I'd do the MTL deal but only because of the retention.

Mtl won’t retain if that’s the return. It’s their last spot.

There is no rush with another year of term and Xhekaj/Savard is a pair they like going forward. Hughes has said only a massive overpay will be enough for Savard who’s having a career year. The market is void of available RHD outside Dumba who is awful

They regain a spot this summer with edmundson coming off

But not at the draft, when it will be easier to move Allen and Dvorak

A late 1st and a meh prospect to retain 2 years for a guy that is a mentor to all their D coming in like Hutson, Reinbacher and Mailloux isn’t appealing.

At a certain point you have to stop the liquidation sale otherwise you become Ottawa/Buffalo
Savard loves it in Montreal and the team is playing hard. They just took 6 pts out of 8 on the road vs Florida, Tampa and Nashville. They are progressing. Keep it going.

You want to be horrible like those other mentioned teams that do random things like trade for a 5th LHD or giving away Tarasenko for a 3rd?