Habs Fan in Edmonton

There are some scouts who love Demidov, McCagg thinks he is just as good as Michkov with a better attitude. I don't know if the Russian factor will drop him in the rankings but he is a very skilled winger. It might be hard for the Habs to overlook him if he is available when they draft but he likely isn't. Ivan Demidov | Ivan Demidov Profile | Ivan Demidov Scouting Report 2024 (mynhldraft.com)

I like it when people are firm in their belief and don't waffle. Helenius has been in the 5-10 range in almost every mock draft I have looked at so I am sure the Habs are scouting him carefully. I would love to see the Habs get another top 15 pick but that is very unlikely.

When you look at the number of young defensemen the Habs have that are currently in the NHL (ie. Struble, Xhekaj, Guhle, Harris, Kovacevic) and then you will have Mailloux and Barron knocking on the door next year and then you will have Reinbacher, Huston and maybe Engstrom after that (did I forget anyone), I think it's more than potentially and it's coming soon. And what if they decide to keep Matheson and Savard around for a bit? There is a big logjam coming at defense. Not a terrible problem to have but some trades will have to made.

Those are my top 3 forwards and if they are gone, there is not an obvious one for me. Habs are almost assuredly drafting 5-7 (unless the lottery changes things). I hope with all the elite defense prospects available that Lindstrom falls to the Habs but my hopes never seem to work out. Parekh and Beck will be fun to watch at the Memorial Cup. If you draft Parekh then I think you trade Mailloux in some sort of package deal for a forward as I don't know if there is room for 2 gifted offensive right defensemen but maybe you can keep both.

Fair point, I think most here would agree that Petterson purely from an offensive point of view is a step above Nick. I am not sure Nick will hit 90 pts but I would be very happy with 80. You could have the discussion in this salary cap world of whether you would rather have Nick at 7.8m/year or Pettersson at 11.6? Considering Nick's strong 2 way play I could see arguments on both sides although in that big Stanley Cup playoff final having that truly elite offensive player is nice to have although neither McDavid or Matthews have carried a cup yet. Glad Pettersson has signed in Vancouver and this argument is a little moot now.

Dickinson is very impressive, there seems to be no weak point in his game. He really stood out watching some of the OHL playoff games last year and he keeps getting better. I think he has top pairing defensemen written all over him. I think he is similar in style to Kaiden Guhle, but a little bigger frame and stronger and will provide more offense. Zayne Parekh is certainly an offensive dynamo, no other defensemen in this draft like him but Dickinson seems so well rounded. Sam Dickinson | Sam Dickinson Profile | Sam Dickinson Scouting Report 2024 (mynhldraft.com)

More points than Petersson is a little optimistic BUT if Nick can score 75-80 pts/year and we know he plays both ends of the ice then his contract of 7.8M/year is excellent value.

Neither would I, that was said a little tongue in cheek. Heaven forbid we ever have to deal with the leaf fan base if they ever win a cup. That would be simply awful. I might have to move somewhere where they don't care about hockey.

And he is locked in at a very affordable contract for a number of years.

One difference here is that Savard has another year on his contract. If Montreal retains 50% (as Calgary did with Tanev) then you have Savard for 2 playoff runs at a cheap price. Savard is worth more than Tanev IF the Habs retain 50%. How much more is open to debate.

Previous deadline deals the Leafs have made have turned out awful, just a waste of future draft picks. Perhaps they just need to go with the core and see what happens.

I agree but it's nice to dream a bit since the Habs won't be in the playoffs.

Sam Pollock would say the team that gets the best player wins the trade. That might not apply all the time but it would in this case. Elite 25 year old centers don't come along every day.

Really, I think the Habs do that in a hearbeat. Pettersson and Suzuki as your #1 and #2 centers. Yikes!! Of course they would need to find some wingers to play with them but that would the strongest the Habs would be down the middle in a long long long time.

Those trades can really come back to bite you. The Leafs gave up a 1st and a 4th for Nick Foligno 3 years ago. How did that turn out? Foligno played a total of 7 regular season games and 4 playoff games amassing a total of ZERO goals and 5 assists. I almost felt bad for the Leafs. Almost.

They could offer a 1st from another year or one of their top prospects. And if that guaranteed winning a cup I am sure they would do it in a heartbeat. But a GM also has to think about the future and the Leafs have traded away so many picks that I don't blame Treliving for being a little cautious.

They don't have much choice unless they want to trade a 1st round pick and their 1st rounder from 25 is already gone. No 2nd round picks to trade.

You don't believe Armia is finally reaching his potential? How skeptical. LOL

Yes, it was poorly worded, in the article where I took this it clarified what they meant and indicated the same quote you mentioned. The headline was just poorly worded.

There is logic in entertaining a trade. Pettersson is elite, no doubt about that and it would make sense Vancouver would ask for Suzuki plus and rightly so. Elite centers don't grow on trees. One factor to consider is that Suzuki is signed to a pretty favourable long term contract. If he delivers 75-80 points a year, plays a strong 2 way game than 7.8M/year is a very good contract for the Habs especially with the cap going up. Pettersson will be demanding Nylander type money (11M plus ) and rightly so. He is in a great bargaining position. A lot to consider, how much the plus would be for the Habs and how much they would have to pay him. Apparently they have had talks with Carolina. Vancouver could take KK back, he certainly has term. LOL

I agree with the price, if you don't get it then wait until next year.

Leafs get Lybushkin for a 3rd and a 6th. In the 2025 draft the Leafs don't have a pick until the 5th round, must be exciting for their scouts. Toronto Maple Leafs acquire D Ilya Lyubushkin from Anaheim Ducks for third-round pick | TSN

I agree and not surprised. A couple days ago Savard wasn't even on the top 50 list on TSN's trade bait board. Now he is at 49 with Tanev gone. A RD for Columbus, Andrew Peeke is at 36?? Who the heck is Andrew Peeke?? I guess the brain trust at TSN in Toronto doesn't think Savard is worth talking about so the fans don't think he exists.

That is a good point, he was a 2nd round pick and still only 20. The Flames seem high on him and most here don't know much about him. So basically the Flames got 2 x 2nd round picks and a 3rd for Tanev and retaining salary for the rest of this year. Not a bad haul.

That's true, obviously the Islanders valued Romanov pretty highly.