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

[Bacchus1]

Depends how badly they want to win this year and how much they rate their this year and next year’s team.

It’s good value for the Habs but Nemec is not Dobson or another top15 RHD… he’s magic beans. Is that what we want? I’m not convinced we need more inexperience. I’d rather a proven workhorse top dman.

I would, too. But who would you target?

For me, Nemac might only be a year away or less. If we got him in the AHL now, he might be ready by the end of this season or the beginning of next.

 

[jellybeans]

Many fans want Crosby

I would love to have him but not at the price he's worth it would be so dumb to trade for him at where we are in our rebuild.

He’s joking, he has to be.

Trust me he's not joking

 

[dinodebino]

I have no clue who Martin Lemay is, but he sounds like an absolute idiot lol.

A young rebuilding team that hasn't made the playoffs yet should part ways with a young sniper locked up long term and two 1st round picks for a guy that's gonna be 38 years old to start next season??

He never liked Cole. From the day he arrived in Montreal. He’s a Guy Boucher disciple, so don’t ask more about Lemay. One of the biggest egos in Mtl media. Up there with JiCi.

 

[General Fanager]

Wouldn't hate this, but also lord that chicago topline will be soft

Meh, they already have tons of cap space and the cap is aggressively going up. If what we hear about Bedard is correct they will spend it soon to improve quickly. Maybe its not Marner, but they will be players when it comes to the big UFAs in the next few years 100%

Many fans want Crosby

me too but it isn't happening. If( big if) he leaves Pittsburgh he will go to a real contender.

 

[yianik]

Dallas is deep at C. They have Roope Hintz signed for another 5 years as 1C. They have young Wyatt Johnston playing on his wing who is listed as a C. Duchene is the 2C and he is UFA after this season. Dallas just traded for Michael Granlund who plays C and is under contract until next season. So they have 4 guys who can play top 6C and all but 1 is signed for at least one more season.

Im thinking Duchene may be the odd man out. Not this year , as Dallas is contending. But maybe they dont extend him and he does become a UFA.

So at seasons end, I would offer Dallas a 3rd rounder for Duchene so we could talk contract. "Exclusive negotiating rights" as Bob Gainey would say. Guy is 34 so thinking realistically he would be happy with a 3 year deal. Offer a high AAV, no problem short term.

With Duchene as 2C we very likely have at least a decent 2nd line being filled out by a combination of Demi, Laine or Dach.

Meantime. Though most have Kapanen and Beck as 3rd liner upside, I think there is realistic possibilty for surprise. Then there is Hage, definite top 6C potential. My guess is we will be picking a C with our 1st this year. So we have a decent C pool developing with realistic chances of at least one guy becoming a 2C and taking Duchenes place.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

He never liked Cole. From the day he arrived in Montreal. He’s a Guy Boucher disciple, so don’t ask more about Lemay. One of the biggest egos in Mtl media. Up there with JiCi.

Martin Lemay is a

 

[Scriptor]

Dallas is deep at C. They have Roope Hintz signed for another 5 years as 1C. They have young Wyatt Johnston playing on his wing who is listed as a C. Duchene is the 2C and he is UFA after this season. Dallas just traded for Michael Granlund who plays C and is under contract until next season. So they have 4 guys who can play top 6C and all but 1 is signed for at least one more season.

Im thinking Duchene may be the odd man out. Not this year , as Dallas is contending. But maybe they dont extend him and he does become a UFA.

So at seasons end, I would offer Dallas a 3rd rounder for Duchene so we could talk contract. "Exclusive negotiating rights" as Bob Gainey would say. Guy is 34 so thinking realistically he would be happy with a 3 year deal. Offer a high AAV, no problem short term.

With Duchene as 2C we very likely have at least a decent 2nd line being filled out by a combination of Demi, Laine or Dach.

Meantime. Though most have Kapanen and Beck as 3rd liner upside, I think there is realistic possibilty for surprise. Then there is Hage, definite top 6C potential. My guess is we will be picking a C with our 1st this year. So we have a decent C pool developing with realistic chances of at least one guy becoming a 2C and taking Duchenes place.

I'd be really happy with Duchene at no cost in terms of players or picks because he is an UFA.

Offering a 3-year contract would definitely exceed anything DAL might offer him as far as term goes.

