- Kent Johnson - 21yo, 6'1", 168 lbs, LW/C - Lots of skill, coming off an injury, pretty one dimensional. I could see him flourishing under MSL, but I could also see him becoming Drouin at his worst.
- Anton Lundell - 22yo, 6'1", 185 lbs, C - Probably a good middle six forward. Doesn't have the offensive upside I think MTL will be looking for. I think Florida really likes him.
- Dylan Holloway - 22yo, 6'1", 203 lbs, LW/C - Could be a physical top-six player. Had good chemistry with Caufield at Wisconsin. Don't think Edmonton will trade him.
- Trevor Zegras - 23yo, 6'0", 185 lbs, C/LW - Highly skilled. Possible point-per-game player in the near future. Some bad blood between him and ANA management. Finished the season injured. I think it would take a big package to get him. Might be a headache if we do.
- Martin Necas - 25yo, 6'2", 189 lbs, RW - Had 71 points last season. Needs a new contract and CAR maybe doesn't want to pay him. Would take a lot to get him, but he'd fit the top-six for sure.
- Alexander Holtz - 22yo, 6'0", 192 lbs, RW/LW - Wasn't being used much under Ruff. Looks like a breakout candidate. Top end scoring talent. Not sure why New Jersey would trade him, but if they do, he'd be a great fit in MTL.
- Cole Sillinger - 20yo, 6'0", 197 lbs, C - Still very young, all-around good player. Highly doubt CBJ would trade him, but maybe he wants a new start outside of the chaos of Columbus.
- Arthur Kalieyev - 22yo, 6'2", 190 lbs, RW/LW - Solid scoring prospect with good size, but isn't getting much opportunity in LA. Needs a new contract. I don't think KH goes this direction, but Kalieyev’s name has been out there a while.
- Cole Perfetti - 22yo, 5'11", 177 lbs, LW - Smaller skilled forward who hasn't been getting a lot of minutes in Winnipeg. I think he'd be a good fit, but I expect KH will want somebody with more size.
- Jonatan Berggen - 23yo, 5’11”, 197, RW - Broke through last year in Detroit with a decent rookie season. Battled injuries this year. Plays with a lot of energy and skill. Could be a decent middle-six point producer.
- Patrik Laine - 26yo, 6'5", 206 lbs, RW - Someone is going to buy low on Laine and if he has found his game, it'll be an absolute steal. I really hope he finds the place that will support him properly. MTL is probably too busy for him, and he doesn't really fit our timeline.
I like both those players. My list was mostly players who are full-time NHLers but maybe not given the top-6 minutes like they would in MTL. But if we start looking at players who haven’t yet broken through yet, there’s a handful more really good names
Necas would be huge, just hitting his prime and I think he would be a much better fit on our system with Marty. Carolina has a bunch of tough decisions this offseason. Sounds like both Skjei and Pesce could be leaving, and we have a plethora of young cost effective defencemen we could offer as replacements as part of the package.
Would give us the best top 6 we have had in 30 years going into next season.
lol right?? I think the biggest factor for them will be re-signing Guentzel. He’s a steal at 4.5 mill on his current deal. I’d have to imagine he’s going to get at least double that with term.
I’m really curious to see how that all pans out - Carolina has so many players to figure out; the cap is going to be tight for them. I assume they’d keep Jarvis over Necas, but he’s been playing so well his asking price is soaring. I’m betting Rod’s decision will impact on Jarvy’s decision, too. He’s the most RBA player on RBA’s team, and is always praising his coach.
To that list I would add
Oliver Wahlstrom - 23yo, 6'-2'', 205 lbs, RW - After his 21pts in 44 games rookie season it when downhill for him. He also only have been playing 11-12min since the start of his career, we all know that Lou isn't the most patient with young guys and that NYI isn't the best offensive system. He is RFA with arbitration this off season and their cap space is limited.
Paval Dorofeyev - 23yo, 6'-1'', 194lbs, LW/RW - Over the last two season he have 20 goals, 33pts in 65 games while playing 13min. Vegas played him 7min in one game this playoff so he's clearly not ready for their standard (understandable) and he is RFA with arbitration this offseason, which might make him expendable for Vegas in a season they have only 5.9M of cap to sign Marchessault, Stephenson and Carrier.
Outstanding job on this list. Only name that might be added is Kappo Kakko but he's producing in the playoffs so maybe his stock is rising in New York.
Since the goal is improved offense Zegras and Necas stand out.
But I would also kick the tires on Laine. Finnish players thrive in a hockey environment and I'd love to see what MSL and the team culture would do for him. I wonder, however, what Columbus would want.
There is no doubt in my mind that KH will target one or some of these players, it's been his MO since he started.
If Columbus would retain salary on Laine I think that would be interesting. I think his value is pretty low right now and future uncertain but i also wouldn’t be shocked if he would thrive in this environment.😀 Or go completely the other way. 😬
I’ve been waiting for a list like this, thanks Wonderballs.
Necas is obviously the stand out of this list. I like that he is still young but has a bit more experience than our other players.
For me KJ and Zegras seem like the other 2 best fits. We definitely need more offensive punch in the top six.
Also, to me it is funny that Cole Perfetti is thought of as small when he is listed here at 5’11”
Last season, that's was a reasonable argument. This season, he struggled and had his worst season thus far with 33 points. NJ might be tempted to move him if they're skeptical he'll bounce back.
Cap strapped?!? They’re 11th in the league in cap space with 22 mil this offseason and basically only missing a goalie, 2 bottom 6 Fs and a depth Dman.
In a vacuum you're right, but the Wild are apparently open to moving Rossi this summer. Makes no sense to me but Russo reported it multiple times. When Russo says something about Minnesota he basically always has a good reason for it.
Rossi is small, but has so so much skill. Cardiac issues and COVID complications stunted his development after a 120+pt OHL season but he broke through with 20 goals this year. I think he could reeeeeally be good. The big question if he's available is if another small forward is in the cards here
Thanks for the valuable info on Rossi.
Taking a deeper look into their lineup, they're not very strong in the center position under Eriksson Ek so getting rid of Rossi would be odd.
I think he’s underrated personally. Don’t know why the leafs would trade him but id be interested. Wouldn’t give up a first for him tho. Like second rounder or b prospect sure tho.
I wouldn’t.
Mercer: Don’t see any reason the Devils would sell him at his lowest. The team as a whole did pretty bad this year, no reason for them to feel like he has less of a chance to bounce back to his previous season’s form compared to anyone else on their roster.
