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

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
On the topic of adding RHD, is anyone very familiar with Louis Crevier in Chicago?

The guy's a 23 year old, 6 foot 8 RHD from Quebec. I know Chicago probably isn't in any rush to move him, but his +/- intrigues me from the outside looking in. He's a -1, but he has the best +/- on the team out of all skaters with 20+ games played this season.
He isn't any more established than Reinbacher, and is a 7th rounder. They aren't letting him go for anything.
 
But you called it ''Goalinis Kneejerkis'', even if he's been here for a good while now.

Then why keep him as the 1G if you already know he has no future with the Habs?

Yeah, goaltending is just the most important position in hockey...

I don't think wasting the next 2 years with subpar goaltending just to save an asset that they probably don't need makes sense.
But maybe that's just me.

We're not winning the Cup in the next 2 years. Goalies better than Montembeault aren't available that often. That position will be fixed internally.

Montembeault's contract fits the Fowler timeline.
 
Last edited:
All of this talk of needing an RHD, and yet when the Habs traded Romanov for Dach there was a universal agreement here that the Habs traded from a position of strength. Not sure how we managed to be so wrong.
 
We should really strenghten our RHD prospect pool. I do not count Carrier as long-term solution. As you said, he is 3D on a better team I want somebody who is bigger and hard to play against in that role. Konyushkov is the same type of player. We really need Reinbacher to pan out, Mailloux is probably 3D. Maybe, Engstrom could be the solution as he can play right side, but that means we rely on 100% success rate (Reinbacher, Engstrom, Mailloux) which would be totally insane. And I am not even saying that they have 8 games of NHL experience combined.

What needs fixing at this stage is the NHL team, not the pool.
 
The RHD that everyone wants to trade half our team and prospects for played his first game back in Laval last night.The only RHD we will be getting is another plug like Carriere.Patience people.We are not going anywhere anytime soon.We do need a centre however because we don't have any prospects that will be ready to make any type of impact in the next few years.
 
I'd much prefer going into next season with a real 2C and use Matheson on his off side for one more year if necessary. With Demidov coming over having a proper 2C is critical IMO.
He can just play with Nick and Cole otherwise. It's not like we'll get some magic beans and find an ideal center within a few months. The most likely scenario is we sign someone to replace Jake or we re-sign Jake and we're just back with the same lineup minus Dvorak.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grate n Colorful Oz
Rebuilding team this year, next year, etc ...

I feel like sobe are all right squandering the entirety of Suzuki, Caulfield, and Guhle's second contracts.
 
I'd much prefer going into next season with a real 2C and use Matheson on his off side for one more year if necessary. With Demidov coming over having a proper 2C is critical IMO.
Not just Demidov, but, yes, his development -- especially since, like Slafkovsky, it will likely be a direct jump to the NHL -- requires filling the 2C position, even with just a stop-gap as we wait for someone from within to develop as such, as soon as possible.

It's not to say that the RD position doesn't need to be addressed shortly, but, internally, we do have short term fixes, even if we are not DEEP at RD in case of injuries.

The 2C will help every progress in their development -- That includes players like Suzuki and Caufield as well because an actual 2nd line will loosen the defensive coverage a little against the Suzuki line that is, at the moment, the only one to defend regularly.

The 2C settles the forward group structurally and provides proper support for all of our wingers of talent; Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov, possibly Dach and, even, Laine.

What completing a solid D-Corps with, initially:

Guhle-Carrier
Hutson-RD (Matheson until trade deadline)
Xhekaj- Reinbacher (3rd pairing until Matheson is moved, to acclimatize to the NHL tempo)

and later, as soon as possible:

Guhle - Missing RHD/Reinbacher
Hutson - Reinbacher/Missing RHD
Xhekaj - Carrier

And eventually:

Guhle-Missing RHD/Reinbacher
Hutson-Reinbacher/Missing RHD
Xhekaj-Mailloux
Carrier

helps us do is solidify the back end to allow all the forwards to create offense. Otherwise, with a porous defensive group, forwards are required to overcompensate defensively and lack the confidence to gain the split second required to create offense at the NHL level.

A bad defensive group has the same effect as having a sieve in nets. It saps the overall confidence and kills offense as much as it allows goals against.

I agree, as seen in the initial defensive scenario, that we can address the need for a RHD internally, to start.

Even without acquiring a RHD by the trade deadline, we can temporarily ice an okay group and look for a RHD in the following offseason:

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson-Reinbacher
Xhekaj-Mailloux

Let's not forget that, despite needing a little more seasoning in the AHL, Engstrom appears to be slated as a good LD that can play both sides. His development is coming along steadily and I have decent hopes he might surprise us down the road.

