LeBrun: Habs working on moves to clear cap space

[Richard88]

Lehkonen moving? He hasn't played much/well for Montreal, this season and at 2.4M Cap Hit, I could see him going.

I’d guess this too. A team w space should look at him like Detroit , NJ even Carolina

At this point Im about to drive him all the way to Colorado myself

They're not moving Allen more than likely Lehkonen. RFA this year. Good pker, never takes a shift off 4th liner.

Expect Habs to pick up a D if they can.

I will make this sound very much like a video game here so I apologize.

Habs traded to pick up Staal.

Danault traded to Colorado for a 1st. He is a player who I think could put Colorado over the top and they have the available cap space to easily sign him to an extension.

Trade Montreal’s 1st and a good prospect like Norlinder or Harris for Ekholm.

Currently Ekholm only makes 700k a year more than Danault.

I don't think Byron is getting moved. Could see Weal and Lehkonen getting dumped somewhere though, maybe Chiarot as well. I don't like the contract Edmundson has but he's been a pretty good partner for Petry and they just signed him so unless Bergevin is trading for Ekholm or something I think he's getting protected at ED.

Lehkonen seems very much like a player Sakic would target. He has good analytics (at least before this season), and he wouldn't cost too much given his play this year. The fact that he's an RFA gives the Avs time to evaluate him the rest of this season without any commitment beyond this season. His RFA status also makes him slightly less appealing for Seattle given that they can only take 10 RFA's. Ordinarily Avs don't really need another 4th liner, but Calvert has just been ruled out week-to-week and has had concussion issues this year, so adding Lehkonen could be a shrewd depth move as insurance against Calvert's recurring injury.

With that said, what would be the price to acquire him? Guessing a 3rd would get it done? Or 4th+B prospect? A Dman has been mentioned but Avs probably don't want to weaken their defensive depth right now.

Danault would obviously be of interest as well, but as others have said I doubt he's available.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Lehkonen seems very much like a player Sakic would target. He has good analytics (at least before this season), and he wouldn't cost too much given his play this year. The fact that he's an RFA gives the Avs time to evaluate him the rest of this season without any commitment beyond this season. His RFA status also makes him slightly less appealing for Seattle given that they can only take 10 RFA's. Ordinarily Avs don't really need another 4th liner, but Calvert has just been ruled out week-to-week and has had concussion issues this year, so adding Lehkonen could be a shrewd depth move as insurance against Calvert's recurring injury.

With that said, what would be the price to acquire him? Guessing a 3rd would get it done? Or 4th+B prospect? A Dman has been mentioned but Avs probably don't want to weaken their defensive depth right now.

Danault would obviously be of interest as well, but as others have said I doubt he's available.

Yes, I was actually thinking Colorado would be a good fit for Lehkonen.

A 3rd sounds about right. Doubt we'd need a prospect we have a million of them ourselves.

 

[Whileee]

Dumping cap space has never been more expensive than it is now.

 

[Mrb1p]

Lehkonen seems very much like a player Sakic would target. He has good analytics (at least before this season), and he wouldn't cost too much given his play this year. The fact that he's an RFA gives the Avs time to evaluate him the rest of this season without any commitment beyond this season. His RFA status also makes him slightly less appealing for Seattle given that they can only take 10 RFA's. Ordinarily Avs don't really need another 4th liner, but Calvert has just been ruled out week-to-week and has had concussion issues this year, so adding Lehkonen could be a shrewd depth move as insurance against Calvert's recurring injury.

With that said, what would be the price to acquire him? Guessing a 3rd would get it done? Or 4th+B prospect? A Dman has been mentioned but Avs probably don't want to weaken their defensive depth right now.

Danault would obviously be of interest as well, but as others have said I doubt he's available.

I like Lekh and it makes no sense that hes not playing, I hope they keep him.

 

[themelkman]

Byron and a first for Sorenson at 50%?

 

[Adam Michaels]

Bergevin had a Zoom conference today and whenever asked about Caufield, he would smile while trying to not say they will sign him. He also had a smirk when asked about having a move in place to create some room.

Something is up.

 

[malcb33]

Lehkonen seems very much like a player Sakic would target. He has good analytics (at least before this season), and he wouldn't cost too much given his play this year. The fact that he's an RFA gives the Avs time to evaluate him the rest of this season without any commitment beyond this season. His RFA status also makes him slightly less appealing for Seattle given that they can only take 10 RFA's. Ordinarily Avs don't really need another 4th liner, but Calvert has just been ruled out week-to-week and has had concussion issues this year, so adding Lehkonen could be a shrewd depth move as insurance against Calvert's recurring injury.

With that said, what would be the price to acquire him? Guessing a 3rd would get it done? Or 4th+B prospect? A Dman has been mentioned but Avs probably don't want to weaken their defensive depth right now.

Danault would obviously be of interest as well, but as others have said I doubt he's available.

A 3rd would get it done I think. I like Lehk for what he brings and I think he would do well for you in the POs. Honestly, I'd prefer if he was in Montreal's line-up over Byron and not traded, but he's not helping the team from up in the box seats.