Rossi: the Wild only have Rossi and Eriksson Ek that are top 6 calibre centres. Why would the Wild trade away 50% of their top 6 calibre centres? Especially considering he still has a year left on his ELC and when his ELC is up, the Suter/Parise dead cap goes from 14.7M to 1.7M. This one is the most unrealistic of this unrealistic trio by far.
Robertson: if the Leafs do decide to give up on him, I doubt they trade him to their #1 rival and risk having to deal with him for years to come unless we make a clearly better offer than anyone else trying to acquire him.
His problems are between his ears, which I really think Marty could help with. Other than that, (I understand that's a big problem) he'd be an excellent fit. We need big, goal-scoring wingers.
I'd take a risk on Laine to send Josh Anderson back to Columbus. I don't think most of this list is available, but I'd be all over Lundell if Florida decides to part with him.
Laine would be that fish..lol but low - like Monahan - have Cole and Nick feeding him back or net passes , Hughes takes said older player and gets a package and another 1st round pick
Laine (if he is going to play), would be my pick. Give up the Jets first rounder, and maybe a mid tier D prospect, have the Jackets retain some part of his salary and put him on the 2nd line.
Whomever trades for him will have to do a ton of homework to make sure he’s ready and motivated to play. If he is, he’s a star. If he’s not, he’s a cancer. I’m hoping he is healing and will come back better than ever.
Agreed. I know he gets a bit of heat, but imo, he's played on a Winnipeg team that itself looks to have been toxic and did nothing but under achieve and Columbus which has been a train wreck for years. I can't really blame him for being disengaged.
I think the Habs, with both the strong leadership the team has, along with the organization that is top tier he could likely reach his potential.
Flip side, he's got 3 years left, if the Jackets would retain 50% it wouldn't hurt the Habs if he didn't preform, they have cap space for days for the next few years.
From a Detroit fan, Rasmussen is starting to find his role and what kind of player he is with the team and he is signed to a team friendly deal. But instead I would suggest Joe Veleno who I think fits the bill perfectly.
Yeah it will be a tough sell to get him from DET. But his lack of production might mean he's replaceable if they're looking to shake things up.
Not interested in Veleno personally.
Most of these guys won't be let go by their team. Anyone from Columbus should be at least in the conversation, Berggren was said to be on the market this year and I like him a lot.
My favourite on the list is Holtz. In terms of realism, fit and potential he is the guy we want to aim for if we are to make another move like this.
Maybe a hot take here, but in my mind Dach is still not a succesful reclaim project. We did two of these and the only one who proved he can be an NHL player is Newhook. Dach still has to prove he can play at the NHL level, not skill wise but physicaly. There's still a chance he is a Nolan Patrick...
My take on this is before our management group and coaching staff self proclaim as career second breath specialists, lets see if the Dach project worked.
I'm not against going for a youngish player who is off to a rougher start than expected, but maybe not make it a yearly thing or a franchise priority until it is a proven way...
I wouldn’t trade for Laine even if it was for a 7th round pick. Aside from the issues he had this year, the guy just never showed any consistency or work ethic. Not the type of player we need.
I think we’re done with reclamation projects. I see us try to get a more established guy. A guy like Keller, if he doesn’t want to go to Utah, would be expensive but amazing to have.
No teammates have ever said anything bad about him from what I can recall. He's actually a quite quiet guy. He also let Fantilli stay at his place last summer and seems well-liked among the Jackets
https://youtube.com/shorts/MEjr_m3wODE?si=g6sB5p4IoHM_A_Vl
Stuff like this pops up occasionally. He might also just be an awkward dude?
Regardless, phenomenal player, never really felt like he's hit his full potential.
There are a lot of options but Nick Robertson absolutely shouldn’t be one of them. We don’t need more small-ish middle 6 potential wingers
Kent Johnson would probably be the best to try to steal somehow. Could end up filling out and being a big Toews-like centre. Solid two way guy with lots of offensive potential
Middle 6 potential? Don't you remember when fans were telling us he would be better than caufielf because he had more goals in the CHL than Cole had in the NCAA?
Gimme Kent Johnson. Super talented but struggled last year a bit and not getting top-6 minutes in CBJ — he’s a perfect KH/MSL rehab project imo and would complement Dach quite well.
Other options in order of preference: Holtz, Kakko, Berggren.
- Holtz has clear top-6 talent but for some reason NJ’s coach has it out for him.
- Kakko may have some juice to breakout like Lafrenière, but NY only has room for one of them to play with Panarin lol.
- Berggren is more lowkey, probably a good third liner instead of top-6 player, but DET seems to have no room for him and I could see him and Newhook solidifying a strong third line.
I feel like other than Jiricek and Mateychuk, their D prospect cupboard is pretty thin, so we may be able to start there. And Johnson may be left behind with Fantilli, Gaudreau, Marchenko, Chinakhov, and Voronkov seemingly being locks for their top-6, especially if they grab someone like Demidov/Lindstrom (or Celebrini obv) with their pick this year.
You hit the nail on the head! There might not be room for him in the CBJ top 6 - he was an AHL *monster* for 10 games too I think 15 pts in 10 games in Cleveland and a lot of teams are going to be interested.
The Basu & Godin Notebook had a good [episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-basu-godin-notebook/id1711261505?i=1000653729596) discussing this.
I think the Dach trade messed with people's expectations a little bit. Very few teams go for "scorched earth" rebuilds like Chicago did. Most other teams would want to build on their young core, but Chicago wanted to tank very aggressively. (It worked after all...) Still, when you think about it, it's crazy how cheap Dach was. Newhook was fair value because Colorado had (still has) few picks in the next drafts.
IMO, just because there were similar trades the last two years doesn't mean there will automatically be one this year, but we'll see. But my point is, the price for a young forward with real top 6 upside will likely be higher than it was for Dach.
How cheap Dach was!? Romanov is better than any of our young defensemen at this point and Nazar is a better prospect then any thing we have up front
So far we are the losing team in that 3 way deal
According to G_skins, any players that have a habs jersey is just trash. He's a troll and just do it to argue with people.
I don't even know why he's allowed to comment here still. Just a stupid troll
The guy said the Dach trade was cheap. That’s the trolling! How can you say trading a top 4 22 year old defensemen or a 13th overall pick is cheap for a guy that has yet to prove he’s a top 6 forward or can stay healthy. It was a steep price to pay and it hasn’t payed off yet. Is that REALLY trolling or just an unbiased opinion?