2C, however, has nothing that close to having an impact in the NHL.

Hage, which some t0ut as the eventual 2C, likely doesn't play for the Habs -- at the earliest - until after the trade deadline in 2026-2027, and this doesn't mean he will have an imnmediate impact at that point.

IMO, the period which Hage plays in the NHL after the trade deadline in 2026-2027 allows the rookie to see what he needs to work on in the offseason.

With Hage arriving in camp, pumped to impress and with more knowledge of what he needs to do to excel on the NHL, I see him playing more conservatively to start and find ing a groove after the Christmas break.

Even then, he might start off on the 3rd line at C, or as a winger, period.

There aren't several options for 2C in the system yet and none are that close to having an impact in the NHL.

2C needs to readdressed promptly for the NHL level while, still, drafting to shore up the position in the system.

AS AN ASIDE: The system ALWAYS needs to be shored up. Otherwise, once an eventual window closes, we need another rebuild.

Shoring up the system allows teams to extend windows.
 
Not just Demidov, but, yes, his development -- especially since, like Slafkovsky, it will likely be a direct jump to the NHL -- requires filling the 2C position, even with just a stop-gap as we wait for someone from within to develop as such, as soon as possible.

It's not to say that the RD position doesn't need to be addressed shortly, but, internally, we do have short term fixes, even if we are not DEEP at RD in case of injuries.

The 2C will help every progress in their development -- That includes players like Suzuki and Caufield as well because an actual 2nd line will loosen the defensive coverage a little against the Suzuki line that is, at the moment, the only one to defend regularly.

The 2C settles the forward group structurally and provides proper support for all of our wingers of talent; Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov, possibly Dach and, even, Laine.

What completing a solid D-Corps with, initially:

Guhle-Carrier
Hutson-RD (Matheson until trade deadline)
Xhekaj- Reinbacher (3rd pairing until Matheson is moved, to acclimatize to the NHL tempo)

and later, as soon as possible:

Guhle - Missing RHD/Reinbacher
Hutson - Reinbacher/Missing RHD
Xhekaj - Carrier

And eventually:

Guhle-Missing RHD/Reinbacher
Hutson-Reinbacher/Missing RHD
Xhekaj-Mailloux
Carrier

helps us do is solidify the back end to allow all the forwards to create offense. Otherwise, with a porous defensive group, forwards are required to overcompensate defensively and lack the confidence to gain the split second required to create offense at the NHL level.

A bad defensive group has the same effect as having a sieve in nets. It saps the overall confidence and kills offense as much as it allows goals against.

I agree, as seen in the initial defensive scenario, that we can address the need for a RHD internally, to start.

Even without acquiring a RHD by the trade deadline, we can temporarily ice an okay group and look for a RHD in the following offseason:

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson-Reinbacher
Xhekaj-Mailloux

Let's not forget that, despite needing a little more seasoning in the AHL, Engstrom appears to be slated as a good LD that can play both sides. His development is coming along steadily and I have decent hopes he might surprise us down the road.

2C, however, has nothing that close to having an impact in the NHL.

Hage, which some t0ut as the eventual 2C, likely doesn't play for the Habs -- at the earliest - until after the trade deadline in 2026-2027, and this doesn't mean he will have an imnmediate impact at that point.

IMO, the period which Hage plays in the NHL after the trade deadline in 2026-2027 allows the rookie to see what he needs to work on in the offseason.

With Hage arriving in camp, pumped to impress and with more knowledge of what he needs to do to excel on the NHL, I see him playing more conservatively to start and find ing a groove after the Christmas break.

Even then, he might start off on the 3rd line at C, or as a winger, period.

There aren't several options for 2C in the system yet and none are that close to having an impact in the NHL.

2C needs to readdressed promptly for the NHL level while, still, drafting to shore up the position in the system.

AS AN ASIDE: The system ALWAYS needs to be shored up. Otherwise, once an eventual window closes, we need another rebuild.

Shoring up the system allows teams to extend windows.

We have some trade chips to get that RD or at least to get assets to get that RD: Matheson, Savard, Mailloux, Steuble, Calgary 1st, our 1st.

I do wonder how Seth Jones with retention would do. I've heard mixed reviews.
 
He can just play with Nick and Cole otherwise. It's not like we'll get some magic beans and find an ideal center within a few months. The most likely scenario is we sign someone to replace Jake or we re-sign Jake and we're just back with the same lineup minus Dvorak.
As much as I think Demidov may end up playing with Suzuki down the road I think like Lane Hutson a first line/top pairing position out of camp it isn't going to happen. It's possible he gets PP1 though not having to assume the quarterback's position.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad