I agree that he would be a good fit - problem is that he will probably demand the highest contract on the FA market for forwards - it seems like the perfect storm that will lead to a huge, long contract that bites a team after a couple seasons.
HF Habs: Trade Proposal Thread 92 Waiting on the DRAFT Edition
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I agree that he would be a good fit - problem is that he will probably demand the highest contract on the FA market for forwards - it seems like the perfect storm that will lead to a huge, long contract that bites a team after a couple seasons.
Sterling Archer
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JeffreyLFC
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What kind of player he is exactly? All I see is a glorified agitator with above average talent and not that great defensively either. Poor on face off too.
Captain Mountain
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He's going to get a crazy contract. And betting on a 29 year old C who plays a physical game seems very dangerous, players like that tend to age pretty poorly.
Priority for this team is clearly a #2 center. Preferably a left shot. There are 43 left centers (as listed by NHL.com) who had 50pts this year.
Not going to happen (that said, KH should be kicking tires on every single name on this list because you never know): Draisaitl, McDavid, Crosby, Strome, Guentzel, Matthews, Stutzle, Aho, Barkov, Hughes, Larkin, Miller, Hintz, Kopitar, Protas, Cooley, Celebrini, Cirelli, Johnson, Monahan, McMichael, Verhaeghe, Fantilli.
Can see a world where available, but cost would be key current piece not futures: Horvat, Hischier, McTavish, Stephenson, Perfetti, McLeod.
Not a fit (I just don't see adding a small C as a good fit for our top 6): Rossi
Vegas (they are always retooling their roster, so who knows who could be available?): Hertl, Barbashev
Reasonable trade target (could potentially be had for futures): Kadri, Teravainen, O'Reilly
I don't see them willing to sing in MTL, but if available great targets: Duchene, Tavares, Nelson
Prime UFA targets: Granlund, Donato, Bennett
The last 2 (I don't really know what to think of these guys): Malkin (If he was open to it and cost is reasonable, why not?), Schenn (would need to blow Blues socks off to take on a not great contract)
Not going to happen (that said, KH should be kicking tires on every single name on this list because you never know): Draisaitl, McDavid, Crosby, Strome, Guentzel, Matthews, Stutzle, Aho, Barkov, Hughes, Larkin, Miller, Hintz, Kopitar, Protas, Cooley, Celebrini, Cirelli, Johnson, Monahan, McMichael, Verhaeghe, Fantilli.
Can see a world where available, but cost would be key current piece not futures: Horvat, Hischier, McTavish, Stephenson, Perfetti, McLeod.
Not a fit (I just don't see adding a small C as a good fit for our top 6): Rossi
Vegas (they are always retooling their roster, so who knows who could be available?): Hertl, Barbashev
Reasonable trade target (could potentially be had for futures): Kadri, Teravainen, O'Reilly
I don't see them willing to sing in MTL, but if available great targets: Duchene, Tavares, Nelson
Prime UFA targets: Granlund, Donato, Bennett
The last 2 (I don't really know what to think of these guys): Malkin (If he was open to it and cost is reasonable, why not?), Schenn (would need to blow Blues socks off to take on a not great contract)
le_sean
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Horvat should be the main target if the Isles are smart enough to realize that need to rebuild. I doubt it though.
Even in that case, I think the Isles would be looking for a signed young player to build around (ex Slaf) and not draft picks. But yes, he'd be a great target.
Ozmodiar
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Tough to know what the other teams are thinking, but, Hughes probably inquired on:
- Horvat
- ROR (team will treat as a no-move, I know)
- Schenn
Maybe the fallback plan is Granlund.
If they land a big name winger instead, maybe Donato can bridge the gap to Hage.
I think Hughes already has a good idea on who he’ll get. Talks probably started during TDL.
JeffreyLFC
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Yes. I see it very similarly. I would rather target a player for short term than going on a long contract with a free agent. The advantage: if it flops, you can get away easily and have another go probably next year. We kind of did that with Laine/Monahan. We got them for 2 years, good time to evaluate a player and his potential role long term for the club. If we had him for 7 years and it fails, you are stuck with him.