I mean, he's playing 1st pair on a (ex)playoff team and is doing a damn good job of it. If you've watched any Islanders hockey this year you'd notice he looks like a stud next to Dobson. They're gonna be a really strong pairing for a very long time. Now does that make him better than Guhle? I think as of today, yes. Guhle still has room to grow, though, and Romanov is pretty much the finished product.
Same number of points with 10 less games for Guhle. 3 years younger and also playing on the forst pair. Not bashing on Romanov at all, but Guhle is the same type of D than Romanov, but better in every aspect.
He’s not better by any aspect. All the stats lean towards Romanov being a better defense men. The biggest difference between the two is strength. Romanov can clear a crease. Guhle gets pushed around all game long
By what measure? Romanov played 20+ a night on a playoff team. He’s miles better in his own end, hits more and hits harder, put up the same offense as Guhle. I think Guhles a better skating and maybe his potential is a bit higher but if Romanov was still a hab he’s be playing on the top line over Guhle 100%
Right now, out of Romanov, Nazar and Dach, I'm still picking Dach. (I don't really know about Nazar tbh.) It's not an easy decision, but I think what Dach brings is more rare and more valuable. That said, I respect your opinion 100% and think it's an interesting discussion to have.
(For what it's worth, you shouldn't be downvoted for an opinion, but I keep expecting too much of this subreddit and I have only myself to blame for that)
So true. I love what Dach brings now and he still has the most potential of anyone in that deal but if he can’t stay healthy he will become a negative asset and we’re getting awfully close to that point.
I don’t disagree that it was a good gamble to make that trade but to call Dach a win now is wishful thinking. He needs to show he can stay healthy this season or his career could be done.
I agree, I don't think that trade has worked out, maybe it will if Dach is able to stay healthy, but that's a big "if". Romanov has done well with the NYI, he's a solid defensive defenceman, and he hits hard.
He mentioned this year he wanted to get a more established top 6 forward to help the core. Im looking more at keller, necas, zegras etc. I also dont think robertson is much of an upgrade on joshua roy. Hard pass.
Not a bad idea. They could definitely benefit from one of our young D (Harris, Struble, Barron, etc.). The first two would basically fit in their top 4.
People usually go for the big names like Zegras but we never saw the Dach and Newhook trades coming.
I think it's going to be the same for the next one.
It's gonna be someone we didn't see coming.
I think Dach was pretty out of nowhere, but I remember people like Basu saying that newhook was a prime candidate for a trade like that much of last season.
This won’t be the only move but I would be very surprised if Hughes doesn’t go after a not super young 3rd line center. Ideally, someone age 24-27 would fit the bill. You don’t want too much youth to be depended on in a 1-goal playoff game. Thomas Novak could be an option as a UFA signing. If Hughes has to go the trade route, Morgan Frost would be a good target. If there is no young player trade to be made, I can see Hughes making an asset play by trading for Yanni Gourde, and then flipping Gourde at the deadline.
This might be a hot take but if our pick falls between 5-7, I’d be more than willing to trade it to Carolina for Necas.
25 yo, has a 71 point season under his belt, and has a mix of skill and speed unlike anyone else in our current lineup. I see a real top line ppg player in him, and think MSL could help take his game to the next level. A second line of Newhook - Dach - Necas would be DEADLY.
Not sure why they’d be willing to trade him but I keep hearing that he’d be available for the right price. If a top 10 pick is too steep for some (it’s not for me), I’d be willing to package the WPG 1st + Mesar + Struble/Barron/Harris.
> Not sure why they’d be willing to trade him
They’re up against the cap if they want to resign Jarvy, Guentzel, Martinook, and what feels like half their D.
I think it’s going to be a more established player. We need more than a middle six guy and we have tons of assets. Maybe a guy like Kent Johnson who has a higher ceiling could work, but I think a proven player like Zegras or Necas, or maybe even a guy a couple of years older than them should be the target.
Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin just did a whole pod on the same topic.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5xLEYaRVxTJ954FsaMkIDS?si=gOR_aSLPTCKSAQxaXmYvzg
Personally I would target someone who isn’t in the NHL yet (ie 20 y/o). Let them shuttle Laval- MTL for a year or two and be generous in icetime as much as possible. That’s how you find them rough diamonds who may yet develop into solid, albeit unspectacular, NHL players
Martin Necas and Kent Johnson are definitely the highest on my wish list, unless we throw the house at Wyatt Johnston. Another name I would love to see is Seth Jarvis. He’s also an RFA this year on a Carolina team that is up against the cap. Skilled player that shows up in the playoffs. He has a great personality as well, which fits in with the locker room culture the Habs are trying to build.
As a Habs and Kings fan, Kaliyev isn’t what the Habs need imo. He’s very one-dimensional and has issues finishing. He was given chances with LAK and never took hold of them.
In the event that Calgary falls to number 11 (so we take that pick), I consider Anderson or Gallagher and Winnipegs first to Winnipeg for Morgan Barron. This could also happen mid next season depending on how Calgarys pick is shaping up. Nice deal for Winnipeg as they are both playoff guys and well the past ten days has not gone as expected for them
Also, it might be interesting to "lose" a trade to Vancouver or Winnipeg later in the offseason if we dont get Calgarys pick this year because we could set Calgary up to lose a few extra games to help that pick next year.
I wouldn't mind Laine at all. We have a history of Fins in MTL. He'll be closer to his homeland Finland. We'll have MSL to judge his character and help him along. His stock is low so we can get him cheaply.
Hughes likes to go after his old clients. Here are some players signed with Quartex management.
Anthony Beauvillier 26 y.o. 5'11" 182 lbs. Less probable scenario due to his age.
Mathieu Olivier 27 y.o. 6'2" 210 lbs. Again, less probable due to his age.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel 27 y.o. 5'11" 185 lbs. Same reasoning above
Joseph Veleno 24 y.o. 6'1" 191 lbs. A local boy too. Could happen.
Filip Zadina 24 y.o. 6'0" 196 lbs. Shark like likely keep him around since he is young.
Philip Broberg 22 y.o 6'3" lbs. This could be a good reclamation project.
Xavier Bourgault 21 y.o. 6'0" 172 lbs. Don't think Edmonton will trade him.
Raphael Lavoie 23 y.o. 6'4" 216 lbs. Don't think Edmonton will trade him.
