Nico Hischier
Jack Hugues
Pavel Zacha

..... Danault ?

This is also really bad for the habs you basically got nothing in return - you gave them a second plus crap plus danault so you literally got nothing in return and went negative - worse than losing him in FA

I like the idea of Danault as possible Zajac replacement, but NJD could just wait a year and acquire him for free. They are in no rush.

i would take out the second and teasdale

Devils don't need another center

I would go against that statement. Devils need a good center to replace Zajac next year, might as well get him in now and extend him right off the bat. Plus Danault is great at puck drop. He gets the puck at over 55-54% of the time for the past two seasons. Over 50% for the past 4 seasons. Plus he puts up decent numbers, and is in the + for the past 4 seasons (5, 0 17 and 18).

NJ Have Hisher (-16, 36pts); Zajac (-12, 25pts); Zacha (-12, 32pts); Hughes (-26, 21pts) and Mcleod (+4 but 2pts/12 games..) compared to Danault (+18, 47pts).

Hughes is in his first yr at NHL, so he's not ready to take on the 1st line right now;
Hisher, young guy but 7M$ cap hit so he'll need the experience from a good centerman like Danault;
Zacha, third centerman at best right now better to move him the fourth; and
McLeod.. Not NHL ready he's up and down from NJ.

Get someone like Danault in the mix for three to four years and you have yourself a very good top three centermen lineup. First two years (this and next), Danault can take top or second line which is what he wants. If Hughes doesn't move up he can take his time in development on the third for an extra year.

Only reason I would trade Danault out is the salary aspect and cap space MTL faces right now, and would need to bring in another winger. We have too many centers that can take on the top 3 roles now (if we would Sign Brassard to mentor KK and Suzuki since he's ok with being a third liner).

Else I'd keep him.

Could but you also take the chance of MTL trading him out. They need the help at center. All they have at center are players in the minuses, they need more experience which Danault would bring in this year, and next couple after.

Getting a first pick for a player who puts out comments in the media and looks like he's not happy in MTL since he wants first line when he's clearly a 2nd or 3rd is not nothing. In my scenario here you get Brassard who's not a first liner anymore but his also ok with playing on the 2nd or 3rd. He's not expensive and will provide mentorship to the likes of Suzuki and KK. Even if he's moved down to the fourth line, he'll still play without bad mouthing the coaches. He's 33, last contract probably so he knows.

Brassard still got 32 pts, even if he's in the negatives he's not -10 or more. He's -2 which is acceptable at that rate of pay in the NHL for the points he manages to put up.

We give up a 2nd and 4th, but have a 2nd rounder and 3 3rd rounders.. So we don't really lose much. The extra prospects are to give NJ some depth if they need it down the road. Potential 4th liners types.

Nothing is worse than losing someone for nothing.. You're saying we should lose him for nothing compared to a first pick? Really????

You didn’t truly gain a first; literally not commenting on anything else you said. Yea you acquired a first but you gave up basically more assets than you received. You traded danault + 2nd pick + assets for a first. Danault alone could fetch a first.
You’re basically trading up here but also throwing in a top6 player. (So you lose the deal as you’re barely getting a return).
You do understand that if you’re trading danault plus a second plus assets that you’re not really trading danault for a first. Danault (by himself) for a first is danault for a first....

Understood, but in this context right now, got lots of teams trying to trade out high salary contracts. So the teams who have space are in a position to ask for more.

Giving up a 2nd rounder when you already get a first, plus already keep a 2nd, then have three 3rd rounders isn't much when you have 3-4 team also looking for cap dump. This move is solely for the purpose of cap space and ensure you get something good in return. NJ may also not want to give up their 1st. They may give up 2nd rounder instead where I'd switch the 2 for a 3rd on MTL side.

It's all about context right now. Too many teams never thought of a pandemic hitting us and stopping the cap. They all planned for higher cap and singed deals with players now being stuck with hitting the top. SO you have to fight with them to get the space.

+/- on a crappy team...take those numbers with a grain of salt



Hughes and Hischier will be 1c and 2c for a long time. Not worried about them. The argument would be for if (a) Zajac retires; (b) NJD trades Zacha and/or Mcleod and (c) NJD sees Dawson Mercer as RW. Even then, they still have Kuokkanen, Merkley and Gritsyuk in pipeline.

NJD is in no rush. Any offer they would make today would be underwhelming to Habs fans.

Here is current NJD center depth chart:
Hischier
Hughes
Zacha
Zajac
Mcleod
Merkley*
Kuokkanen*
Mercer
Gritsyuk*

(* likely to end up at winger)

Your view point, not mine. I'd take those +/- with a grain of salt if half of them had 'em.. It's all four of them. Shows they need experience and depth from a center like Danault.
I still stand by my trade.

Team success is more of impact on +/- than players success. If really has no business being used to compare player X on one team and player Y on another.

again.. Your view point, not mine.
I still stand by my trade.