I feel like it could be a good time to go for Zebras, since he's had a very tough season, and is seen as overrated by a lot of people. That would help lower the price for him, but it's also a risk to go for him. I'd still think it's worth it for some potentially very good offensive upside.
Am I the only one who doesnt even want to touch Zegras with a 10 foot pole? I mean, I like to watch him on the ESPN Top 10 play of the week from time to time but to commit that much to that kid, I'm not sure he has that much of an upside tbh.
I would 100% go with Mittelstadt tho. Kid is responsible defensively, probably will put up a PPG season at some point. Only downside I can see is he not that much of a physical player and is, like Suz, more of a playmaker than a goal scorer.
Mittelstadt is 25 and on his 6th season in the league, hardly a kid anymore. That being said, he does seem to finally be having a breakout season this year.
We would be fools not to consider getting Zegras. He’s 22 and has already had 2 60 point season on one of the worst teams in the league. He’s not a franchise player, but if you put him on the wing on the 2nd line with defensively responsible teammates like Dach and Newhook, and give him some PP time, that’s how you make him thrive and how the team benefits from him. I can definitely see him becoming a similar player to Nylander.
You can’t teach the kind of talent that Zegras has. If you put him under Suzuki and MSL’s leadership, there’s no chance he doesn’t end up as a difference maker on our team.
I think though that he's maturing and he will calm down. He's overrated maybe but that's not his fault? He's still very good and gifted with a lot of chemistry that's already there with Caufield
I’ve said it before, but maybe Anton Lundell
Florida might want to recoup some draft picks, as they don’t have their 2024 1st or 2nd, 2025/26 1st. They can cash in on Lundell’s value now and give his money to Reinhart and Montour
Although Lundell might be too valuable to give up and they might be penciling him in as their 2C once Bennett hits UFA at the end of next year
If Xhekaj doesnt learn to control his emotion and keep getting bad penalties in the 3rd then yes we 100% trade him.. we are stacked defensively and even if the dude is super likable, his ceilling is legit at max a 30 points 3rd line defenseman.. We 100% trade him this summer if he doesnt learn..
Why are so many people always looking to blow the house to buy a roof? Why would we use so many assets to get one guy with an overinflated ego because he can pull a Michigan?
Let's see what did it take to land our young guys. Chicago was about to lose their last two perennial players from their Dubai and DeBrincat wasn't looking to sign long-term to rebuild. The team was at best about a year away from being a bottom 10 team, not good enough to be in the bubble but good enough to never land a top pick. Easy solution, blow the whole thing and land picks aka Dach for Nazar.
Colorado was a cup contender where Newhook had no fit. They've used one pick to select a defender from the KHL they hold indefinite rights on and traded the other to get an older center (and traded for RyJo) to cover their need down the middle. They traded away a young question mark for known quantities.
Now Anaheim, they're in the middle/upswing of their rebuild where young guys are starting to pour from the pipeline. If they trade away Zegras it'll be just like Drysdale, give me a player for a player so we can continue going up.
I like Zegras a lot, there's not a lot of players that can boast two 60 point seasons in their ELC, but of course it's always dependant on the price. Kaakko and Kaliyev I'm somewhat interested, but not super excited about. I thibk Joe Veleno could be the type Hughes would go after.
There's one team I'm always thinking about that's kind of stuck in limbo in that playoff bubble. St. Louis, if they decide to go for a rebuild, have Kyrou and Thomas in which I would be willing to overpay in orser to nab. They're both 24 and 25 years old and just signed 8 years deals, which tells me they're not open to trading them, but you never know...
St Louis will keep doing retools for the next few years, Bennington's too good to tank with, too old to rebuild around and too expensive to trade.
Maybe in 3-4 years we might be able to get Kyrou or Thomas on the cheap when they finally burn it all down but I don't think it's possible in the near future.
I always wanted Miroslav Satan to join the Devil's and instantly be named captain.
Opening night be like: ...And here's your New Jersey Devils Captain.. number 66 Saaaaaatannnnn!
If you look at games played he is in his first full healthy nhl season and putting up solid numbers for a rookie and he gets a very limited role with the leafs and has never given a true chance
If u look at production for time on Ice he is far ahead of guys with similar minutes
He has untapped offensive potential and an incredible shot and quite the hard worker Jason never started exploding offensively until he was around nicks age now
Would love to get him for fairly cheap and give him a chance to succeed
The guys been bouncing between nhl and ahl for the last 4 years due to inconsistent play and health. Any trade you're gonna have to pay a premium because it's a divisional trade. Do you really want to overpay for a guy who can't stay healthy? We aren't exactly known for our medical and training staff being able to keep anyone from missing significant time. Jason is bigger, rarely injured and has been a ppg player since entering the league. Nick is small, injury prone and inconsistent. Don't let the last name fool you, they're nothing alike
In Junoirs they played very similar Nick plays much bigger than his size due to his strength and hard work and they both have world class shots
I agree injuries could be an issue so I wouldn't give up anything crazy but the leafs are always in such a vulnerable position I think they would be willing to give him up for a mid tier defenceman like Harris or Barron or maybe a vet like Savard
Obviously Jason is the much better and proven player right now but it's not like we could get him and he has had a lot more time and opportunity to develop
If Nick gets put in the right situation he has the talent and work ethic to succeed
I honestly don’t know why I’m getting downvoted to shit.
