Are they in a rebuild? They probably should be but at this point I think Bergevin has to be all in on winning now if he wants to keep his job. You can't trade away Subban for Weber and then Sergayev for Drouin (even if this one was a good deal) and then tell fans you are rebuilding.

Also, I just think Brassard and Montreal are a perfect long term fit. If they are trading for him, they are signing him to an extension immediately.
- MacPatty

Brassard has to want to play there and thats up to him. If he has a good year in Pitt he should test FA and get paid.

MTL sucks and should be in a rebuild. They should unload MaxP, Weber and Price. those contracts are terrible.

Are they in a rebuild? They probably should be but at this point I think Bergevin has to be all in on winning now if he wants to keep his job. You can't trade away Subban for Weber and then Sergayev for Drouin (even if this one was a good deal) and then tell fans you are rebuilding.

Also, I just think Brassard and Montreal are a perfect long term fit. If they are trading for him, they are signing him to an extension immediately.
- MacPatty

I'd do Brassard for Gallagher with other pieces added to the deal.

I think Sergachev > Drouin. It wasn't such a big difference between them.

Pacioretty may have had a poor season last year, but that was likely an aberration. Over the last seven seasons, five have been 30+ goal seasons. One was because of an injury-shortened season and this last one was just weird.

A 30G player who puts up in the mid to high 60's in points is way more valuable than a guy like Brassard and I think the world of Brassard.

MTL definitely wants a center and he's worth a higher caliber center. If that center isn't out there, then MTL just won't do anything.
- Rinosaur

Obviously he is a really good player, not discounting that. Generally speaking a 60pt 2way center and a 30g LW with the same contract situation will be about equal in value. Then take into consideration 3 things:

1. Montreal has already shown their hand and now Pacioretty WANTS to be traded.
2. Montreal is desperate for a Center.
3. Montreal will pay a premium for any french Canadian player.

So when I make a trade proposal involving Brassard and Montreal overpaying to acquire him, just remember that Marc Bergevin is the GM and I don't think he has ever come out on the good side of a trade.

I'd do Brassard for Gallagher with other pieces added to the deal.

I think Sergachev > Drouin. It wasn't such a big difference between them.
- Barnaby36

Id prefer Gallagher over Pacioretty to be honest, but I can't imagine Montreal would trade him.

It's hard to criticize the Drouin trade because both players are really good. Just that if Montreal was truly going to rebuild, they should not have been unloading a potential #1 LD.

Obviously he is a really good player, not discounting that. Generally speaking a 60pt 2way center and a 30g LW with the same contract situation will be about equal in value. Then take into consideration 3 things:

1. Montreal has already shown their hand and now Pacioretty WANTS to be traded.
2. Montreal is desperate for a Center.
3. Montreal will pay a premium for any french Canadian player.

So when I make a trade proposal involving Brassard and Montreal overpaying to acquire him, just remember that Marc Bergevin is the GM and I don't think he has ever come out on the good side of a trade.
- MacPatty

Yeah but the Pens end up with 1 yr of Patches, do you want to extend a 30 yr old for another 5+ years at over $6mil? IDK. Then the Pens are down a solid 3C. You would either need to A. trust Sheehan in that role, B. over pay in FA, C. Trade for 1.

If the Pens were trading with MTL, id want Drouin, he's young, cheaper, cost controlled, and can play LW and C. Doubt he's available and the Pens have what they would want.

Pacioretty may have had a poor season last year, but that was likely an aberration. Over the last seven seasons, five have been 30+ goal seasons. One was because of an injury-shortened season and this last one was just weird.

A 30G player who puts up in the mid to high 60's in points is way more valuable than a guy like Brassard and I think the world of Brassard.

MTL definitely wants a center and he's worth a higher caliber center. If that center isn't out there, then MTL just won't do anything.
- Rinosaur

Patches is the better player, but it's a center driven league and there is a dearth of good, available centers. The Habs have seemingly given up on Drouin as a center so they're really going to struggle unless they don't get somebody in there. Maybe they'll over-pay Stastny.

Plus, don't over-estimate Bergevin's ability to make a bad trade.