https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1906361

published on sep 8
at least i made an effort to stop these trades lol

3 good lines is very different than having 3 lines with players who are paid as top 6 guys. Almost all 3rd lines in the league have a maximum cap hit of 10M (and that’s if you are running with some serious bargain contracts). I just don’t see having that kind of talent on your third line as feasible. The lightning tried for years until they ultimately had a 3rd line of about 8M (which was a huge part of their cup).

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher line #1
Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson #2-3
Toffoli-Kotkaniemi-Armia
Or
Lehkonen-Kotkaniemi-Toffoli #2-3

Next year Tatar AND Armia leaves

Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson
Toffoli-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Danault-Caufield
Byron-Poehling/Evans/Ylönen

If Caufield or Ylönen aren’t ready to play top9, then resign Armia to a 1-2 years deal

*** forgot to say ***

Toffoli said he doesn’t mind playing with Suzuki Kotkaniemi or Danault

The Coleman - Gourde - Goodrow line was essentially the Bolts’ 2nd line for most of the playoffs. They got more ice time, and played better than the other line of Killorn - Cirelli - Johnson, which made $10.2 million, which is about as much or more either the Suzuki or Kotkaniemi lines will make this year. And it’s only slightly below the TDG line.

Third lines often get more minutes than second lines since they take the tough matchups. A lot of teams to it. Boston is an example. So is the jets (though that may change with them having an actual 2c). I just don’t see how it would work to have that much money on the 3rd line. I might be wrong, but recent cup winners suggest otherwise

Makes sense, but one problem: Danault has been vocal of the fact that he doesn’t want to play 3C. So he’s not signing if that’s his role. In the first scenario, money isn’t too bad (still about 10M) but in the second, your third line would be paid over 12 million (after bonuses). I know montreal has cap space, but I think they would be better off investing in a top talent than loading up a 3rd line. You can have depth scoring without having too 6 forwards on your 3rd line. Look at the jets for example. The 3rd and 4th lines provided basically all production and they generally were still in the games against calgary in the play in...even though they were way overmatched

For sure.
Still, I don't see the point of not using Toffoli as a trigger man (31 goal scorer) if he's not playing with Suzuki.
That was LAK mistake by always moving Toffoli away from Kopitar. The linemates quality really affected his production in LA.
Vancouver proved his worth on a top line and top PP by being a point a game player. Don't have a Petey in MTL but Suzuki has some of the best on ice vision in the NHL!
You got the other 30 goal scorer on the TDG line.
Drouin-Suzuki-Toffoli seems pretty deadly to me. Puck mover in Drouin, set up man in Suzuki and your finisher from in tight with Toffs.
Lehk-KK-Anderson would be pretty fun to watch despite moving KK's idol down to the 4th line.
Armia is a good problem to have as he's too good to be on a 4th line but as Julien loves to roll those 4 lines.
I don't see too much of a problem with it and Armia looked great with Evans vs Philadelphia later in the series

I have no problem with putting Toffoli on the 2nd line, I was more so just making a point about how the number designation of the top 3 lines don’t really matter. I wouldn’t mind those lines at all, and Armia has shown that he’s a beast on the 4th line, and can really take advantage of the weaker competition (at least in the playoffs, when line matching is more prevalent).

There's no fan base like the Leafs fans. I'd say that I get it but it's very hard to understand. They absolute have homer glasses on at all times.
Maybe, just maybe, cause most aren't actual hockey fans with so many other sports in their market. It is very rare to see this type of lame duck offers from other Canadian fan bases whom only have hockey obsessions and live the game 24/7!
Byron is mostly given away with retention and sweeteners by Habs fans.
Meanwhile, Leafs fans, think guys like Justin Holl will warrant multiple drafts picks in return forget sweeteners and retention. And this is done all the time. Truly no sense.

I don’t think holl requires sweeteners but there is something called for. The jets have waaaaaay too many depth defensemen. This also goes to montreal fans who keep sending us kulak. We don’t want 5/6 d. I think some montreal and leafs fans are something else on this site. I just dont even replay to certain threads cause they are so ignorant that they won’t listen. Obviously very fan base has its worts though. There are jets fans like that on this site and sometimes I mess up values too personally then look back at it and say, wth was I thinking. Personally, I think jest fans are generally some of the best on this site imo but that’s personal bias

Danault wants to play with offensive player, so whoever he’ll be paired up, he will have a forward who can score goals. Danault is still MTL #1-2 center. Tatar-Danault-Gallagher is the first line, playing against other teams first line, play 1st PK unit with Lehky. Ok he doesn’t have PP time but he’s not that offensive. Toffoli Gallagher Drouin Anderson Suzuki Kotkaniemi Anderson before him. With injuries, he’ll get times, but he gets a LOT of ice time, I don’t know why he’s complaining. Kotkaniemi really needs to take a HUGE step to move Danault down

I really hope that Danault is the domino to fall if KK takes that next step this year! The cap and progression of the young kids is lining up nicely. I can't believe that Bergevin lined this up so well with so much cap available next year and ELCs coming to possibly replace guys like Tatar, Armia, etc.
At this point I'm not too worried about the cap in the following two years. It looks like things will work themselves out perfectly. Expansion is interesting with all these forwards now and if the Habs will choose not to sign a few like Tatar and Armia while letting Seattle make the tough decision to take a UFA. Vegas only took 1 UFA and it was Engelland, the Vegas native in 2017. I truly would feel comfortable losing Armia and/or Tatar as they are simply luxuries. Bergevin's expansion exposure will be an interesting little dance.

Drouin Anderson Kotkaniemi Toffoli Lehkonen Gallagher (UFA) Danault (UFA) Weber Petry Chiarot Price ... pretty easy for now / I think Gallagher and Danault extend before the expansion draft tho / I think they pick Edmundson Fleury Mete or Evans