Montreal Canadiens: Max Pacioretty trade talk, Kotkaniemi buzz, and RFAs

The Montreal Canadiens had some big things take place this offseason and some more to come as we come together for our first Roundtable.

Hockey should be getting itself into gear in the next month. The Montreal Canadiens have been one of the more interesting teams to track as they appear to be in a transitional period focusing on youth and speed. Additionally, general manager Marc Bergevin is continuing to shape the core of the team to his vision which has changed from what he had when he first joined the organization.

However, there are still some questions that need to be answered. At the top of the list involves captain Max Pacioretty who looks to already have one step out of the door heading into the 2018-19 season. There’s also the play of the organization’s prospects, in particular, third-overall pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi who is continuously giving Habs fans more to look forward to. And it may not be to buzz-worthy, but Michael McCarron and Kerby Rychel are still without contracts.

How is it all going to play out? Well, the writers at A Winning Habit have a few ideas. This will be our first site-wide Roundtable that we hope to continue going for the remainder of the summer as well as during the regular season. You’ve probably read some of our work individually, but now you get a chance to see it come together as there are some varying opinions on some of the bigger things going on with the Montreal Canadiens.

1) What is your take on the entire Pacioretty situation so far and do you think he will be traded? If so, what’s the deal?

Zachary Cook: The Montreal Canadiens have wholeheartedly mismanaged the Max Pacioretty situation. It seems rather unlikely that Bergevin and Co. can salvage it, and it also doesn’t really seem like they want to either. Therefore, the likeliest scenario is a trade of the Canadiens Captain. It’s difficult to assess what Max’s value is after having a down year, but at the same time, he still has to be considered one of the premier goal scorers in the National Hockey League.

With that being said, Bergevin’s bread and butter seem to be one-for-one deals, ALA Alex Galchenyuk and P.K. Subban. So if I had to make a projection, something around a draft pick and Nick Bjugstad makes some sense. Is that what I would do? Probably not, but I’m not Marc Bergevin. Once again, keep in mind that Pacioretty’s value isn’t what it has been in the past, and the Canadiens don’t NEED to trade him.

Nick Lariviere: I think if Max Pacioretty does, in fact, get traded, it will be closer to the deadline. I think that all these rumors have played down his value after a rough season. He will need to get back to the Max we know before a trade happens. I could see a team like LA or Anaheim offering a great prospect with a 1st round pick for his services if they are in the playoff race.

Wesley Smith: Max Pacioretty has been a great leader for the Montreal Canadiens. Unfortunately, I believe his time is running short. Management has made it clear they’re looking to move on from the skilled winger, but because they’ve done it so publicly, I think the value of their captain has dropped rather significantly. I personally do believe that Pacioretty will be moved prior to the beginning of the season, but as I mentioned in a previous article, the more time it takes, the fewer amount of teams value the player as time is not the Canadiens friend in this situation.

I believe the Calgary Flames would be an excellent trade partner for the Canadiens and a great destination for Pacioretty. A deal could fetch the Canadiens Sam Bennett, a previous 4th overall pick who hasn’t lived up to that hype as of yet, and one of Calgary’s highly touted defensive prospects ( I believe it would be Oliver Kylington) a good puck-moving defenseman. This move would work well because the Canadiens get another center and one with a high ceiling as well as another piece to add to their blueline which outside of Shea Weber isn’t overly skilled.

Mitchell Kantrowiz: I think it has been handled poorly. Competition between teams should keep his value high, but the leak telling us there is no plan to re-sign him hurts. I am still not convinced that trading Pacioretty is the best thing on a team starved for goals, especially after moving Galchenyuk for another playmaker. Maybe Domi can even develop chemistry with Pacioretty.

At this point he has to be moved purely due to everything going on behind the scenes. He won’t return without captaincy, and Bergevin doesn’t want him as captain. Until we know who the playoff teams are for next season, we can’t know for sure what we will get; preferably all picks and very young prospects.

Kamal Rehman: So much to say on this but I’ll try to keep it short. I think the Habs have bungled this one. Everyone knows Bergevin wants to trade Max, so that puts whatever team he wants to deal with in the driver’s seat. The problem is Bergevin knows he can’t miss on this deal. So Bergevin has to ask for a lot. Another issue is after years of having one of the league’s friendliest contracts; Max will want a rich long-term deal with some sort of no movement clause. Any team acquiring Max will want to ensure they can have him for as long as possible putting him in the driver’s seat too. Who isn’t in the driver’s seat? Hmm. These three issues are making it extremely difficult to come to an agreeable trade for all sides.

