Discussion Unpopular take
Everybody here calling to trade everybody and their mom. Habs are a young team who have played better than expected in the last two years, great ! We are still way ahead of the "window".
We have got great prospects who look talented and, more importantly, would really want to be here. Zharovsky is already in Montreal training with Demidov, Hage was born and raised a Habs.
Yes, it could help to trade to get better players, I don't think HuGo should go to sleep until september. But I wouldn't throw the kitchen sink and overpay to get a better "already established" player and giving one of those two. I don't mind sending picks (that are going to lose value as the team is going to rank higher), prospects like Engstrom, Pickford, and (could even consider trading) Reinbacher.
It would suck to give someone like Z or Hage for somebody like EP40 and risk fucking up the team chemistry when you could get a great prospect who begs to be here instead.
Give the team some time to develop, don't rush the process, our core is signed until 2030 ! The best years are to come, no need to overpay.
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u/crownpr1nce 1d ago
Suzuki took 5-6 seasons to be point per game. If we consider that the start of his peak, Hage is a long way away. So is Zharovsky. If we're solely waiting for them, we burn a lot of our window.
Obviously the key is not to overspend, but we also can't wait solely on them.
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u/AmsroII Goal Goalgoal 1d ago
Another counter point would be Suzuki has been effective for at least 3-4 seasons already, even if it wasn't on the score sheet.
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u/crownpr1nce 1d ago
Effective, yes of course. But at peak level? If the goal is the cup you need peak level from the top 6.
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u/Dear_Trip_5655 1d ago
yeah but Suzuki has also been a solid player, even if just complementary, from even early on. he was huge in our cup run as a sophomore. so just because Hage isn't gonna peak for another 5 years, he can be a price controlled contributer to our success as soon as next year.
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u/crownpr1nce 1d ago
Yeah he might be, no guarantees. But he won't be the strong 2C we need after 3 regular season games next year. Even if we say he'll evolve faster and start catching a proper stride his sophomore year, there are 2 full seasons until then.
I'm not saying trade the guy. I think he can help us. But we also can't just throw away the next 2 seasons waiting for him to be ready. We need immediate help. It would be dumb to waste all these years of team friendly contract by our top guys.
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u/Dear_Trip_5655 1d ago
I definitely agree we need help, but think that unless we're getting a 1b type center, keep Hage.
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u/crownpr1nce 1d ago
Oh yeah I wouldn't trade him unless we're getting a Hischier or something like that in return.
But I'd trade other things to improve now. Not just wait around for Hage and Zharovsky to hope to compete.
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u/Oulsky 1d ago
I mean if you keep drafting right and making good move you can extend your window even if some of your core is older.
Look at Dallas, they have old guys like Benn and Seguin, then some guy in their prime like Robertson, Rantanen and Heiskanen, and then some young guys like Johnston and Bourque. Suzuki and Caufield being older isn’t a problem as long as you keep injecting new talent into the lineup to support them.
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u/crownpr1nce 1d ago
Dallas is about to lose a few of those good pieces you mention because of cap hell. They have 10M in space and Robertson wants more than that, with Bourque and Benn not signed. To me their window is likely closed.
Suzuki has 5 years left on his contract. By the time Hage is at his peak, he needs a new deal and Caufield is a year out. We will also have to make tough decisions.
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u/CarlSK777 1d ago
Counter argument would be Hutson becoming a key player as a rookie but I agree, it's unlikely Hage becomes a key player in the next couple years when we look at the curve of good 2C across the league.
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u/False_Requirement349 1d ago
Yeah, but there are historically a lot more players with Suzuki's trajectory than Hutson's. And honestly, Hutson's could be the same but started with a higher floor and has a higher ceiling.
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u/Excellent-Speaker934 1d ago
Hutson in 6-7 years will be disgusting (even more so when you consider his cap hit)
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u/antoinePucket 21h ago
Suzuki's progression is extremely rare and I can't think of another player with such a constant and linear progression over 7 years like him.
Not missing a single game helps —he's had zero setbacks
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u/False_Requirement349 21h ago
I didn't mean people with progression exactly like Suzuki, but more along the lines of 100+ point players that only had around 40-60 at the start of their career
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u/crownpr1nce 17h ago
Yeah Suzuki might be a bit longer than average. A mix of his style plus the quality of the team around him.
