Basically ask yourself, what you want for kk in two years, if the contract negotiations don’t work out, and then your understanding, what jets fans are going through. Especially with a few different age groups, go for it ex thrashers, still got time early jets drafted guys, and then the young guys. So you need to figure out where your at and what your buying for.

This is fair, but Montreal wouldn't lowball like Laine is getting lowballed. $5M bridge deal for 2 yrs? That's their starting point? yikes.

Scary that is where it’s at this late in the process, don’t mind the opening there, but was hoping they were a whole lot closer together.

With Byfuglien maybe injured, the team that already traded one top-pair defenseman this summer is likely to key in on Petry out of the above options.

If Winnipeg is in win-now mode, it wants to keep the goal scoring it has, but it doesn't necessarily mind trading some of Laine's potential for a top pairing defenseman.

Gallagher and Petry should be enough to start the conversation, IMHO. Then I'm sure Winnipeg talks about term and potential to pry away, like, Evans and a 2nd, or something.

Then once you've traded Petry, your season is over, and you can start the yardsale. Everything over 25 except Price and Weber can go.

So you can work out something around Byron or Tatar for Puljujarvi and Russell. Edmonton thinks Russell is balancing the cap, but once you're down to two established top-four defensemen, plus maybe Alzner, Russell is a great pickup.

You can call up Alzner and have a fourth proven top-four D, but you all irrationally hate Alzner, so you trade him to New Jersey for McLeod. Now you have eight NHL-ready centers outside of the NHL, again, so you fire off Danault (ancient, at 26, and almost a UFA, anyway) to Washington, for Johansen and a 2nd. They throw in a 3rd for slight retention, and they start the year with 21 players. To replace Alzner with someone equally slow, but experienced, you PTO Dion Phaneuf.

You now have a whole team's worth of guys under 22 who should turn out great, but you get to keep picking high up in the lottery while they develop, together, and you know who your top line should be. In three years, a top line of Laine, Kotkaniemi, and Puljujarvi will carry the Habs back to the playoffs. Drouin, Suzuki, and Domi round out the top six. Until then, it's frustrating to lose a bunch of hockey games, but it's fun to watch the kids grow, together, and everyone's heart gets warmed every time Jesse Puljujarvi is allowed to skate with the puck, because we all saw him not do that, for three years, in Edmonton..