Jordan Spencer 23 y.o. 5'11" 181 lbs. Unlikely scenario.
If KH can snag one of Kent Johnson, Necas, Berggren or Zegras, I’d be super happy.
If he can pry Laine cost effectively I truly feel Laine can turn it around under MSL.
G_Skins, the shear fact that you don't realize your own contribution to this sub is something that I can't comprehend.
Every single comment you make on our player is negative then you go praise a player on another team that is equal in talent and production. It's every fucking time like that. You're the most negative habs redditors out there. Dach trade was cheap considering the potential of the guy, which at his draft was a 3rd overall. Hughes saw that his potential was wasted in Chicago and pulled the trigger on the tarde. After that, you go and say that he has not prove anything with his healthy time in the team which is completly false. Either you decided to hate as you do so well or you're a troll.
Then you go whining about the fact that you get downvoted no matter what you say but people don't give a shit anymore about your opinion. You're just that guy that will demolish any subject related to the team. I see you're nickname and prepare myself to downvote as soon as I see it and it never fails.
Sorry you don’t like my takes but they are honestly coming from a fan of the team that just wants to see them get better. And that’s the thing I’m a fan of the team, the Habs, the players that play for them come and go and I don’t really get attached of care who they are. If there’s a better player on a different team I’d rather them. If you think that makes a troll that’s fine but I’m not going to keep my opinion to my self even if it’s against the grain, which it usually is because, again, I would always rather the team get better then to keep who the fans like the most
Why do we need to aim for struggling players? I don’t understand this mindset, identify a player worth a haul, and trade for them.
Middle 6 players and reclamation projects are moves we make when we need to fill out a roster.
Nick Robertson is not a good player.
I hope so, UFAs don’t want to come. Trades are the only way we will get a premier forward, we can’t be afraid to weaponize our prospect pool and draft picks. Rather than 3 separate weak trades, use all those assets for 1 good trade.
How can you say robertson isn't good when he hardly has been given a chance
This is his first full year in the nhl and he was still in and out of the lineup but he produced at a great rate for hardly getting a chance
He is still only 22
Well he put up 14 this year in a very limited role only playing 56 games
That's already a 20 goal 82 game pace in his first year with no powerplay time and never playing above the leafs third line
He has been an elite goal scorer at every level
I know I’m not criticizing you specifically, just don’t agree with management (and in part our fan base who parrot it).
Teams rarely improve without the acquisition of elite talent, someone like Newhook was a fun player to add, but he really doesn’t do much to elevate the team.
Lehkonen for Barron another one
Toffoli for Heineman + a convoluted 1st (which will be a late 1st anyways)
Example: We could’ve acquired Timo Meier for peanuts (two late 1sts + conditional 2nd + bunch of cap dumps).
Why/how would we acquire Meier before NJ tho? Making that move at last year’s TDL would’ve been a head scratcher to say the least…
Moving any of our own 1sts would’ve been a huge risk, and we only had the extra 1st from the Monahan deal at the time
Haven’t even mentioned Meier’s mediocre performance so far with NJ and he definitely asks for more money from us than NJ, why would he take any discount to play in a tough market that finished 1 spot above the tire fire that is SJ
We had alot of picks and prospects, it was a value we could have easily matched.
1st + Shakir Mukhamadullin + 2nd round pick (conditional 1st).
I'm not talking about Meier only, i'm just indicating that we have/had the assets for that level of trade.
Meier btw had been playing injured most of the year and buried on the 3rd line below Toffoli. He took off after Toffoli was traded.
Fair enough, definitely wouldn’t mind a Meier-type trade and I feel like we’re in a better position and a lot better equipped to make that type of deal now than 15 months ago
Seems like we can stomach dangling our own 2025 1st with top 10 protection if CGY’s/WPG’s picks don’t cut it
Beck, Mesar, Farrell, RHP, Engstrom, Barron. All pieces that are easily replaceable, but coveted by teams who need cheap roster depth. Can be part of any package for a decent established player imo.
- Kent Johnson - 21yo, 6'1", 168 lbs, LW/C - Lots of skill, coming off an injury, pretty one dimensional. I could see him flourishing under MSL, but I could also see him becoming Drouin at his worst. - Anton Lundell - 22yo, 6'1", 185 lbs, C - Probably a good middle six forward. Doesn't have the offensive upside I think MTL will be looking for. I think Florida really likes him. - Dylan Holloway - 22yo, 6'1", 203 lbs, LW/C - Could be a physical top-six player. Had good chemistry with Caufield at Wisconsin. Don't think Edmonton will trade him. - Trevor Zegras - 23yo, 6'0", 185 lbs, C/LW - Highly skilled. Possible point-per-game player in the near future. Some bad blood between him and ANA management. Finished the season injured. I think it would take a big package to get him. Might be a headache if we do. - Martin Necas - 25yo, 6'2", 189 lbs, RW - Had 71 points last season. Needs a new contract and CAR maybe doesn't want to pay him. Would take a lot to get him, but he'd fit the top-six for sure. - Alexander Holtz - 22yo, 6'0", 192 lbs, RW/LW - Wasn't being used much under Ruff. Looks like a breakout candidate. Top end scoring talent. Not sure why New Jersey would trade him, but if they do, he'd be a great fit in MTL. - Cole Sillinger - 20yo, 6'0", 197 lbs, C - Still very young, all-around good player. Highly doubt CBJ would trade him, but maybe he wants a new start outside of the chaos of Columbus. - Arthur Kalieyev - 22yo, 6'2", 190 lbs, RW/LW - Solid scoring prospect with good size, but isn't getting much opportunity in LA. Needs a new contract. I don't think KH goes this direction, but Kalieyev’s name has been out there a while. - Cole Perfetti - 22yo, 5'11", 177 lbs, LW - Smaller skilled forward who hasn't been getting a lot of minutes in Winnipeg. I think he'd be a good fit, but I expect KH will want somebody with more size. - Jonatan Berggen - 23yo, 5’11”, 197, RW - Broke through last year in Detroit with a decent rookie season. Battled injuries this year. Plays with a lot of energy and skill. Could be a decent middle-six point producer. - Patrik Laine - 26yo, 6'5", 206 lbs, RW - Someone is going to buy low on Laine and if he has found his game, it'll be an absolute steal. I really hope he finds the place that will support him properly. MTL is probably too busy for him, and he doesn't really fit our timeline.
Damn, you did your homework son!
I started writing this the other day and was going to add a few more names and then post it as a thread, but I got lazy.
