Around the NHL XXXIII - looking forward to 2018 offseason edition

[BondraTime]

Hey Bondra, the french media thinks Drouin is probably going to get a shot at playing center and Drouin actually said he think he could play center since he played the position in junior at times. What's your take on this?

Not sure how well suited he is to be a #1 C in the NHL, though I haven't seen him play there at the NHL level. (He is a top line forward as soon as this season imo)

He was obviously the best center in the CHL in his 18 year old season, and played center (and was the better player) a majority of the time with Mackinnon during their 17 year old seasons.

I always envisioned him as a playmaking winger at the pro level, but if they are going to try him out at center, it has it's merits.

 

[playasRus]

Montreal got the better player for the next 2-3 years at least imo

That's what we said about the Weber trade too.

 

[Hutz]

That's what we said about the Weber trade too.

Well... they did improve over last season.

 

[Deku]

Well... they did improve over last season.

Literally only because of a healthy Price

 

[Sensinitis]

Not sure how well suited he is to be a #1 C in the NHL, though I haven't seen him play there at the NHL level. (He is a top line forward as soon as this season imo)

He was obviously the best center in the CHL in his 18 year old season, and played center (and was the better player) a majority of the time with Mackinnon during their 17 year old seasons.

I always envisioned him as a playmaking winger at the pro level, but if they are going to try him out at center, it has it's merits.

Interesting...

Patches-Drouin-Radulov can be a pretty line.

 

[Sun God Nika]

I see sergachev going right below the tier of players below karlsson

Dmen tier 1 - Karlsson

dmen tier 2 - Doughty, Subban, Burns, Hedman

dmen tier 3 Letang, OEL, Byfuglien, Krug, Carlsson | This where I see sergechev in like 3 - 4 years.

 

[BondraTime]

I see sergachev going right below the tier of players below karlsson

Dmen tier 1 - Karlsson

dmen tier 2 - Doughty, Subban, Burns, Hedman

dmen tier 3 Letang, OEL, Byfuglien, Krug, Carlsson | This where I see sergechev in like 3 - 4 years.

I'm seeing him being more of a Trouba than an OEL level D.

I see him as good better than Krug, be we evidently have much, much different valuations on the tiers of D in the NHL.

 

[BondraTime]

That's what we said about the Weber trade too.

You don't see how that is completely different? They traded a very promising 19 year old for a very already established promising 21 year old. They obviously win this trade in the short term, at minimum.

Sergachev could very well go on to become a #1D, that would sting. I see him more along the lines of Trouba personally, which is still a big loss.

Drouin should be the Habs leading scorer in 5/6 seasons of his contract.

I never, and apparently Kucherov never either, understood why Cooper wouldn't play Drouin with Kucherov. He was Kucherovs favorite linemate, from Kucherovs mouth, and got buried with Boyle/Paquette/Brown, Point being the lone exception for part of the year as a guy with skill.

 

[Xspyrit]

You don't see how that is completely different? They traded a very promising 19 year old for a very already established promising 21 year old. They obviously win this trade in the short term, at minimum.

Silver lining #1 : Drouin is 22 years old.

Silver lining #2 : at least now with Sergachev gone, the Habs have a terrible prospect pool

That's all I have found

 

[aragorn]

Silver lining #1 : Drouin is 22 years old.

Silver lining #2 : at least now with Sergachev gone, the Habs have a terrible prospect pool

That's all I have found

Let's see how Claude Julien plays him, he hasn't exactly been fond of young players either.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

That's what we said about the Weber trade too.

Not what I said. I would not have traded PK for Weber and that contract personally.
I am jealous Mtl signed Drouin .. great young player ... Serg is likely to be good but it will take some time.

 

[Deku]

Let's see how Claude Julien plays him, he hasn't exactly been fond of young players either.

Yeah. I'm confused by the thought process of:
"Oh we have to trade Galchenyuk because our coaches have disliked him, so we'll get Drouin who had the same problem in Tampa but everything will magically be fine"

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Yeah. I'm confused by the thought process of:
"Oh we have to trade Galchenyuk because our coaches have disliked him, so we'll get Drouin who had the same problem in Tampa but everything will magically be fine"

...it makes you wonder. Drouin has a great skill set, but there has to be more to this story than we all know. Yzerman isn't the type to make a bad deal.

 

[tony d]

Still think Montreal won the deal. Drouin's going to be a good player.

 

[BondraTime]

...it makes you wonder. Drouin has a great skill set, but there has to be more to this story than we all know. Yzerman isn't the type to make a bad deal.

Drouin wanted out, everyone knows that. From the holdout last year, to being played with grinders on the 3rd while guys like Alex Killorn apparently giving moustache rides to Cooper for 1st line minutes.

Tampa were never going to win in this scenario, well it looked like they might when they seemed like they were going to keep him.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Montreal won the deal. But that d corps could be comical in 3 years.

 

[BonkTastic]

Montreal won the deal. But that d corps could be comical in 3 years.

If Montreal's blueline falls apart next year (Markov will be 39 next season, etc...) and they don't do a good job of addressing it via a Galchenyuk trade, it could be that rare case where a team loses a trade even if they get the better player.

I don't expect that to happen, but it's interesting that it remains a potentially valid outcome of this scenario.

 

[Super Cake]

I will laugh if the Habs trade Galchenyuk for a defenseman.

THey aren't winning jack **** with their **** poor center depth.

I mean they can add any winger or defenseman they want to their team, but it won't matter if their center depth is atrocious.

I predict another season where the Habs can't score and they rely on Price to win them games. This is followed by a quick 1st round exit or at the most a 2nd round exit depending on how Price plays.

 

[Senscore]

Looking like Mike Smith to Flames.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

Nathan Beaulieu basically given away. Not that he is anywhere close to Methot/Phaneuf, but if that's the market pre-draft....not looking good for us.

Maybe MTL is now acquiring Phaneuf from us. Jeez, that'd be a love/hate situation. Good to not lose one of Phaneuf/Methot for nothing, but I'd hate to have to play against him within the division (again).

 

[danielpalfredsson]

CGY gets Mike Smith for a conditional 3rd and an NCAA prospect who apparently wasn't going to sign.

My guess is the conditional 3rd is probably tied to games played or something similar. Deal makes sense for Calgary since they'd have to give up their 2018 3rd to re-sign Elliott due to the conditions of their trade with STL. Smith is apparently 25 percent retained.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Thank god Nathan Beaulieu is no longer a Canadien. I don't think i could go though another deadline of Nathan Beaulieu proposals.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I would have given a 3rd for bealieau personally.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

I would have given a 3rd for bealieau personally.

Even after the Sens lose one of Claesson/Methot, Bealieau would still have to beat out all three of: Chabot, Borowiecki, and Harpur just to start.

Wasn't going to happen.

 

[maclean]

Surprised how practically unanimous the verdict on the Drouin trade is. Nothing against the guy, but I have this gut feeling that he's just the type of player who will somehow fail in Montreal. Maybe it's just hope though