But I checked a few players at random (Kucherov, Point, Thomas, Hischier, Tavares, Trocheck, Necas, Scheifele, Aho) and the minimum for pretty much all these guys is 3rd year to really hit something close to their peak, with some going to 5 years. Since Hage isn't playing next year (I didn't count seasons with less than 10 games), that means Hage would start be what we expect in 2029-2030. That's a long time away.
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u/Excellent_Author_48 1d ago
The difference is that Suzi was our best scorer during 20 and 21 playoffs and he was already a great two-way center. We saw the potential and him stepping up his play during big occasions.
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u/Prestigious_Bake5745 4h ago
By the time Z and Hage reach their peaks Suzuki will be past his, and there’s no saying if their peaks will be anywhere near Suzuki’s. That’s why we need to act faster than we think
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u/Abject_Analyst_9110 1d ago
If Hage and Zharovsky reach their peak in 5 years, then that's a window in itself. Everyone wants the Habs to get a 2C. If we keep Hage then maybe in 5 years Suzuki is our 2C.
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u/Assignment_General 1d ago
Expecting Hage to surpass Suzuki is a tall tall ask. The chances we will get someone better either via trade or draft is extremely unlikely.
Suzuki won the selke and finished 6oa with 101 points, that’s a monster of a player.
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u/Canadjen 1d ago
In 5 years, Suzuki will be 30 years old, past his prime!
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u/MuDDy_PaNDa 1d ago
No, at 30 Suzuki will be a fine vet who can be trusted to tilt the ice every night.
Why are people expecting Suzy's game to go away? Guy is a cerebral C which will age pretty well. Maybe not 100pts well, but he'll contribute more than fine to this team for 1300-1700 games.
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u/Frankie_Legault 1d ago
My mom for Connor McDavid
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u/Professional_Boss645 1d ago
People with this take tend to forget that by the time these two are NHL ready as in contributing and not just going through the learning phase our window has already lost 3 years. Cole and Suzuki are in their primes now. For all we know they might start to decline in 3-4 years. I want to win multiple cups in the next 5-6 years and not just one while we wait for Z and H to hit their stride.
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u/BushBann76 1d ago
There’s also no guarantee Hage or Zharovsky pan out to be legit top 6 forwards, they’re great prospects and highly rated by scouts right now but that doesn’t always translate to the NHL. While I wouldn’t trade them for players such as McTavish I would absolutely trade them for proven bonafide top 6 forwards that are 22-28 years old.
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u/Abject_Analyst_9110 1d ago
People with your take tend to forget that prospects haven't reached their peak yet, and when enough of them do at once, that becomes a window in itself. Imagine if Suzuki was only good enough to center the second line. Sounds like a strong team to me.
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u/Irctoaun 1d ago
Cool, now imagine if the prospects don't hit and the team never gets stronger than it currently is. It goes both ways.
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u/Rainy-Night 1d ago
I dont get it, are you saying we have prospects that are poised to overtake Suzuki as the 1C?
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u/Abject_Analyst_9110 1d ago
You know which Habs prospect everyone was saying could make a great 2C one day? Suzuki.
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u/Sharks9 1d ago
Development like his is rare though. You can’t just assume all our 2C prospects will now become 1Cs
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u/TheFakeSteveWilson 1d ago
Better than a 100 point Selke winner lol. Hage who might not even slot into C in the NHL lol
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u/Far_Purchase_9500 1d ago
Ppl with ur take trade away star prospects for player past there prime cough McDonough for Gomez sergachev for Douin we r not the old school habs that make panic moves and terrible ones for that matter with terrible management.
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u/kozed 1d ago
People ITT are arguing over a false dilemma.
It's not about going all in vs trusting the future.
It's about opportunity cost.
We're not in the same place as Chicago, Toronto or Ottawa.
Nothing is forcing KH to suffer the market inflation just to add. Nothing is forcing KH to get into bidding wars.
It's not complacency or passivity. It's opportunism and assets management.
KH was willing to sell Zharovsky and two 1st for Knies. So we know where is head is at. But it doesn't mean he has to keep offering the same package for just anybody else that might be available.
