Eklund: The next great Montréal writer finalist#1 “Habs 2025-2026 Plan By Ryan”

I am absolutely not in love with the concept of trading Dach if you're running back Newhook as the 2C. Dach does play a solid forecheck game but that puts him kind of out of position as a 2C...I don't have answers for this but the glaring issue until soved is that 2C. Bringing in Ehlers at the suggested cost(it will cost more) is not to bury him down on the 3rd which is the reason he would want out of the Peg to begin with, better deployment.

Hopefully there's truth to us dangling Mailloux and a 1st to solve the 2nd line. At camp I would love to see..

Cole-Suzuki-Demidov
Laine-NEW 2C or worse case Dach-Slaf
Gally-Newhook-Anderson
Heineman-Evans-Xhekaj F./Kapanen and/or see what Rohrers can do

Marner doesn't fit the bill without having a 2C so forget that pipe dream

Demi on the top line will give him a little more confidence not having to worry about his line mates hanging him out to dry(Newy and Laine displayed that in droves during the 1st round)

Injuries or just a better showing could bump Kapanen in to that 3rd C with Newhook and Andy on the wing drop Gally to the 4th giving him nights off to stay fresh.

Of course all this can change with a couple phone calls by Hughes and we go back to the drawing board.

Good article, I like ones where it spurs trade or signings discussions.

Mtl does need a 2C in the worst way but it needs to be a larger body (with Caufield, Hutson and Suzuki being undersized we must have everyone else on the team be at a minimum 6'-0") and preferably a L-shot. I would stay away from Rossi (too small), Marchessault (too small. too much money and too many years), Marner (a little small but going to cost way too much) and Bennett (too much money to sign and may never put up the numbers you want from a 2C which is minimum 60 pts).

The centers I would pursue are in this order:
- McTavish, Ana - price will be steep
- William Karlsson, Veg - On an affordable deal for the next two years and we can hope that one of our prospects will be ready when his deal is up (maybe Hage, Kapanen, Beck or even Dach)
- Horvat, NYI - if you could get him with a little salary retained by NY to get him below the Suzuki cap number would be ideal. Plus he's already very good friends with Anderson (were groomsmen at each others weddings) and Suzuki.
- Pettersson, Van - price will be steeper than McTavish even and there's more risk on a very pricy contract
- Duchene on a 2-3 year deal at a max 6M/yr, he is still going to get $6.5M from the Nashville buyout next season.
- Or a total darkhorse option is Voronkov from CBJ. Not sure how much C he's played but could be an amazing fit as a Russian to play with Demidov and he's a huge body with skill and speed.

If none of these work out then I think you have to move forward this season and give Dach another chance. Let's face it Dach is almost untradeable right now, if he's included in a deal it is likely as a salary dump to offset the guy coming in. Dach is likely with Mtl for next season and the only question (besides is he going to be healthy enough to play) is if he will be 2C or 3C?

If the stars align and Pit goes into a deep tank and maybe Crosby could be convinced to come to Mtl to help the team by bringing back assets in a trade then Mtl are in a great position to send a package to Pit for him close to the deadline.

The trade I would like to see Mtl make is for Dobson. He would be the ideal partner for Hutson right now because the only options we have are:
- Reinbacher who may take 2 years (1 full time in Laval, and 1 transition year in Mtl),
- Mailloux who probably needs another year in Laval to improve his defensive game (if that ever happens),
- Konyushkov who is under contract for at least one more year in the KHL and will then need time to adjust to north america,
- if we draft a RD high in this draft who will also take at least a couple years to be ready to be a 1B defenseman.

Mtl has a ton of trade bait in picks and the following players or prospects:
Dach, Newhook, Struble in Mtl
Kapanen, Beck, Farrell, Mesar, Roy, Mailloux, Engstrom or Primeau in Laval

I would like to see the following for next season:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Newhook (or a FA R-shot W) - New LH 2C - Demidov
Laine - Dach - Gallagher
Heineman - Evans - Anderson

Hutson - Dobson
Guhle - Matheson
Xhekaj - Carrier
Struble or Engstrom as 7th D

1st PP unit = Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Demidov and Hutson
2nd PP unit = New 2C, Laine, Dach, Matheson and Dobson

If they decide to stay away from the big names and sign say Ehlers and Boeser and find a center, that would be a huge step up.

Logan Mailloux is a 6'3" 215lb RD that is not expendable unless the exact right trade comes along that helps the Habs solidify their biggest weakness 2C.

Logan Mailloux is a 6'3" 215lb RD that is not expendable unless the exact right trade comes along that helps the Habs solidify their biggest weakness 2C.
- Hockey Pucker

Hopefully Hughes does not change his stripes and only dangles Mailloux(plus whatever) for that 2C otherwise he goes nowhere.

As for the Mason Mctavish suggested earlier, although a great fit he is an even better fit for Verbeek and I doubt he goes anywhere. I could see him try to give us Zegras but I think that ship has sailed.

What I tend to look at is which teams GMs are...let's say not working with a great track record. Fleece them for what we need. Any fan base that's been screaming to fire their GM, get on the horn and see what it takes to pry away a 2C..could Ken Holland misevaluate a Byfield maybe?

Logan Mailloux is a 6'3" 215lb RD that is not expendable unless the exact right trade comes along that helps the Habs solidify their biggest weakness 2C.
- Hockey Pucker

This

also Oreilly will 35 next winter, doesnt fit the habs timeline and he a 50 pts guy soon to be a 45 one

In this market, no way also Ehlers is 6m

Then dont trade Dach when the value is at is lowest, your better off keeping him and hoping he turns it around ( then you can trade him)

Terrible article really