Why should the Habs take less in September than they can get at the deadline?
Why should the Habs take less than they can get from a team trying to take the next step?
The Habs are going to get a reasonable return from a team ultimately trying to push themselves over the hump
this season but I'm not convinced it's happening at the deadline. Because you just aren't going to get significantly more from a team then than you're likely to now. Teams don't wait until the deadline anymore to gear up, it's why the deadline sucks now.
And the whole Pacioretty saga is likely going to be a massive distraction for the Canadiens this season. It's probably best to find a buyer, grab your prospects, throw on a conditional pick and move on. Let the kids eat up the prime minutes and amalgamate into the Habs' lineup. Play Drouin in his natural position.
You're not wrong the teams like Columbus and Ottawa are dealing with the same situations, but they're also sitting on significantly more valuable assets.