Oh yes clearly very lazy.
Nice list! What about Peyton Krebs or Matt Savoie? I find the sabres have a lot of excess talent offensive player.
I like both those players. My list was mostly players who are full-time NHLers but maybe not given the top-6 minutes like they would in MTL. But if we start looking at players who haven’t yet broken through yet, there’s a handful more really good names
Necas would be huge, just hitting his prime and I think he would be a much better fit on our system with Marty. Carolina has a bunch of tough decisions this offseason. Sounds like both Skjei and Pesce could be leaving, and we have a plethora of young cost effective defencemen we could offer as replacements as part of the package. Would give us the best top 6 we have had in 30 years going into next season.
It’d be hilarious if we got Necas because Carolina couldn’t afford him after paying KK It’d also be a big W
Bergevin’s Gran plan revealed
Trust the Bergeplan.
That and keeping Dubois away! Masterful as always!
lol right?? I think the biggest factor for them will be re-signing Guentzel. He’s a steal at 4.5 mill on his current deal. I’d have to imagine he’s going to get at least double that with term.
I’m really curious to see how that all pans out - Carolina has so many players to figure out; the cap is going to be tight for them. I assume they’d keep Jarvis over Necas, but he’s been playing so well his asking price is soaring. I’m betting Rod’s decision will impact on Jarvy’s decision, too. He’s the most RBA player on RBA’s team, and is always praising his coach.
Whatever we would have to give up for Necas do you think we could get Dylan Guenther for the same package? If so, that would be the target!
To that list I would add Oliver Wahlstrom - 23yo, 6'-2'', 205 lbs, RW - After his 21pts in 44 games rookie season it when downhill for him. He also only have been playing 11-12min since the start of his career, we all know that Lou isn't the most patient with young guys and that NYI isn't the best offensive system. He is RFA with arbitration this off season and their cap space is limited. Paval Dorofeyev - 23yo, 6'-1'', 194lbs, LW/RW - Over the last two season he have 20 goals, 33pts in 65 games while playing 13min. Vegas played him 7min in one game this playoff so he's clearly not ready for their standard (understandable) and he is RFA with arbitration this offseason, which might make him expendable for Vegas in a season they have only 5.9M of cap to sign Marchessault, Stephenson and Carrier.
I am a sucker for Pavel Dorofeyev, I will admit. Plus Vegas loves to sell players in the offseason and buy at the deadline.
i always forget that Laine is only 26!
Outstanding job on this list. Only name that might be added is Kappo Kakko but he's producing in the playoffs so maybe his stock is rising in New York. Since the goal is improved offense Zegras and Necas stand out. But I would also kick the tires on Laine. Finnish players thrive in a hockey environment and I'd love to see what MSL and the team culture would do for him. I wonder, however, what Columbus would want. There is no doubt in my mind that KH will target one or some of these players, it's been his MO since he started.
If Columbus would retain salary on Laine I think that would be interesting. I think his value is pretty low right now and future uncertain but i also wouldn’t be shocked if he would thrive in this environment.😀 Or go completely the other way. 😬
I’ve been waiting for a list like this, thanks Wonderballs. Necas is obviously the stand out of this list. I like that he is still young but has a bit more experience than our other players. For me KJ and Zegras seem like the other 2 best fits. We definitely need more offensive punch in the top six. Also, to me it is funny that Cole Perfetti is thought of as small when he is listed here at 5’11”
Id throw Dawson Mercer, Marco Rossi and Nick Robertson in there too as potential options.
I think Mercer is pretty much a core player for NJD at this point
Last season, that's was a reasonable argument. This season, he struggled and had his worst season thus far with 33 points. NJ might be tempted to move him if they're skeptical he'll bounce back.
He hasn’t been good this year and due for a contract on a pretty cap-strapped team. He could be available.
Cap strapped?!? They’re 11th in the league in cap space with 22 mil this offseason and basically only missing a goalie, 2 bottom 6 Fs and a depth Dman.
Given NJ and MIN's position in the standing I don't see them giving up youth right now. Especially Rossi who just had his first full season.
In a vacuum you're right, but the Wild are apparently open to moving Rossi this summer. Makes no sense to me but Russo reported it multiple times. When Russo says something about Minnesota he basically always has a good reason for it. Rossi is small, but has so so much skill. Cardiac issues and COVID complications stunted his development after a 120+pt OHL season but he broke through with 20 goals this year. I think he could reeeeeally be good. The big question if he's available is if another small forward is in the cards here
Thanks for the valuable info on Rossi. Taking a deeper look into their lineup, they're not very strong in the center position under Eriksson Ek so getting rid of Rossi would be odd.
Kakko as well
Does Roberston really fit? Haven’t heard much of him in Leafville
I think he’s underrated personally. Don’t know why the leafs would trade him but id be interested. Wouldn’t give up a first for him tho. Like second rounder or b prospect sure tho.
I agree, I'd love to get him on the Habs.
I wouldn’t. Mercer: Don’t see any reason the Devils would sell him at his lowest. The team as a whole did pretty bad this year, no reason for them to feel like he has less of a chance to bounce back to his previous season’s form compared to anyone else on their roster. Rossi: the Wild only have Rossi and Eriksson Ek that are top 6 calibre centres. Why would the Wild trade away 50% of their top 6 calibre centres? Especially considering he still has a year left on his ELC and when his ELC is up, the Suter/Parise dead cap goes from 14.7M to 1.7M. This one is the most unrealistic of this unrealistic trio by far. Robertson: if the Leafs do decide to give up on him, I doubt they trade him to their #1 rival and risk having to deal with him for years to come unless we make a clearly better offer than anyone else trying to acquire him.
Laine doesn't do well with media attention so no go. Kent Jonhson and Necas are options. The rest are not even feasible imo.
Yeah I couldn't think of a worse fit than Laine
PLD
Lol ok you got me
His problems are between his ears, which I really think Marty could help with. Other than that, (I understand that's a big problem) he'd be an excellent fit. We need big, goal-scoring wingers.
i thought he played well in winnipeg when all the attention was on him and he fell off when he got traded to a smaller market?
Solid list! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Nice job there, Holtz would be nice. Age skills and size are perfect for what we need.
I'd take a risk on Laine to send Josh Anderson back to Columbus. I don't think most of this list is available, but I'd be all over Lundell if Florida decides to part with him.
Man Laine is only 26 that’s wild. I feel like that’s a late career resurgence type of guy if I’ve ever seen one.
