Why would Montreal do this? Sanderson is exactly what they need. They don't need more 3rd/ second line wingers

that's exactly why I have the habs moving down for sanderson?

It's not bad in theory... it all depends on who is available comes MTL's turn. If Rossi is available, they might take him. I actually see MTL try to move up to get Drysdale if they can pry him out.

but I don't know if I would rather have Holtz than Sanderson... Domi, Petry, or Tatar, even Poehling could be traded to get a later pick to draft him. MTL could take a contract back and use it's CBO for another team - Alzner is non-significant really at this point.

MTL has 3 2nd pick that can be used to buy a better pick or in a package for one.

Tavares, Marner, Eichel are all players making less than 11,500,000. There's no way Petey gets that much. And 9 for Hughes would make him the third highest-paid defenseman in the league, Cap % be damned, he's not getting 9.

Regardless of salary, Petey and Hughes could get this team to the playoffs single-handedly, but this team is honestly a best-case-scenario for every single prospect involved.
Podkolzin is a RW, not left
Hoglander just put up 16pts in the SHL, to think he'll be 2nd line LW in the NHL in two years is reaching.
Lind had a huge improvement in his 2nd AHL year but still has a lot of work to do
McDonough will be entering his third year at Northeastern in 21/22, not a lot of college kids turn pro after two.

Also, if by this logic Hughes commands 9mil, then Hamilton, a 26-year-old right-shot defenceman who put up similar points per 60 and more than doubled Hughes' goals per 60 in less average TOI would get way more than 7.75.

Furthermore, if Hoglander and Podkolzin do manage to live up to their ceiling, then Miller, Boes, Hog, & Pod have the top 6 wing situation pretty much locked up in which case I would way rather see the Canucks take someone like Sanderson or even drop down a bit to take Schneider (which would leave a "young 20 goal power forward in jake virtanen" free for the third line which would a pretty unreal problem to have).