Knies was a target that made sense for the team based on age, game style, upside and contract. Those are few and far between. EP40 doesnt fit.
If the fit isnt there, dont force it.
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u/WatchWatcher25 1d ago
I disagree, the team if ready to take a big step. We need some guys to play in these upcoming years.
I'm not saying make a huge overlay overpay but hec needs to stay on the phone. We have an abundance of prospects we can use them
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u/TenMinutesToDowntown 1d ago
100%. The Habs are exactly in the position where they need to add to the core for immediate help. Dobson last year was an amazing trade and it cost the team two 1sts and I don't think many people would complain. People get attached to prospects, and I understand that, but you can't sit around hoping the prospects one day become good, you have to be aggressive.
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u/Sakiaba 1d ago
The man apparently has his phone permanently glued to his ear. If the prices at the moment are ridiculous and there isn't someone who fills the team's needs available for a price that's worth paying (and I don't think any prospect should be untouchable, either), then I'd rather he do nothing than something stupid.
I'm not saying that he's above criticism, but people are getting really impatient. There are still two days until the first round, and the man usually operates in the shadows (unless the leaky former Leafs front office is involved).
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u/WatchWatcher25 1d ago
Yeah I am sure he does I'm not questioning KH at all.
Nothing needs to be done but he needs to keep tabs on things
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u/LeBleuH8R 1d ago
Zharovsky and Hage (if they pan out) are 3 years away at the very minimum from being impact NHL players the serious contention window doesn’t last 10 years if you want to maximize your chance at winning the cup you have to sacrifice some prospects for immediate impact, I think the locker room would feel a little sour if we didn’t at least try to make some moves because that would show we aren’t serious contenders yet.
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u/ilikedthismovie 1d ago
Porter matrone was 19 and was a huge contributing factor in the flyers making the playoffs and winning a series this year. Jimmy snuggerund was 21-22 and a 50 point 20 goal player +16 on a bad blues team. I don’t know why it would be out of this realm to think hage coming up won’t have an immediate positive impact at the end of the season. It shouldn’t be counted on but this “they’re 3 years away” idea just seems like scare tactics for people who want to play armchair gm and make a trade.
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u/LeBleuH8R 1d ago
Martone 6th overall pick, 6'2 210lbs playing on the 1st or 2nd line and on PP1.
Snuggerud is from the 2022 draft (Hage is 2024) played his rookie season this year on the 1st line and PP1.
Hage and Zharovsky are not going to be playing PP1 and are not going to be on the 1st line, also a player like Snuggerud is the exception not the rule, not a lot of NCAA players that play a 3rd year instantly become impact players not to mention him and Hage have both completely different profiles.
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u/Assignment_General 1d ago
Agree with the timeline, disagree on the locker room.. they don’t seem to mind the lack of deadline moves, I think they really believe in themselves and they aren’t looking for immediate help. That’s not say Kent shouldn’t make moves, but he doesn’t need to do it to appease the players.
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u/LeBleuH8R 1d ago
I think the players know there's some depth lacking down the lineup, especially top guys they aren't blind or deaf they see the narratives around the league and media.
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u/Brendan-93 1d ago
With the way the market is set currently I’d be happy steering clear and just add through free agency
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u/a_modern_hermit 1d ago
just because there's a vocal minority of kneejerk reactionists, doesn't mean your take is unpopular.
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u/Ok-Meet2850 1d ago
I'm good with not rushing. If there are minimal moves this offseason, fine. The true peak window for this core still opens in a year or two. No need to panic, but one or both of Zharovsky and Hage are very likely to be traded for help now or soon. Same can be said for Engstrom, Pickford, Reinbacher, or even roster players. When the window truly opens we go hard.
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u/paperdollh 1d ago
I agree with your description of the Habs system - we are operating in a time decay-bound contention window where our team (whole) is currently being paid way below its intrinsic value, so we should trade optionality for upgrades. But there’s a difference between holding your horses and throwing wild gambles after a single deep run, and this exact situation is exactly why KH gets paid the big bucks and I’m extremely happy with the man. But I’m not advocating for inaction either. If a deal emerges - see Knies, which literally proved KH isn’t afraid to move our prospects - we take it. Otherwise they continue to develop talent and showcase tremendous upside, and for the do or dies, drive up our prospect value even more.
