Would you trade our pick next year for Slaf?

[SnapVirus]

I like Slaf at 5th overall.

So no. Never. Because top5 next years are also s’l better than him.

 

[Sorinth]

I'm not even sure I would even take Slaf if we managed to trade for the 2nd overall.

I would consider trading next years 1st for this years 2nd because it's far from a guarantee that we finish near the bottom but so much depends on info that Hughes has that we don't know.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I like Slaf at 5th overall.

So no. Never. Because top5 next years are also s’l better than him.

We are almost a certain lottery team next year, a draft year that has two elite players available: Bedard and Fantilli. Both of these players have the skill to alter a team's fortunes. You don't give up a chance to draft such a player unless you are an idiot savant. Interestingly, I though Fantilli was more impressive than Bedard at the recent U18.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

f*** no.

Don't trade that pick for anything.

We finally agree on something!

An emphatic F*** no!

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Based on what criteria? None of those 3 have shown domination vs grown men which Slaf has… on 2-occasions. That doesn’t make him a slam dunk by any means either…

This draft is looking like an all out toss up - more I analyze the situation, the more I get the feel Wright is the default 1OA simply because he was give exceptional player status @ 15-years of age and not because he has actually shown more domination vs his peers

Y'know, after he got the status, he had a rookie season where he impressed so much, people were annointing him 1st pick OV.

But according to you, it's because of the status, not the season that followed. Ridiculous, once again.

 

[Mackiaveli]

Obviously a third team would have to be involved as Jersey wants to win now. But one of the top teams in league would move a first line player to get a crack at Bedard. They free up caproom also.

Habs up against the cap cannot improve much this summer. Carey Price bad knees and three rookies on defense our pick will be a high one.

Slaf only goes 2nd because Jersey doesn't need a center.

If that pick gets moved, it will be for someone wanting to move up and draft Cooley.

I think I would be okay with moving our 1st for Cooley if the plan was to be aggressive in Free Agency - I don't suspect the Habs will be in the running for Bedard of Michkov, and any player above 4OA will be around the same ceiling as Cooley.

Suzuki/Wright/Cooley down the middle would be ... insane.

More realistically, if the Habs are going to move up the only team I could see willing and able to move a top 10 pick would be Columbus or Philly, but I am not sure how a trade with Columbus would work because our most valuable "moveable" asset is one we got from Columbus.

Anderson, Armia, Mailloux, Calgary's 1st, the 2nds this year and our 2nd next year should be the pieces available from Montreal. I am not sure I would move a 5 or 6OA pick for that package so I don't expect anyone else would either.

I would like to see the Habs draft Firkus - ideally with Calgary's pick. If he pans out, that would give us Firkus and Caufield to play in the spot that Stammer does.

 

[Lockin17]

Michkov >> Slaf

how do you know we'll get this guy next year ??
Might end up being around #9 and +

i would , we might end up being out of the top 5 next year

 

[Mackiaveli]

- all time NHL record for games lost due to injury

- no offseason for R&R for a team coming off the most condensed regular season schedule

- complete loss of leadership core during one offseason

> no head coaching change (starting the season with more effective coaching)

> no issues in locker room with #1 defenseman (either Petry will be happy and stay, or he will be moved)

> no revolving door of 3rd string goaltenders (something will be done if Price isn't ready to go)

> likely to add at least one piece in free agency to improve the current roster

> return of Drouin, Caufield's real sophmore season, Suzuki ready to explode onto the scene, Shane Wright joining the team.

----

This is all assuming Price is done and not playing too.

Arizona will not be any different. Seattle might add Matty B and if Grubauer wakes up from his slumber, they might climb a few points. I feel like some teams will be taking a step forward (Detroit, Ottawa, Buffalo) but I could see Montreal leapfrog all of them as well. I would be incredibly surprised if we make the playoffs next year, but I would be equally surprised if we finish bottom 3. Likely in the 7-10 range.

 

[Lockin17]

Guess you guys having whatch the world tournement this year.
Sly is a beast , love is gameplay and heart.
I would totally trade our first 2023.
You guys think we'll be top #3 but we might really not and being late top#10.

 

[Miller Time]

Depends...

Price health or add 1B goalie.

Ability to unload Weber, Hoff, Drouin & use that cap to add a quality top 6 fwd & solid 2nd pair RD.

Ability to move Petry & replace him with Letang.

Do those 3 things, then yup, I'd roll that dice & bet on the team finishing out of the lottery, making it a genius trade.

But if not? Doubt it... Too many quality prospects as good or much better than Slaf in the top 5-10 next year to give up a high lottery pick.

 

[BenchBrawl]

If you want Slaf enough to trade next year's pick for him, just take him 1st overall this year.

You want Slaf? He's already yours.

 

[Kojo]

You're supposed to go for the safe pick here., which is Wright. If Slaf turns out to be the better player in the long run, it doesn't really matter. We can try again next year and select Bedard.

 

[Maitz]

The top 6-7 next year is better than any prospect this year, it’s a HUGE no

 

[Kairi Zaide]

You're supposed to go for the safe pick here., which is Wright. If Slaf turns out to be the better player in the long run, it doesn't really matter. We can try again next year and select Bedard.

Honestly, even if Slaf (or Cooley) turns out to be better, while not non-existing, the odds of him being significantly better than Wright are low considering Wright's game is more complete. Even if there is a certain discrepancy in their offensive output (say Wright turns out to be a 30-30 kind of guy while Slaf turns out to be a 40-40 kind of guy), it's most likely that Wright would make up for that with his other assets (notably more responsible, less risky play, and better defensive acumen).

