How many of those points does Suzuki lose if he doesn't have Caufield there to finish? You can't have a PPG 2 way center who puts up more assists than goals without the winger putting the puck in the net. You also can't have a 30+ goal scoring winger without having the center to set him up. Trading one for the other is illogical cause it just creates a hole where there wasn't one before.

Edit***

Do you think Colorado would trade Rantanen for Barzal? How about Tampa, do you think they would trade Kutcherov for Aho? How about Toronto, would they trade Nylander for Suzuki? You need both to be successful, trading one to get the other when you already have that isn't a winning formula. Would you trade Suzuki for Kyrou? No cause you already have Caufield and you need Suzuki to set him up, that's what you are asking St. Louis to do but you are also sending out our best scorer in the process, so for a team desperate to score more goals, it makes no sense to trade our only pure scorer

To me, if I were Armstrong, I’m asking for Barron as well. I just think you’re getting more value w Thomas.

Slafkovsky say hi

Newhook Suzuki Slafkovsky could produce the same amount of goals and offer a better 200ft game.
Roy Thomas Dach could also produce at a better pace and offer a way better 200ft game.

You're overvaluing Caufield by miles.

deal

Caufield doesn’t play defense and won’t go to the net like Thomas. Thomas has more value because of his overall game.

Caufield plays defense, he doesn't float like Drouin, you should watch a few Habs games he is always backchecking and finishing checks (even though he is smaller). Yes there is no arguing that Thomas has the size and ability to go to the net and probably has a better all around game as well. That doesn't automatically make him worth more than Caufield though. As I said before, I think they have similar values even though they play very different roles. Let me put it this way, Kyrou scores more than Suzuki and plays a much different style, do you think Suzuki has more value than Kyrou? Personally, again I think they have very similar value even though they play very different roles, so again trading one for another doesn't make sense

There is no chance Caufield is more valuable

Thomas is better offensively, better defensively, and is a center

Rantanen for Barzal is a horrible comparison. Barzal and Thomas are similar but Rantanen is far better than Caufield. Kucherov for Aho isn’t a great comparison either since the gap between Kucherov and Caufield is way bigger than the gap between Aho and Thomas

Precisely the same point I keep trying to din into this kid when comparing Zegras (93 assists vs. 64) to Caufield (72 goals to 53). He thinks that the goal-scorer is the rarer talent. People who understand hockey know that except for the rarified level (Ovechkin, Pastrnak) it's the line driver.

Clearly you missed we were speaking about Goals
Points we couldnt give a crap less about unless 50/70 of those points were Goals , then yeah forsure.

Thomas is Great and i friggin love Snugg but they wont score the big Goals Caufield will
For other teams maybe they have those Goal Scorer's in bulk , but MTL Does NOT at all have that Depth in Goal Scorers.

We can sign 70pt players , thats never really that hard.
Finding Goal Scorers like Caufield on the market period is rarely unless they're a Pending UFA

Would i overpay for Either of your guys? 1000% yes
Would i include 1 of the big 3 in our Forward Group? Never, Nope
Again its cheaper to Target Free Agents like Monahan, Toffoli and others we know are fits or to go all out after a Guetzal or Reinhart instead if we want 70pts guys who also score a lot of Goals.

Again i'd really love Snugg but i know we'd be so far apart on price it would be like how we view Caufield vs what you see him as.

Depends , is Slafkovsky still on top line in this situation
If so then not as much as you'd think as Slaf took over Dach's role
He gets it in the OZ and to Suzuki directly a lot of the time actually
I hate to undermine your point as Caufield is Clutch and key but MSL is on a separate mission with CC to mold him into MSL 2.0
Notice how first game MSL is out that CC goes back to the shooting lanes MSL publicly said to the media he took away from Caufield to force him to take high pressure playoff level shots.
When he scores next game from that same spot keep this in mind that his production is only a low as it is as MSL trying to teach him Vision and expand his Hockey IQ similar to what Torts did for him.
That said with MSL out im sure Letowski just said those lanes are back open to him and he should do what he wants and MSL will resume their program when he returns.

He just wants Caufield to score those big time playoff goals and that if he cant score that he has the vision to set up the player who does.
Given we're in a rebuild and Cellebrini's on the line i think GM Hughes loves MSL more right now then words can describe


All that said overall your comment and point was right, i just was nitpicking as is my way lol
Good Job

Can he score Goals in Bulk for MTL?
Then it doesnt matter cause we have no one who can
Replace Thomas via UFA pretty easy even if it wont be cheap
Try to replace Caufield via UFA, Not Easy At All

We got Centers , im good although i would love Snugg
That said i think im not rich enough to hear the take on that trade lol

Thomas =Suzuki
More value to his own team then any other team
Doesnt mean they dont have teams interested
Just few that see them as a #1 C on a Contending team, just Rebuilding ones.
We call that the David Legwand special, refusing to trade a player you Love and over value for a long period of time

There is not one legit nhl scout or gm that would take Caufield over Thomas.

Unless you're a scout thats an opinion with nothing to draw on to support it.
I actually do know scouts as im a Season Ticket holder in the QMJHL and ill ask them next Thursday
Some people can be objective, some cant but i'd never try to speak for someone i never spoke to about the way their mind works.
It declares you're spinning a narrative not trying to debate facts or even an Opinion at that point .

Either way im done
When people Speak for others instead of themselves based on anger, i stop engaging

Gotta be honest, Thomas would cost more to acquire than CC would. That being said, CC isn't going anywhere even for Thomas. If we're trading for a top 6 C we're doing it from a position of surplus, we can supplement value elsewhere but I'm not sure we have pieces available to intrigue STL into trading him to us.

