I like it!

I dont get the Det trade, but the rest is cool.

I think Pacioretty with 50% retained gets a better return. Mayeb Habs have to add a little something extra but that 1st rounder should be their goal. Not the 2nd rounder.

I see no point in the Detroit deal. Hudon had 30 points last year and had a really bad SH %, he was unlucky that means. Under normal circumstances he could of been a 40 poitn guy easily. He isn't a shoe in for a deal. Get rid of Schlemko for a late pick but keep Hudon. Sulak is already 24 its not like your getting a 20 year old here. If he is ready in a couple years he'll already be in his prime by that point. If you not an NHL'er before entering your prime age, I think you are simply not that good. Obviously there are exceptions but don't gamble a Hudon for that hope that Sulak at 26 is an NHL'er...

Cheers for the rating. DET trade is necessitated by adding Zadina. Hudon was productive in his first extended look with MTL, scoring 30 points in 72 games this year. With Drouin, Zadina, Lehkonen on the left side, there is no space for Hudon to carve out a meaningful role. Wings can probably fit him onto their 3rd line.

I also wanted to move Schlemko off this roster and I felt that especially at a cap hit of 1M, DET considers him an improvement to their LD core of DDK, Ericsson, and Ouellet. Personally, I am really low on Ericsson. Just about every time I watch the Wings his lack of speed and ability with the puck seems to stand out.

MTL is happy to add the picks, clear some roster clutter, and get Sulak to marinate in the minors for a year or two.

Seen this Florida trade on here earlier and I stick to my opinion that you can’t get fair value out of that trade unless it includes a first round pick, not a second. Bjugstad has never eclipsed 50 points, even when playing on the top line last season. Pacioretty to Florida will put him on the top line with Barkov, for the first time in his career he will have an actual center, that means he could produce better then he has before in his career. Even if he goes back to his career average he is still a 60 point player that in that top six puts them back into the playoff picture.

While MTL adds a roster player that we hope will be able to carry the load as a 2C but probably forced into a bigger role, he might get 40-50 points. 34th overall is definitely the better side of the second round but still not high enough.

This is a trade MB has to get right, trading a proven 60 point player for a guy who would set career highs by getting 50 and has never gotten over 45 playing center, is not getting it right.

Especially since Florida doesn’t even want Bjugstad to play center, they have to many centers and are trying to get the best left wing or top four defenceman possible.

Didn't know this, thanks! If Habs keep Hudon, where do you see him fitting in to the lineup, assuming Drouin goes back to LW?

I agree that more salary retention=more value, but don't sleep on the value of a #34 overall pick! If FLA was willing to part with their 1st then I think this deal would have happened at the deadline.

Yes, Sulak is 24 already but has only played 2 pro games in North America, as he spent most of this past season in the Finnish top league picking up over 0.75 PPG. I remember watching him at a World Juniors and thinking that despite his size and physical play, he had excellent skating ability.

Great starting and I agree with the others thinking that we could perhaps squeeze a bit more out of DET if Hudon is part of the deal. Ouellet was on the block with DET so maybe ...

@F50marco Do you guys think that Patches (50% RS) for Bjugstad + FLA 2018 1st (#15) is 'getting it right?' Seems better to me. I think any Patches trade also should have the condition of an extra 1st or at least a 2nd if he re-signs.

Yes i do but in negotiations things always get stretched out more than what we think so i could see the Habs adding something to help nudge Florida. Maybe its a prospect like McCarron and a 3rd or something. And as for a conditional if Pacioretty doesn't sign, I think that's a given but I'd also be feeding Tallon all the details of any discussions on Pacioretty's new potential contract so he knows what to expect. This trade doesn't happen unless Pacioretty is at least willing to go to Florida long term. Given that the Panthers are an up and coming team I can't see why he wouldn't want to. I know GM can't officially talk contract extensions until July 1st but you'd be naive to think they aren't doing quietly behind closed doors.

How about Bjugstad, Hawyrluk,5th rd in 2018 and a third in 2019 (the 3rd into a second round if he resigns if he doesn't it goes away) for Patches and 2018 3rd?

Either the roster player has to be better or the picks and prospects need to be better. One or the other.

That 1st 2018 is the main thing the Habs need. Habs don't just need centers, they need impact centers. You get those by getting lucky in the first round and drafting one. (Or super lucky by a team trading one to you)

Any deal that doesn't at least involve a 1st round pick is a failure by MB. That is the prerequisite in any Pacioretty trade. Its a must. Everything from there on is negotiated on.

I think that it being 15th overall would be getting it right. Montreal could throw in either a 3rd or a 4th with that, they have three 4th round picks so losing even their third isn't a huge deal. @F50marco is right though, contract talks have to be disclosed, Pacioretty could ask for $6 million +. He might take a discount though because of the tax in the state, so if he takes a team friendly 6 year 5.5 - 6 million dollar deal in Florida then Montreal should have a conditional pick if that happens.

Montreal needs to be going into this draft looking to make it as significant as their 2007 draft. That year they had two first round picks and 3 second round picks, in those picks they took Ryan McDonough #12, Max Pacioretty #22 and PK Subban #46. This year they are coming into it with #3, #35, #38 and two more that are going to be in the top 50. Using Max to get into the first round will be another big piece, especially a top 15 pick where we might be able to get Bode Wilde, Jespero Kotkanimaki or Joe Veleno depending on who drops.

Excited to see what happens but should be interesting to see where MB goes.