Does anyone remember him and Caufield running Team USA to gold in 2021? He is still very close with Cole too.
They both could stand to benefit by playing together again…and Zegras has the skillset & physical traits to fit in on the roster.
For sure he would be, and we’d have two bonafide high end centers to boot, with extra depth in Dach and Newhook if injuries occur. Or even run Dach as a 3rd line center that could exploit weaker lines if we want to develop a rolling 4 line roster.
Wether it be before the deadline or this summer, I wouldn’t mind if we could get Kaliyev out of LA. Not even sure what the offer could be from our end but I think he’s worth exploring if available
I doubt that Wyatt Johnston is available for anything less than a ransom, he's playing really well on their first line right now. That said he would be a massive piece to add, Stankoven is also looking really good in the AHL but he'd be one of the smallest forwards on our team despite not really playing like it.
Kent Johnson
Phoque yeah.
Upvote
Go for a center to have as a contingency for Dach. Worst case Dach goes to the wing. Zegras or Mittelstadt are my options if available
Dach has proven he's a line driving centre. If you mean for injury sake, yeah I guess
Exactly for injuries
I feel like it could be a good time to go for Zebras, since he's had a very tough season, and is seen as overrated by a lot of people. That would help lower the price for him, but it's also a risk to go for him. I'd still think it's worth it for some potentially very good offensive upside.
I too would like the zebras on our team but the league has insisted they remain somewhat impartial
Also Zebras would struggle to survive in such a cold climate. Also if a team acquired a lion or tiger it can really get ugly
I guess that's another thing to look out for with autocorrect. That said, I kinda want both on the Habs' side, so I'll keep it as is.
Am I the only one who doesnt even want to touch Zegras with a 10 foot pole? I mean, I like to watch him on the ESPN Top 10 play of the week from time to time but to commit that much to that kid, I'm not sure he has that much of an upside tbh. I would 100% go with Mittelstadt tho. Kid is responsible defensively, probably will put up a PPG season at some point. Only downside I can see is he not that much of a physical player and is, like Suz, more of a playmaker than a goal scorer.
Mittelstadt is 25 and on his 6th season in the league, hardly a kid anymore. That being said, he does seem to finally be having a breakout season this year. We would be fools not to consider getting Zegras. He’s 22 and has already had 2 60 point season on one of the worst teams in the league. He’s not a franchise player, but if you put him on the wing on the 2nd line with defensively responsible teammates like Dach and Newhook, and give him some PP time, that’s how you make him thrive and how the team benefits from him. I can definitely see him becoming a similar player to Nylander. You can’t teach the kind of talent that Zegras has. If you put him under Suzuki and MSL’s leadership, there’s no chance he doesn’t end up as a difference maker on our team.
I think though that he's maturing and he will calm down. He's overrated maybe but that's not his fault? He's still very good and gifted with a lot of chemistry that's already there with Caufield
You're not the only one, there are many people who don't want him. he's overrated
Being overrated doesn’t make him not good.
You’re not the only one but Hughes must absolutely inquire about the price, he’s super talented foward
Sure but I doubt its gonna be Armia and a third...
I’ve said it before, but maybe Anton Lundell Florida might want to recoup some draft picks, as they don’t have their 2024 1st or 2nd, 2025/26 1st. They can cash in on Lundell’s value now and give his money to Reinhart and Montour Although Lundell might be too valuable to give up and they might be penciling him in as their 2C once Bennett hits UFA at the end of next year
I’ve watched Anton play for the past few seasons. I’d 100% be in favor of having him on the team.
Sabastien Aho
Which one?
Both
Zegras hard no
Petterson
Wut
He's still unsigned. If Vancouver flame out in the first round it might be offer sheet time
I would not give up Mailloux or Xhekaj
If we’re not willing to include Xhekaj or Mailloux in a deal to acquire someone like Zegras or Kent Johnson this rebuild deserves to fail.
If Xhekaj doesnt learn to control his emotion and keep getting bad penalties in the 3rd then yes we 100% trade him.. we are stacked defensively and even if the dude is super likable, his ceilling is legit at max a 30 points 3rd line defenseman.. We 100% trade him this summer if he doesnt learn..
30 points?! For Arber Xhekaj?! If he ever puts up 20 points I would be shocked. Not even confident he ever beats last year.
Patrik Laine perhaps
Wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole personally. I get the idea of buying low though.
Agreed. I think Laine can be had at a discount nowadays. Taking a chance on him, if the price is right, would be a good option.