Duchene being a stop-gap at a time where we aren't aggressively adding other big contracts and where we have quality players arriving on ELCs, allows Hughes to up the ante when it comes to both term and salary.

Duchene signed for one year at 3M with DAL, surely hoping to go to a contender and to rebuild his value across the league as he nears the end of his career.

Three years at 6M per might be risky for the 2nd and 3rd year, but Duchene's skating -- the important thing -- is still really good and that will help him keep on producing as he can keep up with the speed at the NHL level.

In the third year of his contract, Duchene can always become an exploitation line C on a more offensive third line, or be used as trade bait as a rental player on a Cup contender looking for more C depth.

Might definitely be easier to acquire Duchene than Bennett, for example, as an UFA.

Of course, then, there is the question of Duchene wanting to play in Montreal? The last time around, when he went to NASH and we were allegedly interested in acquiring Duchene, he had no interest in playing here, most likely because of the pressure with fans anointing newcomers as the next saviour.

This time around, Duchene would perhaps be sold the idea of playing with a big boy like Slafkovsky that would do the puck retrieval, or at least be second man on the job if Duchene was first on the puck. He would likely also be sold the idea of playing with Demidov, all on a second line with the onus being only to see a 2nd line materialize and for the team to keep progressing (not hard from it's current top-6 situation).

It would be a win-win scenario with expectations being at a much more realistic level for the contribution that Duchene would bring to the team.

Personally, I would start by playing Laine on the first line with Caufield and Suzuki to see if another shooter on the line would free up Laine a little more, and if Suzuki can have a positive influence on the Finn's production. he definitely couldn't be bitter about his TOPI under this scenario.

If it doesn't work out for Laine wit the best C on the team, I would look into getting a mutual termination on his contract. If not, he would become my 3rd line RW.

My second line, as described higher up in this post, would be made up of Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov. Placing the team's 1st OA winger and 5th OA winger on a line with a veteran, offensive C would be a smart move to help both wingers progress.

We simply don't have a veteran winger at his peak to supply, on top of a veteran C that is still producing, for either slafkovsky or Demidov, so we must see if there is any chemistry between the two wingers.

In the advent that Laine is our 3rd line RW, I would likely give our Swedish C a try with our Finnish RW and another Swedish forward on the LW, Emil Heineman.

Heineman word provide the forechecking (best on the team) and puck retrieval skills for the less ambitious forechecker that Laine is. Kapanen is a legitimate two-way C and Heineman has more than average defensive awareness to make up for Laine's defensive liabilities.

Having Laine on a European line might do wonders for the enigmatic right wing.

The fourth line, assuming that Evans does, indeed, get traded at this year's trade deadline, would be entered by Beck, saddled with the two contracts that simply can't be moved, Anderson and Gallagher.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher


As for the defense, it all depends if Hughes can make a meaningful addition on the right side in the offseason, but that remains unlikely, IMHO.

We'll likely start the year off with the unspectacular, but stabilizing pairing of Guhle - Carrier, followed by the veteran D, Matheson, resuming duties on the right side of Hutson and Reinbacher getting his skates wet in the NHL on a 3rd pairing alongside Xhekaj.

Mailloux would likely start the year in Laval again, earmarked as the first d call-up in case of injuries.

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Matheson
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Depending on Reinbacher's showing and progression up to the trade deadline, it would justify trading Matheson, and Reinbacher could move up the team's depth chart on D alongside lane Hutson, while Mailloux gets the nod to play alongside Xhekaj until the end of the season.

Another full season in Laval for Engstrom is in the cards, IMO, but that D might surprise us in the future.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

 

[Kosseca]

Martin Lemay is a

I dont think he's a clown, I think he tries to hard to be the "adult" in the room when debating with others. In this case, he trying to hard to say that it would take a significant offer for PIT to move Sid. The problem is that he fail to see the big picture sometime, when he's asking others to see the bigger picture from others...

 

[Deebs]

I'd be really happy with Duchene at no cost in terms of players or picks because he is an UFA.

Massive pass on Duchene at anything more than 1 year. Realistically, he's not coming back to Canada to finish out his career, unless maybe for a Cup run and that's understandable given his age and family situation.

 

[1000eeer]

If somehow, Dobson is available, we must package the best offer possible to get him.

Reinbacher and a first rounder is a good start. But It won't be enough.

Including Caufield or Slaf in the package is a sideway move..