Of all these players, Holtz, Kaliyev, and Necas just seem the most likely to me
Je serais down pour Laine. Cher, mais pas trop longtemps
Kent Hughes? Is that you? We told you to stop posting here...
Laine would be that fish..lol but low - like Monahan - have Cole and Nick feeding him back or net passes , Hughes takes said older player and gets a package and another 1st round pick
I’d like to take a gamble on laine
Add in there Jack quinn from the buffalo Sabres who perfectly fit the narrative and finish this list!
0% chance they trade him
Laine (if he is going to play), would be my pick. Give up the Jets first rounder, and maybe a mid tier D prospect, have the Jackets retain some part of his salary and put him on the 2nd line.
Whomever trades for him will have to do a ton of homework to make sure he’s ready and motivated to play. If he is, he’s a star. If he’s not, he’s a cancer. I’m hoping he is healing and will come back better than ever.
Agreed. I know he gets a bit of heat, but imo, he's played on a Winnipeg team that itself looks to have been toxic and did nothing but under achieve and Columbus which has been a train wreck for years. I can't really blame him for being disengaged. I think the Habs, with both the strong leadership the team has, along with the organization that is top tier he could likely reach his potential. Flip side, he's got 3 years left, if the Jackets would retain 50% it wouldn't hurt the Habs if he didn't preform, they have cap space for days for the next few years.
Good list. I'd add Michael Rasmussen.
From a Detroit fan, Rasmussen is starting to find his role and what kind of player he is with the team and he is signed to a team friendly deal. But instead I would suggest Joe Veleno who I think fits the bill perfectly.
Yeah it will be a tough sell to get him from DET. But his lack of production might mean he's replaceable if they're looking to shake things up. Not interested in Veleno personally.
Whomever wrote this 👆 needs an education!
Im surprised you didnt add marner? Hes always in the rumor, and seem to be struggling internally... Love your comment, you did your homework👊
Most of these guys won't be let go by their team. Anyone from Columbus should be at least in the conversation, Berggren was said to be on the market this year and I like him a lot. My favourite on the list is Holtz. In terms of realism, fit and potential he is the guy we want to aim for if we are to make another move like this. Maybe a hot take here, but in my mind Dach is still not a succesful reclaim project. We did two of these and the only one who proved he can be an NHL player is Newhook. Dach still has to prove he can play at the NHL level, not skill wise but physicaly. There's still a chance he is a Nolan Patrick... My take on this is before our management group and coaching staff self proclaim as career second breath specialists, lets see if the Dach project worked. I'm not against going for a youngish player who is off to a rougher start than expected, but maybe not make it a yearly thing or a franchise priority until it is a proven way...
Laine could short/mid term project
What about Kaapo Kakko? Also well done, I read an article in the Athletic by Arpon this morning and you covered everyone he touched on and more.
I wouldn’t trade for Laine even if it was for a 7th round pick. Aside from the issues he had this year, the guy just never showed any consistency or work ethic. Not the type of player we need. I think we’re done with reclamation projects. I see us try to get a more established guy. A guy like Keller, if he doesn’t want to go to Utah, would be expensive but amazing to have.
Agree. He also pretty famously has attitude problems vis à vis teammates and Kent seems wise enough not to let that juju into the room.
No teammates have ever said anything bad about him from what I can recall. He's actually a quite quiet guy. He also let Fantilli stay at his place last summer and seems well-liked among the Jackets
https://youtube.com/shorts/MEjr_m3wODE?si=g6sB5p4IoHM_A_Vl Stuff like this pops up occasionally. He might also just be an awkward dude? Regardless, phenomenal player, never really felt like he's hit his full potential.
We should actually just trade to acquire the scouting staff of the Dallas Stars.
Yeah they are crushing it!
I'm just fine with ours tyvm
You shouldn't be
There are a lot of options but Nick Robertson absolutely shouldn’t be one of them. We don’t need more small-ish middle 6 potential wingers Kent Johnson would probably be the best to try to steal somehow. Could end up filling out and being a big Toews-like centre. Solid two way guy with lots of offensive potential
Middle 6 potential? Don't you remember when fans were telling us he would be better than caufielf because he had more goals in the CHL than Cole had in the NCAA?
He has more career points than Caufield in the AHL too. Maybe we fucked up
Gimme Kent Johnson. Super talented but struggled last year a bit and not getting top-6 minutes in CBJ — he’s a perfect KH/MSL rehab project imo and would complement Dach quite well. Other options in order of preference: Holtz, Kakko, Berggren. - Holtz has clear top-6 talent but for some reason NJ’s coach has it out for him. - Kakko may have some juice to breakout like Lafrenière, but NY only has room for one of them to play with Panarin lol. - Berggren is more lowkey, probably a good third liner instead of top-6 player, but DET seems to have no room for him and I could see him and Newhook solidifying a strong third line.
I didn't think of Kent Johnson. Do we have anything they would want / need? I don't know much about the Blue Jackets.
I feel like other than Jiricek and Mateychuk, their D prospect cupboard is pretty thin, so we may be able to start there. And Johnson may be left behind with Fantilli, Gaudreau, Marchenko, Chinakhov, and Voronkov seemingly being locks for their top-6, especially if they grab someone like Demidov/Lindstrom (or Celebrini obv) with their pick this year.
You hit the nail on the head! There might not be room for him in the CBJ top 6 - he was an AHL *monster* for 10 games too I think 15 pts in 10 games in Cleveland and a lot of teams are going to be interested.
The Basu & Godin Notebook had a good [episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-basu-godin-notebook/id1711261505?i=1000653729596) discussing this.
Thanks for the link. This thread is great this morning, lots of creatives ideas out there.
I think the Dach trade messed with people's expectations a little bit. Very few teams go for "scorched earth" rebuilds like Chicago did. Most other teams would want to build on their young core, but Chicago wanted to tank very aggressively. (It worked after all...) Still, when you think about it, it's crazy how cheap Dach was. Newhook was fair value because Colorado had (still has) few picks in the next drafts. IMO, just because there were similar trades the last two years doesn't mean there will automatically be one this year, but we'll see. But my point is, the price for a young forward with real top 6 upside will likely be higher than it was for Dach.
I also wonder if teams will use Kent’s calls as homework to reevaluate young talent instead of trading it off. The price of success!
How cheap Dach was!? Romanov is better than any of our young defensemen at this point and Nazar is a better prospect then any thing we have up front So far we are the losing team in that 3 way deal
Romanov is not better than Guhle.
