@jonh514 this would be my vision for the trade we discussed

monty stays ,allen is the clear man out ,but hey not a bad offer could be better if devils really want this

Value is good imo. I don't realistically see MTL doing it (Maybe if they can acquire Askarov from NSH, or Knight from FLA?). Would be more of an off-season move I guess.

I think NJD would also be after those same targets as well funnily enough. Montreal probably doesn’t do it tho yeah.

That would be quite counterproductive, trade a starter who wants to be here for futures only to turn around and chase another starter…

I believe Fowler is a starter in 2-3 years. I think some of our other goalies are also outperforming expectations.

If you feel the team can compete next year, agreed it's counter-productive. If you feel the team needs next season as well as a development year, I would do this deal.

Clarke seems like the right piece. Nice trade idea... Too bad it will never happen!

Not all starters are created equal. I like Montembeault, but if someone were to give me the choice between him at 27 years old vs Askarov with elite potential at 21 years old who fits the core age group. I think the choice is pretty obvious. Obviously it would all depend on the cost of acquisition.

So, if anything, it would be counterproductive to keep Montembeault over acquiring someone like Askarov. (in this hypothetical situation, I'm perfectly happy with MTL keeping Monty in the real world lol)

I feel it’s important that the team starts competing next year, still not a contender by any means but fighting for a playoff spot. This season will be the third year in a row of being at the bottom of the standings, the players, the fans and the brass need to see progress. Keep Monty, add a top 6 guy and the dcore will be a year older and more experienced…not to mention fingers crossed a healthy Dach. Keep to the process, we already have a possibility of an elite starter in Fowler coming up and we got a solid starter in Monty for 3 years, the timeline is well thought out.

“Elite potential”. We got a guy who is a proven starter now and a 19 year old with elite potential in Fowler. Goalies are tough to bank on. Askarov could get a real chance to start in the NHL and fall flat on his face against better shooters, Monty could come out next year with a lack of confidence after another bottom standing finish and fall apart and Fowler could make his start in the NHL in a few years and horribly disappoint. I think we’ve been spoiled with having Price for so many years but the truth is, guys like that don’t come around that often. I like what we got in goal atm, just need to move Allen and get back to a 2 guy system.

Fowler I think is very much overrated in this scenario. He’s a typical b tier goalie prospect. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don’t. Realistically a crap shoot and not anything to place hopes and dreams into.

Askarov is a legit top prospect

IMHO An absolute disaster of a trade from the Habs perspective. I was sort of on board at quick glance because I thought it was the 2024 1st which has a chance of being quite high.... but for the 2025 1st, why one earth would we do that? Are we to expect NJ to be a worse team next year with the addition of solid goaltending?. It literally the one thing holding them back from being a legit playoff team..... Really really narrow minded gamble from the Habs perspective here. The goal you're trying to achieve can be done without even doing this, so why are we exactly?

Want Askarov? Fine, go get him. Habs already have all the assets to get him if they really do and having a tandem of Monty/Askarov would be amazing with Fowler coming in once Monty's contract is done. or sooner if needed. Habs mgmt is already poised to make significant improvements to the team next year in order to try and be more competitive. So, you are right, this trade won't happen in reality and frankly Im glad it won't.

This is not even to mention that it would be in bad taste to move the recently signed local boy right after locking him up long term, for....... picks and prospects.

There was an original post where I shared my "why".

1) If we trade him and ride Allen/Primeau until the end of the season, we will lose a lot more games. That's actually not a bad thing, as we will get a higher draft pick

2) We could probably get a mid-late 1st and a B prospect for Monty, or maybe just an A prospect

3) Allen and Primeau as a tandem next year is not gonna help us win a lot of games, but we can always dip into the goalie market this offseason if we feel we are playoff-bound after the draft

4) If we are not gonna make the playoffs next year, this would probably be "selling high" on Monty, as we can expect Fowler to hit the NHL in 2025-26

Fair. As mentioned, do this if and only if you are gonna be tanking again next year, or confident you can land an Askarov.

I'd just like to get my 2 cents here on fowler. Counting on him to be ready at age 21 would be VERY bold. Goalies are rarely NHL ready at 21. If I were you I'd temper expectations. If he becomes an NHL starter, sure, certainly wouldn't count on it tho

Not according to Scott Wheeler of Athletic fame:

https://twitter.com/HabsOnReddit/status/1765069150823817428?t=F1QSfFgGye0mn2hC6G3fzA&s=19

I think he's certainly imo a tier below the Askarov/Wallstedt/Knight level.

In with the Schmid/Pyotr/Daws/Wolf/Dostal/Hofer group.

And even in that top level it's still a crapshoot to an extent. I think I'd expect him to be NHL ready by age 23-24. If he's ready earlier then you take it as a win. But Knight and Hart are basically the only goalies recently to be a legit NHLer at age 20-21