HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread #89: 2024-2025 season part II

[Habs Halifax]

I'm all for a veteran Center if it's the right fit. I'm saying I don't know if Horvat is that piece. I'm not an avid Islanders watcher.

Islanders are probably looking for a retool more than a full rebuild. Not even sure if they would move Horvat. I created a Horvat value thread on the main board... lets see how that shit show goes.

 

[Habs Halifax]

It's foolish borderline negligent to "wait for" sub-elite prospects to fill roster gaps. It's a perfect way to rush prospects, have them fail and wilt, and usher in a losing culture.

Prospects should push players out of chairs, they shouldn't be given a reserved chair right off the bat. Doing the latter means the roster is terrible and we're well past that point in our rebuild.

I'm with you on that. I like our youth and rebuild and pieces coming but we can't stay put for much longer without addressing holes by using some of our futures.

We might not have a situation where we have two good 1st rounders to use in a trade... in the future. All of us remember the years we wasted of Price's prime and value contract. In those years, we didn't have the futures we have today in trades.

I am more open to having a LD play RD and going after that critical 2C need. Get Evans signed and jet let Dach and Newhook expire or trade them when they are near the end of their bridge. Suzuki, 2C 2way stud, Evans is center depth that lasts for years! Figure it out!

If we keep our 1st rounders, lets try to hit on more Hage hits. Having a few grade A prospects will help if there is a future trade that comes out of nowhere (things we don't see today).

 

[Habs Halifax]

Canucks fans are looking for a impact player in their mid 20's and think they can get it by using mid 1st rounders and prospects. Does this sound familiar?

 

[Kosseca]

Guhle / Matheson
Hutson / Reinbacher
Xhekaj / Carrier

I like Carrier with Xhekaj but we would need to see more sample size. Guhle and Matheson worked fine before. Can Reinbacher be the right guy for Hutson? This would be a pairing that needs some sheltering and lots of offensive zone draws.

Then we wonder about both Engstrom and Mailloux. I believe Enstrom can play both sides as well but way too early to consider that. I still like Mailloux very much but he needs to mature in the D zone.

What about BK from Russia? When does his KHL contract expire? I think our options in our D core is there but it's more of a maturity problem than an ability problem. With 2C, we have Hage and Dach and that is basically it. Hage is years away from being able to take a 2C load.

For MTL to be successful, they will need to move from Matheson. Two thing play against him: he's a LD and not solid enough defensively by being too prone to mistake/turnover. This put him in a situation where he cant find a good chair for him. If MTL want to keep Guhle, Hutson and Xhekaj, and Carrier... he'll never be in a position to succeed and will be a weak link on that D group.

 

[sampollock]

I'd be surprised; they can't even find someone they want to play over Pezzetta.

AND is that not a HUGE point

trade any guy of this team who replaces him?
If you can't replace pezz ???

 

[Vachon23]

Every teams are looking for an impact player in their mid 20's and think they can get it by using mid 1st rounders and prospects. Does this sound familiar?

Better like that

 

[Habs Halifax]

For MTL to be successful, they will need to move from Matheson. Two thing play against him: he's a LD and not solid enough defensively by being too prone to mistake/turnover. This put him in a situation where he cant find a good chair for him. If MTL want to keep Guhle, Hutson and Xhekaj, and Carrier... he'll never be in a position to succeed and will be a weak link on that D group.

I think the other way around. We need a solid 2C and to extend Evans. Lets get the f***ing puck in the offensive zone and keep it there more. Not the other way around. Imagine blaming Matheson because Dach can't win a faceoff and we are under attack in our zone more than we should be? This is what our fan base is doing to Matheson. Matheson and Suzuki are wore out. We are leaning on them a lot! Matheson makes less mistakes and turnovers than a lot of guys in the NHL that you would value. Dobson is one or them. Theodore is another. Our fan base is very guilty of obsessively watching mistakes and ignoring usage.

Ability is not the problem. Usage is the problem with Matheson. Matheson is 3rd in the NHL in ice time over the last two seasons. Think about that bud! MSL does not have as many options as we think he does. Getting rid of Matheson means what? Hutson is more exposed and the others just can't handle that load.

If you respect Suzuki and his leadership... we should listen and receive the message Suzuki said. We are leaning on Matheson a lot and it's a usage problem. We are wearing him out bud. We are wearing out both Suzuki and Matheson.

 

[SlafySZN]

So two-three spots possibly

In this specific draft I’d prefer drafting around 9-13 than 6-8.