So i'm getting to the conclusion of an offer sheet being the best option...

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

If somehow, Dobson is available, we must package the best offer possible to get him.

Reinbacher and a first rounder is a good start. But It won't be enough.

Including Caufield or Slaf in the package is a sideway move..

So i'm getting to the conclusion of an offer sheet being the best option...

The 32 thoughts podcast released today touched on Dobson and says it's believed that him being offered in a potential deal was a unique situation and he isn't on the market from what Friedman was told and the changing of representation was simply for the upcoming contract.

 

[HuGort]

Marco saying Florida and LA inquired about Evans. Habs asking for a 2nd plus a prospect.

Habs trying to package Armia and Evans together. Asking for a 1st plus a prospect. Willing to retain half on Armia. On team under cap it's 850k caphit. Team on LTIR room it be 3.4m caphit. Marco said best PK duo in league.

 

[LaP]

Guys UFAs ain't signing here next summer unless nobody else wants them in which case we should not want them too. Maybe in the summer of 2026 things will change is Demigod has a good season.

 

[le_sean]

Marco saying Florida and LA inquired about Evans. Habs asking for a 2nd plus a prospect.

Habs trying to package Armia and Evans together. Asking for a 1st plus a prospect. Willing to retain half on Armia. On team under cap it's 850k caphit. Team on LTIR room it be 3.4m caphit. Marco said best PK duo in league.

The Wild should be all over this. Their PK and bottom 6 stink.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Evans + Armia at 50% is the smart move together they could land us another 1st round pick + maybe a B level prospect

 

[Ozmodiar]

I'd be really happy with Duchene at no cost in terms of players or picks because he is an UFA.

Offering a 3-year contract would definitely exceed anything DAL might offer him as far as term goes.

Duchene being a stop-gap at a time where we aren't aggressively adding other big contracts and where we have quality players arriving on ELCs, allows Hughes to up the ante when it comes to both term and salary.

Duchene signed for one year at 3M with DAL, surely hoping to go to a contender and to rebuild his value across the league as he nears the end of his career.

Three years at 6M per might be risky for the 2nd and 3rd year, but Duchene's skating -- the important thing -- is still really good and that will help him keep on producing as he can keep up with the speed at the NHL level.

In the third year of his contract, Duchene can always become an exploitation line C on a more offensive third line, or be used as trade bait as a rental player on a Cup contender looking for more C depth.

Might definitely be easier to acquire Duchene than Bennett, for example, as an UFA.

Of course, then, there is the question of Duchene wanting to play in Montreal? The last time around, when he went to NASH and we were allegedly interested in acquiring Duchene, he had no interest in playing here, most likely because of the pressure with fans anointing newcomers as the next saviour.

This time around, Duchene would perhaps be sold the idea of playing with a big boy like Slafkovsky that would do the puck retrieval, or at least be second man on the job if Duchene was first on the puck. He would likely also be sold the idea of playing with Demidov, all on a second line with the onus being only to see a 2nd line materialize and for the team to keep progressing (not hard from it's current top-6 situation).

It would be a win-win scenario with expectations being at a much more realistic level for the contribution that Duchene would bring to the team.

Personally, I would start by playing Laine on the first line with Caufield and Suzuki to see if another shooter on the line would free up Laine a little more, and if Suzuki can have a positive influence on the Finn's production. he definitely couldn't be bitter about his TOPI under this scenario.

If it doesn't work out for Laine wit the best C on the team, I would look into getting a mutual termination on his contract. If not, he would become my 3rd line RW.

My second line, as described higher up in this post, would be made up of Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov. Placing the team's 1st OA winger and 5th OA winger on a line with a veteran, offensive C would be a smart move to help both wingers progress.

We simply don't have a veteran winger at his peak to supply, on top of a veteran C that is still producing, for either slafkovsky or Demidov, so we must see if there is any chemistry between the two wingers.

In the advent that Laine is our 3rd line RW, I would likely give our Swedish C a try with our Finnish RW and another Swedish forward on the LW, Emil Heineman.

Heineman word provide the forechecking (best on the team) and puck retrieval skills for the less ambitious forechecker that Laine is. Kapanen is a legitimate two-way C and Heineman has more than average defensive awareness to make up for Laine's defensive liabilities.

Having Laine on a European line might do wonders for the enigmatic right wing.

