Too bad the new CBA forbids players to be traded for buy out purposes, And then resigned back with their clubs. First off that's cap circumvention and players now have to wait one calendar year to resign with their old teams.

This is not an improvement, look at the center lineup its weak. I don't think that you have to worry about Gally coming back for the playoffs cause none of Evans, Poehling or Danault will put up 60+ points to drive the offense and help Suzuki carry the team. The only position you improved wlis the D but I am pretty sure the Avs would rather keep Girard and trade Graves.

for girard it's got to be a hockey trade. suzuki or caufield.

for kk you can have graves and a pick.

Agreed, we are in no position to trade KK for defense, i still think there is a lot more to come from him and moving him just creates more holes to fill. I also think Danault contract is paying him as if he will put up 50-60 points and i dont think that will be the case think that deal gets done south of 5 mil and for 6 or 7 years.

Did you just say Suzuki or Caufield for Girard? HAhahaha i didnt know he was the next Niedermayer. People really like to under value Habs players and overvalue their own. KK played most games in a offensive role for a team that made the finals. Girard with more protection was exposed defensively versus a team the Habs beat in 6 games.

yea girard's a 23 year old top line defender on a great contract. of course he's going to get a high end player back in return.

kk had 8 points last season. he's the definition of inconsistent and an injury risk. he has potential but that potential isn't worth an established player like girard. graves helps fix montreals defense and the 1st give them another pick to help rebuild.

If the Habs are trading away a 21 year old Center whos been improving every year, its in a deal for elite talent. Not some guy who ios undersized and doesnt know how to defend the slot.

habs don't have anyone in the organization that can do what girard does. they desperately need it too. they only have 2 old dman holding that d core together. adding him wouĺd drastically improve their rebuild, especially with the big money contracts they have too. habs could use a steal of a contract.

i get the resistance to moving suzuki tho. he's looks like he could be a 1c and the habs haven't had that in decades. but you have to give to get especially when it comes to young talent.

#healthyscratch, 12 forwards on the team and he wasn't better than any to be put in for the final two games of the stanley cup. If that's improvement i don't think i want the guy who's improving

I love how people are trading KK on here like its their job lol. No one can see the potential in this kid and all trade him at a reduced value. Stop giving up on the 20year old big center

KK being scratched had nothing to do with him not being better than 12 other forwards. It was because the Habs needed a spark offensively and KK drew the short straw. KK was the second highest scoring Hab in the playoffs, only Suzuki had more goals. I mean who was DD going to scratch down the middle? Suzuki who was the leading scorer? Danault who was tasked with shutting down the top line? Or was your plan to sit Staal and have Evans play 4C when what we needed was to get the 3rd line going? Also moving KK to the wing was not plausible because we weren't sitting Anderson or Armia for Evans. Sometimes coaches make moves to simply get a fresh face in the lineup and give the team a spark. It isn't always because a player is under preforming.

My thought on the Girard/KK trade.

Girard- established, young Top 4 Dman. Great skating and can move the puck well in all 3 zones. Smaller, not a lock down defender. On a very reasonable contract for a #3, second pair D. He would slot into any team as an offensive, high skill second pair D. Defensively he uses skill over size and isn’t going to be a top pair D.

KK - young, very skilled Center with good size. He has great vision and has the potential to be a top line player. His skating continues to be a concern, and he hasn’t produced in the NHL...but remember he’s played one year in the AHL, and two messed up years in the NHL. He might have a 2C ceiling for many, but a 2C is still a very tough position for contenders to fill. There is projection risk, he may never realize his potential and end up as a bottom 6 forward.

Next year, Girard would be more valuable, but in 2-3 years, it’s much less clear. What would be reasonable? Not Suzuki or Caufield, they are much further along than KK right now. AVS would need to add to put either of those players in play. I can’t see a straight up given the upside KK. AVS would need to add another asset, and I’m not sure a late first is enough. I think that Girard and Newhook or Jost might entice Montreal, giving them a 3C for the next 1/2 decade to replace Danault.