Thank you!
MTL wouldnt trade our top Goal Scorer
We have them come along so rarely , we cant

If you value Points over Goals then Thomas is your guy for sure
But if you value Goals and all the GWG that go with them then Caufields your guy.
If im MTL we have Suzuki, Dach,Newhook and Beck right now is where Suzuki was at his age at the same size.
But i cant list any Goalscorers on CC or even Caufields level who arent in the NHL that we currently have.
Correct me if im wrong, i think Roy was the last one in our system not Pro

I’m not angry. The Blues have a lot of scoring wingers. They don’t have any other even close #1 centers. Thomas is an already #1 center. Caufield isn’t even a #1 winger yet (he may get there) and #1 centers are much more valuable. Good day.

See the difference in quality in terms of statements given when one speaks for themselves and not scouts they never met?
I respect what you're saying cause reverse it and its our situation with Thomas. In our system in our Coaches eyes and Fans eyes are on Suzuki who will always be ahead of him as the Ironman should. He's the leader in every regard and he Walks the Talk like few others ive seen in the CH jersey in 40 years nearly.

For Thomas to knock off Suzuki isnt impossible its just as likely as the scenario you painted for Caufield to become #1
Again i like Thomas , just like i said from the start i dont think it makes sense at all unless he can turn into Caufield and start scoring Goals in Bulk from Center but i digress

Im not interest in Thomas or Caufield moving homes Personally
I am interested in the value you place on Snugg hypothetically if we can use Draft Capital to do it to avoid Chaos lol.
He fits and i know he protects Hutson as i seen on two WJC runs with one Bronze and one Gold together
He plays our style of hockey and he's part of a group we're not too deep on outside the NHL so whats here is it

If not i get it we have out non NHL untouchables like Hutson or Fowler as well

Thomas is better than Suzuki…he’s already won a cup, been an all star and has multiple ppg seasons. Give me a ring when Suzuki does any of those.

I’m not even a Kyrou lover and I would take him over Caufield. You can love your players and your team- that’s your right as a fan. And yes I know a nhl scout and some analysts and they told me it’s not even close who they would take Thomas or Caufield - Thomas 8 days a week.

I am very envious of the good young dmen the Habs have accumulated. The Blues don’t have anything close to that. They do have good young forwards and more coming but really lacking on young defender front.

I'm interested to see how Mesar develops but idk that he reaches the same level, not in terms of goals anyway.
We definitely can't be stealing from Peter to pay Paul here, although Thomas as a target is intriguing. Would you move our 1st this year in a trade for him?

RING RING RING, Suzuki has been an all star...

Ok - my bad

Shoot we got em younger and Veterans
Basically for our LD its Hutson,Guhle,Xhekaj i'd say protect and RD Mailloux,Reinbacher and Barron
But could be persuaded on any RD not named Mailloux

Mathesons good now i think has 2 years left at like 150k under 5m ? and was at 45pts last i checked playing top 5 NHL minutes at 25+ a night (Top Pair)
Harris who's a great team guy who plays as well wil 11 minutes as he did with 22+ last year during Savard/Mathesons injuries.(Top 4)
Struble's a stud shot blocker who plays solid defensive hockey and hits like he's 4 inches and 50lbs bigger then he is will grow into a solid leader (#4/5 D Role player/Leader maybe)
Savard won a cup for a reason he was one of the best #4/5 D in the NHL blocking a ton of shots and playing solid minutes trusted by all his Coaches (#4/5 D Leader)
Kovacevic is a bottom pair 6'5 i believe 225lbs reliable Dman a lot like Edmunston was at his age playing a similar role (Bottom pair Leader)

Lesser known is Engstrom but he's my favorite of all our long shot players as he reminds me of Lehkonen personality wise and how he does media interviews right up to how Coaches talk about him. One story that stuck out was he works out so often they had to lock him out of the gym and send him home to force a rest because he was playing for 2 teams at the time bouncing back and forth so he was practicing with both. He'd get there at the crack of dawn to start training before first Practice and would train in between Practices in the Gym then after final practice again to the point a coach locked him out. Engstrom was miserable and didnt know what to do so he jogged around the build and the neighbourhood hahahaha. I doubt he'll make the team right away and he'll buy himself a few years here but as a LD he's kinda off man out unless he can knock of Xhekaj,Guhle or Hutson which i dont see happening. I'd much rather he take the Ron Hainsey path to a new team who has the minutes and time to give him as they have less depth.

Harris,Enstrom and a 2nd for Snugg's rights?(just a pitch )
It would address your needs with 1 NHL Pro and 1 SHL Pro coming to Laval after his Playoffs with COL 2nd for Snugg and D.Petersons rights (Expiring in Augusts when he becomes UFA)

For Thomas?
Yes and No
Depends on the trade i think

If i was using this years 1st i think i'd shoot a little higher though as the quality of the players being taken top 5 is real good and we're likely getting a top 5 pick
If i did trade that in a deal to STL at the Draft i think i'd be looking at more then Thomas if they're getting a Eiserman,Lindstrom, Demidov or Levshunov in a bundle for 1 player we can replace by paying him that same contract as we're acquiring basically. In the right trade with Snugg then i might cause im a Snugg mark

Would STL?
I doubt it but with the 13th OA pick that would give them two top 15 picks in a draft where a Benson or a Caufield is almost guaranteed as rumors fly that concsus #2 Preseason in Eiserman could fall that low due to a variety of factors. I guess it dependson if they think both could be NHL ready and pick up the slack? who know?