digging through the dirt

[titanfan]

The Habs certainly need help on the blueline.  They have plenty of Cap room.   A little over $7m.  With room for bonuses, etc, even conservatively we can say $5m.

 

But who is out there?  What could we use to pull off a trade if one even existed?  Do we take on a large salary to land a D (using the cap space)?

 

Or do we look at what is left from Free Agents?  The pickings are slim!

 

Are older guys even worth a look at this point?  That is mostly what we are left with.  Kevin Bieksa (37 years old), Dennis Seidenberg (37) - or somehow convince Markov too come back (highly doubtful)?

 

Can Cody Franson be brought back from the KHL?  Why bother?

 

Or is Luca Sbisa worth a shot?

 

Like I said the pickings are slim, but we need some help!  And are any of these guys better than Alzner and/or Schlemko?  (Ugh)

 

Why do I think/fear that one of these days we are going to sign Brandon Bollig?

 

What am I missing?  (I didn't consider RFA's)

Edited September 20, 2018 by titanfan

[dlbalr]

I don't think there's much need to look at the UFA market for defence.  There are depth guys out there and the Habs have plenty of fringe blueliners already.  Andrei Markov is also not an option at any point this season; he would have to clear waivers to join the Habs and that's simply not going to happen.

 

The cap space is probably going to stay like that for the full season.  Montreal will have the option to retain to move a couple of players if need be and they can take a contract (with a pick/prospect) to facilitate a trade involving a cap-strapped team but I wouldn't expect much more than that.

[titanfan]

OK.  Not disagreeing.  But who do you get?

[dlbalr]

6 minutes ago, titanfan said:

OK.  Not disagreeing.  But who do you get?

 

Right now?  No one.  I don't think there's a team out there that really needs to clear salary at the moment.  Later on in the year, maybe Tampa Bay if they try to make a big splash at the deadline - maybe they take on Coburn or Callahan for the right incentive.

 

Over the next couple of weeks, I imagine the only trades happening around the league will be fringe guys for late picks/so-so prospects (and Montreal could certainly be involved in trying to move a guy like Benn out).  Other than that, what they have is what they're going to run with this season.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I've said before that I'd like to see the Habs take a flyer on Ben Hutton. Travis Green hates him, so he probably could be had for a song, and he was a promising puck-mover in his rookie season. Just my two cents.

[Commandant]

44 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

I don't think there's much need to look at the UFA market for defence.  There are depth guys out there and the Habs have plenty of fringe blueliners already.  Andrei Markov is also not an option at any point this season; he would have to clear waivers to join the Habs and that's simply not going to happen.

 

The cap space is probably going to stay like that for the full season.  Montreal will have the option to retain to move a couple of players if need be and they can take a contract (with a pick/prospect) to facilitate a trade involving a cap-strapped team but I wouldn't expect much more than that.

 

If Markov was signed NOW, he would not have to clear waivers. 

 

It is only when he plays one european game, after the start of the NHL regular season, that he would need to clear waivers. 

 

That said, he's still not an option.  Can't see his KHL team letting him out of his contract now.  if there was an out clause, it was probably time limited to around the July 1st time period.  He's not getting out after the start of the season.

[Commandant]

30 minutes ago, titanfan said:

OK.  Not disagreeing.  But who do you get?

 

I can't see us getting anyone... to be honest. There is nothing in free agency. 

 

I wouldn't want to get anyone either.  Lets clear some of the dead wood we have on defence as we have too many depth guys, and add prospects or picks... but better that than giving up young talent in a trade. They need to commit to this rebuild/retool.

[DON]

38 minutes ago, titanfan said:

OK.  Not disagreeing.  But who do you get?

No one of course. Is a re"tooling" year.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

 

I can't see us getting anyone... to be honest. There is nothing in free agency. 

 

I wouldn't want to get anyone either.  Lets clear some of the dead wood we have on defence as we have too many depth guys, and add prospects or picks... but better that than giving up young talent in a trade. They need to commit to this rebuild/retool.

 

I'm thinking more in terms of taking on a young player who could conceivably benefit from a change of scenery, one of those 'reclamation projects.' Hence the Hutton suggestion, although Derek Pouliot could be another.

[Commandant]

8 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

I'm thinking more in terms of taking on a young player who could conceivably benefit from a change of scenery, one of those 'reclamation projects.' Hence the Hutton suggestion, although Derek Pouliot could be another.

 

I think we already have one of those, Mike Reilly. 

 

I guess we could take another, but we'd have to clear out at least one of Schlemko, Benn, Alzner (I know, I wish), before we can even think about adding one to the roster. 

 

Or else there just wont be enough ice time to go around, and we have to make sure we are giving the minutes to Mete and Rielly on the left side. 

[titanfan]

Wild thought.  If we find a young D who fits under our cap (we've got lots of room) and shows great promise.  Why would we worry about getting him ice time?  I'd be more than happy to sit Alzner of Schlemko in the press box if that is what it takes.  Sure it sounds radical to have a guy making Alzner $$ sitting, but it isn't like it will be hurting our cap and I'd rather move on - anyway I could.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

10 minutes ago, titanfan said:

Wild thought.  If we find a young D who fits under our cap (we've got lots of room) and shows great promise.  Why would we worry about getting him ice time?  I'd be more than happy to sit Alzner of Schlemko in the press box if that is what it takes.  Sure it sounds radical to have a guy making Alzner $$ sitting, but it isn't like it will be hurting our cap and I'd rather move on - anyway I could.

