Good play is more important than leadership. I don't think Keith is a good 5.5m X 3.5 years investment. Trading for leadership? It has to be developed within the team.

1. He can still skate could skate in till his done career 2. Keith played with Weber for Team Canada 3. you. You need veterans help younger players/Lead by example.

Money has nothing to do with that.

i think Weber's leadership enough on back end i'm looking to Juulsen to step up and become a core leader to show guys like Brooks ,Fleury,Romanov and Walford the rope's as they break into the league and over time hopefully develop into a Weber type leader .

what MTL needs is someone like Nutivara in CBJ or Sanheim in PHI who are held to lower pairings because of the skilled depth in those teams system at that position. both would give MTL what they need right now and in time i think Mete will grow into a solid #2 LD while Romanov after next season will likely be in MTL as in a league among men the 18 year old has guys in their mid 20's and 30's trying to hit him and they bounce of him somehow like a friggin magic trick .
we just need 1 good LD capable of playing 21-23 mins on the left side or is capable of doing so in the future ( Frig we'd even take hayden fleury on the gamble Weber can make him a workhorse type player. )

Romanov Can't come play in till KHL contact is done thats for next 3 years. All other young defense men are Right hand. So we need someone that can step in now for next 4 years in less we wait for summer and sign Jake Gardiner. Not a lot players can play 21-25 mins has you can see + Keith would be able help to Weber I dont see how this hurts us we get finally have our centers + we got wingers that score goals up and down lineup.

he signs a 2 year deal and is in year 1/2

also MTL can break the contract if they choose as part of a working agreement that allows NHL teams to loan their prospects to KHL clubs . (originally only 1st round picks were eligible for this )

Romanov is a third generation hockey star and the media at draft day was sharing more about him then they knew about Kotkanemi including the fact MTL jumped ahead and picked him in the 2nd when he wasnt projected to move until the 5th round

https://habsprospects.com/romanov.html

short term gain for long term pain getting Keith

invest in youth as to much leadership is a bad thing , its why Markov was ousted upon Weber's arrival despite the 2 of them being top of PP rankings in Nov and Dec that year before Weber got hurt the first time . Since Markov's gone and Weber's leading we've had more youth step up now then under Markov since 2012 until his departure .