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

[Ozmodiar]

I don't think we need a first-line centerman because we have a top-notch one in Suzuki. Nick is not in the MacKinnon, McDavid class. Few are but he is in the next group.

So, we need a second line centerman. Here are some names:
Granlund
Thompson
W. Johnston
Jarvis
Your Kyrou
Thomas
Horvat

Aren’t half these guys currently playing wing?

Not that they can’t, or haven’t, played center. Just might make the pro scouting a bit trickier. Don’t want to swing and miss again. Likely moot point because not available anyway.

 

[Scriptor]

I was sad we didn't go after Hertl when he was available. I was sad when we didn't go after Horvat when he was available. Kyrou would be the ideal 2C for Montreal.

Hertl, at 31, would be a great stop gap for 4 years or so.

None of those three are available, IMO.

Aren’t half these guys currently playing wing?

Not that they can’t, or haven’t, played center. Just might make the pro scouting a bit trickier. Don’t want to swing and miss again. Likely moot point because not available anyway.

Moot point because not available, but if we were playing from another position as a strength (say D), they might be available because they are playing on the wing and the assumption would be that they are because there is a lot of depth at C on their teams.

 

[HuGort]

is rg.org a person?




According to a source close to the case cited by the site RG.org, the Canadian would have a real interest in getting his hands on Dobson.

"A source familiar with the matter confirms that the Canadians are monitoring the situation closely, but that no offers have been made yet. However, using some of the assets acquired in their sale could help them soften the blow of the high price that any of the assets mentioned above are likely to cost them."

- RG.org

Would you trade Slaf for Dobson?

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

Come on Kent, I'm eager to see Dvorak go for a fifth.

 

[LaP]

I think Boston gets hosed... So I like it

Marchand will be 37 next season. They could get more for him but not that much more. He's going to hit a massive wall soon.

 

[LaP]

Come on Kent, I'm eager to see Dvorak go for a fifth.

I'm eager to not see Dvorak.

 

[austin316]

Turnover in the lineup will make it difficult for the Habs next season, even with the arrival of Demidov and, hopefully, Reinbacher who will both still be rookies.

A C-line of Suzuki - Dach - Newhook - Beck has one of the worst middle-6s in the league and a rookie as a 4th line C.

Carrier as our #1 RHD is also rather weak.

Those foundations don't scream playoffs.

This sums it up. Not to mention we don’t have a #1 goaltender either. Massive amount of work ahead for management.

We easily have the worst top 4 centre depth in the NHL if that’s what we roll out with next season. What else is new? Our lack of centre depth has been an ongoing issue for 35 years.

 

[BaseballCoach]

so seems like the islanders want an established star forward for Dobson. Now I’m not sure he qualifies but if Boston does want to rebuild or retool and trade Brad Marchand, maybe we can swing a theee way deal

To Boston
Calgary 1st and Joshua Roy

To Islanders
Montreal 1st and Brad Marchand

To Habs
Noah Dobson

Too much for a guy the Islanders can't depend on defensively.

 

[Deam78]

Why are people saying Kyrou is a C? I don’t remember ever seeing him there and he’s taken less than 25 FO the last 2 seasons combined. He’s strictly a winger

 

[Scriptor]

Why are people saying Kyrou is a C? I don’t remember ever seeing him there and he’s taken less than 25 FO the last 2 seasons combined. He’s strictly a winger

Was a C before that, from what I remember.

 

[Egresch]

I guess RHD is one of the weaknesses within the organization and it would be nice if we could get some prospect in return for one of our UFAs. Carolina is pretty stacked, could we trade for one of them? They have Morrow, Nystrom, Heimosalmi, Badinka, Legault. Would Charles-Alexis Legault be an interesting piece?

 

[Weltschmerz]

Not sure I get what is going on with this 2C discussion, if some asks for a 2C on the mainboards there is no hesitation to offer Evans, but somehow for the habs he is not good enough to keep him at all, because he will cost to much.

Is the idea to sign a cheap center in UFA? Or to sell Evans for a first to spend that on Scott Laughton?

 

[Rapala]

That's the point. C that are better than Suzuki are almost always untouchable and when they are available, they cost a lot.

You really have to draft them or pluck them from some team before they break out.

 

[ReHabs]

Not sure I get what is going on with this 2C discussion, if some asks for a 2C on the mainboards there is no hesitation to offer Evans, but somehow for the habs he is not good enough to keep him at all, because he will cost to much.

Is the idea to sign a cheap center in UFA? Or to sell Evans for a first to spend that on Scott Laughton?

Well I think it's not an accurate picture you've painted. Why Scott Laughton?

1. The Habs need a 2C since Dach has not performed as expected as a 2C (so far, anyway)
2. Evans is a pending UFA 3C-at-best who has priced himself out of a renewal (so far, anyway)
3. Cashing in on a pending UFA in a dead-rubber, tank season is generally preferrable when the team's immediate near-future is not clearly competitive*

*Clearly competitive: some expect the Habs to tank or struggle next season, some expect the Habs to be 'in the mix' next season, some expect the Habs to be a playoff team next season. It's all over the place. If an injury to Emil fkn Heineman can derail our forward group, then an untimely injury to Suzuki or Caufield would tank our season next year. So we cannot assume that we will be like MIN, TOR, PIT and survive the loss of our best forward as they did. We're not that deep or skilled.

Evans is in demand at the TDL. If the Habs absolutely want to keep him long-term, they can always circle back as UFA signing season kicks off. Selling him at the TDL to get more assets for trade-or-draft purposes is clearly the right move. Acquiring a 2C is clearly a necessary move, either now or later. Replacing Evans is a third priority, though just as necessary.