 

That's the kind of move a team makes when it values success more than managerial ego. Therefore it is highly unlikely to happen in this organization.

18 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

I think we already have one of those, Mike Reilly. 

 

I guess we could take another, but we'd have to clear out at least one of Schlemko, Benn, Alzner (I know, I wish), before we can even think about adding one to the roster. 

 

Or else there just wont be enough ice time to go around, and we have to make sure we are giving the minutes to Mete and Rielly on the left side. 

 

I hear you, and in truth, maybe we should indeed be seeing what Mete, Juulsen, and even Reilly can do before making further moves. This D desperately needs puck-movers, but if those guys can represent critical mass in this respect, then adding a Hutton-type - another good-skating puck-moving 'bubble' defenceman - might not make much sense. If any one of those three craps out (and it doesn't seem likely that all three will succeed this season), then acquiring another one might be in order. So, such an acquisition may still prove to be a good idea, but perhaps a little later in the year.

[hab29RETIRED]

4 hours ago, Commandant said:

 

If Markov was signed NOW, he would not have to clear waivers. 

 

It is only when he plays one european game, after the start of the NHL regular season, that he would need to clear waivers. 

 

That said, he's still not an option.  Can't see his KHL team letting him out of his contract now.  if there was an out clause, it was probably time limited to around the July 1st time period.  He's not getting out after the start of the season.

Moot point.  do see the attitude man even wanting Markov back?

[Habiman]

I say play Alzner and Benn and Schlemko a lot at the outset in the hopes that they can keep their pants up...then, maybe we can move them our for real assets as players go down and teams look to fill depth roles...

 

[sbhatt]

The best outcome for this season we could possibly hope for is to "Lose For Hughes", so I'd like to see the blueline stay exactly as-is.

[alfredoh2009]

I am probably getting to high on Reilly, thinking we may be OK, but I would target Brodin in MIN or Clague in LA for Scherbak and one of Benn or Chlemko.

I would throw one of Sklenikca or Moravcik if we got a 2nd round pick for the extra D 

Edited September 20, 2018 by alfredoh2009
Added why Reilly matters to me

[Commandant]

15 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

I am probably getting to high on Reilly, thinking we may be OK, but I would target Brodin in MIN or Clague in LA for Scherbak and one of Benn or Chlemko.

I would throw one of Sklenikca or Moravcik if we got a 2nd round pick for the extra D 

 

Yeah, Minnesota and LA are handing up the phone on those offers. 

[alfredoh2009]

LA and MIN are looking for scoring and as crazy as that sounds: Scherbak will probably be a 3rd/4th liner for the CH

 

.....   oh! Never mind 

[TheDriveFor25]

I'd move McCarron for a pick.. same with Benn.. Scherbak too if you could get a 2nd or 3rd. 

Keep Schlemko. I'd guess he has the best chance of bouncing back and increasing his value. 

Keep Hudon. See Schlemko. 

 

Once Shaw and Weber are back then make another deal. 

There isn't a trade to be made that is going to send this team over the top, so build for the future. Figure out who is part of that and get rid of those who aren't. 

 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Scherbak is going to be a stud.

[alfredoh2009]

7 hours ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

Scherbak is going to be a stud.

That's what I was hoping for, I wanted him to win a spot with Domi and Drouin. But he has been underwhelming this training plan

 

Lets hope

[Richard09]

I hope so too. I think he has all the skills. my fear is MB being the GM he is dumb enough to move him for another 4th liner. MB would not know talent if it came up and slap him in the face. My suggestion would be to move guys like McCarron, and some of the old D for picks. This team does not even have anyone on the TSN top 50 so tanking for another season and picking up some more picks is the only way to go. 

[dlbalr]

42 minutes ago, Richard09 said:

I hope so too. I think he has all the skills. my fear is MB being the GM he is dumb enough to move him for another 4th liner. MB would not know talent if it came up and slap him in the face. My suggestion would be to move guys like McCarron, and some of the old D for picks. This team does not even have anyone on the TSN top 50 so tanking for another season and picking up some more picks is the only way to go. 

 

 

How much trade value do you expect McCarron to have?  He's literally available for free at the moment.  There's the potential that he could be moved after he clears but that will be for another minor leaguer, not anything of tangible value.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

1 hour ago, dlbalr said:

 

How much trade value do you expect McCarron to have?  He's literally available for free at the moment.  There's the potential that he could be moved after he clears but that will be for another minor leaguer, not anything of tangible value.

 

I was sure he was going for Shinkaruk, not Rychel.

 

If he gets moved for Freddie Gauthier I'll giggle.

[dlbalr]

11 hours ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

If he gets moved for Freddie Gauthier I'll giggle.

 

 

I've sort of been half-expecting that myself although Babcock is a Gauthier fan - once he's healthy, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a look at 4C in Toronto.