as it has done with Laine.

Right.

But the question was:

If Laine plays well, why trade him? Assuming that “well” means a return to 40g form

Those players are hard to find and he is 26 years old

And to that I say, it depends on what he asks for.

Is he going to want a huge raise? Is he good staying where he is? I mean... impossible to know right now.

I'd just say that we see where things go. If he works out, great. I'm not opposed to re-signing him. But it all depends on what he wants. If he wants too much, trade him. Worst case scenario, he doesn't pan out and we just let him walk.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Right.

But the question was:

And to that I say, it depends on what he asks for.

Is he going to want a huge raise? Is he good staying where he is? I mean... impossible to know right now.

I'd just say that we see where things go. If he works out, great. I'm not opposed to re-signing him. But it all depends on what he wants. If he wants too much, trade him. Worst case scenario, he doesn't pan out and we just let him walk.

And I agree with that, but players in Laine's position (3rd team by 26), tend to care a little more about fit and locker room than just money, since they know what its like when the fit/environment sucks.

Laine will need to get back to being closer to what he was/can be, but if the fit and buy-in is good, its not hard to imagine the team and player finding a number that works for both sides.

Micheal Hage

or

McGroarty (for #21 OA in 2024 + 3rd round pick)

What is better?

I think its pretty clear that right now, management would not trade Hage for McGroarty.

 

[jrom]

But he's making 8.7 million now. Players generally don't want to take paycuts, they want raises.

I think he’s at a stage where he will choose to be part of a winning group rather then chase an extra 2-3M $ on a non-playoff team. If he plays well and Habs start winning I’m not worried

 

[Michoulicious]

And I agree with that, but players in Laine's position (3rd team by 26), tend to care a little more about fit and locker room than just money, since they know what its like when the fit/environment sucks.

Laine will need to get back to being closer to what he was/can be, but if the fit and buy-in is good, its not hard to imagine the team and player finding a number that works for both sides.



I think its pretty clear that right now, management would not trade Hage for McGroarty.

Not asking management, asking people here.

I quite like McGroarty, he'd fit nicely in the top 6 as soon as this season.

 

[Saundies]

But he's making 8.7 million now. Players generally don't want to take paycuts, they want raises.

If you fall off, you don't get raises. It's why Drouin had to sign for 850,000 rather than his 5.5 million he was making before.

If Laine plays good enough to make equal or more than the 8.7 he's making, that's REALLY good for us.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Not asking management, asking people here.

I quite like McGroarty, he'd fit nicely in the top 6 as soon as this season.

I personally wouldn't, but I don't know enough about the player other than limited viewings and player profile.

Montreal has insanely young top-6 (Laine at 26 will likely be the oldest of the group) and the idea of adding a rookie there feels like a big mistake, especially with the lack of proven two-way ability outside of Suzuki.

 

[Sterling Archer]

I think he’s at a stage where he will choose to be part of a winning group rather then chase an extra 2-3M $ on a non-playoff team. If he plays well and Habs start winning I’m not worried

At some point money is no longer then end all and be all for a player like Laine. If he’s happy and successful here, I can easily see him taking a “home team discount” to stay in a good situation rather than taking a a bit more to go to an unknown situation and risk falling back into a bad spot.

How much is your happiness really worth at point when you already have more money then multiple generations could spend?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

And I agree with that, but players in Laine's position (3rd team by 26), tend to care a little more about fit and locker room than just money, since they know what its like when the fit/environment sucks.

Laine will need to get back to being closer to what he was/can be, but if the fit and buy-in is good, its not hard to imagine the team and player finding a number that works for both sides.

I don’t think we know this. Some players are all about maxing out. Look what happened in TO. Look at Radulov. You never know what a player is going to do. We might just be a means to an end for him. As fans we may have hopes but right now it’s wishful thinking.

Bottom line is that it’s way too early to have this discussion anyway. Let’s see how he does. This whole conversation may be moot.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I personally wouldn't, but I don't know enough about the player other than limited viewings and player profile.

Montreal has insanely young top-6 (Laine at 26 will likely be the oldest of the group) and the idea of adding a rookie there feels like a big mistake, especially with the lack of proven two-way ability outside of Suzuki.

Not to mention we already have Roy trying to break in.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I don’t think we know this. Some players are all about maxing out. Look what happened in TO. Look at Radulov. You never know what a player is going to do. We might just be a means to an end for him. As fans we may have hopes but right now it’s wishful thinking.

Bottom line is that it’s way too early to have this discussion anyway. Let’s see how he does. This whole conversation may be moot.

Well, Domi took a discount to stay in Toronto. The core Toronto guys weren't overpaid and bouncing around the league. Radulov wasn't on an overpaid contract until Dallas signed him.

The flip example is that a guy like Reinhart just signed a new contract at a lower AAV than Laine's. He took a discount to stay in Florida, but even if he signed for a market rate (high 9 mil), you're talking about a 50+ goals, 90+ points and an elite two-way impact winger. Or use the Toronto guys as an example player friendly example, 90+ points and decent to strong two-way play.

I'm not even sure its wishful thinking for a new contract since the implied scenario (that Laine will play at a level that ANY team would give him a raise) requires even greater wishful thinking.

We'll see what happens, but the only way I see Laine earning a raise from any team in the NHL would necessitate him being the best player on the Habs for the next two seasons. At which point I'd just give him the raise. But I don't think either of those is likely.

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827071641589051394

 

[Adam Michaels]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827071641589051394

Just a guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if Eklund is going the other way.

 

[DAChampion]

I don’t think we know this. Some players are all about maxing out. Look what happened in TO. Look at Radulov. You never know what a player is going to do. We might just be a means to an end for him. As fans we may have hopes but right now it’s wishful thinking.

Bottom line is that it’s way too early to have this discussion anyway. Let’s see how he does. This whole conversation may be moot.

Radulov was being treated badly by Bergevin, that's why he left. He was clearly interested in signing here for a fair deal.

 

[red devil]

Just a guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if Eklund is going the other way.

Montreal was on of the teams in on him

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827073142172402034

 

[le_sean]

Damn. I want to see the return because it sucks not getting him

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Wouldn't have minded the Habs going for Askarov, but I wouldn't want to pay much and that's mainly because I don't like full right goalies.

 

[Vachon23]

Montreal was on of the teams in on him

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827073142172402034

Sh**

 

[JoelWarlord]

Damn would have loved to land him.

 

[Adam Michaels]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827074984050630963

 

[Vachon23]

San Jose are gonna be really good in 5 years