if Jeff can move: ( I say this as the ones he has a chance in moving, not saying all of them)
hopefully 3 of these ones
Gally
Ben
Tyler
Petry
JD (with a hope and prayer)
then this is not bad at all, price remains for sure
Would definately trade:
1) Chiarot (return will be high)
2) Petry (likely the return will be lower than expected because of his mediocre play this season and cap)
3) Lek
Good rental player. High return possible.
4) Armia
His size and physique are useful. A high pick maybe possible. However, his cap is a deterrent, therefore the return will be lower.
It gets complicated after:
1) Gally (cap, injuries, terrible season, not tradeable or horrible return)
2) Byron (not tradeable, injuries)
Good rental player if healthy. Late round pick at most (4th/5th).
3) Weber (simply un-tradeable)
Send him back to Nashville. Also, will help the Preds with that early retirement recapture penalty. Maybe they can send back a good prospect for his contract.
4) JD (lost cause)
Enough said. Contract will expire next year. Don't see a team in the running to acquire his services anytime soon. Very low return if any. Good rental player for a contender next year but don't expect anything more than 6th or 7th at most.
5) Price (good luck)
High cap, past his prime. Health issues. Uncertain future. I see an equally bad contract traded for Price and maybe some good prospect with some salary retained by the Habs. Off course, this is only possible if Price comes back healthy.
6) Edmundson
I would build around this guy for now.
7) Allen
No other goalie in the farm is ready to take on the role. If someone offers the moon, trade him but they need to ice bodies out there.
8) Montambeault
Mediocre backup, but he fills the role nicely.
9) Kulak
Late round pick (7th) or future considerations.
10) Toffoli
Not willing to part ways with this guy. You need to ice a team, he's affordable and the best Habs forward.
11) Hoffman
Again, you need to ice a team. He's the closest thing to a sniper this team has. If someone offers the moon, then move him.
12) Savard
He's a hometown player. Likely will become the new poster boy after Drouin leaves. Un-movable for the foreseeable future.
13) Paquette
He's done. No return.
14) Perreault
Eye career ending injury. Return, zero!!
15) Wideman
Good rental player. Likely a late round pick (6th or 7th).
16) Anderson
The contract length makes him unmovable for a few years.
17) Niku
A late round pick (6th or 7th) or future considerations.
18) Dvorak
Don't see the Habs trading him any time soon. Affordable 3rd line C. Move him if someone offers the moon but highly unlikely.
So this leaves us with :
1) CC
2) Suzi
3) Radulov
4) Evans
5) Poehling
6) Guhle
7) Primeau
8) Pinard
9) Ylonen
10) Norlinder
11) Mysak
12) Kidney
14) Kapanen
15) Tuch
16) Hillis/Fairbrother
16) and those who remain on the reserve list
These are prospects or youngsters you want to build around with unless Gorton uses them as bargainchips to acquire a bigger fish. I see some not panning out anyways. Suzuki though has solidified his position as a number 1C for a long time with that contract.
So, I don't see Gorton doing magic here. BargainBin set him up for failure.
Dauphin, Belzille, Pezzetta, Clague, Déa, Ouellet, Baddock, Balpédio and all those other fringe NHLers are filler material, that no team will waste effort to acquire.
The only way I see the Habs becoming dominant again is drafting players in the top 5 for many years. This means finishing in the gutter for a long time. A few top picks may change the course of this franchise and then some good UFAs can complement them.
The future looks bleak right now.