 

[Rapala]

Would you trade Slaf for Dobson?

I know I wouldn't.
We would need the minimum of a top center coming back to even get discussions under way.
Slaf is not an asset I'd move in a one for one deal we'd need multiple pieces coming back in a trade.
As much as we want him to be better he represents a good percentage of the tonnage in our top six.

 

[Egresch]

Not sure I get what is going on with this 2C discussion, if some asks for a 2C on the mainboards there is no hesitation to offer Evans, but somehow for the habs he is not good enough to keep him at all, because he will cost to much.

Is the idea to sign a cheap center in UFA? Or to sell Evans for a first to spend that on Scott Laughton?

I have been saying this for a while that we should use Evans as 2C. I guess it comes to capabilities of our coaching staff, we are waiting for perfect roster, so we can implement all concepts, but that will never happen. With Laine-Dach-Newhook, none of them can really defend. We should stop pretending that Dach is a center, play Laine-Evans-Dach, you will get offensive support from blueline anyway with Hutson/Matheson.
Almost every team is struggling with 2C, you have players like KK, Namestnikov playing the role for contender.

 

[Rapala]

Marchand will be 37 next season. They could get more for him but not that much more. He's going to hit a massive wall soon.

Yeah it's very possible we see what that wall begins to look like at this Four Nations thingee.

 

[skidcells]

So what’s today’s rumour ya’ll?

 

[Rapala]

I have been saying this for a while that we should use Evans as 2C. I guess it comes to capabilities of our coaching staff, we are waiting for perfect roster, so we can implement all concepts, but that will never happen. With Laine-Dach-Newhook, none of them can really defend. We should stop pretending that Dach is a center, play Laine-Evans-Dach, you will get offensive support from blueline anyway with Hutson/Matheson.
Almost every team is struggling with 2C, you have players like KK, Namestnikov playing the role for contender.

I'd look at the signing of Evans as a 2C like an admission that "I can't do this job"
I'd also like to suggest that KK and Namestnikov are not going to be getting 2C match ups with their respective clubs. That job will fall to Adam Lowry and Jordan Staal and if Evans was in this category of player we wouldn't be having this discussion.

 

[Scriptor]

1st rounds back for Evans, trade him.

1st rounder back for Evans + Armia at 50%, trade them.

At this draft, Montreal needs to land one of Misa, Hagens, Desnoyers, Frondell or O'Brien.

Combination of picks and/or prospects to move up and select at least one of these players, if not two, if one slides a bit.

Don't see a RHD I like early, but do see a C/LW in Carter Bear as well.

 

[SlyIslands]

Was a C before that, from what I remember.

He's as much a center as Drouin was. He has won 28 faceoffs in 7 years at a rate of 40%.

 

[Egresch]

I'd look at the signing of Evans as a 2C like an admission that "I can't do this job"
I'd also like to suggest that KK and Namestnikov are not going to be getting 2C match ups with their respective clubs. That job will fall to Adam Lowry and Jordan Staal and if Evans was in this category of player we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Not sure I understand the first part. You mean admission from management that they cannot find proper 2C? That is not an issue for me as we have several candidates who can grow to the role- Hage, Beck, Kapanen... For me it is better than pretending that Dach is the solution.
OK, then we can do the same and have Anderson-Dvorak-Armia as a shut down line.

 

[Rapala]

Not sure I understand the first part. You mean admission from management that they cannot find proper 2C? That is not an issue for me as we have several candidates who can grow to the role- Hage, Beck, Kapanen... For me it is better than pretending that Dach is the solution.
OK, then we can do the same and have Anderson-Dvorak-Armia as a shut down line.

Exactly Because Jake Evans will never be close to a second line center. If he had the additional qualities of an Adam Lowry or a Jordan Staal sure we could open up the coffers. The short term $$$ may not be an issue
but the long term nature of the contract would surely become one. From my standpoint we are already able to mitigate much of what losing Jake Evans will cost in terms of team growth. If we throw $$$ at a center it needs to be A) a long term solution or B) a short stop gap solution. I don't think Jake fits either of those scenarios.

Just my Take.

 

[Scriptor]

He's as much a center as Drouin was. He has won 28 faceoffs in 7 years at a rate of 40%.

Yeah, but those were quality F/Os, no?

Just kidding.

Might as well start the saga where Demidov gets moved to C to fill a hole management can?

Picking the best player available at the draft is the choice of many that say, at worst, it is to trade for what you are missing.

Slafkovsky might well still titivate some GM somewhere and help us acquire a true top-6 C that fits with the age group of our young core.

THAT would be a real hockey trade and I wonder if it wouldn't better help the team.

We'd have Caufield, Suzuki, Demidov, young and talented 2nd line C as surer things up front, but we'd still be missing two 2nd line wingers if you don't believe laine can amount to anything constant and serious in Montreal.

Maybe Dach as 2nd line RW?

This upcoming draft would be crucial and Hage, most likely on the wing, panning out into some kind of wonderful would become paramount. Hage would need to become some sort of Pacioretty, maybe.

Or we would need to draft a winger like Bear and hope he can push the pace in our top-6, break down opposing Ds and exploit the talent we do have up front on the top-2 lines.

Is a young, quality C more important to the Habs' rebuild than a winger like Slafkovsky?

I can see a John Leclair error happening all over again.

Slafkovsky + Engstrom

FOR

Center like Recchi at the time.

Center, in Montreal, sees his offensive production drop a little, Slafkovsky becomes a 35-goal power forward and Engstrom a reliable top-4 D...

 

[Guy Larose]

So what’s today’s rumour ya’ll?

Sources say that HFboard might be traded for Hockeybuzz and 7th round pick