 

[River Meadow]

Yes I would.

The chances we get a better player than Slaf next year is a BIG BIG what if.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

Yes I would.

The chances we get a better player than Slaf next year is a BIG BIG what if.

No it really isn't... We aren't going to be a much better team this year... We don't have a second line, we have no number one defenseman (and our best one wants out), and our goaltending is terrible (even with Price). It's going to be another transition year - in our own division Florida, Toronto, Boston, Tampa, Ottawa, Detroit and Buffalo all have better teams. We just don't have the horses to compete - we will win a few games and look great a couple times,, and I suspect Suzuki and Caufield will have terrific years offensively.... But we have a long way to go, and Christ himself would have a hard time turning this pile of chicken shit into chicken salad.

We will be competing for last overall again, and I don't mind it one bit... I'm hoping for Fantilli to be honest, because I doubt we win the lottery two years running. But either way, this is a transition year in the rebuild and as long as Hughes and Gorton stick to their plan, I'm happy to suffer. I'd much rather this, than the 3 decades of throwing shit against the wall and hoping it would stick, get to the playoffs where "anything can happen" nonsense. Develop an amazing foundation, use your picks wisely and build a contender.

 

[Lshap]

2012: Habs finish 3rd last (78 pts). In 2013 they finish 4th best (shortened season).

2016: Habs finish 9th worst (82 pts). In 2017 they finished 7th best (103 pts.).

2018: Habs finish 4th worst (71 pts.). In 2019 they miss the playoffs with the 14th best record (96 pts).

I'm not saying the Habs are a playoff team in 2023; I'm just pointing out history shows there are too many variables to copy-paste results from one season to the next. Forget Bedard. More realistically, our 2023 pick will be around 8th-12th OA. Healthier roster, developing youth, rookie(s), more stable goaltending. Plus... who do you see regressing? Can Gallagher or Petry regress more? Can Edmundson or Price miss more games? Their contributions were minimal to none, so even if some are traded their absence won't make us worse. The team has nowhere to go but up – literally.

A top-5 pick in 2023 is too much of a longshot, since everything would have to go wrong two years in a row. Odds are the Habs are weak but not terrible. So how valuable is an 8th to 12th OA pick next year, versus a top-5 pick this year?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

2012: Habs finish 3rd last (78 pts). In 2013 they finish 4th best (shortened season).

2016: Habs finish 9th worst (82 pts). In 2017 they finished 7th best (103 pts.).

2018: Habs finish 4th worst (71 pts.). In 2019 they miss the playoffs with the 14th best record (96 pts).

I'm not saying the Habs are a playoff team in 2023; I'm just pointing out history shows there are too many variables to copy-paste results from one season to the next. Forget Bedard. More realistically, our 2023 pick will be around 8th-12th OA. Healthier roster, developing youth, rookie(s), more stable goaltending. Plus... who do you see regressing? Can Gallagher or Petry regress more? Can Edmundson or Price miss more games? Their contributions were minimal to none, so even if some are traded their absence won't make us worse. The team has nowhere to go but up – literally.

A top-5 pick in 2023 is too much of a longshot, since everything would have to go wrong two years in a row. Odds are the Habs are weak but not terrible. So how valuable is an 8th to 12th OA pick next year, versus a top-5 pick this year?

All three of your examples had a top player coming back from injury. 2012, Markov. 2016, Price. 2018, Weber.

Everytime, it was the main factor of the turnaround without which it would've been unlikely to happen.

There's no such return in sight.

 

[Lshap]

All three of your examples had a top player coming back from injury. 2012, Markov. 2016, Price. 2018, Weber.

Everytime, it was the main factor of the turnaround without which it would've been unlikely to happen.

There's no such return in sight.

True, but I'm not predicting the team will make the playoffs, as they did following previous bad seasons. I'm pointing out that with so many key players having career-worst seasons, some/all will likely improve in 2022/23 and make the team slightly better, as in not bottom-5.

How likely is it that Gallagher, Petry, Hoffman, Byron, Edmundson (absent for 70%) contribute so little again? How likely is it that Caufield disappears for half a season? Even if we lose Petry, we're still probably a better team, even if other players only improve marginally.

 

[1909]

Bold prediction: Habs gonna finish between 10th and 16th , just outside Playoffs teams top-16. That is why I would trade next year 1st for Saflovsly.

 

[themilosh]

I like Slaf at 5th overall.

So no. Never. Because top5 next years are also s’l better than him.

if we can come out of this draft with both Wright & 1 of (Slaf, Nemec or Jiricek) even trading all the remaining draft picks this year - I would call that a colossal win.

trade all:
1st CGY
2nd MTL, 2nd EDM
3rd MTL, 3rd, CAR, 3rd ANA
4th MTL, 4th NYR, 4th TB
5th MTL
6th MTL
7th MTL, 7th STL

1st 2023 (protected top 3)

 

[LaP]

I'll make it short, answer is no.

 

[River Meadow]

Bold prediction: Habs gonna finish between 10th and 16th , just outside Playoffs teams top-16. That is why I would trade next year 1st for Saflovsly.

Yeah, I think we can squeeze out wins.

Slaf is a 6ft4 scorer, who is in debate to go 1st overall in this draft even, and shines playing against men already.

I'll take that over the unknown of maybe finishing with the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th... or later pick next year.

 

[Natey]

I'd take Slaf. There's no guarantee we don't end up middle of the pack, especially if CC and Suzuki take a big jump.

 

[Mrb1p]

No lol, having a shot at Michkov and Bedard trumps anything you can have short of like an established superstar.