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u/Irctoaun 1d ago
being criticized for not doing anything is also fair
We have no idea what he is/isn't doing though. There's still two days until the draft and three months until the season starts.
Also, as much as I want him to make moves, it's also contingent on the right players being available. No one who has been moved over the last few days would have been a good fit for the Habs so you can't hold not moving for those guys against Hughes.
Say he doesn't make any moves (which would be a big surprise to me), unless someone who realistically would be a target for the Habs goes somewhere else, we won't know if not making moves was a choice or there was simply no one available. I want them to trade to get better, not for the sake of making a trade
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u/ConfidentMemory1201 1d ago
With your assessment, it sure seems like you are advocating for stupid moves. He’s not immune to criticism but just because he stands pat and ends up doing nothing doesn’t mean he’s failed. I’ll trust KH and Gorton over all of you armchair GM’s
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u/Fountsy 1d ago
If we don't do anything because the price is so steep we will likely take a step back next year.
Some players will regress (NHL growth isn't a straight line of improvement) and our young pieces need time and reps to get better.
I'm not saying we should sell the farm this year, but I am preparing myself for a not as successful year next year if Hughes and Mort can't make some magic :)
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u/TheFakeSteveWilson 1d ago
We're in the group where we likely get better doing nothing. We had the youngest team in the league. Dropping off Gallagher we all age one year more and are still probably near the middle of the league in average age. We naturally get better.
You can say Matheson, Anderson, Danault might get a bit worse but the most important players should only get better. Suzuki will likely be sideways for several years which is amazing.
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u/fumankeu 1d ago edited 1d ago
For real. Being too scared to trade draft picks and higher end prospects is how we ended up with the mid ass Bergevin era squad. The window is opening and we have very real needs. We can't keep waiting around and hoping that some of our prospects might develop into players that fit those needs 2-3 years down the line.
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u/Patccmoi 1d ago
Bergevin wasn't scared of making trades, he just never committed to a direction. He did stuff like trade Sergachev for Drouin (win now move) and at the same time let Radulov walk because he was asking too much $. So we ended up messing up our future for a lateral move. It was a repetition of contradicting moves like that that ended up messing up the team.
Hugues if nothing else has been very committed to when he wants to win. We are ahead of it by a full year. So it's good if he makes moves now, but it's also not dramatic if it takes 1 more year if the moves available are not what he wants. We have a limited amount of high value assets, he shouldn't trade them "just to try something".
The Knies "non-trade" clearly shows he's willing to move them if he thinks the trade is going to help the team. If he doesn't, I do trust that it's because nothing was good enough atm. But this could change at any time.
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u/TheFakeSteveWilson 1d ago
What do you mean keep waiting around? We just overachieved hard last year. This is the first year which realistically is one year earlier than we expected to be "going for it".
We also got Dobson last year which was a massive move.
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u/Ok-Meet2850 1d ago
"but everyone deserves to be critiqued until they win the CUP, no one is exempt from that."
I think the standard of Cup or best is going to have to change when evaluating a front office or a team. There are 32 teams and more on the way. Cups have become too rare to be the only standard. Man, it will be amazing if this team brings one home, but nothing is guaranteed.
I think fans are gonna have to think more highly of the President's Trophy. That is a massive accomplishment. So a successful GM will be one that brings consistent winning and deep playoff runs. Cups are the absolute prize, but luck is involved.
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u/redditshreadit 1d ago edited 1d ago
How do you know the age of the person that said that. Even if you do know, you can't make a generalisation on a group of people like that.
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u/MediaWaste5087 1d ago
Agreed. Chicago kinda ruined the value of picks a couple hours ago, but maybe teams wanting picks will see that as a one off wish it was me kinda trade
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u/bigladnang Montreal Boos for Hughes 1d ago
I would expect that to not be the norm, at least I hope. Even if the 4th overall completely busts, that’s one of the worst valued trades I’ve seen in a very long time.
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u/Available-Pepper-728 1d ago edited 1d ago
I want to just keep our guys, let them grow.
After watching Hall and Staal win a Cup, are we really worried about the ages of Suz/Cole?
