Then Montreal is happy to keep him. However, rumours already suggest his value is a 2nd at least.

Completely agree with above, if a fourth round pick is all they can get they will happily keep him for the rest of the season and probably try to resign him in. He is becoming a fan favourite in MTL so no need to move him if that's the best return

Rumors are called rumors for a reason. You're not getting a 2nd for a 36 year old UFA winger. That's a pipedream. The most you'll get is a 3rd, likely a 4th. Keep him then. Montreal is missing the playoffs and he's going to look for a pay raise next year. You can sign him to a higher salary and watch him ghost as he's always done once the money comes.

such a smart signing by habs ,kovy would for sure help out alot of teams ,, hold out for a 2nd pick if not oh well keep him

That's not rumors. That's MB trying to set the market.

Teams could have had Kovalchuk for free. They're not giving anything more than a 4th for him (and even than, I think that's high).

I remember when the rumors said Thomas Vanek would fetch Detroit a 2nd at the 2017 deadline.
Detroit got a 3rd and a fringe AHL defenseman. And Vanek was 33 years old, not 36. he was also scoring at a statistically better rate in 2017 than Kovalchuk is now for the Habs...so yea.

exactly MB can use the media all he wants to try to leak out rumoured value ask, doesnt mean thats what NHL GMs will actually offer him.

Never said we were going to get a second for him, just that there's no need to ship him out for a 4th rounder, MTL already has a lot of picks in this draft and a fourth will not entice them into getting rid of Kovalchuk

also Kovy is getting heavy icetime in Monteral, routinely top 3, sometimes Top FWD in TOI. Anyone thinking they are going to win in the playoffs and have Kovalchuk play 20 mins a night floating around for points is going to be swept in the first round.

What is kovalchuk on contending teams...a 3rd line player. What is athe value for a 3rd line player rental, Mid round picks. Hes not a top 6 player

You said you completely agree with the above. which stated he's valued at a 2nd. I take "completely agree" as you think he's worth a 2nd also.

Take it for what it’s worth, but the TSN report today from a small poll of execs was a 4th, but possibly a 3rd.

Also said “if that’s what they can get, they should work on re-signing him instead”.

When we're talking about playoff rentals, things like age, past performance, cap hit, and all that mumbo jumbo doesn't matter.

Kovalchuk is worth roughly what any other 10pts-in-13-games player who you will definitely not resign can fetch. That price is a 2nd or 3rd.
Go look at past rental deals and see what a 4th pick gets you.

Of course, a crucial point is not only what he's worth, but who actually needs him. He's definitely not a fit for every team (see: LA), so there won't be many teams after him.

And that's fine. The Habs should rather let his contract expire than trade him for a fourth.

WHy not?

He's a 36-year-old UFA with Zero legs left in him.. Why would the habs keep him??

If they can only get a 4th, it may be in their best interest to try and re-sign him. If they can resign him for a 1 million on a 1 year deal. If he comes back asking for 3 or 4 million. Not a chance. Time to say Proshchay to Kovy.

My bad, I just meant the fact that they would be happy to keep him.

Watch him play for MTL this year and you would see why

A fourth round pick has a REALLY low chance of becoming an impact NHLer in the future, so what's the point in trading him when he's bringing excitement to MTL games, and I disagree with your statement that he has zero legs left in him, he has looked pretty motivated in his games with the Habs so far

I saw him play for LAK, and he was the worst player on the ice.

But I will admit that I haven't seen him play in MTL.

Does his 13 games in MTL really make NHL gms forget about his time in LA?

Maybe you shouldn't be making comments about how he has zero legs left in him without seeing how he's been playing the past month

I think he regretted LA from the start. Even then he was on pace for 40 pts in LA, just was a matter of the coach not liking him and thinking he should be playing a role he was never going to play.

But I have watched Kovy since he played in Atlanta and I dont thinking seen him hit this much, skating is still so so but the effort looks like it's back and that's what has been lost.

Now, does that mean he keeps it up on a contender that he is playing less minutes on? That's the big question

You're absolutely correct. I'm sure that all NHL GM's have completely forgotten that past and only know Kovy for a guy who put up 10 pts in 13 games. The ink on their pens is getting so wet waiting to sign on the dotted line to complete the trade for a 2nd as we speak.

The role that Kovalchuk was in LA, a 3rd line winger, is what he will be on most contending teams. What he is on Montreal is a top 3 or 4 foward in usage. Hes not getting that production in a lesser role, he will be more LA Kovy vs Montreal Kovy once he is moved to a deeper team

Thats where the dispute in his value lies. 10 games of him getting over used in an effort to pump up his value wont take him from Nothing to a top 60 pick. It will take him from nothing to a 4th with conditions

4th round = REALLY low chance of becoming an impact NHLer in the future;

No picks = Exactly 0% chance of becoming an impact NHLer in the future.

Ottawa Senator's best prospect was picked up in the 4th round (Batherson).

I will ask you again:

Does 13 games really make NHL gms forget about his time in LA?

Victor Mete was a 4th round draft pick, and hes the only pick from that draft year on the Canadiens.