HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread #90: 2024-2025 season part III

[DAChampion]

Cool ! You can guess what happened in the past

Dylan Holloway was obvious at the time though.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

Dylan Holloway was obvious at the time though.

Mentioned it more than a few times. Living in Edmonton, I saw a lot of him, and knew he had all the tools, just needed to take that next step. Wish we would have picked him up, this team needs big fast players that can forecheck.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

Sitting here, wide awake, playing pretend GM, I came up with a couple of different names I haven’t heard mentioned with the Habs and thought I’d share some late night thoughts.

One name I keep circling back on is Lawson Crouse. He seems like a prime “buy low” and profit type candidate. He’s only 27 years old and is a big, power forward at 6’4, 215 lbs, on a down year, recently being made a healthy scratch by Utah.

He can hit (has consistently had more than our most physical forward Josh Anderson), he can fight and he can score. I think he’d be a solid pickup for the Habs, and fits well with their budget (he’s making 4 million per for another 2 years after this) and what Gorton and Hughes are looking for in a player. He’s worn an “A” for years as a Coyote, and is known as a solid leader. I’d take a chance on him, and bring him in as a complementary winger.

Assuming the Habs are comfortable in giving Owen Beck the fourth line center role, I’d offer:

To Utah: Jake Evans

To Montreal: Lawson Crouse and 2025 2nd round pick.

Habs give up the cheaper player at the more difficult position while getting a second for the added years on Crouse’s deal. Utah gets the center depth they badly need. Both teams walk away happy.

UFA signing:
Morgan Geekie. Yes he’s a hated Bruin, and yes he’s a right handed shot, but as a guy who has broken out in the last couple of years, he seems like an excellent pickup for relatively cheap money. He has great size, good speed, slick hands and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas. Solid defensively and a decent penalty killer. He could easily center our second line next year.

Potential lineup in 2025-2026:

Crouse - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - Geekie - Slafkovsky
Heineman - Dach - Laine
Newhook - Beck - Anderson

Hutson - Matheson
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

Montembeault
Dobes

 

[Weltschmerz]

Sitting here, wide awake, playing pretend GM, I came up with a couple of different names I haven’t heard mentioned with the Habs and thought I’d share some late night thoughts.

One name I keep circling back on is Lawson Crouse. He seems like a prime “buy low” and profit type candidate. He’s only 27 years old and is a big, power forward at 6’4, 215 lbs, on a down year, recently being made a healthy scratch by Utah.

He can hit (has consistently had more than our most physical forward Josh Anderson), he can fight and he can score. I think he’d be a solid pickup for the Habs, and fits well with their budget (he’s making 4 million per for another 2 years after this) and what Gorton and Hughes are looking for in a player. He’s worn an “A” for years as a Coyote, and is known as a solid leader. I’d take a chance on him, and bring him in as a complementary winger.

Assuming the Habs are comfortable in giving Owen Beck the fourth line center role, I’d offer:

To Utah: Jake Evans

To Montreal: Lawson Crouse and 2025 2nd round pick.

Habs give up the cheaper player at the more difficult position while getting a second for the added years on Crouse’s deal. Utah gets the center depth they badly need. Both teams walk away happy.

UFA signing:
Morgan Geekie. Yes he’s a hated Bruin, and yes he’s a right handed shot, but as a guy who has broken out in the last couple of years, he seems like an excellent pickup for relatively cheap money. He has great size, good speed, slick hands and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas. Solid defensively and a decent penalty killer. He could easily center our second line next year.

Potential lineup in 2025-2026:

Crouse - Suzuki - Caufield
Demidov - Geekie - Slafkovsky
Heineman - Dach - Laine
Newhook - Beck - Anderson

Hutson - Matheson
Guhle - Carrier
Xhekaj - Reinbacher/Mailloux

Montembeault
Dobes

Why is Utah shopping for a rental?

 

[HabbyGuy]

Just for shits and giggles, what would it take to get Shane Wright for our 2C spot?

 

[HuGort]

What is your reaction if we trade Newhook and Reinbacher for Cozens?

Or Reinbacher for Cozens straight up? Can’t imagine we don’t send a contract the other way

Just wondering what we would think about that kind of move?

I'm tired of trying to develop another team's problem child. It rarely works out. We tried that with Dach, Barron, Laine, Newhook.

Better off keeping your own draft picks and develop them.