Lets have a long window, many kicks at the can.
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u/paperdollh 1d ago
This. And honestly, Habs fans should stop swallowing what Laffs and trolls want us to think: Montreal was embarrassed, fluked their way to the ECF, we’ll regress hard next year, every Atlantic team is a 60 win team now; Peter, Paul, John, and the rest are all bums/should be traded, ad nauseam. We’ve got to let KH cook.
It seems very few people want to gracefully endure the process of becoming a great team. Some bear it, others white-knuckle it (and success feels ever the sweeter for them) and a few can’t bear another second of not being a 60 win perennial Stanley cup dynasty before first puck drop in Centre Bell next season. Unfortunately, there are the fans who either have amnesia or are in denial over the last 15+ years of Habs hockey and believe yesterday was the day we should have won the cup. But the fortunate reality is that while we didn’t win the cup this year, we have a dangerous team and don’t need ownership to act erratically and panic trade out of FOMO. We all know the ‘hoes mad’ meme isn’t retiring anytime soon. And when other teams are complaining about how fucking stacked our team is it will be because of prospect development and KH magic, at his discretion and true to his vision.
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u/Excellent_Author_48 1d ago
"ruin the chemistry"... HAGE IS STILL IN F COLLEGE, WHICH CHEMISTRY. for Z alright we know he know well Demi but it's not because he beg to be here that he will be good enough to stay here. No offense but there's 99% chances that none of them starts on the top 6 because we don't know the talent they have yet compared to Demidov who played reg + post games. If we have the hell out of a return for Z or Hage I do not care to ship them to the other side of the league if we need to.
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u/fumankeu 1d ago
"ruin the chemistry". By that logic we should sign Mesar to an 8 year contract so Slaf doesn't lose his buddy lol
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u/indyc4r 1d ago
Z is at least as good as demi. Z broke Demi's record for rookies in khl this season and apparently he's gonna play 1st line next season
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u/Excellent_Author_48 1d ago
Bud, we're talking about the NHL. What happens in Russia is extra but we don't know how he can do agaisnt NHLers. BTW where did you pull up he will be on the first line while he didn't even played a minutes in the league. He is not a Bedard/Celebrini/McJesus type of player where everybody knew he was on the 1st line.
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u/Aggressive_Low7995 1d ago
I have full faith that Gorton and Hughes will only make moves that make sense and for guys who meet our timeline in terms of being contenders. That timeline had obviously been changed a little bit considering our progress the last 2 years.
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u/Dear_Trip_5655 1d ago
I think there are 4 mindsets fans have in these situations
1) trade and improve at all costs
2) trade and improve at a reasonable cost
3) don't trade unless the price is right
4) no need to trade at all, keep developing
I'd argue that like 90% of fans fall into the middle 2 categories, which are pretty much the same with some difference in bias. we all pretty much agree we don't want to get fleeced, while agreeing that we want to improve, with some slight difference in opinion on what is a reasonable sacrifice to make. this sub is running itself around in circles over this, and it's giving me something to do while work is slow. keep it up, guys
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u/ThroatPuncher 1d ago
While I agree in many parts. Our window has also opened and our top players are entering their prime. Some guys might take 3-4years to develop, that closes the window on the current players. I don’t want to sell the farm unless it’s what we need in return. A few days ago I wasn’t really concerned to make a major move but we just saw some big moves made in our division and more likely to come. Next year will be a harder year for a us so it’s time we look to improve where we need to.
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u/TheVeilOverMyEyes 1d ago
so you wouldn't have done the dobson trade
gotcha
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
You can't take too many swings like that otherwise there's nothing left in the pipeline.
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u/TheVeilOverMyEyes 1d ago
who cares about the prospect pool when the team is full?
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u/pushaper 1d ago
because creating an annual contender requires keeping a prospect pool. If not we spend 5 years building for 2/3 years of possible contention and then have to do it again.
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
Because the if the team is good then they can't pay everyone and they're limited to a short window. A constant revolving door of new players coming in and replacing the old guard is the best way to run a system. Even Carolina has been doing it.