 

[Kosseca]

I think the other way around. We need a solid 2C and to extend Evans. Lets get the f***ing puck in the offensive zone and keep it there more. Not the other way around. Imagine blaming Matheson because Dach can't win a faceoff and we are under attack in our zone more than we should be? This is what our fan base is doing to Matheson. Matheson and Suzuki are wore out. We are leaning on them a lot! Matheson makes less mistakes and turnovers than a lot of guys in the NHL that you would value. Dobson is one or them. Theodore is another. Our fan base is very guilty of obsessively watching mistakes and ignoring usage.

Ability is not the problem. Usage is the problem with Matheson. Matheson is 3rd in the NHL in ice time over the last two seasons. Think about that bud! MSL does not have as many options as we think he does. Getting rid of Matheson means what? Hutson is more exposed and the others just can't handle that load.

If you respect Suzuki and his leadership... we should listen and receive the message Suzuki said. We are leaning on Matheson a lot and it's a usage problem. We are wearing him out bud. We are wearing out both Suzuki and Matheson.

We can keep the puck in the O zone if we can't move it out of our Dzone first quickly. In recent game, the D group hasn't been able to stop incoming attack and retrive the puck quickly to back the other way. the number of time they "eat" the puck on the wall, creating 1 on 1 battle in insane. Most of these are due to mismanaging the puck when they have it. Matheson is getting real good at that.... bad pass, puck jump over a stick. no open option and bad flip center ice. Can't generate offense if you dont exit cleanly on a regular basis.

Now, dont get me wrong, I agree that we need a 2c, and even if you get a top 4 RD, you are still in trouble with Dach/Laine duo.

To be honest, if I was in KH position, I would try to trade Matheson+ for a 2c. and Mailloux+ for a top 4RD. Resign Evans, trade Savard, Dvorak and armia

CC-Suzuki-Slaf
Dach - trade - Demidov
Laine - Newhook - Heineman
Kapanen - Evans - Anderson.

Guhle - trade
Hutson - Reinbacker
Xhakaj - Carrier

 

[Deebs]

In this specific draft I’d prefer drafting around 9-13 than 6-8.

Why?

 

[Habs Halifax]

We can keep the puck in the O zone if we can't move it out of our Dzone first quickly. In recent game, the D group hasn't been able to stop incoming attack and retrive the puck quickly to back the other way. the number of time they "eat" the puck on the wall, creating 1 on 1 battle in insane. Most of these are due to mismanaging the puck when they have it. Matheson is getting real good at that.... bad pass, puck jump over a stick. no open option and bad flip center ice. Can't generate offense if you dont exit cleanly on a regular basis.

Now, dont get me wrong, I agree that we need a 2c, and even if you get a top 4 RD, you are still in trouble with Dach/Laine duo.

To be honest, if I was in KH position, I would try to trade Matheson+ for a 2c. and Mailloux+ for a top 4RD. Resign Evans, trade Savard, Dvorak and armia

CC-Suzuki-Slaf
Dach - trade - Demidov
Laine - Newhook - Heineman
Kapanen - Evans - Anderson.

Guhle - trade
Hutson - Reinbacker
Xhakaj - Carrier

I just don't see us being able to find both a top 4RD and a 2C in trades or UFA. I feel we will be forced to move one of our LD's to the RD side and we can trade or sign a 2C. Those top 4RD's are almost impossible to get. The good ones anyways.

For now, we have to live with Matheson. First step is Reinbacher taking one of the RD spots and pushing Carrier to Xhekaj.

Too bad Reinbacher got injured. We would have a lot more information on him today

 

[therocket9]

We have to stop turning down 30-36 contracts like Horvat. If we want to contend, we need to consider our roster will have a stud from 30-36 and older than Suzuki. Are we going to let Suzuki walk when he is 30 and needs a new contract? I think not

If Horvat's skating report is solid and the Islanders like a Dach, 1st, and Roy offer, make it happen. A $8.5M contract is the old $6.5M contract moving forward. It fits more than it don't fit.

I'm a Dubois fan. Lets set him aside in terms of "he sucks" or "he is still a good player" arguments. The point here is we need a work horse at 2C. Someone with sound skating, can win battles, win faceoffs, and chip in 50-70 pts.

Horvat has a full NTC so no chance he waives it to go to a non contender.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Horvat has a full NTC so no chance he waives it to go to a non contender.

It was a reach. Islanders would have to do a complete rebuild in order to move Horvat and yeah, Horvat would have to want to come to Montreal.

However, this is what we should be looking for though.

 

[salbutera]

I’m keeping an eye out on Ryan Lindgren or K’Andre Miller - one of them is getting dealt by NYR….. I would think Gorton would be all over that.

Lindgren exclusively plays the right side despite being a Lefty