Yes but Horvat is UFA what is not the case with Meier and VAN receive a probably top 15 pick in a stack draft.
Harris is fine but he‘s #4-5-6 small Dmen, nothing special either
What's the difference if MON gives Florida's 1st round pick -- that's another top-15 pick in a stacked draft, most probably!
My position is that I don't risk waiting to sign Dubois as an UFA with he roster we currently have, but, if we land Meier in the meantime, I believe we can sway Dubois into getting on board with Hughes' plan and signing to fit into the cap structure.
Horvat just signed 8 X 8.5M with NJ. Dubois and Horvat are having career years as PPG Cs at the same time, Horvat already has 31 goals. PLD is definitely on pace for 30+ goals, easily.
Does that signature not for Horvat not impact one for Dubois and, while we're at it, could we say Meier might be worth slightly less at 8 X 8M, perhaps?
I say, trade for Meier and use a better lineup to attract Dubois as an UFA, don't spend mega assets on both or, if you lose out on Meier, use the same assets to land Dubois in the offseason instead.
However, Dubois (UFA) + Meier (around 8M each, signed long term), for NJ 1st round pick, Farrell, Harris and Kidney (what I'd offer) seems like a fair deal that doesn't ruin our chances of picking one last time in the bottom 10 in 2024, nor does it prevent us from finishing in the bottom-10 this year.
Anderson thus becomes trade fodder for a young RHD. With the top-6 C and young, top-4 RHD addressed, Montreal will be able to keep drafting and developing to fill other roster positions.
Caufield is out for the year, Slafkovsky is out for the year, Guhle is out for the year.
Meier would only help Suzuki's development in the meanwhile by giving him a genuine scoring target, without making Montreal a sudden powerhouse to end this season, nor a powerhouse for next season.
IMO, Montreal really only takes the next step when it adds Dubois for 2024-2025, with Suzuki, Guhle, Xhekaj, Caufield, from the young core, having added an extra year of experience as full time NHLers and Meier having had one year to develop chemistry with his new team.
Dubois will add a new dimension and solidify the top-6.
In two years, having added a veteran like Meier and Dubois and strengthening the right side by adding an NHL-ready youngster in the top-4 will enable experimenting with rookies appropriately, supplying these rookies with proper support in their first seasons.
beck will likely be slotted in as 3rd C on a kid line, that could be rounded out with Joshua Roy and one of Heineman or Mesar.
The fourth line will be an economical but worthwhile energy line composed of RHP (most likely) - Evans - Ylonen/Heineman, depending on whether Mesar makes the third line as a RW?
Whomever Montreal picks with their own 2023 pick should also be nearer and nearer to knocking at the door to play in the NHL, but there would be no rush.
Hutson and Mailloux could be integrating the Habs' lineup as well.
With everyone slotted in for 2024-2025, 2025-2026 sounds like it could be an impressive year for the young Habs team!
Next year, while we wait for Dubois, I'd keep Dach as 2nd line C and split the forces that could just be reunited on the PP, anyhow.
Dach - Meier
Caufield - Suzuki
Dvorak - Heineman
RHP - Evans
Those are the four duos I see.
What's left next year, most likely, once Byron, Dadonov, Drouin and Monahan have moved on?
Salfkovsky, Hoffman (one last season, where he should try to play lights out for a new contract, somewhere). Armia, Gallagher.
I'd play Slafkovsky with Dach and Meier for next season.
I'd add Heineman (better hockey sense and more reliable defensively than Anderson was) to the Caufield and Suzuki duo.
I'd saddle Dvorak (who will soon be traded anyhow) with Armia and Gallagher as a primarily defensive line with some offensive upside, even if it's more complementary than secondary scoring.
I'd add Ylonen to the 4th line with RHP and Evans.
Slafkovsky - Dach - Meier
Caufield - Suzuki - Heineman
Armia - Dvorak - Gallagher
RHP - Evans - Ylonen
Hoffman
Guhle - Grans (just as an example)
Matheson - Savard
Xhekaj - Barron
Kovacevic
When PLD comes on board the following year, the lineup/roster will be in full realignment with the addition of youngsters now ready for the NHL:
Salfkovsky - PLD - Meier
Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Roy - Beck - Heineman
RHP - Evans - Armia
Mesar (playing in Laval, IMO, along with the 1st round pick from Montreal in 2023 that could really improve the 3rd line and make it a second secondary scoring line, placing Heineman on the 4th line's RW).
Hutson - Grans
Guhle - Matheson/Mailloux
Xhekaj - Barron/Maillloux
Hoffman will be gone, however that ended. Armia will be in the last year of his contract and, if he couldn't be traded, might have been bought out at a measly 1.13M cap hit for that year and the next. Savard will have been traded. Matheson will stick around an extra year as a safety net, but should be on the trading bock by the trade deadline.
Gallagher is the only real problem and, at that point, it might be appropriate to pay in futures to move his contract, if he hasn't changed his address permanently to Robidas Island by then?
I really like this lineup. I see genuine game breakers, genuine scorers, genuine playmakers, skill, size, offense, defense!