I would pay double for Necas over Zegras. That is for sure! Carolina would be crazy to let him go. One of the most underrated players in the league. The Guentzel success on line 1 with Jarvis/Aho maybe could...could... it actually mean Necas leaves to save money for Jake?

I like Necas. He plays the kind of speedy game the Habs want to play. That being said, offer sheet is not happening with this Habs management group. Maybe a trade.

Not only will the Canes pay Necas that, they'd pay Guentzel that... you're abut 1.25 million short on any serious Necas offer just for his value, if you want a successful offer sheet, you have to go north of 8, and that's a dangerous game

To get Necas, we would have to give up a big piece. So, our 2024 first. It could also be Caufield, but Carolina are adding in a Caufield - Necas swap as Caufield is undoubtedly the superior player

No he isnt

"For whatever the return" would be absolutely massive. Letang might only take a late 1st rounder. Crosby leaving PIT means millions in revenue leaving with him even for only a single season. FSG would only do that for a MASSIVE return that Crosby's on ice production isn't worth. Think around four first round picks.

Bergy isn't Habs GM anymore.

Offer sheet is unlikely.

Necas is the better player, Caufield is younger. You don't pay for potential, you pay for skill. Montreal adds.

Yes he is. Caufield has a better production offensively, and is not far back defensively. He also has a better production this year while being 2 years younger and coming back from an injury

We already have been over that. Caufield is the better player and has the most potential and skills. Better production, better goal scoring production, not far defensively. Better production this year while being 2 years younger and coming back from an injury.

Also, when acquiring young player, you absolutely pay for potential lol. Nobody is giving up a top 10 pick in value for a 60 pts player if there wasn’t for potential

There is always nuance when judging elite players front to back..

I'd say Necas is more the type of player that I value but the Habs need Caufield's goal scoring. Because this is team building afterall not the NBA.
Caufield also has long term certainty with his contract.

For now, Caufield > Necas because of other factors out of each players control but if we are talking building a team from scratch, I'd start with Necas first!

Necas has 3 less points in 3 less games and 200 minutes less ice time.... Necas is the better player. Caufield is younger. That's the trade off here.

Yup its super sad the 25 year old has the 3rd year player on the ropes be 3 point only on a playoff team no less hahaha
Not the point you wanted it to be but i agree Necas=Caufield are on the same level but different types of players
Necas might be a better overall 200ft player by a small margin (and its a small margin) but Caufields the better Goal Scorer
Necas has 96 in 355 and Caufiled 73 in 196 which matter more to MTL for sure and the term "Goal Scorer's Premium " doesnt just stop existing cause you like Necas more. Same way i cant negate overall solid playmakers Value like Necas just because i like Caufield more.

I think both players are different but will take similar roles on their team minute wise and production wise.
Personally i wouldnt both with moving Necas as you can pay all your forwards if you just acquire Low cap players like Harris who im sure every team has one with varying skill levels.

You got good leadership signed as long as you dont start overpaying older players like TML you wont get bogged down/burdened by them

Necas has a worse ppg than Caufield and he plays against weaker competition. Necas is on a stacked team. Caufield is younger, Caufield is the better player. End of the line

this is like arguing Chocolate Milk vs White Milk
Its Milk and though different are more or less on the same level with trade offs one might consider negative on both sides.

Necas is a better Playmaker , slightly better defensively
Caufield the better Goal Scorer slightly worse defensively
Caufields no worse off then Necas at his age is the rub as CC has time on his side and a sweet contract.
Trade off is Necas can take Faceoffs at least as much as Drouin did

As is Cole's on pace to beat Necas offense at the same age.
I like Necas alot but he's taken longer to do less.
It'd be different if he was a True Center already partially developed like you got with Kotkanemi
But he's not so its not really worth giving up Goal Scoring on a team that needs it

Necas has a better P/60 and plays with worse teammates. Necas is the better player, end of conversation...

He plays against weaker competition with similar teammates on a stacked team. Caufield is also having a down year offensively. He is also producing more while being younger. Stop with your bias. Caufield is the better player

Travis Boyd has a better pts/60 than both of them. Guess he is the better player…

They both turned Pro at 20
Both were in year 3 at 23
Caufields ahead in 2/3 first seasons head to head so far
He only lost last year as he was out on injury.
But Year 1 had CC 42 and MN at 36
Year 2 it had CC at 36 and MN at 41

So its pretty much equal until now as Caufields getting over 50 pts for the 1st time a year ahead of Necas while scoring 69 goals to MN 44 goals.
Even set back by injuries he finished ahead of Necas in the grand scheme of things. I think they see it too , that CC is just a younger Necas level players who can score goals

2.3 vs 2.6 ?
Thats your big difference maker?

Necas had a better PPG at the same age though... so the age factor doesn't matter here. Oh, but that doesn't fit your narrative! Shame...

You think the 3 more points in 3 more games is a bigger issue? Come on... Necas is doing this while not even getting top line minutes and playing with vastly inferior linemates, unless you think Suzuki is the same quality as Evgeni Kuznetsov

Caufield is a bite size mike hoffman

Thats like saying Jerry Seinfeld is a less talent Larry David
i can see how one would argue it , doesnt make it true
MSL our Coach is living proof that being small doesnt mean being less than
It simply means they're smaller

Exactly Caufields doing it while matched up vs top lines in the NHL including CAR's
What your argument is becoming is Necas success depends on his linemates
Seems like a weird stance to take

Suzuki succeeded with and without Caufield
Caufield was dropped to Monahan's line with Slafkovsky till then gained chemistry then moved up
But they succeeded just fine beside Monahan nevertheless in fact since Monahans left Caufields Goal Scoring kinda dried up as he's become Slaf and Suzuki's Playmaker by Proxy

They started at the NHL at the same age and Caufield is currently 15 points past where Necas was at that point playing vs top line opponents.
Trying to spin that as a negative isnt something i'd do to Necas personally

Actually, Caufield got shutout.... so he didn't do anything against Carolina's third line.

But, Necas is the better player. Caufield's success is dependent on his teammates. Necas is succeeding in SPITE of his linemates. That's what you're missing