The fourth line, assuming that Evans does, indeed, get traded at this year's trade deadline, would be entered by Beck, saddled with the two contracts that simply can't be moved, Anderson and Gallagher.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher


As for the defense, it all depends if Hughes can make a meaningful addition on the right side in the offseason, but that remains unlikely, IMHO.

We'll likely start the year off with the unspectacular, but stabilizing pairing of Guhle - Carrier, followed by the veteran D, Matheson, resuming duties on the right side of Hutson and Reinbacher getting his skates wet in the NHL on a 3rd pairing alongside Xhekaj.

Mailloux would likely start the year in Laval again, earmarked as the first d call-up in case of injuries.

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Matheson
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Depending on Reinbacher's showing and progression up to the trade deadline, it would justify trading Matheson, and Reinbacher could move up the team's depth chart on D alongside lane Hutson, while Mailloux gets the nod to play alongside Xhekaj until the end of the season.

Another full season in Laval for Engstrom is in the cards, IMO, but that D might surprise us in the future.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Duchene’s not coming to Montreal. No chance.

Marco saying Florida and LA inquired about Evans. Habs asking for a 2nd plus a prospect.

Habs trying to package Armia and Evans together. Asking for a 1st plus a prospect. Willing to retain half on Armia. On team under cap it's 850k caphit. Team on LTIR room it be 3.4m caphit. Marco said best PK duo in league.

Marco?

 

[HuGo Sham]

He never liked Cole. From the day he arrived in Montreal. He’s a Guy Boucher disciple, so don’t ask more about Lemay. One of the biggest egos in Mtl media. Up there with JiCi.

two giant schmucks who exert far too much influence in the franco habs media

 

[Ozmodiar]

It’s likelier than not that Dach is neither a 2C or a 2W.

He did well on the 1st line with Suzuki and Caufield. He should be able to do the same on the 2nd if they get a proper center.

CC - Suze - Demidov
Slaf - Cozens? - Dach

I think he could fill that role. If not, here comes Hage ….. or ……



….. Mesar.

 

[ML16]

I'd be really happy with Duchene at no cost in terms of players or picks because he is an UFA.

Offering a 3-year contract would definitely exceed anything DAL might offer him as far as term goes.

Duchene being a stop-gap at a time where we aren't aggressively adding other big contracts and where we have quality players arriving on ELCs, allows Hughes to up the ante when it comes to both term and salary.

Duchene signed for one year at 3M with DAL, surely hoping to go to a contender and to rebuild his value across the league as he nears the end of his career.

Three years at 6M per might be risky for the 2nd and 3rd year, but Duchene's skating -- the important thing -- is still really good and that will help him keep on producing as he can keep up with the speed at the NHL level.

In the third year of his contract, Duchene can always become an exploitation line C on a more offensive third line, or be used as trade bait as a rental player on a Cup contender looking for more C depth.

Might definitely be easier to acquire Duchene than Bennett, for example, as an UFA.

Of course, then, there is the question of Duchene wanting to play in Montreal? The last time around, when he went to NASH and we were allegedly interested in acquiring Duchene, he had no interest in playing here, most likely because of the pressure with fans anointing newcomers as the next saviour.

This time around, Duchene would perhaps be sold the idea of playing with a big boy like Slafkovsky that would do the puck retrieval, or at least be second man on the job if Duchene was first on the puck. He would likely also be sold the idea of playing with Demidov, all on a second line with the onus being only to see a 2nd line materialize and for the team to keep progressing (not hard from it's current top-6 situation).

It would be a win-win scenario with expectations being at a much more realistic level for the contribution that Duchene would bring to the team.

Personally, I would start by playing Laine on the first line with Caufield and Suzuki to see if another shooter on the line would free up Laine a little more, and if Suzuki can have a positive influence on the Finn's production. he definitely couldn't be bitter about his TOPI under this scenario.

If it doesn't work out for Laine wit the best C on the team, I would look into getting a mutual termination on his contract. If not, he would become my 3rd line RW.

My second line, as described higher up in this post, would be made up of Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov. Placing the team's 1st OA winger and 5th OA winger on a line with a veteran, offensive C would be a smart move to help both wingers progress.

We simply don't have a veteran winger at his peak to supply, on top of a veteran C that is still producing, for either slafkovsky or Demidov, so we must see if there is any chemistry between the two wingers.

