Black61 doesn't agree but I think MTL will bite on this. I really do. And those two first round draft picks won't have as much bottlenecks as previous draft picks. Due to aging stars and contract expiring.

6th youngest nhl regular dman this year but sure act like hes a finished product. He is excellent for his age

Idk. I agree with him on Montreal being pretty satiate with forwards as it stands. If Jeff Gorton wanted to bring back his protege that's one thing but like, that's easier said than done. I'm also assuming that's Montreal's weaker draft pick?

He doesn't have to be a finished product to not suck. He allows more offense than he creates and is a penalty machine. He's being massively overrated because of his feel-good story to making the NHL

Yes of course. Some of the wingers they can pay to bring over PLD. And not all pan out (we should know)

I just want Will Smith, nothing better nothing worse.

I don't think its an easy pass, but its not like its a some sort of slam dunk deal for Montreal.

Assuming Montreal's pick isn't in the top 5 (which isn't a safe assumption given their recent play and strength of schedule), Smith might go before then or lower than the 6/7 range.

Organizationally, Montreal really likes Xhekaj and Evans (whether or not that is justified is open to debate). Obviously not to a never trade degree, but enough that they'd have to be really enamoured with the return.

And the truth is, outside of being Quebecois and being drafted by Gorton, Lafreniere isn't the cleanest fit. Montreal's trying to develop Slafkovsky in the same role and Laf's inability to stick on his off-wing (with MSL's tendency to play wingers on their off-wing) makes things challenging. Garand's stock is down given his AHL play and a mid to late 1st is good, but not great.

If the Canadiens aren't picking in the top-4/5 and really like Lafreniere, I can see them doing it. It fits the mold of the Dach deal. I wouldn't do it just because I don't think anybody can really handle the pressure of being Francophone star prospect playing in Montreal (I firmly believe that played a big role in Drouin's decline).

Again he is the 6th youngest NHL regular its almost as if players can get better as they get older.

He also has positive relative possession numbers so not sure what your whining about most teams would kill for a 21 year old dman with good relative numbers.

And guys who fight tend to have a lots of PIMS its kinda how that works.

He's a rookie, Montreal is rebuilding (and awful) and Montreal isn't concerned with the present as much as the future. I don't even think he's being overrated, people like his tools, his throwback play-style and his potential upside.

Plus, like it or not, D-men that who are big, physical and skate well are always highly valued. Especially cheap ones. He's got similar results and usage to Braden Schneider this year and I doubt a single Rangers fan thinks Schneider doesn't have value.

All very valid points. This is assuming the pick is already set to Smith. So if one is top 3 and one top 6 and the top 6 is Smith than it is that pick. Easier to digest when provided with proper reasoning.

I do agree with you, just wanted to point that out. This is just what I wish for / hope can be done.

The Dach trade isnt a valid comparison for several reasons.

1) Dach is a option at centre. The trade was largely built around that possibility.

2) the discrepancy in value between 6th this year and the 13th from last in value is massive. Most teams wouldnt trade the 12th AND 13th from the 2022 draft for the 6th pick in the 2023 draft. The NYR picks currently sits at 24th its not remotely making up that gap.


Lafreniere today isnt worth the 6th overall pick. Not close. Garand has minimal value (he isnt better than Dichow or dobes as a prospect) and Arber and Evans are together worth more than the late 1st the ranger pick is.

A conversation if the Florida pick ends up around 15 is one thing but the 6th is firmly off the table

Again, it depends on what the front office thinks of Lafreniere's upside. I can't predict that, but the FO cares more about that than position.

The pick thing is fair, you could argue that 4 or 5 guys in this class would have gone 1st OA last year. But the draft is somewhat deep and Montreal would be getting a later 2023 1st.

Dach also doesn't have the draft pedigree of Lafreniere either. He was a bit of reach at 3rd OA in 2019 and Lafreniere was the clear #1 in 2020. Plus the Habs front office care more about upside than position.

The big question with Lafreniere is contract, which may be the biggest reason the Rangers may move him. They've got 17 mil in cap space with 14 players, but Miller and Chytil need raises. Paying Lafreniere around 4 mil AAV (which is likely around the floor a player his age and draft pedigree would be looking for) hampers their ability to make other changes. Keeping him is perfectly valid, it just depends on what else they want to pursue.

Upside is irrelevant value is what matters. Lafrenierre today on the market isnt worth a 6th overall pick in a strong draft. Not close. Last year in a weaker draft

Debrincat for 7th overall was a winger with 41 goals the previous season and just shy of a career .5 goals per game pace

For reference the last time a 6th overal pick or higher was traded at the point teams knew what position the pick is (so no florida siuation where the pick was traded a year earlier) was......2001 The infamous Yashin to NYI trade.


Even when you look top 10 picks the players dealt are signifigantly more valuable at the time than Lafrenniere is today.

MTL wouldnt trade their 1st in 2023 for Lafreniere 1v1

With Kreider out, Laffy is set to play on the 1st line and PP1 against the Stars tonight. The healthy scratch was for one game and about trying to push him, so the comment is out of place. Laffy has been around a half point so far with minimal PP time and the issue GG has with him is consistency. This proposal is something Drury would not consider.