Doesn't matter cuz Price will never waive his NMC and even if he did no team wants that massive contract, especially with Price's injury concerns.

That's not the point of the thread, dude. Don't be a debby downer...just trying to have fun here and check with everyone what they think could be the correct package. If you don't want to be part of it, just don't comment ?

let the nay sayers say whatever they want but he's still an elite goaltender - Current roster player (filling a need) + skater prospect + goalie prospect + a 1st and a 2nd or 3rd.

He certainly could still be elite, but he could just as easily play 40 games and finish the season on IR again. There is no arguing the risk involved for whatever team that trades for him. This is going to drive the price down, it can't be denied.

I could see a quality/young roster player, quality prospect and a 1st rd pick as a fair price. It's also going to require a very specific team that has the cap to fit him, but also views themselves as a goaltender away from making a serious run. This, again, is going to drive the price down, because the menu of trade partners is bound to be short.

It is also going to require Montreal take on some of his money. Goalies just don't get paid a ton these days, which I think points to an overall opinion around the league that teams can get by with a middle of the road goalie by spending money on the rest of the team. The salary cap era has shifted the importance onto centers and top pair d men.

Price is paid 10.5m per year, and will be for the next 8 years! That's a whopping 2m more than the next goalie on the list (who's also probably overpaid). They'd have to eat a good 1.5m to bring the contract back into the universe of what goalies make. I think this is the sticking point that is going to make moving him so hard, because while you insist Montreal will not eat money for the entire 8 years, what gives them the ability to dictate terms to the receiving team? They are probably more inclined to just say no thanks, leaving Montreal holding the bill. Or...it drives the price down!

Good teams, probably don't have cap space to to take on10.5m without sending money back to Montreal, and some of that money might even be "bad money".
I would say Carolina's Staal and Darling for Price. Staal's NMC probably nixes the deal though. Price's unique contract makes any trade really tough to see a trade coming.

In no way shape or form do you trade Price for that. I mean come on dude. Be real for a minute! Price had one bad season (last year, when the entire team played like crap) in the past 5. And during all of those seasons was considered the best in the world. He has not become a s****Y goalie just because of that. His recent injury is call for concern, though. But MTL won't even consider trading him if they don't get help for the future in return. They'll live and die with him if the best offer is J.Staal and S.Darling LOL (what a BAD offer! Sorry but it's ridiculous)

Great reply. You make very good points. I'm still 100% sure that they won't be taking on any kind of salary on Price's contract, BUT! It doesn't mean they couldn't be taking a bad contract or two in the deal. It's another way of "taking on money", but not for 8 years. I'm not sure they would need an immediate roster player, though. 2 great prospect, an average goalie plus a 1st pick would do it. What do you think of my trade proposition, in this scenario?

I know the Habs will want just futures as you suggest, by who can take on 10.5m without sending money back to Montreal? I can't think of any team that would do. The reason is many teams could spend 10.5m on UFA and not give up any assets to acquire such a player(s). That's the competition is any trade, the UFA market. You asked for suggestions, well I suggested a team that would take a goalie and has centre, who Montreal needs. Wiith Darling was left out of my deal Montreal would save 4.5m to spend elsewhere for five years, and then have 10.5m for three years. I don't think it's ridiculous all.
I leave the open question, how many teams would give up assets to acquire a 10.5m goalie? Probably very few, which certainly lessens the leverage Montreal has in any trade negotiations.

I don't think anyone is going to argue that, baring injury that would cause him to not play as well, he's one of the best in the world. I think the part your discouting is just how bad his contract is!

The length and sheer money on the deal is just going to make him super hard to move. Like I said above, all of the details are going to have you looking for a very very specific trade partner. That alone is going to slim the return down. You have a good idea about taking back a contract to help make it work, this might open the possibility of a deal up a little bit.

For my money, I don't see him being traded anywhere. He plays the next 3 or 4 seasons in Montreal before the buyout talk starts...that's my guess.

Really interesting thread. I'll put out a disclaimer that I don't think a team would ever be willing to take on Price's contract, and even less likely he'd wave his NMC to move to 95% of the teams in the league. That being said, I could see a team with an already good, but not great goalie kicking tires on something like this. I think the options as to where to send Price would likely look like: STL, CBJ, SJ, and COL. I just think that in order to fit Price's contract, there would have to be a team already paying a goalie big money, or having a goalie/player on a walk year and be willing to move them. Below are my packages for Price that I think would be fair from each team II mentioned above.

STL:
-Jake Allen, 2nd round Pick, Jay Bouwmeester, Jordan Kyrou (take out Kyrou, add in a first)

CBJ:
-Bobrovsky OR Panarin (whoever is willing to sign a deal in MTL), Milano, Dubinsky, 5th round pick

SJ: Jones, Tierney, 1st rounder, 4th rounder

COL: Varlamov (without extension), COL 1st, Kamenev, Soderberg, Greer--> 4th rounder comes back with Price

Yes of course the NMC would be the hardest to move around, but I just wanted to chat with hockey fans to try and see what the feeling was about a fair offer/return for Price. MTL will need to take a bad contract back, There's a very strong possibility, but I don't think they even think about doing the move if they don't get great future assets. I also think that,paired with a bad contract coming back to MTL, his value remains very high and his bad contract isn't as much of a problem. So I think some of your offers are weak, return wise.

For STL : J.Allen + R.Thomas + (J.Boowmeester or A.Steen) + 1st round pick

For COL : S.Varlamov + T.Jost + N.Zadorov + 2nd round pick

It's hard to move a contract like his to any team. Too much questions can be raised from his effectiveness when compared to the amount of money he takes from any teams cap. The teams that might be interested in acquiring some goalie are likely to be in a position in which they can't afford to do it, and the teams that can afford to take him are likely teams that he will not waive his NMC for. Also the teams that are in a rebuilding state rarely are looking for elite players towards the league...

Also his healthiness brings another question. For a couple of years, he has been quite injury prone, and he has played the average of 41 games per season in last three years, which is exactly half of a season. Is any team willing to pay roughly and eighth of their salary cap for a player that plays only half of the year?

I don't think so. Too much risks to be considered, if you ask me.

All in all, Price is one of the hardest players to move in the entire league. Especially if there is no salary retained. And the amount that Bergevin wants from him arguably will take every team away from acquiring him.

In all likelihood, he will not leave MTL until the contract expires.

If there's some offer to be made, it would come from COL (one of the only teams that might have the money and in need of a goalie upgrade), and the offer would include Söderberg, Varlamov, Zadorov and a first round pick in exchange to Price.

This will probably sound ridiculous to MTL fans, but...
-Price is coming off a terrible season
-he’s about to turn 31 before this season starts
-injury concerns?
-and worst of all, the Cap hit for 8yrs

Add all that up...
and you guys would be lucky to get a 1st and a couple ok (not top) prospects

Right NOW, you probably wouldn’t even get that return

MAYBE if he can have another Vezina season this year,
then NEXT OFFSEASON you can actually move him for decent value

I just don’t see anyone doing it now

IF it is determined in camp that Crawford is unable to play, chances are he is done and should be able to go on LTIR. Price would be a definite a risk-reward acquisition for Chicago in that case. My proposal might be Price, Danault and Kotkaniemi for Toews, Rutta and ‘19 1st.