In the advent that Laine is our 3rd line RW, I would likely give our Swedish C a try with our Finnish RW and another Swedish forward on the LW, Emil Heineman.

Heineman word provide the forechecking (best on the team) and puck retrieval skills for the less ambitious forechecker that Laine is. Kapanen is a legitimate two-way C and Heineman has more than average defensive awareness to make up for Laine's defensive liabilities.

Having Laine on a European line might do wonders for the enigmatic right wing.

The fourth line, assuming that Evans does, indeed, get traded at this year's trade deadline, would be entered by Beck, saddled with the two contracts that simply can't be moved, Anderson and Gallagher.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher


As for the defense, it all depends if Hughes can make a meaningful addition on the right side in the offseason, but that remains unlikely, IMHO.

We'll likely start the year off with the unspectacular, but stabilizing pairing of Guhle - Carrier, followed by the veteran D, Matheson, resuming duties on the right side of Hutson and Reinbacher getting his skates wet in the NHL on a 3rd pairing alongside Xhekaj.

Mailloux would likely start the year in Laval again, earmarked as the first d call-up in case of injuries.

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Matheson
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Depending on Reinbacher's showing and progression up to the trade deadline, it would justify trading Matheson, and Reinbacher could move up the team's depth chart on D alongside lane Hutson, while Mailloux gets the nod to play alongside Xhekaj until the end of the season.

Another full season in Laval for Engstrom is in the cards, IMO, but that D might surprise us in the future.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Interesting take overall, I mostly concur but have some questions/concerns:

- I could see 2 rookie RHCs sharing 4C duties alongside veteran wingers to replace Evans, but having both Kapanen and Beck as 3C/4C seems quite audacious as it stands;

- What happens with Newhook in your scenario? Traded for futures, I gather? If he’s not used as 3C, the Habs would likely have to use Newhook/Evans’ return to acquire a 3C;

- Not unlike the Kapanen/Beck issue above, having both Reinbacher and Mailloux as rookie RHD since audacious as well; if/when Matheson is traded, a veteran/proven RHD should be sought, likely leveraging Mailloux+ as a package;

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine/Dach
Slafkovski - Duchene/Veteran - Demidov
Heineman - Newhook/Trade - Dach/Laine
Anderson - Beck/Kapanen - Gallagher

Guhle - Proven RHD (Matheson/Mailloux trade)
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Carrier

 

[badfish]

Another thing on the 32-thoughts podcast today is they predicted there might be more trade talk on the 18th as that's when players return for practice. But I still doubt you'll see a trade before the 4N Finals. I was also surprised that players were only off until the 18th, figured with the compressed season they'd get more time off.

 

[LaP]

Gonna have to be a lot more than that.

2025 1st Unprotected
2025 1st Calgary
2025 2nd
2026 1st Unprotected
2026 2nd

38 years old Ray Bourque was traded along with 35 years old Dave Andreychuk for a end of first round pick, Rolston who was a 26 years old 20/50 guy not so great in defense at the time of the trade and who had a terribad season for Colorado the previous year (he late bloomed later in his career), Martin Grenier a 2nd round pick who was a big dmen without mobility and no future outside of a 6/7th guy and Samuel Pahlsson a 7th round pick small center who projected as a bottom 6 guy.

That's the equivalent of

Calgary 1st, Caufield, Jared Davidson and Owen Protz

But that's more as Gaufield is younger than Rolston was, is not having a terribad season and so far has done better than Rolstron at the same age. Also Bruins added Dave Andreychuk who was still a good middle six player at the time of the trade. So pens would need to add quite a bit for it to be equivalent.

Crosby will be 38 next season he's not worth two first round picks who are one injury away to be top 10.

 

[yianik]

I'd be really happy with Duchene at no cost in terms of players or picks because he is an UFA.

Offering a 3-year contract would definitely exceed anything DAL might offer him as far as term goes.

Duchene being a stop-gap at a time where we aren't aggressively adding other big contracts and where we have quality players arriving on ELCs, allows Hughes to up the ante when it comes to both term and salary.

Duchene signed for one year at 3M with DAL, surely hoping to go to a contender and to rebuild his value across the league as he nears the end of his career.

Three years at 6M per might be risky for the 2nd and 3rd year, but Duchene's skating -- the important thing -- is still really good and that will help him keep on producing as he can keep up with the speed at the NHL level.

