Brandon Smillie: Big Game Hunting
- Brandon Smillie

Welcome back BS

Forget the offer sheet for a minute, what does a trade for Laine look like from Montreal's point of view? What kind of package would Winnipeg be looking for?

The salt mines are rich today.

Welcome back BS

Forget the offer sheet for a minute, what does a trade for Laine look like from Montreal's point of view? What kind of package would Winnipeg be looking for?
- obie

Drouin, Brooks, Suzuki and a 1st in 2021?

The salt mines are rich today.
- WJDiedrich

Too humid to consume salt

Drouin, Brooks, Suzuki and a 1st in 2021?
- Habsody

Not bad, but I think the first would have to be 2020. (do the Hab have their pick?)

Winnipeg may also prefer to not take Drouin?

Drouin, Brooks, Suzuki and a 1st in 2021?
- Habsody

Pretty similar to what I was thinking, only I had Danault & Juulsen instead of Suzuki & Brook to go with Drouin & the 2021 1st

Not bad, but I think the first would have to be 2020. (do the Hab have their pick?)

Winnipeg may also prefer to not take Drouin?
- Aetherial

They have their pick, well Carolina has it right now in a way

Not bad, but I think the first would have to be 2020. (do the Hab have their pick?)

Winnipeg may also prefer to not take Drouin?
- Aetherial

The Draft will be in Montreal, i don’t see them trading their first in 2020. There is an history with Drouin and Ehlers in Halifax so it might be tempting i don’t know. Ehlers can move to right wing so...

The Draft will be in Montreal, i don’t see them trading their first in 2020. There is an history with Drouin and Ehlers in Halifax so it might me tempting i don’t know. Ehlers can move to right wing so...
- Habsody

He was willing to give up the 1st in Montreal for Aho, + the 2nd & 3rd... pretty sure that pick is on the table

Pretty similar to what I was thinking, only I had Danault & Juulsen instead of Suzuki & Brook to go with Drouin & the 2021 1st
- obie

Yeah with Scheifele, Little and Roslovic i don’t know if there is a need for Danault, they might want Juulsen over Brooks though

He was willing to give up the 1st in Montreal for Aho, + the 2nd & 3rd... pretty sure that pick is on the table
- obie

You are right.

Pretty similar to what I was thinking, only I had Danault & Juulsen instead of Suzuki & Brook to go with Drouin & the 2021 1st
- obie

I think we're on the right track. I was only considering that Winnipeg may not want to take back much salary at all so Danault/Drouin may be out.

Could it be as simple as Brook, Suzuki, 1st?

I'm not sure I love the deal for the Habs. Bergevin has made some good trades and you guys have built up some good prospects. It might be better to stay the course.

The Draft will be in Montreal, i don’t see them trading their first in 2020. There is an history with Drouin and Ehlers in Halifax so it might be tempting i don’t know. Ehlers can move to right wing so...
- Habsody

Ahh, didn't know that.

I think we're on the right track. I was only considering that Winnipeg may not want to take back much salary at all so Danault/Drouin may be out.

Could it be as simple as Brook, Suzuki, 1st?

I'm not sure I love the deal for the Habs. Bergevin has made some good trades and you guys have built up some good prospects. It might be better to stay the course.
- Aetherial

Carey Price disagrees

I think we're on the right track. I was only considering that Winnipeg may not want to take back much salary at all so Danault/Drouin may be out.

Could it be as simple as Brook, Suzuki, 1st?

I'm not sure I love the deal for the Habs. Bergevin has made some good trades and you guys have built up some good prospects. It might be better to stay the course.
- Aetherial

The Jets have 7 F under contract... Drouin & Danault would give them 2 quality top 9 F for 2/3 of Laine's cap hit alone and both have term left also...

And I agree to a certain extent about the last part, I wouldn't be looking to trade from that prospect pool just yet, dont even know who's what yet really... but if the return is Laine? Maybe you can afford to dip in a little?

Brandon Smillie: Big Game Hunting
- Brandon Smillie

Very awesome blog. 😍


Buenas tardes

Carey Price disagrees
- Takemedrunkimhome

And Laine is 21... if were talking about trading those prospects for a 28 year, it's a different story

I think we're on the right track. I was only considering that Winnipeg may not want to take back much salary at all so Danault/Drouin may be out.

Could it be as simple as Brook, Suzuki, 1st?

I'm not sure I love the deal for the Habs. Bergevin has made some good trades and you guys have built up some good prospects. It might be better to stay the course.
- Aetherial

Brook, Suzuki and a first would not be accepted. Drouin doesn’t make that much so I’d assume him, Suzuki and whatever D prospect the Jets like plus picks would be where this starts.
I also wonder if the jets possibly signing Gardiner affects this, in the sense that they would want to make sure they can before Laine was traded. There could also be salary heading back to Montreal like Perreault?