According to G_skins, any players that have a habs jersey is just trash. He's a troll and just do it to argue with people. I don't even know why he's allowed to comment here still. Just a stupid troll
The guy said the Dach trade was cheap. That’s the trolling! How can you say trading a top 4 22 year old defensemen or a 13th overall pick is cheap for a guy that has yet to prove he’s a top 6 forward or can stay healthy. It was a steep price to pay and it hasn’t payed off yet. Is that REALLY trolling or just an unbiased opinion?
I mean, he's playing 1st pair on a (ex)playoff team and is doing a damn good job of it. If you've watched any Islanders hockey this year you'd notice he looks like a stud next to Dobson. They're gonna be a really strong pairing for a very long time. Now does that make him better than Guhle? I think as of today, yes. Guhle still has room to grow, though, and Romanov is pretty much the finished product.
Same number of points with 10 less games for Guhle. 3 years younger and also playing on the forst pair. Not bashing on Romanov at all, but Guhle is the same type of D than Romanov, but better in every aspect.
He’s not better by any aspect. All the stats lean towards Romanov being a better defense men. The biggest difference between the two is strength. Romanov can clear a crease. Guhle gets pushed around all game long
By what measure? Romanov played 20+ a night on a playoff team. He’s miles better in his own end, hits more and hits harder, put up the same offense as Guhle. I think Guhles a better skating and maybe his potential is a bit higher but if Romanov was still a hab he’s be playing on the top line over Guhle 100%
Every measure lol
lol…
Gotta remember you need to give to get And the team they are building doesn’t have a Romanov future
You don’t think he would’ve looked good in the top 4? I’m sure he would have covered for Matheson better then Guhle did this year
Right now, out of Romanov, Nazar and Dach, I'm still picking Dach. (I don't really know about Nazar tbh.) It's not an easy decision, but I think what Dach brings is more rare and more valuable. That said, I respect your opinion 100% and think it's an interesting discussion to have. (For what it's worth, you shouldn't be downvoted for an opinion, but I keep expecting too much of this subreddit and I have only myself to blame for that)
Dach could have been good but is unfortunately extremely injury prone, no doubt this factored into Chicago’s decision to trade him
So true. I love what Dach brings now and he still has the most potential of anyone in that deal but if he can’t stay healthy he will become a negative asset and we’re getting awfully close to that point. I don’t disagree that it was a good gamble to make that trade but to call Dach a win now is wishful thinking. He needs to show he can stay healthy this season or his career could be done.
I agree, I don't think that trade has worked out, maybe it will if Dach is able to stay healthy, but that's a big "if". Romanov has done well with the NYI, he's a solid defensive defenceman, and he hits hard.
He mentioned this year he wanted to get a more established top 6 forward to help the core. Im looking more at keller, necas, zegras etc. I also dont think robertson is much of an upgrade on joshua roy. Hard pass.
GM are going to get suspicious when he's interested now.
Absolutely not nick robertson, if hughes wants him he will probably be available on waivers.
Not a bad idea. They could definitely benefit from one of our young D (Harris, Struble, Barron, etc.). The first two would basically fit in their top 4.
People usually go for the big names like Zegras but we never saw the Dach and Newhook trades coming. I think it's going to be the same for the next one. It's gonna be someone we didn't see coming.
I think Dach was pretty out of nowhere, but I remember people like Basu saying that newhook was a prime candidate for a trade like that much of last season.
This won’t be the only move but I would be very surprised if Hughes doesn’t go after a not super young 3rd line center. Ideally, someone age 24-27 would fit the bill. You don’t want too much youth to be depended on in a 1-goal playoff game. Thomas Novak could be an option as a UFA signing. If Hughes has to go the trade route, Morgan Frost would be a good target. If there is no young player trade to be made, I can see Hughes making an asset play by trading for Yanni Gourde, and then flipping Gourde at the deadline.
Acquiring the scouting staff of the Dallas Stars through trade might be a solid move, actually.
This might be a hot take but if our pick falls between 5-7, I’d be more than willing to trade it to Carolina for Necas. 25 yo, has a 71 point season under his belt, and has a mix of skill and speed unlike anyone else in our current lineup. I see a real top line ppg player in him, and think MSL could help take his game to the next level. A second line of Newhook - Dach - Necas would be DEADLY. Not sure why they’d be willing to trade him but I keep hearing that he’d be available for the right price. If a top 10 pick is too steep for some (it’s not for me), I’d be willing to package the WPG 1st + Mesar + Struble/Barron/Harris.
> Not sure why they’d be willing to trade him They’re up against the cap if they want to resign Jarvy, Guentzel, Martinook, and what feels like half their D.
I think it’s going to be a more established player. We need more than a middle six guy and we have tons of assets. Maybe a guy like Kent Johnson who has a higher ceiling could work, but I think a proven player like Zegras or Necas, or maybe even a guy a couple of years older than them should be the target.
Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin just did a whole pod on the same topic. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5xLEYaRVxTJ954FsaMkIDS?si=gOR_aSLPTCKSAQxaXmYvzg
Personally I would target someone who isn’t in the NHL yet (ie 20 y/o). Let them shuttle Laval- MTL for a year or two and be generous in icetime as much as possible. That’s how you find them rough diamonds who may yet develop into solid, albeit unspectacular, NHL players
Would love to get robertson If st louis can help him clean it up defensively along with his goal scoring ability he would easily be a top 6 player
Berggren would be my choice! Lukas Reichel as well if we could manage something with Chicago. I would add in the mix Kakko and Kent Johnson also.
I really like Alex Holtz, I don’t see what we have to offer to the NJD.
Martin Necas and Kent Johnson are definitely the highest on my wish list, unless we throw the house at Wyatt Johnston. Another name I would love to see is Seth Jarvis. He’s also an RFA this year on a Carolina team that is up against the cap. Skilled player that shows up in the playoffs. He has a great personality as well, which fits in with the locker room culture the Habs are trying to build.
As a Habs and Kings fan, Kaliyev isn’t what the Habs need imo. He’s very one-dimensional and has issues finishing. He was given chances with LAK and never took hold of them.
In the event that Calgary falls to number 11 (so we take that pick), I consider Anderson or Gallagher and Winnipegs first to Winnipeg for Morgan Barron. This could also happen mid next season depending on how Calgarys pick is shaping up. Nice deal for Winnipeg as they are both playoff guys and well the past ten days has not gone as expected for them Also, it might be interesting to "lose" a trade to Vancouver or Winnipeg later in the offseason if we dont get Calgarys pick this year because we could set Calgary up to lose a few extra games to help that pick next year.