In the third year of his contract, Duchene can always become an exploitation line C on a more offensive third line, or be used as trade bait as a rental player on a Cup contender looking for more C depth.

Might definitely be easier to acquire Duchene than Bennett, for example, as an UFA.

Of course, then, there is the question of Duchene wanting to play in Montreal? The last time around, when he went to NASH and we were allegedly interested in acquiring Duchene, he had no interest in playing here, most likely because of the pressure with fans anointing newcomers as the next saviour.

This time around, Duchene would perhaps be sold the idea of playing with a big boy like Slafkovsky that would do the puck retrieval, or at least be second man on the job if Duchene was first on the puck. He would likely also be sold the idea of playing with Demidov, all on a second line with the onus being only to see a 2nd line materialize and for the team to keep progressing (not hard from it's current top-6 situation).

It would be a win-win scenario with expectations being at a much more realistic level for the contribution that Duchene would bring to the team.

Personally, I would start by playing Laine on the first line with Caufield and Suzuki to see if another shooter on the line would free up Laine a little more, and if Suzuki can have a positive influence on the Finn's production. he definitely couldn't be bitter about his TOPI under this scenario.

If it doesn't work out for Laine wit the best C on the team, I would look into getting a mutual termination on his contract. If not, he would become my 3rd line RW.

My second line, as described higher up in this post, would be made up of Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov. Placing the team's 1st OA winger and 5th OA winger on a line with a veteran, offensive C would be a smart move to help both wingers progress.

We simply don't have a veteran winger at his peak to supply, on top of a veteran C that is still producing, for either slafkovsky or Demidov, so we must see if there is any chemistry between the two wingers.

In the advent that Laine is our 3rd line RW, I would likely give our Swedish C a try with our Finnish RW and another Swedish forward on the LW, Emil Heineman.

Heineman word provide the forechecking (best on the team) and puck retrieval skills for the less ambitious forechecker that Laine is. Kapanen is a legitimate two-way C and Heineman has more than average defensive awareness to make up for Laine's defensive liabilities.

Having Laine on a European line might do wonders for the enigmatic right wing.

The fourth line, assuming that Evans does, indeed, get traded at this year's trade deadline, would be entered by Beck, saddled with the two contracts that simply can't be moved, Anderson and Gallagher.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher


As for the defense, it all depends if Hughes can make a meaningful addition on the right side in the offseason, but that remains unlikely, IMHO.

We'll likely start the year off with the unspectacular, but stabilizing pairing of Guhle - Carrier, followed by the veteran D, Matheson, resuming duties on the right side of Hutson and Reinbacher getting his skates wet in the NHL on a 3rd pairing alongside Xhekaj.

Mailloux would likely start the year in Laval again, earmarked as the first d call-up in case of injuries.

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Matheson
Xhekaj - Reinbacher

Depending on Reinbacher's showing and progression up to the trade deadline, it would justify trading Matheson, and Reinbacher could move up the team's depth chart on D alongside lane Hutson, while Mailloux gets the nod to play alongside Xhekaj until the end of the season.

Another full season in Laval for Engstrom is in the cards, IMO, but that D might surprise us in the future.

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Duchene - Demidov
Heineman - Kapanen - Laine
Anderson - Beck - Gallagher

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

Yeah we have a couple big holes at core spots but if we can fill those in we have lots of quality depth as you point out. With MB we always had a couple of critical pieces missing and i think that kept us from being annual contenders for the Cup. We were just a good team with a great goalie. Im hoping Hughes will actually fill all the critical spots.

 

[wikiwa]

Many fans want Crosby

The whole Crosby thing, spending a week in MTL, "tasting" what it would be to evolve within habs installations, reminds me the same kind of hype created around Vincent Lecavalier for the 2009 All Star weekend.

 

[sampollock]

I dont think you can pay Evans 4 mill a year for a 4th line centre. that money will not work in trying to build the top 2 scoring lines or get a top 4 RD
and when you pay a Gally his big money for a broken down 3 rd liner

Evans will have to go.

 

[Sterling Archer]

The whole Crosby thing, spending a week in MTL, "tasting" what it would be to evolve within habs installations, reminds me the same kind of hype created around Vincent Lecavalier for the 2009 All Star weekend.

And unlike with Hossa, his gloves were actually at the airport and Bell Center.