 

[salbutera]

I'm tired of trying to develop another team's problem child. It rarely works out. We tried that with Dach, Barron, Laine, Newhook.

Better off keeping your own draft picks and develop them.

75% of 1st rounders don’t even play a single NHL game

Those types of moves are made in hopes of achieving higher success probability

 

[ReHabs]

Just for shits and giggles, what would it take to get Shane Wright for our 2C spot?

Are you prepared to give up Slafkovsky+ and beg them to take your call and not hang up?

And then beg Wright to forgive the hideous and cruel things Habs fans and Habs media said and implied about him over the past three years?

I don’t think there’s a fit there.

 

[ReHabs]

75% of 1st rounders don’t even play a single NHL game

Those types of moves are made in hopes of achieving higher success probability

It makes sense to go for the “proven” NHL talent over magic beans but when they cost first round picks in the first place, are older, are busted or castoffs, and unproven as reliable players… what’s the point?

Would anyone do the Newhook trade knowing he produces as another Drouin at best? No. Would anyone trade the 13OA for Dach knowing he can’t really play C and has dubious upside given his injury troubles? I hope not.

 

[HuGort]

75% of 1st rounders don’t even play a single NHL game

Those types of moves are made in hopes of achieving higher success probability

Stastics show you are better off trading your first round pick each year. Generally on draft floor for maximum value. Not always though. But trading them for somebody else's head aches are a no-no.

The FourthPeriod. Not exactly a good source but there is no reason that Zegras isn't available.

Zegras another team's headaches. Be another mistake.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm tired of trying to develop another team's problem child. It rarely works out. We tried that with Dach, Barron, Laine, Newhook.

Better off keeping your own draft picks and develop them.

We got to be open to all angles on how to improve the team. Said it before and will say it again, this rebuild is all about Suzuki to Demidov and everyone in the middle of that range. That is a 7/8 year age spread. The future picks are important but that 7/8 year core range is also important.

We don't have to make a move right now but the tipping point is soon IMO.

As far as Cozens, I would be open to a Dach and pick or Dach and Mailloux type trade. No idea how good Reinbacher will be but I doubt he will be a top pairing stud. Top 4D is his ceiling. I like Cozens. It's worth digging into and that is why the Habs are in this mix. We are probably just inquiring to see what they would ask for. Could be a very quick conversation

 

[Habs Halifax]

It makes sense to go for the “proven” NHL talent over magic beans but when they cost first round picks in the first place, are older, are busted or castoffs, and unproven as reliable players… what’s the point?

Would anyone do the Newhook trade knowing he produces as another Drouin at best? No. Would anyone trade the 13OA for Dach knowing he can’t really play C and has dubious upside given his injury troubles? I hope not.

This comes down to timing of where you are at in team direction. It is rare to get a piece like Newhook or Dach in a trade and they break out on the new team. When we have players available that we want to trade, we usually know what we are trading (Galchenyuk and Domi for example... Kotkaniemi as well). That works the other way around, when we are after a player like Cozens. Got to dig into the context of why they are stalling... Coach problem, lack of surrounding talent problem? Etc.

Dach trade was for Romanov. There was no way we were trading Romanov for the 13th pick and staying put with that pick when we already had Romanov who NHL proven. I cringe when fans say it was Dach for 13th. That was basically a 3 way trade made in 2 transactions.

The difference between Romanov and Dach and those picks we traded for Newhook is minuscule and will have more variance as more time passes by.

One thing I have been saying for a while now is guys like Caufield, Hutson, and Demidov are anomalies. Most young players don't show their true potential until age 25+ or even further. That 18-24 age range is often painful and requires a lot of patience. Reinbacher is not immune to this

 

[HabbyGuy]

Are you prepared to give up Slafkovsky+ and beg them to take your call and not hang up?

And then beg Wright to forgive the hideous and cruel things Habs fans and Habs media said and implied about him over the past three years?

I don’t think there’s a fit there.

I wouldn't trade Slaf for him, nevermind add, nor beg them to take my call. Was just playing with the hypothetical as I said, for shits and giggles, precisely because of all the drama that went with passing on him.

