Confirmed Trade: [MTL/PHI] Erik Gustafsson (@50%) for 2022 7th round pick

[Bouboumaster]

and you assume those are easy pieces to acquire?

So it's ok, we should settle with what we have and roll with that?

That's not how I roll, and since I'm tired of mediocrity, I hope the next GM (the one we'll have after that season) won't settle for that shit too

 

[eramosat]

That's the one thing he can kinda do. It's just that he does everything else so badly that it wasn't worth it for the Flyers to dress him over Sam Morin, a defenseman-cum-forward-cum-defenseman who played only 28 professional hockey games the last 3 seasons due to a series of catastrophic injuries.

Montreal can only be counting on the fact that the dee in Philly was very exposed across the board this year, all 3 pairs, which made them all look worse-than-NHL-average usually, and much worse sometimes.

For a 7th and 50% pay of a one-ish dimension rental overpay...it's a fine gamble by Montreal. I remember Gus scoring a few points in his first few game against the Penguins, where the Flyer experiment looked ok, and it could happen again. And at same time, it's a no-brainer for Philly...something for absolutely nothing. Looks bad on Fletcher, but that's the life of an NHL GM.

 

[sansabri]

So it's ok, we should settle with what we have and roll with that?

That's not how I roll, and since I'm tired of mediocrity, I hope the next GM (the one we'll have after that season) won't settle for that shit too

would you have been happy if we had overpaid for a defensive equivalent to Mantha

 

[Bouboumaster]

would you have been happy if we had overpaid for a defensive equivalent to Mantha

Describe "overpaying"?

I wouldn't have minded if we had trade the 1st. This draft class suck and we are loaded with young players.
You realize that we're entering the playoffs with a rookie as our best LD?

Romanov
Chiarot/Edmunson
Kulak
Gustafsson/Ouellet

That's our left side bro
That's it. Look at that, and let it marinate

 

[sansabri]

Describe "overpaying"?

I wouldn't have minded if we had trade the 1st. This draft class suck and we are loaded with young players.
You realize that we're entering the playoffs with a rookie as our best LD?

Romanov
Chiarot/Edmunson
Kulak
Gustafsson/Ouellet

That's our left side bro
That's it. Look at that, and let it marinate

yeah, i would've been fine with trading our 1st for help, but it would've cost more than that if you're looking at someone like Fowler. i don't see any top 4 Ds that moved this deadline except for Savard

 

[uncleben]

This continues the Craig Rivet trade for Montreal


Rivet was originally traded Feb. 25, 2007

 

[Maurice of Orange]

I’m not going to miss Snufflegustafsson one bit.

 

[glenbuis]

I think bergevin and a lot of folks realize your not gonna compete with Tampa . Keep your prospects and picks and add to kk Suzuki caufield Romanov guhle primeau Harris struble . Whatever it would cost for Fowler wouldn’t put us near the top .

 

[1909]

So we're happy with the shit Bergevin came back with?

If Ekholm isn't available, you try with Fowler. Or Hanifin. Or you roll the dice with Murray. I don't know man, but this is a disgrace

Who told you Bergevin did not try to get one of those ? Are you sitting by his desk ?

 

[1909]

So we're happy with the shit Bergevin came back with?

If Ekholm isn't available, you try with Fowler. Or Hanifin. Or you roll the dice with Murray. I don't know man, but this is a disgrace

Who told you Bergevin did not try to get one of those ? Are you sitting by his desk ?

 

[Mobiandi]

Think Tyson Barrie but worse at everything

 

[Jeremy2020]

I asked a month ago about him from Philadelphia what it'd cost to get him. Just needing his offensive play.

Don't worry, you'll get offensive play. Very offensive.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Who told you Bergevin did not try to get one of those ? Are you sitting by his desk ?

In a year like this, you have to go all in. It must have been the most ridiculous return ever to NOT get one of them. First of this year didn't matter, we have a bazillion of picks to throw at if needed... We could have afforded overpaiement

 

[zizbuka]

When a team retains, I guess it's for the life of the contract? Guess that's what dead cap space is?

 

[Tripod]

I am going to predict, that he will have some games where Habs fans will say this is a steal.

Then will also write in their GDT "wtf was that?"

And it might very well be in the same game.

But I think overall, Montreal will be happy with him.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I like this deal. His defensive game may be lacking, but so was Mete's. The difference between those two is Gustaffson can produce offensively, particularly on the PP, where Habs need a guy like him.

