Speculation: Kent Hughes is not done selling

[Junohockeyfan]

I agree. Except for Savard. If they can get a decent return he can be traded. They can get a vet in the summer to replace him.....

I was saying The Habs should not pay assets to rid themselves of those guys. I get the rebuild part but you cant have a full team of young guys. You do need NHL level guys to play with them and be "big brother" types.

I hear a lot of complaints about Gallagher but he is a guy I would try to keep at all costs. He is not even close to worth his contract when it comes to production but when it comes to showing the young guys what it means to be a pro and to give everything you got. He is worth every penny

I disagree. A suitable summer RHD vet will likely be looking for term. Savard is exactly the type of mentor that our young D need. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to improve what you already have. Our biggest weakness is our D and only due to development. Savard will help accellerate this process.

 

[General Fanager]

as the year goes on, i'm more and more convinced that Matheson is the odd man out this tear. Not Kovacevic nor Savard.

We have literally no one on the right side to replace either Kovacevic or Savard. Let me explain :

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - kovacevic
Xhakej - Barron
Struble - No one!
Harris - No one!

Remove Matheson from that equation and we're still fine.
They tried Harris on the right side and he was terrible. They tried Guhle on the right side and he wasn't the first pairing rookie anymore. We need Kaiden to play top pair LHD.

We could easily get 1st + for Matheson without retention. No doubt in my mind. It's a great time to sell high on him since he has a career year.

I also think that just like Monahan, there's a reason why Matheson has ALL the chances to play 1st PP and as much as possible with Suz and Caufield instead of Guhle.

I think they keep Matheson. I think they package one of the young guys on LD and some of the picks to upgrade offense. Similar to the Dach and Newhook deals.

I disagree. A suitable summer RHD vet will likely be looking for term. Savard is exactly the type of mentor that our young D need. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to improve what you already have. Our biggest weakness is our D and only due to development. Savard will help accellerate this process.

Fair point however, there are tons of RD that will be available that could fill that role though. Even some that would be well worth a 2-3 year deal. My guess is that HuGo will do it if Savard wants to try and win.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I think they keep Matheson. I think they package one of the young guys on LD and some of the picks to upgrade offense. Similar to the Dach and Newhook deals.


Fair point however, there are tons of RD that will be available that could fill that role though. Even some that would be well worth a 2-3 year deal. My guess is that HuGo will do it Savard wants to try and win.

Savard can be traded next TDL. Until then, he is the perfect mentor for the young D. One more season to work with they young guns.

It would take a significant overpayment for Hughes to consider trading Savard. He is too important for the rebuild.

 

[Vitto79]

They don’t have much to sell imo

 

[John Mandalorian]

When is he going to be done leaking to the media?

 

[Junohockeyfan]

When is he going to be done leaking to the media?

After he's extracted the last bit of value from players he wants to trade.

 

[General Fanager]

They don’t have much to sell imo

A few small parts maybe.... but not much else.

I would not be surprised to see them add at the deadline. Not to try to make the playoffs of course but a guy(s) with term to continue the build or they could just use the cap space to help a capped out team.

anything is possible with HuGo.

 

[John Mandalorian]

After he's extracted the last bit of value from players he wants to trade.

Who do you predict that will be?

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Who do you predict that will be?

I think Allen is the likely player to be traded at TDL. Outside chance Kovacevic is traded but only if there is a decent offer (in the range of a 2nd).

But Allen needs to be traded (with retention) even if the return is low (3rd / 4th).

 

[ole ole]

Congrats to him for extending the rebuild past a decade. Nothing like trading proven nhl players for magic beans who might contribute something in 5 years. The team must be pissed.

2 yr is to some = to a decade.

as the year goes on, i'm more and more convinced that Matheson is the odd man out this tear. Not Kovacevic nor Savard.

We have literally no one on the right side to replace either Kovacevic or Savard. Let me explain :

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - kovacevic
Xhakej - Barron
Struble - No one!
Harris - No one!

Remove Matheson from that equation and we're still fine.
They tried Harris on the right side and he was terrible. They tried Guhle on the right side and he wasn't the first pairing rookie anymore. We need Kaiden to play top pair LHD.

We could easily get 1st + for Matheson without retention. No doubt in my mind. It's a great time to sell high on him since he has a career year.

I also think that just like Monahan, there's a reason why Matheson has ALL the chances to play 1st PP and as much as possible with Suz and Caufield instead of Guhle.

But that 1st would really only be a 2nd.

 

[habsterr]

Congrats to him for extending the rebuild past a decade. Nothing like trading proven nhl players for magic beans who might contribute something in 5 years. The team must be pissed.

