Habs do not want Ross Colton unless there are multiple 1st rounders in return. He is a cap dump for the Habs.

Mtl declines IMO I just dont see a justification to take a guy that makes 4M per year. Yes he's an upgrade in term of pts production but he would be a 3C or 2C if someone is injured but he never reached 40 pts in his career. Even if value wise it's fair, I just don't see the point of doing that for MTL.

We would prefer Lehkonen and not trading Evans!

Lehkonen for Evans and Kovacevic

I was telling myself the same thing with Jake Evans. But I realized that Evans is probably going to get traded next deadline. He’s slotted in the 4C role, a slot where Owen Beck should replace him.

Realized this while looking at our 2024-25 team

Well, you're not getting Lehkonen back, but I think you'd like Colton. I understand he's not the most exciting acquisition, but I do think he makes that team better.

Is Evans likely to extend in Montreal? If so then I could see why this wouldn't make sense.

How does he make us better. Hes not a materiall improvement on evans offensively and evans is better defensively at less than half the price

I think he is a pretty material improvement offensively. Points per 60 is 1.76 compared to 1.28 for Evans. He generates more shots and also finishes better, while also being a pain in the rear end to play against. To me that would be something Montreal would want.

Obviously I like Evans too. I just figured that if he wasn't going to extend and be a longer term piece then this might make sense.

Ross Colton is not a cap dump, but Montreal wouldn't want him.



I don't think any rebuilding team is all that interested in taking on cap space to improve their bottom 6 C, especially given the term on Colton's contract. Montreal's hoping to get more than 25 games combined from Dvorak and Dach next season. Newhook has also started to show serious improvements at center since coming back from injury. Them, Suzuki and Evans means Montreal's unlikely to be in the market for a center who isn't either a young, true top-6 C or a guy with the potential to be that.

It doesn't really matter if Evans will be re-signed are not or what it would cost Montreal in a trade, Colton doesn't make sense as a trade target.

I guess I don't really view them as a rebuilding team per se. They have a good young core and prospects that are up and coming. They just need to surround them with the right guys to help take the next step.

I can certainly see your point regarding Dvorak. Him and Colton are kind of redundant. Wasn't sure of his status and if he'll be back.

Evans and Beck are part of the future for Habs.

No stress - It's not an insulting trade - the value is ok.

Just not what the habs need right now!

I think that having Evans as 3rd C and Beck as 4th C can actually be a great thing for us.

Behrens is a priority for CMac & Malinski is basically a lock to start. I don't see a need to add any other starting D. I also think if anyone is traded, its one of the 2nd pair; CMac doesn't have a built-in rplc at 3C. However, he could prob get away with Kovalenko at 3C in a pinch. Whoever is moved doesn't have to be replaced right away; they could get picks to be swapped for a rental later. I think rentals are going to become a thing going forward for the Avs

Dvorak has a year left on his contract. Right now he's listed as day-to-day and will probably see some action before the end of the season.

Montreal still has work to do, most of their top prospects haven't graduated yet and they need to get guys healthy. They're not going to be seriously competing for a playoff spot for at least one more season.

Signing Behrens may be a priority, but that doesn't mean he jumps straight to the NHL. And I'm increasingly hesitant to say Malinski has a spot. He might, but I'm not as sure as I once was.

In any case, I can't see them moving another top 4 dman after having already done so with Byram. If the team is forced to move out salary, Colton is the easiest to replace.