And Laine is 21... if were talking about trading those prospects for a 28 year, it's a different story
- obie

My point is simply staying pat and waiting for the "future/prospects" won't sit well with CP and I'd imagine, although he hasn't vocalized it, SW too

My point is simply staying pat and waiting for the "future/prospects" won't sit well with CP and I'd imagine, although he hasn't vocalized it, SW too
- Takemedrunkimhome

I hear ya and it's all fine and dandy

But he shouldn't be running operations based on what Price and Weber want, it's easy to figure out by looking at the roster that this team is built for a couple years down the road and if that displeases them in any way they can go to management and request to be moved, although I'm not exactly sure how they could even move Price

I hear ya and it's all fine and dandy

But he shouldn't be running operations based on what Price and Weber want, it's easy to figure out by looking at the roster that this team is built for a couple years down the road and if that displeases them in any way they can go to management and request to be moved, although I'm not exactly sure how they could even move Price
- obie

Assuming this is true...then signing Price for 8 years @ $10.5m should mean MB is gone. He can't have it both ways...the warm and fuzzies from last season wear off real fast without some offseason improvement and momentum

Assuming this is true...then signing Price for 8 years @ $10.5m should mean MB is gone. He can't have it both ways...the warm and fuzzies from last season wear off real fast without some offseason improvement and momentum
- Takemedrunkimhome

I think he's had a good off season, even if it was mostly luck with Caufield falling to him and just enough common sense to not give any UFA long term deals.... he's definitely trying to land a star player that fits in with the age group of his future core and I give him credit for that also... I just don't get why he hasn't gone after Provorov

I think he's had a good off season, even if it was mostly luck with Caufield falling to him and just enough common sense to not give any UFA long term deals.... he's definitely trying to land a star player that fits in with the age group of his future core and I give him credit for that also
- obie

We can give him credit for pie in the sky ideas that fail, sure, but ultimately it's his job to make the team better and to fill the obvious holes, regardless of whether or not "trades are hard".

You and I've discussed this a few times and I'm not going to move the goal posts, but the Habs need a LD who can QB the PP. As of now he hadn't added that and the longer beyond July 1 it goes the less likely it becomes. If he fails to address this after having a top 5 5v5 team last season with the worst PP in the league being the main reason they missed the playoffs then he needs to be held accountable.

I don't have an issue with the offer sheets at all. It's not MB's fault Karlsson and Duchene aren't in MTL and there are obvious issues with attracting talent to MTL as with most Canadian franchises...however it is a results based business and failing to address what is the most obvious need, combined with most of his 7 year track record would spell the end of his tenure for me...and this is from somebody who frequently defends him

We can give him credit for pie in the sky ideas that fail, sure, but ultimately it's his job to make the team better and to fill the obvious holes, regardless of whether or not "trades are hard".

You and I've discussed this a few times and I'm not going to move the goal posts, but the Habs need a LD who can QB the PP. As of now he hadn't added that and the longer beyond July 1 it goes the less likely it becomes. If he fails to address this after having a top 5 5v5 team last season with the worst PP in the league being the main reason they missed the playoffs then he needs to be held accountable.

I don't have an issue with the offer sheets at all. It's not MB's fault Karlsson and Duchene aren't in MTL and there are obvious issues with attracting talent to MTL as with most Canadian franchises...however it is a results based business and failing to address what is the most obvious need, combined with most of his 7 year track record would spell the end of his tenure for me...and this is from somebody who frequently defends him
- Takemedrunkimhome

He does need a D, and that's why I said the only thing I dont understand is why he hasn't turned his attention to Provorov yet.... Aho and Laine would be amazing but with Kotkaniemi, Domi, Suzuki, Poehling, Gallagher, Caufield, Drouin, Danault, Ylonen all in the fold, is the top 9 really gonna be an issue in 2 years? Only time will tell I suppose but Provorov would be addressing an area of weakness for sure!

But I think hes done too many good things in the last 12 months to give him the boot now, just my opinion

He does need a D, and that's why I said the only thing I dont understand is why he hasn't turned his attention to Provorov yet.... Aho and Laine would be amazing but with Kotkaniemi, Domi, Suzuki, Poehling, Gallagher, Caufield, Drouin, Danault, Ylonen all in the fold, is the top 9 really gonna be an issue in 2 years? Only time will tell I suppose but Provorov would be addressing an area of weakness for sure!

But I think hes done too many good things in the last 12 months to give him the boot now, just my opinion
- obie

I largely agree and it's certainly loosened the noose around his neck...at some point the rubber needs to hit the road.

As for Provorov I'm not sure. Depends what Fletcher is thinking but based on their moves and depth chart you'd think one of he, Hagg or Gostisbehere has to go...I'm not sure Hagg is what would help the Habs and I'd imagine Gostisbehere can be had for the cheapest but literally when we aren't able to have those discussions knowing what trades might work are hard