We are giving up too much for McDonagh. Does not make sense why we need an aging LD at a high cap with 6 more years. Also, why bring in Hoffman? Last thing the habs need is off-ice drama.

Kulak isnt getting you a 2nd. McDonagh I’ll be interested to see what TBL fans think, but his contract and term have to have significantly more value than what is represented in the trade. From an outsiders the Habs problems are what they have always been, weak down the middle particularly at the top not the wing and adding Hoffman to the mix doesn’t fix that. They have some prospects and young guys who might grow into the role particularly Suzuki, but until that’s address I think MTL stays what they are a fringe playoff team scrapping to get in.

I rather OS Sergachev at that price - younger LD with probably the same cap. Costs a 1st, a 2nd and a third.

We have a lot of centers in the pipeline for now (only took 15 years since Saku Koivu ahhaha)

We are in a weird in between a rebuild and trying to compete. Mtl fans are hard to please. I think assets like Petry, Tatar even domi might change hands to prepare the new core of players coming up. Especially when all their contract expire next year... if MB does some big moves this offseason... I expect some of those expiring UFA to be on the move by the TD. Unless we are clearly in the playoffs. Which could be a bummer. Because Tatar and Petry could fetch some great assets.

Yeah from an outsider that sums it up pretty succinctly. I like Suzuki a lot and think he will be a stud. Kotkaniemi and Poehling not so much.

Give KK the benefit of the doubt - he had a better first season than Hugues and Kakko! Playing sh*t minutes on a sh*t line.

This season was hard for him, he lost a step when he gained 20lbs in the offseason. He is young anf his confidence was stripped from him by Julien... he went down to the AHL and is a ppg player. Give him two years with Bouchard and he'll become a stud.

Poehling was never projected to be anything else than a 3rd C... but last year he did so well and the wJc than people had their hopes up... but he'll do well.

Suzuki is older than KK - 2 years of extra development did him some good.

I think KK is a wing in the NHL, but you do make valid points. i just see to many posts by Habs fans trying to say what a stud Poehling is, when in actuality he is at best what you said a 3C.

He will be a great 3rd C... like Danault - Danault is our 1st C right now, but on any other team he would be third... but he would be the best third C in the league. you know what I mean? He'll have to become a specialist at something.

I think Mtl is pretty much set down the middle! Domi and Danault or pretty good top 6 C with Suzuki emerging as one as well and KK coming

I think Danault is a 2C on almost any team in the league except for the teams like Washington and Pittsburgh that have two 1C's, if Danault is your 3C your team is truly a contender.

Counting Domi to be a 1C or 2C makes you a fringe team. He’s a nice player that had a great year with an insane career high shooting percentage once. Expecting that to regularly replicate would be foolish.

Patience is important but hard for a lot of habs fans. A decent backup for 1-2 years would be great this offseason for sure.

RW is in great shape if you look past next year also Kovy is likely to come back next season. After next season RW will be Gally, Caufield, Armia and Byron.

LHD is an interesting spot, lots of prospects coming up with Romanov coming next season, Harris soon after that, Norlinder and Struble look promising as well. I can see a Sergachev offer sheet but not sure about trading
Picks or prospects to get one for now.

Disagree, he’s a 3C on Toronto, Boston, Tampa, St. Louis, Edmonton (when Drai plays centre), etc. That’s no shame on danault, but a lot of teams have 2 first line centres

Tampa takes that deal and runs. Tbh If you only offered Mete they’d still accept

I personally think McDonagh is the contract they have to move to still be a contender and then everything lines up for them after this year with McDonagh off the books to pretty much re-sign their young core like Point, Cirelli and Sergqhev over the next couple of seasons.

Would hurt to lose him as he is still a good LD but it just makes the most sense.

Yeah I know there's more then just the Caps and Pens that have 2C's better then Danault, I just didn't feel like listing them all.. Lol

My point is Danault is a 2C, if he was traded to a team with a better 2C then him it doesn't change the fact he's a 2C, just makes his new team much much better having the best 3C in the league.

Yeah he’s a 2C and in a 3C position he would probably be the best off the top of my head. Danault probably wouldn’t resign with that team though. He deserves 2C minutes. Danault to Winnipeg makes too much sense. He would be an absolute perfect fit.

Connor-Schiefele-Wheeler
Laine-Danault-Ehlers

Excellent top 6

Yes he would be a great 2C for the Jets, too bad they didn't trade for him at the 2016 TDL instead of a
1st round pick and Dano.

Replace Dano with Danault... oh man that would’ve been a nice return for laad