Great trade, Maata would be a great pick up for MTL, assuming Pittsburgh is interested in Pacioretty I think this trade is pretty fair!

Edit:
Keep picking up those finns lol

Pittsburgh would have to add in a first round pick. Pacioretty is far and away the best player in that trade, Brassard is a UFA and Matta is good but not that good. Basically it would break down like:

Patches - Matta + 1st round pick
Benn + 2nd = Brassard

And I wouldn’t give them a second round pick, I’d give them Mccarron it another cheap winger we have.

Well, Maatta would help with the Finnish Force thing they have going and be a natural to slot into next to Weber. So it's probably too good to be true for the Habs.

If they want another winger I'd be happy to discuss pretty much anyone in our bottom six. I could see them wanting someone to replace Brassard in the 3C role but I don't know their roster well enough to say they don't have someone internally waiting and who or what they would want.

Pacioretty is a pending UFA as well though, so unless the deal is happening knowing an extension has been signed, I'm not sure he holds as much value as you're thinking, especially after his down season.
Pacioretty as pending UFA = Maata

Could I sell you a Jacob de la rose then? LW/C player that is mostly a defensive specialist

Yes but Patch is also a UFA after this year.. Penguins have hardly any Defensive depth, so I would be EXTREMELY hesitant to include Olli in a trade. I also don't agree with the analysis that Patch is far and away the best player in the trade. 67 points the most he's ever put up in a season (though his goal scoring record over the years is fantastic) and he's coming off a really poor year. Penguins are in win-now mode, I can't see them giving up their always highly rated (internally) 3rd line center AND second pairing Dman for Patch, I just can't.

The flip side to that is: can the Pens afford to extend him, or are we talking rental only? If Patches has an up half year with the Habs then he'll cost more at the deadline as a rental than we're talking now. Buy now while the price is low, go for the Cup, then worry about extensions.

67 points with Davey Desharnais as his centre = how many points playing next to Malkin?

I like it!

Pacioretty with Crosby or Malkin though and you have a 40 goal guy. I know he is a UFA but Pittsburgh needs some cap relief and Brassard and Matta gives them that. Plus I don’t think it would ever be just Pacioretty going back, Pittsburgh could easily pluck one of our young cheap wingers or defenceman with him. Just don’t think Montreal accepts a trade with Pacioretty in it without getting a pick or two back and with Pittsburgh it would have to be both teams moving a package, those packages would just center around Pacioretty and Matta.

The only feedback I have is maybe MTL shouldn't be targeting Brassard at all in this trade. Maatta is a 23 year old Dman who would pair with Weber nicely so he is a great fit. Brassard is a 30 year old C with 1 year left on his contract. He is more valuable to Pittsburgh than MTL.. maybe MTL would be better off going for Maatta and draft picks/prospects?

easy no from pittsburgh. penguins aren't giving up a young top 4 defensemen and a top 6 center for 1 year of pacioretty

The only thing is that would really like to be able to move Drouin back to the wing. DB might only be a “patch” but it lets the Habs do it. Drouin is a winger and I want his development to continue w/o another year being crushed at C hurting his confidence.

Agreed, I have Domi as a C in my lineups. Domi played C for Arizona last year and had some success there (if I'm not mistaken he had a slow start and played better at C). My C's would be Domi-Plekanec-Danault-De la Rose-Peca, with McCarron and Evans in the AHL for call ups.

I envision Drouin with Plekanec and Gallagher so he can really focus on creating offense.

He hasn't played with Desharnais in several years, and put up 67 as primarily a centre and on #1 PP. He's played with much better than Desharnais over the years anyways - point being Patch is also in his 30s and a pending UFA.. There is no way that Pit will give up a young 20s Dman on a nice contract term who just had his best year. No chance. And teams are paying for what he's DONE in a trade, not "Well if he plays with Malkin or Crosby...."

Overall I like it ... Interesting spin. Cheers! Go habs Go!