I don’t understand why CBJ is trading their captain for that

Rebuild. Get younger. That’s 3 young assets (including the pick).

A young bottom 4 LHD, 4th liner and a 30 year old cap dump

That ain’t it

Harris is already a top 4 D, and it’s just his second year.

Mark my words about Ylonen. And my question is what pick would it take on top of that?

Boone Jenner isn’t getting any young, and Kirby Dach got traded for a 1st and a 3rd, and Newhook for the 31st and 37th overall picks.

My guess is Winnipeg’s 1st should be more than enough with the rest of that package.

Idk anything a out Ylonen, so I can't speak on that, but Columbus is more than set at LD for the future. Can't imagine they'd move out Boone if that's the highlight, even of you want to say he's for sure a top 4 d now. For Columbus to have any chance of moving him, it'd take both a big overpay and the returning assets would need to fill needs, not areas of surpluss.

What are your biggest areas of need?

Interresting trade, but maybe need to add a 2nd round pick.

Also, even Jenner is maybe available, I don't really see a scenario that Columbus trading him (even that him and Suzuki haved a great chemistry at the All-Stars Games...............).

"Jarmo surrounds Laine with his countrymen. I don’t think he gives up on him. But the team needs to start the rebuild."


We're already the 3rd-youngest team in the league, with an average age of just 0.1 years older than Montreal. Saying we need to "start the rebuild" is like saying MTL needs to sell Matheson to "start the rebuild". It's well underway already, and we're on the way out.

We also need NHL vets to show our literal teenagers the ropes. The oldest player on the roster is Gudbranson (32), and half our regular forwards are U25. Arguably, the team's youth is the biggest problem (aside from the FO).

The surplus of this team is youth, middle-6 forwards, and LD. No reason to add more of that, especially at the expense of our captain and one of the few leaders in an already very young room. If we move Boone, it's either for a legit 2RD long term, a couple of high draft picks (that we likely deal for additional NHL help), or a center prospect with top-6 potential. If he's moved, it's to a contender that's looking for a 2C and is willing to pay out the a** to get it, a la Lindholm and Monahan.

Number 1 imo is a top pair RD (Obviously Jenner isn't bringing a return that would definitely fill that, but a young RD prospect with upside would probably be something they'd look for)

Jiricek is the only guy in the org currently that could be that for them. While I'm very confident in him as a prospect and think the recent issues with him will easily smooth over with staff changes in the offseason, putting all their eggs in that basket with absolutely no alternative would be unwise.

2nd is probably goalie.
The future with Elvis is unknown, Tarasov looks like he's not long for the NHL once the FO who loves him is gone. Jet Greaves has shown some really good things, but is still a big unknown for the NHL long term. Idk, goalie prospects are weird, you don't see them traded as much, and I doubt Montreal would have a guy that's both good and they'd be willing to move. That's probably need no. 2 tho.

Those are the 2 that stick out. Middle 6 C (ideally 2C upside) is maybe something else they'd look for, especially with Jenner moving out. It's not a NEED like it was a while back, but adding more there to have more options Down the line is never bad.

"Young" assets? Armia is 15 days older than Jenner.

Jenner is having a down year but still has more points than Armia and Ylonen combined, all three having played between 33 and 39 games this season. And as @Trevor31lv points out, Columbus has Werenski and Provorov on the left for another season and Denton Mateychuk coming up, plus other options at LhD, so Harris, although a very nice player and apparently developing well, isn't high on their wish list.

All fair points. What I meant was giving bigger roles to younger players. Point taken in overall age of the team, however. My point is if it were me, I’d unload Elvis, Jenner, etc.
We keep Matheson because he has a well defined role, and we already have 4-5 rookie D playing every night outside of him and Savard.

Fully agree there, that's on FO and management though to give the younger players those roles, which this FO has historically been very hard-nosed on. They won't even give our internal options that leash, so it would be weird to see them trade for more options.

I think Jenner has that very defined role for us as well, he's playing top-6 C when the rest of the center core is under 24 (aside from Kuraly). I'd also unload Elvis (if there's a buyer without retention), Provorov, and Peeke. And fwiw, I'd also unload Jenner; his value will never be higher, the market is perfect for top-6 centers on cheap deals with term, and he wouldn't play much more than a 3C/4C role during our contention window in a few years. But the FO has been explicit on him not being available, so it would take their firing first for him to be moved.

Also, our average age is skewed by a couple vets. We have a 24 year old captain and the entire core of our team is younger than that.

Caufield Suzuki Dach
Slafkovsky, Newhook, Ylonen
Tuch, Beck, Mesar
Mysak, Kidney, Kapanen

Guhle Barron
Hutson Reinbacher
Xhekaj Mailloux
Struble

Primeau
Dobes

Our entire core is under 24. Vets get shipped out at the deadline when their contracts are expiring to bring in further assets. Hughes is building this the right way.

I know we probably don’t trade for Jenner, but I was curious what the team would look like with him.

I do think we try and bring in Zegras though, and I think he’ll cost a lot less than Ducks fans think. Also, Dvorak at half salary at next year’s deadline could bring in a lot more than most people think. He’s a valuable 200 foot centre for a contender in a 3rd line role.

And depending on how extreme Laine’s situation is as well, we would possibly look into that also.

Im a habs fan and even i think you're drunk

Lindholm is not a comparable to Zegras. Lindholm is a pending UFA who refuses to sign an extension with Calgary, Zegras has term left and is an RFA at the end, not to mention 5 years younger.

You need a wow piece to acquire Zegras, a piece like Reinbacher or Slafkovsky.

MTL fans, please tell your friends. Small pieces won’t buy Z. Here are the base pieces needed to talk trade for Z. And note, if this isn’t of interest, that’s okay!! We do not want to trade him

Option 1: Reinbacher
Option 2: Slafkovsky
Option 3: MTL ‘24 1st + Beck/Mesar/Roy tier

All 3 may need some tinkering with other smaller pieces one way or the other, but if the trade doesn’t look like any of those three, we will very happily continue buying Zegras threads in ANA

The « Wow piece » for Dach was the 13th overall pick.

The « Wow piece » for Zegras would be the either the Habs first round pick this year or Calgary’s next year.

Reinbacher and Slafkovsky both have more value than Zegras due to cap hit, and RFA years remaining.

I agree with option 3. How good the prospect needs to be depends on how high the picks is in the first round. More realistically though, we just need to add another pick in the second round. Teams pick off of fit for their squad at that point, it’s more subjective and team specific asset value.

Dach was a reclamation project i.e. damaged goods, that label doesn't apply to Zegras, he's worth significantly more than Dach at time of acquisition, and given Slaf still doesn't score, and Reinbacher hasn't played a game in the NHL yet, you're statement that they each hold more value than Zegras is laughable.

How’s Zegras been so far this year?

7 points.

Damaged goods? Reclamation project?

I’d say the top 13 in last year’s draft all have higher asset value than Zegras right now, and at least the top 6 from the 2022 draft.
ELC and RFA years hold significant value.

Zegras has 3 seasons after this one before becoming a UFA.

A 12 game slump when you've put up back to back 60+ point seasons hardly throws you into reclamation project status, but keep pushing that narrative, I'm sure it'll get you far.

While youre sitting there patting yourself on the back for reading a stat line, do bother to Google why Zegras has had a poor season? You'll find of the 20 games he's played this season he was battling an injury for ~15 of them. When he came back after his first injury time off, he was scoring like his usual self.

I'll also take this time to point out, Zegras is scoring at the same pace as Slafkovsky this season, so if Zegras is a reclamation project, what does that make Slaf? 7 points in 20 games vs 20 points in 49 games