 

[HabsAddict]

Not going to trade Lehky for a 3rd because we have enough of those and given the lousy scouting of prospects, it has even less value.

A 2nd starts discussions, or we keep him as insurance.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

Not going to trade Lehky for a 3rd because we have enough of those and given the lousy scouting of prospects, it has even less value.

A 2nd starts discussions, or we keep him as insurance.

I think you're missing the point. The idea of trading Lehkonen is to create cap space for maybe a defenceman and Caufield.

No one is giving the Habs a 2nd or even a 3rd for a 4th liner with a 2.4M cap hit. Not in the flat cap era. He won't even be qualified. Guaranteed. He's practically a pending UFA.

 

[Big Empty]

I think you're missing the point. The idea of trading Lehkonen is to create cap space for maybe a defenceman and Caufield.

No one is giving the Habs a 2nd or even a 3rd for a 4th liner with a 2.4M cap hit. Not in the flat cap era. He won't even be qualified. Guaranteed. He's practically a pending UFA.

I agree with the first half of your post.

Disagree with the the bolded. He will be qualified and he would get a 3rd.

 

[HabsAddict]

So Lehky gets a 3rd.....and we lose a very serviceable player for a very highly probable nada. Particularly where nada is even a bigger gamble now.

Not good asset management if we really want to get far in the playoffs.

If one wants to argue that we add him in a trade to get an improvement over Edmy/Chiarot, I'm all for it, but it may just be just a low value that the first thing I would do is see if we add a 4th covers the ask.

If his salary is gong to make that difference, sure, but then, who are we getting were we need to open that much cap space? Ekholm? We got Chiarot on IR. He stays there until a week before playoffs.

I just don't want to go into playoff grind with AHLers coming up to cover any injuries.

 

[glenbuis]

The Avs are still available to take Danault off your hands

Well we need a good left shot offensive defenseman in return

 

[glenbuis]

Or signed Edmundson at all.

Edmundson is fine

 

[DingDongCharlie]

MB still working the phones to get that needed Marc Staal cap space

 

[glenbuis]

A few of those 2021 picks should be sufficient to send Byron packing.

Why would any team want to help out MTL by taking a bad contract if they're only being offered a 2nd round pick? It'd take multiple 2nd's or a 1st before I'd even consider taking a player with term

If you think Paul Byron is that much of a detriment to the Habs right now your out of touch

 

[Papa Francouz]

Well we need a good left shot offensive defenseman in return

We have a few of those, but they’re all worth significantly more than Danault himself. It’d take a pretty substantial package, and likely an overpayment, from MTL to get Sakic to even consider letting one of them go.

 

[TT1]

I hope they don't trade Lehkonen..

 

[glenbuis]

Man if Bergy can pull a rabit out of his a$$ and get Ekholm that would be really good to balance things out.

Tatar - Danault- Gally
Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - KK - Caufield
Byron/Lehky - Staal - Perry

Ekholm - Weber
Eddy - Petry
Kulak - Romanov

I'm pretty sure Berg is trying to move one or 2 of Lehky, Armia, Byron and Mete.

Armia + Struble + 2nd rounder?

Get that PMD Bergy come on!

If Ekholm is off the table who is that guy ?

 

[DingDongCharlie]

If you think Paul Byron is that much of a detriment to the Habs right now your out of touch

Years left at 3.4 million per for a soon to be 32 year old that’s battled injuries and not produced the last 2 seasons. Pretty someone is out of touch and it’s not the posters you quoted

 

[Eggtimer]

Lehk to the devils for Kulikov plus?
Kulikov is a UFA rental but he has played very well for us this year.

 

[glenbuis]

Years left at 3.4 million per for a soon to be 32 year old that’s battled injuries and not produced the last 2 seasons. Pretty someone is out of touch and it’s not the posters you quoted

We won’t be paying high draft picks to remove him . Not a snow balls chance in hell .

 

[glenbuis]

2021 2nd , 2022 2nd, 2021 4th and lehkonen for Devon toews .

 

[DingDongCharlie]

We won’t be paying high draft picks to remove him . Not a snow balls chance in hell .

Never stated you would or even should. That wasn’t my point. It would be the cost though realistically. Same for us and Neal. We will be forced to buyout his contract. The Byron one isn’t as bad but it’s not nice

 

[Archijerej]

1. Clearing cap space by trading Lehkonen for a 3rd round pick, so we could acquire a bottom pairing defenseman makes absolutely no sense. Whatever the problem between him and the new coaching staff is, Lehkonen's a 25 years old player under team control, who can be counted on to provide 30 even strength/penalty kill points and excellent forechecking abilities. He's not a 4th liner. He's by no means untouchable, but he's not a cap dump.

2. The idea that the Habs are gearing up for the playoffs by trading Danault is absolutely bizarre. It's a narrative pushed by a section of Habs fans who loathe the player and it doesn't deserve discussion any more than flying pink unicorns.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Does Bergevin know it’s 2021?

Just let the Habs aquire more picks that go nowhere. lol