 

[Team_Spirit]

75% of 1st rounders don’t even play a single NHL game

They almost all play. The amount that don't is usually below 10%

Check any year;

2011 NHL Entry Draft Picks at hockeydb.com

A sortable list of players drafted in the 2011 NHL Entry draft, including their career scoring after being drafted

www.hockeydb.com

 

[Habs Halifax]

They almost all play. The amount that don't is usually below 10%

Check any year;

2011 NHL Entry Draft Picks at hockeydb.com

A sortable list of players drafted in the 2011 NHL Entry draft, including their career scoring after being drafted

www.hockeydb.com

Sure but that's not the main point. The point is fans drool over 1st rounders all the time and there are only so many good ones that come from each draft. Most of them come from the top 20. Those 20-32 range 1sts are low % of getting a top 6F or top 4D. Yeah, you might get a Poehling or McCarron... whip dee do

The point of the draft is to get top 6F and top 4D. That's what you are shooting for. The bottom 6F or bottom pairing guys can be available on waivers, trades, or UFA market and it's not that complicated to add those types.

 

[Vachon23]

 

[Deebs]

I mentioned yesterday the possibility of having Evans and Armia being moved together. A contending team could drastically improve their 4th line and PK with such a move. I can't remember who mentioned it but sending both those guys to Jersey, Armia 50% retained, for Tatar and Nemec sure seemed like a decent trade. Maybe a minor tweak if necessary but the money works

 

[HabsCode]

The Habs should have invested in center Dylan Holoway (54 g, 16 g, 23 a 39 pts) that the Blues got for next to nothing. Center Philip Tomasino (26 g, 11 pts) that Pittsburgh got on waivers or center Morgan Frost (52 g, 26 pts) that Calgary got for next to nothing. All three of these centers are producing at the same rate or better than Dach (#13 + #66 draft pick) and Newhook (#31 + #37 draft pick).

Yeah and we should have drafted Q.Hughes or Tkachuk instead of Kotkaniemi and Sebastian Aho instead of Noah Juulsen. But here we are.

Should and Could have brings you nowhere.

 

[Vachon23]

I mentioned yesterday the possibility of having Evans and Armia being moved together. A contending team could drastically improve their 4th line and PK with such a move. I can't remember who mentioned it but sending both those guys to Jersey, Armia 50% retained, for Tatar and Nemec sure seemed like a decent trade. Maybe a minor tweak if necessary but the money works

NJ won’t trade Nemec for 2 rentals

 

[Deebs]

NJ won’t trade Nemec for 2 rentals

That's where the "tweak" could come in. We're loaded with picks and they have a player that doesn't have a position and probably won't. They also have a chance to win a cup, doing something like this could improve their chances. Always a possibility to make something happen if one gets creative.

 

[HabsCode]

That's where the "tweak" could come in. We're loaded with picks and they have a player that doesn't have a position and probably won't. They also have a chance to win a cup, doing something like this could improve their chances. Always a possibility to make something happen if one gets creative.

That weak likely being a first.

 

[Vachon23]

That's where the "tweak" could come in. We're loaded with picks and they have a player that doesn't have a position and probably won't. They also have a chance to win a cup, doing something like this could improve their chances. Always a possibility to make something happen if one gets creative.

He doesn’t have a position this year, but they won’t trade a player they pick 2oa 3 years ago for 2 rentals that gonna play in their bottom 6. Even player of Guzental caliber didn’t return that type of prospect.

I would expect more if where lucky something like:

2026 1st round pick
One of their 2nd round pick this year
A player/prospect like Nathan Bastien

 

[Habs Halifax]

That's where the "tweak" could come in. We're loaded with picks and they have a player that doesn't have a position and probably won't. They also have a chance to win a cup, doing something like this could improve their chances. Always a possibility to make something happen if one gets creative.

The only thing I can see them open to (if they trade Nemec) is...

* Evans (with contract extension... AAV/term they like)
* Habs 1st (lottery protection)
* Prospect (Mailloux)

They are just as guilty with holding on high value with Nemec as we did with Kotkaniemi. Nemec is not a top pairing quality. If he was, it would have shown by now and he would be forcing guys below him on the NHL roster.

Nemec is a well rounded top 4D IMO. And gets a little more value because he is a RD.

 

[Deebs]

He doesn’t have a position this year, but they won’t trade a player they pick 2oa 3 years ago for 2 rentals that gonna play in their bottom 6. Even player of Guzental caliber didn’t return that type of prospect.

I would expect more if where lucky something like:

2026 1st round pick
One of their 2nd round pick this year
A player/prospect like Nathan Bastien

Very possible

 

[DAChampion]

A few weeks ago Evans and Armia were untouchable around here.

One thing I don't know about is whether Hughes will be able to get anybody good off of the UFA market this year.