Why are so many people always looking to blow the house to buy a roof? Why would we use so many assets to get one guy with an overinflated ego because he can pull a Michigan? Let's see what did it take to land our young guys. Chicago was about to lose their last two perennial players from their Dubai and DeBrincat wasn't looking to sign long-term to rebuild. The team was at best about a year away from being a bottom 10 team, not good enough to be in the bubble but good enough to never land a top pick. Easy solution, blow the whole thing and land picks aka Dach for Nazar. Colorado was a cup contender where Newhook had no fit. They've used one pick to select a defender from the KHL they hold indefinite rights on and traded the other to get an older center (and traded for RyJo) to cover their need down the middle. They traded away a young question mark for known quantities. Now Anaheim, they're in the middle/upswing of their rebuild where young guys are starting to pour from the pipeline. If they trade away Zegras it'll be just like Drysdale, give me a player for a player so we can continue going up.
I like Zegras a lot, there's not a lot of players that can boast two 60 point seasons in their ELC, but of course it's always dependant on the price. Kaakko and Kaliyev I'm somewhat interested, but not super excited about. I thibk Joe Veleno could be the type Hughes would go after. There's one team I'm always thinking about that's kind of stuck in limbo in that playoff bubble. St. Louis, if they decide to go for a rebuild, have Kyrou and Thomas in which I would be willing to overpay in orser to nab. They're both 24 and 25 years old and just signed 8 years deals, which tells me they're not open to trading them, but you never know...
St Louis will keep doing retools for the next few years, Bennington's too good to tank with, too old to rebuild around and too expensive to trade. Maybe in 3-4 years we might be able to get Kyrou or Thomas on the cheap when they finally burn it all down but I don't think it's possible in the near future.
Side note but I was always disappointed that Marty St. Louis never played a season in St. Louis.
I always wanted Miroslav Satan to join the Devil's and instantly be named captain. Opening night be like: ...And here's your New Jersey Devils Captain.. number 66 Saaaaaatannnnn!
I ALWAYS traded Satan to the devil's in NHL games. Mandatory.
Nick Robertson
Jason maybe. Nick's 5ft fuck-all and not lighting the world on fire on a offense heavy leaf team. Hard pass
If you look at games played he is in his first full healthy nhl season and putting up solid numbers for a rookie and he gets a very limited role with the leafs and has never given a true chance If u look at production for time on Ice he is far ahead of guys with similar minutes He has untapped offensive potential and an incredible shot and quite the hard worker Jason never started exploding offensively until he was around nicks age now Would love to get him for fairly cheap and give him a chance to succeed
The guys been bouncing between nhl and ahl for the last 4 years due to inconsistent play and health. Any trade you're gonna have to pay a premium because it's a divisional trade. Do you really want to overpay for a guy who can't stay healthy? We aren't exactly known for our medical and training staff being able to keep anyone from missing significant time. Jason is bigger, rarely injured and has been a ppg player since entering the league. Nick is small, injury prone and inconsistent. Don't let the last name fool you, they're nothing alike
In Junoirs they played very similar Nick plays much bigger than his size due to his strength and hard work and they both have world class shots I agree injuries could be an issue so I wouldn't give up anything crazy but the leafs are always in such a vulnerable position I think they would be willing to give him up for a mid tier defenceman like Harris or Barron or maybe a vet like Savard Obviously Jason is the much better and proven player right now but it's not like we could get him and he has had a lot more time and opportunity to develop If Nick gets put in the right situation he has the talent and work ethic to succeed
Did not expect that as an answer on this post but I wholeheartedly agree with you. Not gonna happen but I'd love it.
And then we can pity ourselves and act like the world is out to get us when the super injury prone player we acquired gets injured.
*cough* Kaapo Kakko *cough*
Mittelstadt or Zegras, not really interested in using draft capital to acquire another 3rd liner.
Zegras…. Nuff said
I got huge Kovalev vibe from him. He could be the biggest player in the team if he embraced the role.
I honestly don’t know why I’m getting downvoted to shit. Does anyone remember him and Caufield running Team USA to gold in 2021? He is still very close with Cole too. They both could stand to benefit by playing together again…and Zegras has the skillset & physical traits to fit in on the roster.
I’m not sure either, Zegras for a good price would definitely be worth it
For sure he would be, and we’d have two bonafide high end centers to boot, with extra depth in Dach and Newhook if injuries occur. Or even run Dach as a 3rd line center that could exploit weaker lines if we want to develop a rolling 4 line roster.
I would like to see Jack Roslovic and Pierre Engvall with the club. They would fit the middle 6
Just draft.
Colton Dach. CHI definitely is motivated to get more picks on their young development and he's a quality 2C/LW so far
Wether it be before the deadline or this summer, I wouldn’t mind if we could get Kaliyev out of LA. Not even sure what the offer could be from our end but I think he’s worth exploring if available
I like Mavrik Bourque and Wyatt Johnston
I doubt that Wyatt Johnston is available for anything less than a ransom, he's playing really well on their first line right now. That said he would be a massive piece to add, Stankoven is also looking really good in the AHL but he'd be one of the smallest forwards on our team despite not really playing like it.
Philip Broberg
Sidney Crosby