He has 10 points in 24 games this year. That is a 34-point pace in an 82-game season. And even if you remove his 60-point season in Chicago, he's always produced at a 30+ point pace every other year. The Habs can really use that kind of production. Because other than Weber and Petry, Habs don't get much production from the rest of the defensive corps.

A 7th round pick with 50% retention for a player who can help you score goals and mainly help on the PP, I'll take that any day despite the weaknesses.

 

[FormerLurker]

At this point we just want out GM to get fired we are 17-21 and somehow making playoffs. Been the same shit since 2012 with Bergevin.

Are you another one of those OTL and SOL deniers?

 

[Fight4yourRight]

I like this deal. His defensive game may be lacking, but so was Mete's. The difference between those two is Gustaffson can produce offensively, particularly on the PP, where Habs need a guy like him.

He has 10 points in 24 games this year. That is a 34-point pace in an 82-game season. And even if you remove his 60-point season in Chicago, he's always produced at a 30+ point pace every other year. The Habs can really use that kind of production. Because other than Weber and Petry, Habs don't get much production from the rest of the defensive corps.

A 7th round pick with 50% retention for a player who can help you score goals and mainly help on the PP, I'll take that any day despite the weaknesses.

Just be prepared for him to give up as many scoring chances or more than he generates. Hence why he absolutely needs to play in a system or with a d partner that can insulate him at even strength.

 

[Lolonegoal]

and you assume those are easy pieces to acquire?

Ssh don't tell this to a montreal fan, you want to get slapped with a million halak, ryder and 2nds?

 

[admiralcadillac]

I gave my wife $100 yesterday to pick up some Wagyu steaks, she came home with a can of Spam and $95 change. I guess I should be happy cause she only spent $5 and the Spam might fill a hole but it’s not what I wanted or needed.

Bergevin is the King of Spam

I read this while eating spam for the first time in years. Interesting.

 

[Lolonegoal]

I gave my wife $100 yesterday to pick up some Wagyu steaks, she came home with a can of Spam and $95 change. I guess I should be happy cause she only spent $5 and the Spam might fill a hole but it’s not what I wanted or needed.

Bergevin is the King of Spam

This is unintentionally ironic and symbolic considering Wagyu steak is a complete rip off and not worth the money

 

[sansabri]

Ssh don't tell this to a montreal fan, you want to get slapped with a million halak, ryder and 2nds?

hey, i am a Habs fan too : (

 

[Habssince89]

Could be a good short term solution. The situation may have him go on a hot streak for a few games and help secure some Ws, and then cool down and see the pressbox. For the price, he's solid depth. I'm happier about Merrill.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Just be prepared for him to give up as many scoring chances or more than he generates. Hence why he absolutely needs to play in a system or with a d partner that can insulate him at even strength.

It's possible that he will be a better fit in Montreal since there are a few defensemen who think defense first like Weber, Edmundson, and now Merrill. So he may be a better compliment in that group. Whereas in Philly, they already have defensemen who offer what Gustafsson does. So he kind of became a redundant need for them.

I don't expect him to be in the line-up every night unless he gets in and helps the Habs light it up. But I'm not expecting this guy to come in and put on a defensive clinic. I'm prepared to live with the weaknesses if he can help offensively, and more specifically on the PP.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

So it's ok, we should settle with what we have and roll with that?

That's not how I roll, and since I'm tired of mediocrity, I hope the next GM (the one we'll have after that season) won't settle for that shit too

You seem to be under the impression that GMs just identify players they like and unilaterally pick them for their team. It doesn't work that way. There were even fewer trades this year than the usual quiet deadlines. There's COVID, the protocols for new players and the complexity of trading between Canadian and American teams. There's the unexpected frozen cap.

Like you, I really can't wait for Bergevin to be gone but there was probably not much to do. It's not about "doing nothing and being happy". You have to find the right matches. Bergevin already made a lot of changes. We added Allen, Edmundson, Toffoli, Anderson, Staal, Perry. Individually, some of these trades are working out, but globally, the team does not get significantly better. His long term plan, the way he has built this team has not worked.

Stop whining for one more trade. It's not gonna work any more than the multitude of moves he has done. Enough with the short term moves and let's roll with this team. The team has significantly changed, it's up to the players now. If they can't pull it off, it's not the right core group.

This team doesn't need another quick fix at the deadline. It probably needs a completely new vision starting with a legitimate hockey president, a new GM, new scouting and coaching personnel and a real long term plan.