GHT120

Agreed he needs an A/GM slot ... I think at least Mellanby was one as well, maybe another as well.

A long list of guys on in that group.

Pezzetta sits and RHP in at "centre" ... expect he takes as few faceoffs as MSL can possibly manage.

Apologies for the month error ... day error because I hadn't flipped my calendar to March

So back to no true centre on the 4th line.

Technically from Almonte in Lanark County ... 😉 ... he has been in the NHL for 31 years, 22-yrs since he was Director of Hockey Operations in Ottawa ... I am unaware of him ever getting a serious look at a GM job ... not certain he was even the sole A/GM with the Habs in his final 5-yrs ... time may have past hm by, even if he is "only" 56.

Expect he plays if possible, given the lack of centre depth.

A 2:59 trade ***IF*** the Avs manage to upgrade their centre position without moving Johansen, Jake for Ryan and a 2025 conditional 3rd (4th if Allen doesn't play in 6 regular season games after the trade ... OR ... get a playoff win in 2024).

That he hasn't hired anyone ***MAY*** indicate that they plan to clean house at seasons' end ... but I wouldn't bet on it ... less then three weeks after the NYRs dumped him, Preds owner John P. McConnell brought Davidson back to Columbus and gave him a 5-yr contract in May 2021.

Yup

Wasn't arguing the for person or the player, just his signing with Carolina ... OBVIOUSLY any offer would have to be based on due diligence by Hugo.

And if Carolina takes the long-term but realistically low-cost buyout for a team that is never/rarely near the ceiling then there will be teams lining up to offer a short-term "show me" contract ... unlike many, if the Habs can dispose of Dvorak I would have no issue with Hughes being one of those GMs ... KK's issues were with the previous management team and he (his agent) exploited, to his/their advantage, an issue created by that management team offer-sheeting Aho.

Getting an early start ... will update as info available

That is still a 20+ point jump ... I expect them to be in the wildcard chase next season but not close enough to make the eventual playoff teams too nervous.

Expect he is close, but they may want to drag it out a couple/few days if they have a trade(s) in the works ... HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE ... if another team wants Armia, Pearson or (in my dreams) Anderson and the return doesn't include an NHL forward then RHP can just slide in and fill the roster spot.

POTENTIALLY the Habs will have more young defencemen than they need, whether or not they draft a D with their first pick this year ... but I don't think HuGo will pre-determine which to trade ... I-M-O they should decide who is as close to untouchable as possible (NOBODY is 100% "untouchable") and then either select a player to target in a trade and put together a package including a "touchable" defenceman(men) ... OR ... you let other GMs know that you are inviting offers for the "touchable" defencemen and see what offer is best for the Habs ... and, it may ***not*** be purely who brings the best player in return as they have to factor in the value of retaining the D not traded ... my equation is who you get PLUS who you get to keep.

Agreed ... Suzuki is becoming an elite two-way 1C ... but Pettersson is an ELITE offensive 1C.

95/96 Wings had Konstantinov, Fetisov, Lidstrom and Coffey as its D core ... 96/97 lost Coffey but had the rest ... 2000/01 had Fischer, Duchesne, Chelios and Lidstrom ... don't see that level of defence core on the Leafs.

Before Allvin can take it back.

No trade EVER guarantees a championship; by that logic there would never be any deadline deals. Being 2nd best GF/Gm and 20th in GA/Gm this season, and going into the playoffs with a WEAK defence corps and mediocre goaltending isn't likely a winning formula. I have to wonder how long a GM who has never won a Cup, and a Team President who has made the second round once in 9 full seasons, can survive on "the future".

You think VAN would have to add something of value along with Pettersson?

If they were SERIOUS about improving their team for this season they could offer this year or 2026 first, or dangle Nicholas Robertson, Knies, Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan ... to re-purpose a classic, you can't get silk purses by offering sow's ears.

Assuming Gallagher is on a "therapy day" ... does Roy go back to help Laval, do Pezzetta or Ylonen go on waivers, or is there a trade in which one more player goes "out" than comes "back"?

Hopefully some other GM believes this will last ... because I don't.

6th in TOI amongst regular Ducks-D ... Leafs going C-H-E-A-P to "improve" their defence corps.