I struggle to see a fit, bit perhaps something like:

KK + 2nd for Girard and Newhook.

KK is my favorite Hab right now, for me I have this sneaking suspension he will become our 1C and Zuke the 2C. It's just this gut feeling I have.

I doubt that Montreal would consider trading either KK or Zuke I mean they have the potential to be the next dynamic duo (not to the same degree) like Crosby-Malkin or McDavid-Draisaitl (of course those pairing are miles ahead in talent but KK-Zuke are still a great young pairing.

lol that's a terrible offer for colorado. Girard is worth more than kk + a 2nd and you want newhook ontop of that. Go back to sleep man, you're dreaming

Your opinion, which is fine. I’m also quite awake, thank you very much. You are obviously a biased Colorado fan, and I was opining on what I think it would take, not what I feel either player was worth.

Would I make the trade as Colorado, no. Would I make the trade as Montreal, no. That tells me that it isn’t a bad trade idea. Do I think either team would accept that trade, nope.

I’m not sure if you realize it, but you added zero value to this thread. You state that Girard is worth more than KK and a 2nd. Based on what? Your gut feel, your analysis of KKs potential based on scouting, advanced stats or a synthesis of opinions from various sources? You don’t offer up what you think it would take for COL to trade Girard, my guess is you prefer to take the negative approach and shot down other people’s ideas instead of engaging in positive dialogue and debate. But who knows... maybe your flippant remarks are supported by astute observations, I have no way to know, because you choose to add nothing.

Please leave the personal insults to yourself, they don’t add any value.

Bias has nothing to do with it, that's just a horrible offer. that's equivalent to us offering tyson jost and a 2nd for romanov and suzuki

Lol, that is comical. FYI, I do not like the Habs at all... so don’t think you’re insulting me. Your comparison is a joke, and tells me that you have no idea about hockey or prospect development.

Suzuki is a top 9 Center today, with the potential to be a good to very good 1C. Will he get there, no idea, but he’s developed really well. Romanov is currently a #6/7 D, but has the potential to be a strong Top 4, with some feeling he could be a good #2 D. He has more developing to do, but his floor is bottom pair NHLer.

To suggest that the Habs would trade that upside for a Decent middle 6 forward prospect (who may max out at third liner) is actually funny, and indicates to me that you haven’t a clue.

my exact point about your initial trade proposal, it's terrible

Um... terrible no... a potential top 6 Center and a second round pick for a middle 6 D on a reasonable contract and a middle 6 forward prospect... Not sure how that is terrible. Every team is looking for top 6 Centers... there are 64 positions, and likely only about 40-45 of those at any given time.

Trading for potential ALWAYS costs more.

lol figure it out. You're basically saying newhook is worth less than a 2nd round pick in this scenario.

Nope.

KK> Girard. Top line C prospect > second pair D in a good contract. That would imply that 2nd < Newhook.

To get to KK + 2nd = Girard + Newhook

Read my first post, I don’t think there is a fit between these two teams for a trade of KK and Girard. I was simply suggesting an idea that might be somewhat within reason, supported by logic.

You might feel Girard is a top pair D, that’s fine, I disagree. You might feel KK is a horrible bust, that is fine as well, I disagree and think he’s still extremely young with a few more years of development left to reach his eventual ceiling. Newhook could be a great 3C, if he continues to develop. Will he be a great 2C, that’s a lot less likely. A 2nd isn’t a first, but it can net a middle 6 forward or D 3-6 if it pans out. Top line players aren’t very likely in the second and beyond.

I don’t think my logic is flawed in any way. My valuation of the players might be different than yours, but that doesn’t mean I’m dreaming.

I’m curious to know your thought on Girard, Newhook and KK, what is their ceiling, their floor, and where do you slot them in for 21-22?