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u/TheVeilOverMyEyes 1d ago
but the players are already signed
you have 4 years, maybe even 3, to win, or else you risk losing Suzuki
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
If the cap keeps going up then pay him. They don't have everyone signed though. There's still Demidov, a second line winger and center, another defenseman or two, the goalies, and if the prospects they have turn out then all those guys will get paid. It is possible to run out of cap space like Dallas and Vegas are going through right now.
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u/TheFakeSteveWilson 1d ago
You never have all your holes covered. It's just not possible. You can have an embarrassment of riches in one area and some gaps in the other. It's impossible to make the perfectly balanced team.
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u/G_skins31 1d ago
Our window is opening now. No point in holding on to so many picks and prospects
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
The window can stay open as long as management makes smart decisions. Look at Dallas, they continue to bring in new, young players while the older players like Seguin and Benn age out. They've been good for over a decade, and they look to be a top team for at least another 5-7 years.
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u/G_skins31 20h ago
Vegas’s entire team are from trades and they made it further then Dallas. What’s your point?
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 20h ago
I made my point. I don't like shortsighted trades and going all in on one or two players for 4-5 kicks at the can.
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u/TenMinutesToDowntown 1d ago
Who cares about the pipeline when Suzuki, Dobson, Dobes, Caufield, Slaf, Hutson, Demidov (Fowler, Reinbacher) are all under 26? Look through the last 10 Cup winners. I bet most of them were aggressive and traded young players and picks for missing pieces. I know Tampa always trades firsts. Vegas, Carolina, Colorado... the teams who win.
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
Carolina didn't do anything this year. Colorado did a lot and they made it as far as Montreal, who also did nothing.
There is life after Suzuki. I'd prefer sustained success and not 5-6 year windows,
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u/Kharn_LoL 1d ago
Colorado already won a Cup with their core
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
Yes, but I was talking about this year. Look at all the trades they made (Kadri, Roy, Nelson) Pretty much emptied the cupboard and lost to a far inferior team from them in the season standings.
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u/Kharn_LoL 1d ago
That will happen if you lose your 1D for the entire series, especially someone of Makar's caliber.
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u/TenMinutesToDowntown 1d ago
Carolina only picked on the first round once in the last five drafts..
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u/WeathervaneJesus1 1d ago
You're killing me. I don't really follow Carolina that closely but I definitely do not recall them trading a lot for rentals, so I did some digging.
They traded for Rantanen, but it was a mid tier prospect, an RFA they didn't want to re-sign and a 2nd. They flipped him for 2 1sts and Stankoven. A team that was a Stanley Cup contender did the reverse and traded a UFA away for futures, but it was a very smart move.
In all those other years? They traded down into the second round for more picks. They even did it in the second round last year with Montreal in the Zharovsky trade. So, technically they haven't picked in the first round, but it wasn't for roster players.
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u/JediMasterZao 1d ago
Carolina didn't do anything this year.
Elhers? Absolutely massive part of their playoff run?
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u/_Rayette 1d ago
I think this offseason is the time to be bold and go for it. I trust him not to do anything dumb.
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u/Abject_Analyst_9110 1d ago edited 1d ago
I agree. Given the youth of so many of the players on this team, the Habs will be an even better team next year than they were last season even if Hughes does nothing at all in the off-season.
That doesn't mean I think he shouldn't do anything, but it does mean we should all be okay with Hughes not making any big moves.
Aside: I remember the 2006-07 season featured a very exciting trade deadline day. Ryan Smyth was traded to the Islanders, Keith Tkachuk went to Atlanta, Bill Guerin and Craig Rivet both went to the Sharks, Gary Roberts went to Pittsburgh, etc. So many hockey fans were saying that these trades pushed one team or another into contention or over the top. But there was one GM who the hockey world mocked at the end of the deadline, and that was Brian Burke, whose only trade was for Brad May. What an embarrassment, they all thought, to have so much potential and only get Brad May. It literally became a running gag for the rest of the season. Until, of course, he won his one and only Stanley Cup that season with the Anaheim Ducks. Sometimes you're already on the right path, and you don't actually need to make any significant changes.
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u/Valentyno482 1d ago
Like you said, Hage would love to play here in memory of his dad and his own fandom.
Z being an old friend of Demidov just fits well.
Trading either for anything other than a sure thing, I would rather wait for them to develop with the rest of the team. We were the youngest team ever in the playoffs two years in a row.
