Joined: May 2015
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I know Habs are leaning hard on the "we'll just keep him" thing but realistically, that notion is mostly just for show. The goal here is that they move him. Not keep him. The sense is that he'll be a good boy and report for camp if push comes to shove but I can't fathom a scenario where he and the family are ecstatic about coming back to MTL. Not sure MTL really wants him either. His addition makes Barron, Guhle, Harris and Xhekaj all get less minutes as a result and not too mention Habs will have to waive Kovacevic probably.
Yes, if the Habs had to pay to move him, then yeah they'll just keep him obviously but if a fair deal is on the table, Hughes is moving him and that is 100% without a doubt not going to be a 1st and 2nd or a prospect etc etc etc. Come on now. Pittsburgh could have easily swung a 3 way so they could have got part of the return if that was the case. It was not. Many teams have already filled their RHD spots, Petry has a NTC, and so on. Yes he's a great asset for a team to add but the timing isn't exactly great either. There are only few teams who can make it work. Habs can't be too picky.
But just to play devils advocate though, this silly notion that the Habs will come away with a worse player making more than Petry at 50% while the Habs have to retain also is just beyond obtuse. Habs will get a draft pick, I'd say at absolute best a 2nd rounder but probably like a 3rd and maybe a lesser prospect if we're lucky. The real goal here, will be to not have to take on any bad cap in the trade and to essentially move out 2 players who had no spot on the team any more while accruing assets in the process.
When you look at it, the Habs will have effectively got a sick return for valueless players Hoffman and Pitlick by just retaining an extra year on Petry. That is already such a win its crazy. Expecting more is not realistic or I should say the Hughes will have to get real lucky with a team makes a decision to pay 1st and a 2nd for a soon to be 36 year old Petry. Its not impossible but its very very unlikely. I'd be quite happy with a 3rd to be honest.