Bergevin handicapped this team with bad long term contracts. Hughes got hired in Jan of 2022, that's just over 2 years.

 

[Habs10025]

Montreal can only retain on one more player this season and it doesn't mean hughes will make any trades before the trade deadline Savard , Allen , Kovacevic all have 1 year remaining and won't be traded if hughes doesn't get an offer he likes

 

[Miller Time]

When is he going to be done leaking to the media?

Never

 

[nhlfan9191]

Montreal can only retain on one more player this season and it doesn't mean hughes will make any trades before the trade deadline Savard , Allen , Kovacevic all have 1 year remaining and won't be traded if hughes doesn't get an offer he likes

That retention spot should be saved for Allen. Savard can be traded next year.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

That retention spot should be saved for Allen. Savard can be traded next year.

Not getting much for Allen. No point in using a retention spot. Take a cap dump back unless someone is offering a 2nd. If a team makes a big offer for Savard then that is where to use the retention spot.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Not getting much for Allen. No point in using a retention spot. Take a cap dump back unless someone is offering a 2nd. If a team makes a big offer for Savard then that is where to use the retention spot.

The value in getting rid of Allen is having him out of the 3 goalie log jam we’ve had all year. That can’t continue and id rather give Primeau or somebody else a chance next year and that can’t happen without trading Allen which will require retention. Montembault has also deserved to get a real chance at being a number 1. Savard fills a roll currently and we have another year to trade him.

 

[FerrisRox]

Allen or Primeau will get moved eventually. I suspect at the end of it all we'll wonder why we didn't just put Primeau on waivers early in the season

I suspect the reason is because they believed the only way to really determine if Cayden Primeau was an NHL calibre goaltender was to play him in the NHL.

Sending him to the AHL would have seen him stagnate in terms of his development and this was essentially a shit or get off the pot season for him.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I suspect the reason is because they believed the only way to really determine if Cayden Primeau was an NHL calibre goaltender was to play him in the NHL.

Sending him to the AHL would have seem him stagnate in terms of his development and this was essentially a shit or get off the pot season for him.

100% spot on. Habs did not know what they have in Primeau and this was an opportunity to give him games without having to rely on him fully. The fact he played well and demonstrated an ability to be a viable backup made Allen completely expendable.

 

[FerrisRox]

The value in getting rid of Allen is having him out of the 3 goalie log jam we’ve had all year. That can’t continue.

I would much rather deal with the three goaltender situation in the offseason instead of wasting a retention spot, and cap-space, to hurriedly move him to address a situation that isn't really time-sensitive.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Bruins will take Suzuki

The Bruins would take David Suzuki they know he doesn't play hockey right

 

[FerrisRox]

Not getting much for Allen. No point in using a retention spot.

Exactly. The retention spot is more valuable then a mid-range pick.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Yeah. Allen is the next one to go. And Hughes can get more than pennies for him. Possibly a second-rounder.

And what about Matheson and Savard? Are they untouchables because they are Quebecois

 

[FerrisRox]

The Bruins would take David Suzuki they know he doesn't play hockey right

Interestingly, they are, in fact, related.

David Suzuki is the cousin of Nick Suzuki's grandfather.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

The only big piece that seems likely to be moved would be Savard, with retention he could return something hefty, and if I were GM I'd want a 1st or equivalent value, otherwise I'd rather just keep him around as a veteran insulating the kids for one more year.

Pearson should be available for cheap
Allen or Primeau will get moved eventually. I suspect at the end of it all we'll wonder why we didn't just put Primeau on waivers early in the season
Kovacevic might be of interest as a depth RD, though I wonder if the return will be worth moving him, since he's a good fit and you still have to ice a team next season. Signing a mediocre veteran at 2M for 3 years isn't going to help out in the long run...
Jake Evans is a guy some playoff teams might look at as a 4C, but like Kovacevic... is the return worth moving him for, given the role will need to be filled anyways?

I'm annoyed at Dvorak's injury.... if centers are at a premium right now, he'd get Montreal something of interest. Not what Montreal gave to get him, but still something of value.

No way in Hell Montreal gets a 1st rounder for Savard...maybe a 3rd rounder

 

[Junohockeyfan]

No way in Hell Montreal gets a 1st rounder for Savard...maybe a 3rd rounder

and here we go again....

I don't see Savard being available. Habs need him to mentor the young D corps. Without him it was a gong show on the backend. Savard can be traded next offseason. It would take a serious overpayment to get Hughes to trade Savard and disrupt player development.