You're right, Max Domi and the rest of them are just playing along to get a 2nd instead of a 4th ?

19 points in 30 games played this year. On pace for a 51 point year over 82 games. You done cherry picking stats?

GM's don't trade 2nds for 36 year old UFA rentals who've had a long track record of being hot and then going cold. Just because Kovy is "hottish" now doesn't mean he will be in April when the lights get brighter and the pressure ratchets up. Unfortunately for the Habs, NHL GM's are quite a bit smarter than biased Habs fans.

NHL GMs have been known to throw 2nd round picks like candy. I don't understand your annoyance with Kovalchuk's value being a 2nd...

Lets look at Thomas Vanek for example in 2017. Had 38 pts in 48 games. If you take Kovys rate of 10 pts in 13 games thats 0.77 pts per game. Put that at 48 game and Kovy has 37 points. Right on par with Vanek who actually was clipping along at 0.79 ppg. Both guys are high offense and suspect defense forwards. Powerplay specialists if you will.

What did Vanek receive at the deadline as a mid 30's, pending UFA, scoring at a 0.79 ppg rate? He received a late 3rd round pick and a fringe AHL defenseman. There were "reports" at the time he would easily receive a 2nd at least and people on here were babbling that some teams out there might even cough up a 1st if they were desperate. None of that came close to materializing.

Curious what NHL teams have thrown 2nds around like candy? If you have any evidence of this or if it's just something you made up to justify your point. Looking around at the 2nd round picks traded in the upcoming draft, for UFA rentals, its for players who are in their late 20's who teams feel they could resign and have around for another 3-4 years. Or it's for players who still have term left, most of which are in their 20's still.

Bergevin can totally set the asking price at a 2nd, as he totally should. But that doesn't mean that's what he's valued at to other teams. They'll call back offering 5th's. And as they should. Why give up a pick that has a 50% chance to turn into a productive NHL'er if you don't have to? If a trade happens it will be because Bergevin settled on a 3rd or 4th and the other team came up to a 3rd or 4th. If no trade happens it's because Bergevin didn't get any team to bite his expectation of a 2nd round pick and decided to keep him. Which he has the right to do.