Buffalo trade never happens, Montreal trade makes no sense.

Buffalo trade never happens, Montreal trade makes no sense.

MTL need a LD, Fleury will be a top 4 LD, and Skjei already is. It also allows them to upgrade in the long term over Chiarot

I just don't get why Carolina would do this. They're not getting anything from it.

Skjei is terrible buddy. He is not even a top 4 dman. Your not gonna get more than first when you traded a first for him. Stop overrating your guys

Skjei has looked damn good as a Hurricane, the only reason I'm moving him is for a LD-RD balance. I really like him as a player, he's strong physically and he looks really special going forward. Defensively he has lapses, but his offence more than makes up for it, he has a +200 threat as a hurricane. That means the team is 200% better with him on the ice offensively going forward than without him. Stop being dumb

First of all, the roster balance. Skjei and Fleury are both LD, Carolina have literally 600 of these. From Slavin, Gardiner, Skjei, Fleury, Bean, etc, this just opens up space. The value back may be a little off, but the idea for Carolina was more to open the door for Bean who has been the AHL's best D man by some margin this year

But right now Carolina's position of strength is their defense. I don't see them deteriorating that just to make space for one guy to come up from the AHL. Like you said they have a log jam on the left side. That is much better than having a guy get injured with no one to replace them. If there going to make a trade from their defense it will be to trade from a position of strength to fill a position of weakness, whether that would be goaltending or an upgrade to their forward group. But trading a defenseman for a pick and mediocre prospect is not worth it for the right now. It would make more sense for them to trade Fleury for Cayden Primeau and a 2nd or 3rd, at least Primeau is possibly an NHL ready goalie and could be a strong starter in the league down the road.

Your asking for a top 10 in 2020 draft!!!! No way in the world Montreal does this!

Top 10 protect it then, idrc

Fleury is not a mediocre prospect, he has had a great season and is and has been for 3 years a full time NHLer, he is already showing signs of being a top 4 D man, so moving him now while is value is at the highest it has been in some time allows them to open a gap for bean. Skjei would also need to be protected in the Exp draft, and that's not worth it, so moving him for something while you still can is better than losing him for nothing when you just gave a 1st for him. Carolina right now have 1 weakness, and it's more by reputation than anything. Their goaltending has been their stereotypical problem, and even that has been very good recently. What "weakness" do you add to? Looking forward, they have a very solid top 9. That is only going to be strengthened with someone like Geekie, Bokk, Suzuki coming through the ranks. Defence, as we have been discussing, is their biggest attribute, and they can fix their goaltending long term in free agency. I just thought this was the best form of asset management

I don't think he means Fleury is mediocre, think he was referring to the prospect from Montreal in this trade proposal as mediocre.

i won't argue over value here only over MB's philosophy to build with the draft. He traded 0 1st round pick since being GM, it won't start with a top 10 in what might be the best draft in a couple of years.

Also, Fleury is a good prospect (i don't know exactly whats his value) but, he is still a prospect which means you never know. MB won't trade for a "never know" right now especially when there's huge chance Romanov is in the roster next year

My mistake. The point of this was more to open the gap than to worry about the return

He's also had 0 playoff success as a GM. Things need to change if he wants the team to become a contender. Fleury and Skjei are long term solutions to a major problem, it's the only way he'd consider trading a 1st, I'm aware. It's also not 100% top 10, and it could even be top 10 protected this year if you'd prefer. My point was Montreal have a need, Carolina have a logjam, and they be looking towards each other for help.

Is Bean going to be exempt from the expansion draft or will the Hurricanes have to protect or expose him?

He'd need to be protected

Honestly I could see a move between these two if it was a 2021 1st maybe, getting two young dmen one with term and the other RFA controlled for a 1st, B-prospect and a 5th is more than fair I'd say.

Just my opinion but if GM's were smart before the expansion draft they'd recognize other teams deficiencies and work out deals with them to at least get some kind of decent return for a good asset rather then lose them for nothing or lose good assets to try and convince Seattle to not take a specific player.

Seems like a good candidate to be a
Seattle Whatevertheycallthemselves

You are acting like Mtl has 0 LD in the pipeline. Chiarot, Mete, Kulak, Romanov, Harris, Norlinder, Leskinen, Struble, Fairbrother, LeGuerrier. They have plenty of prospect coming in soon. I know none of those are superstars in the making but i'm confident enough to say that : Romanov, Mete, Chiarot is "correct" for the upcoming season as MB doesnt NEED to move. Montreal aren't Skjei and Fleury close to be contenders anyway

Only one worth any consideration is Romonov. Chiarot is a 3rd pairing guy, Mete is a good player, to be fair, but he's better suited right now to a 3rd pairing role, I love Kulak from an analytical perspective, but the results ain't there. MTL need an upgrade and it's clear to see. If Montreal want playoffs soon, they cannot wait. Price is getting older by the day, they don't have more time to waste

Montreal already have many longterm options for the left side on the second and third pairing : Mete, Romanov, Struble (who is not a mediocre prospect), and a few others. Fleury is clearly not an upgrade on Mete and they need to make space for Romanov. I don't see them giving a top asset unless they receive a needed one. Skjei is a fine second pairing D, but he is not suddenly worth more, like a ticket for Lafreniere. You even ask them to take two players needing protection in the expansion draft next year while getting three exempt. You also ask them to trade a first round pick while the draft is in Montreal. Many reasons make it a uninteresting move for Mtl.

Fleury is an upgrade on Mete, and on Kulak. Romanov is the only one who causes a problem here. Skjei is better than Chiarot, Fleury is better than Chiarot. Fleury is also young enough to continue to develop. He's had an incredible season, and he's still getting better. Romonov can slot in as the 2LD by the time Skjei is coming up for a new contract, and it allows the Fleury brothers to play together. Fleury and Skjei are both long term cost controlled upgraded on what Montreal has to offer.

I understand that you like your team. It's an exciting and young team. But do you sincerely think that Fleury is that much an upgrade over Mete and Chiarot right now? It's seem more like bad asset management to trade a high pick and a good prospect for a second pairing D and a good player they may/will loose during the expansion draft. Even more when they could use that pick for more urgent needs like a skilled winger and a top-6 powerforward. Even if Fleury and Skjei are that much of an upgrade over every Habs LD players and prospects, they still have many one that will fights for the same spots on the third and second pairing.

I don't disagree with some of your assessments but really think you'd need to change that 1st to a 2021 pick, there's no way Montreal is trading their 1st in a draft they're hosting unless it's to move up to get a top 5 pick.