I know it's boring for most fans but I find it way smarter and considerate. Especially with the long term potential of Hage.
Accounting for feasability, left-handedness and faceoff prowess, I’d go with :
Plan A : Trade for Horvat
Plan B : Sign Duchene
Plan C : Trade for O’Reilly
Plan D : Sign Bennett
Plan E : Sign Granlund or Nelson
Horvat is by far the optimal candidate. I put Duchene and O’Reilly above Bennett for cap sustainability reasons, but if the latter would be willing to sign around 7 x 7M AAV (unlikely?), then he’d be my plan B.
Grate n Colorful Oz
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I would only entertain getting Crosby if it's for picks and B prospects. No way we should trade grade As for such a short term solution. They'll need picks anyway.
sampollock
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Depends on your definition of grade A prospects. I think of Hage, Rein and Fowler as our only Grade A pieces. Beck, Roy, Kapanen are all B pieces and thus doable.
I've said it already but given our draft depth, I'd do both 1sts this year + 2026 1st + Beck + Mailloux if they insisted on that last piece to get it done.
Sam Bennett's most productive year has been this year with 51 points. He plays on a stacked Florida Panthers team. I am interested and I like his playstyle....but I would proceed with caution. Remove him this Florida roster and sign him to a monster contract what happens if he becomes Calgary version of Bennett, putting up ~30 points per season?
Some players are successful because of the system they play in and the players they play with. I would be worried about Bennett.
Some players are successful because of the system they play in and the players they play with. I would be worried about Bennett.
JeffreyLFC
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Vague and quite honestly his history is not great, one season above 50 pts, not even above 50% on faceoff and turning 29 years old this summer.
le_sean
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No thanks to Bennett. I really like the player but his playstyle will have him age horribly.
sampollock
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I feel he is type of player they need.
I have said for ever he will resign in FLA
you do you say they should target??
I still honestly think Horvat or Barzal are the best options. Throw one of the firsts, one of the seconds, and Mailloux at the NYI and see if its enough
It won’t be enough. Like I said multiple times here, Lou said like a month ago he dont believe in rebuilding via the draft, maybe if they have a new GM.
We'll have to wait and see what this summer's contracts look like, but I feel like people are under-playing the rising cap. I would happily pay 7 x 9M. The projected 27-28 cap is $113.5M, which is 29% above today's cap. $9M in 27-28 = $7 in today's dollars. The cap has been so stable for so long that people have gotten used to certain numbers as benchmarks - there may be opportunity this summer to get ahead of the new curve by "overpaying".
BoneHutson
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Lets say theres some pushbacks in the contract talks between McTavish and ANA this summer, do we think 17th OA + top 5 protected 1st 2026 + Mailloux gets it done?
Then Id move up from 16 into the back end of the top 10 to get Eklund (something like 16th + 40th + Kapanen for 9th OA from NYI).
That could be our lineup as soon as next year with Eklund and Hage coming at the end of the season.
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Laine-McTavish-Demidov
Newhook-Dach-Anderson
Evans-Beck-Heineman
Hutson-Reinbacher
Guhle-Carrier
Xhekaj-Struble
Then Id move up from 16 into the back end of the top 10 to get Eklund (something like 16th + 40th + Kapanen for 9th OA from NYI).
That could be our lineup as soon as next year with Eklund and Hage coming at the end of the season.
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Laine-McTavish-Demidov
Newhook-Dach-Anderson
Evans-Beck-Heineman
Hutson-Reinbacher
Guhle-Carrier
Xhekaj-Struble
the 2C has to be a stud defensive/2 way player/PKer because PP1 is already filled, can't dump too much money into a offensive 2C and have him play PP2, ideally bringing size/grit too
how many players fit that mold? Horvat would be great altho i don't like the caphit, he checks a lot of those boxes and brings good leadership too
Barzal haven't really played center in the last 3-4 seasons. Barely taken FOs in the last 2 and he miss half a season every 2 seasons.
Habs 2-way center needs to be a defensive guy with some offense anyhow. So Suzuki doesn't have to play on the PK anymore.
Depending on which is available I'd make Mailloux, Beck, Haje and Roy available
Kudo Shinichi
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