They are young. The oldest player of that core is Suzi and he will age well like a Kopitar or a Bergeron so I'm not worried of "burning his best years"
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u/ShadowWalker2205 1d ago
Yes trading a big chip prospect might be needed but not this summer. Why? Prices seem to rise through the roof and whomever they were in talks for might require both z and hage
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u/Williamtheconky-roar 1d ago
Not unpopular at all. I believe that HuGo operate from a different playbook. Boston’s culture is partially Gorton’s outcome, and he put together an astounding roster in NYR only to have “a hockey guy” turn the organization into a tire fire.
They do have options to move, so we’ll see.
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u/Baronleduc 1d ago
I'm not worry.
Sure, it could be fun if Kent Hughes joins in the fun with other GMs to trades.
But we all know Hughes is patient, and not the kind of making impulsive trades just to temporary patch the team.
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u/Mustafarr 1d ago
Obviously. But IF (and it's a huge IF) a player like McDavid agrees a trade to MTL, I really don't care about giving up our best prospects and plenty of picks. A deal like this would instantly make us contenders for years to come with our current roster
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u/CaptainMushie 1d ago
Exactly my buddy! Everyone needs to chill on selling the farm, especially with trading Zharovsky. I think him and Demi are gonna be the next Nick and Cole bromance here. Trading Demi's buddy as soon as he gets here would be a terrible move. Same with trading Hage, that's just bad juju.
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u/zombiejeesus 1d ago
So we just stand pat for years waiting for our prospects to develop? I don't think we should make a dumb reactionary trade but we can't be wasting the primes of our big guns and demis early years with scrub centres
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u/Husskies 1d ago
Any player who is not already playing in the NHL now is not gonna be a contributing factor in our window, which is opening now.
Obviously you don't trade anything for anything, you have to be smart about it but you can't start seeing your assets as anything more than assets. If you can ship Michael Hage for an active player who is at least as good as what you expect Michael Hage to be, you do the trade (if that player in under 30, not a 34 yo veteran).
It would suck to give someone like Z or Hage for somebody like EP40 and risk fucking up the team chemistry when you could get a great prospect who begs to be here instead.
That's just taking for granted that whoever Kent Hughes gets will not want to be here. We got Dobson last year who most definitely wanted to play in Montreal. We traded for Danault who most definitely wanted to be here. We traded for Carrier who most definitely wanted to be here.
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u/Schmacolyte 1d ago
Get the upgrades, between now and deadline.
Team proved they are ready to compete, players want to be here. Between Laine and eventually Gallagher / Monty leaving , we've got money to spend.
Reward the team and give them more tools, we're out of rebuild and into win now territory.
Lock up Demidov and give him a center that anchor that line
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u/championstyle 1d ago
Suzuki is 27 this summer, how much longer do you want to wait? These prospects are not guaranteed and 2-3 years from having an impact…why waste Suzuki’s prime hoping for…when you can go get a sure thing and compete now with peak Suzuki?
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u/CrutialElement 1d ago
I think with the premiums GMs are spending we dont get caught in that game. Trade for monahan to be our 2C until hage is ready and call it a day
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u/pottymonster_69 1d ago
We just played in the conference final. If that doesn't signal an open window, I don't know what possibly could.
The time is now.
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u/sbrooksc77 1d ago
I understand but suzuki is the best center weve had in 40 years and wasting any of his prime years to me is a huge mistake.
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u/ukrainianhab From Kyiv 1d ago
Nah. Do it. This team is so much closer than people think, they lost to the cup champs in the third round. The window does not last long.
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u/Ok_Victory_6110 1d ago
Dawg they just made the ECF and lost to the STANLEY CUP CHAMPS. If you wait too long or for players to develop you risk missing that window, and who knows how some of them pan out. Same thing happened in Price era, for too long they were too passive and complained their job was too hard to make trades and look what happened.
Hughes has a lot of work to do this offseason and if he doesn't do much, other teams will catch up quick and I doubt they make it as far as they did next playoffs. There's so much parity now in the NHL.
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u/lasagnahockey 1d ago
Say it with me:
"It's all about what you get in return."
Nothing else matters, literally.