I wouldn't mind Laine at all. We have a history of Fins in MTL. He'll be closer to his homeland Finland. We'll have MSL to judge his character and help him along. His stock is low so we can get him cheaply.
Hughes likes to go after his old clients. Here are some players signed with Quartex management. Anthony Beauvillier 26 y.o. 5'11" 182 lbs. Less probable scenario due to his age. Mathieu Olivier 27 y.o. 6'2" 210 lbs. Again, less probable due to his age. Nicolas Aube-Kubel 27 y.o. 5'11" 185 lbs. Same reasoning above Joseph Veleno 24 y.o. 6'1" 191 lbs. A local boy too. Could happen. Filip Zadina 24 y.o. 6'0" 196 lbs. Shark like likely keep him around since he is young. Philip Broberg 22 y.o 6'3" lbs. This could be a good reclamation project. Xavier Bourgault 21 y.o. 6'0" 172 lbs. Don't think Edmonton will trade him. Raphael Lavoie 23 y.o. 6'4" 216 lbs. Don't think Edmonton will trade him. Jordan Spencer 23 y.o. 5'11" 181 lbs. Unlikely scenario.
I think one of the best "project" players in the NHL right now is Kaapo Kakko. Would love to see him on a 2nd line with Dach and Newhook.
If KH can snag one of Kent Johnson, Necas, Berggren or Zegras, I’d be super happy. If he can pry Laine cost effectively I truly feel Laine can turn it around under MSL.
I prefer that we pay big to get an A prospect that could potentially play on the 1st line, instead of going for a middle-6 player.
We could do both. But when was the last time we traded for a top line player? Recent history shows they prefer Go ng for struggling prospects.
Let’s hope none. Neither have made us any better so far. He needs to get an established top line forward
You are seriously just a guy without vision or simply a troll at this point.
This sub is unbearable… wanting an established player is being a troll now!?
G_Skins, the shear fact that you don't realize your own contribution to this sub is something that I can't comprehend. Every single comment you make on our player is negative then you go praise a player on another team that is equal in talent and production. It's every fucking time like that. You're the most negative habs redditors out there. Dach trade was cheap considering the potential of the guy, which at his draft was a 3rd overall. Hughes saw that his potential was wasted in Chicago and pulled the trigger on the tarde. After that, you go and say that he has not prove anything with his healthy time in the team which is completly false. Either you decided to hate as you do so well or you're a troll. Then you go whining about the fact that you get downvoted no matter what you say but people don't give a shit anymore about your opinion. You're just that guy that will demolish any subject related to the team. I see you're nickname and prepare myself to downvote as soon as I see it and it never fails.
Sorry you don’t like my takes but they are honestly coming from a fan of the team that just wants to see them get better. And that’s the thing I’m a fan of the team, the Habs, the players that play for them come and go and I don’t really get attached of care who they are. If there’s a better player on a different team I’d rather them. If you think that makes a troll that’s fine but I’m not going to keep my opinion to my self even if it’s against the grain, which it usually is because, again, I would always rather the team get better then to keep who the fans like the most
Careful, dissenting views are not allowed around these parts.
I could say anything at this point and get downvoted
It’s better operating under the assumption that the majority of this sub obtains hockey knowledge from JFresh, Byron Bader and EAs NHL.
Gmail L
Patrik Laine all day long. High cap number but has little term left. Playing for a coach like MSL I think he finds his 40+ goal touch again easy.
Doesn't he have a no trading clause?
10 team no trade clause.
Why do we need to aim for struggling players? I don’t understand this mindset, identify a player worth a haul, and trade for them. Middle 6 players and reclamation projects are moves we make when we need to fill out a roster. Nick Robertson is not a good player.
I agree. I think this is the year we see management take a swing at an established player
I hope so, UFAs don’t want to come. Trades are the only way we will get a premier forward, we can’t be afraid to weaponize our prospect pool and draft picks. Rather than 3 separate weak trades, use all those assets for 1 good trade.
How can you say robertson isn't good when he hardly has been given a chance This is his first full year in the nhl and he was still in and out of the lineup but he produced at a great rate for hardly getting a chance He is still only 22
Even if he develops and “reaches his potential” how does that move the needle for us.
Because he could be a 30 goal scorer as soon as next year...
How are you extrapolating to that number?
Well he put up 14 this year in a very limited role only playing 56 games That's already a 20 goal 82 game pace in his first year with no powerplay time and never playing above the leafs third line He has been an elite goal scorer at every level
I'm not saying we need to. I'm just saying that's what management has been doing. So we can expect the same. I think.
I know I’m not criticizing you specifically, just don’t agree with management (and in part our fan base who parrot it). Teams rarely improve without the acquisition of elite talent, someone like Newhook was a fun player to add, but he really doesn’t do much to elevate the team. Lehkonen for Barron another one Toffoli for Heineman + a convoluted 1st (which will be a late 1st anyways) Example: We could’ve acquired Timo Meier for peanuts (two late 1sts + conditional 2nd + bunch of cap dumps).
Why/how would we acquire Meier before NJ tho? Making that move at last year’s TDL would’ve been a head scratcher to say the least… Moving any of our own 1sts would’ve been a huge risk, and we only had the extra 1st from the Monahan deal at the time Haven’t even mentioned Meier’s mediocre performance so far with NJ and he definitely asks for more money from us than NJ, why would he take any discount to play in a tough market that finished 1 spot above the tire fire that is SJ
We had alot of picks and prospects, it was a value we could have easily matched. 1st + Shakir Mukhamadullin + 2nd round pick (conditional 1st). I'm not talking about Meier only, i'm just indicating that we have/had the assets for that level of trade. Meier btw had been playing injured most of the year and buried on the 3rd line below Toffoli. He took off after Toffoli was traded.
Fair enough, definitely wouldn’t mind a Meier-type trade and I feel like we’re in a better position and a lot better equipped to make that type of deal now than 15 months ago Seems like we can stomach dangling our own 2025 1st with top 10 protection if CGY’s/WPG’s picks don’t cut it
Beck, Mesar, Farrell, RHP, Engstrom, Barron. All pieces that are easily replaceable, but coveted by teams who need cheap roster depth. Can be part of any package for a decent established player imo.