I do think he will be traded. It’s just too far gone. I believe MB truly wants to change the attitude of the team further and I think he believes Pacioretty was responsible for a lot of the attitude he didn’t like. Now the question is, when? Historically, not many trades are made during the down summer weeks after free agency. So will it be before camp, during the season, or at the deadline? I personally can see the trade happening around the mid-season point to the trade deadline. I believe Max will rebound from last year and increase his trade value and justify his eventual contract demands. The Habs have to trade Max as MB can’t let him walk for nothing in return.

Oh, another thing…I heard reports that MB was sure he didn’t want to extend Max as far back as December. So why didn’t MB trade Max at the 2018 trade deadline ensuring a team could have had him for a season and a half? Theoretically, Max’s value was at his highest a few months ago. Bungled.

One more thought…I would have liked to see Max stay and play with a number one centre in Montreal but…centres are hard to acquire.

Omar White: It’s safe to say that things with Pacioretty could’ve gone a lot smoother. His name was being thrown out there as a potential trade option back in December, but now it’s gotten to the point where the Montreal Canadiens have to trade him.

Management has made it clear that he isn’t a fit in the atmosphere their trying to re-establish in the locker room, and with the news going around that he won’t be receiving a contract, moving him sooner rather than later is the better option. Keep in mind, as soon as training camp hits, Pacioretty will be the focal point as he and the rest of the team will be bombarded with questions around his future with the Habs.

On the other hand, it’s a delicate situation. Bergevin can’t lose on this deal, and it can’t be a one-for-one. The pieces acquired in a Pacioretty trade will be a part of the long-term direction. But leverage isn’t on Bergevin’s side, especially when you have other available left-wingers such as Jeff Skinner and Artemi Panarin.

It’s tough to look for specifics, but you have to think adding a young left-shot defenceman is the crux of the trade, along with some draft picks.

2) Besides Jesperi Kotkaniemi, which prospect from the Habs 2018 Draft Class has caught your attention the most?

ZC: I don’t think this is going to be a common choice for this question, but my answer is Cole Fonstad. I’ve been breaking down some of Cole’s film for a while now after the Habs selected him, and it’s easy to see why they were so thrilled with the pick. He already thinks the game really well and has the skill to go along with it, and if he can touch up on his skating, don’t be shocked if he’s making swift plays for the Habs in 3-4 years.

NL: The guy I’m most excited from the 2018 NHL draft aside from Kotkaniemi has to be Jesse Ylonen. I see him becoming a great player with his speed and could make a great duo with Kotkaniemi.

WS: Jacob Olofsson is the player outside of Kotkaniemi I’m most excited to see develop into an NHLer. Olofsson is a 6’2″ center with a heavy shot. He’s scored everywhere he’s gone and even when he wasn’t relied upon for Sweden in the World Juniors, he owned his role and played a significant part in arguably the best defensive team in the tournament. He was drafted 56th overall and could very well end up being a solid two-way forward (probably second or third liner) for a lengthy time in the NHL. This will likely see him turn out to be a good player.

MK: Alexander Romanov. He’s not huge but, not tiny at 5’11” and 185 lbs, yet still able to play physical. A left-handed offensive defenseman with a great shot and the potential to develop his passing into something much better is just what we need. Montreal must have seen something in him to draft him so much earlier than any draft rankings had him at.

KR: I haven’t seen much, but I did like the limited amount I saw from Jesse Ylonen. I like that he’s fast and creative. Good assets to have for the new, faster, and skilled NHL. Might he be a future winger for Kotkaniemi?

OW: Definitely Oloffson as I had him circled on my list of potential second-round picks headed into the draft. I liked what I saw from the videos of him playing with Filip Hallander in Timrå. He sees the ice very well and his ability to skate with the puck and make a move in-stride was something that stood out for him. He surely has NHL potential and should be a player for Habs fans to pay attention to at the World Juniors.

3) Michael McCarron and Kerby Rychel are still without a contract for the 2018-19 season. What do you think is a fair deal for both?

ZC: As of right now, both are Restricted Free Agents and are likely in situations where they need to prove themselves, and prove themselves quick. I think the Canadiens mismanaged McCarron’s development and tried to make him into something that he isn’t because of his big frame.

Rychel, on the other hand, was a nice flyer to take on from the Leafs, and I still think he has a little-untapped potential. I’m currently higher on Rychel than McCarron, but I think both sign one-year deals and get a chance to work with Jöel Bouchard in Laval. There are much worse players to employ in Laval, so if it doesn’t work out, you can move on and have no regrets.

NL: I think McCarron’s contract should be a two-year two-way deal with him making 800,000 per season. This is a league where speed is important, and he may never be able to make the jump full-time. I would give Rychel 850,000 for two years as I see more NHL talent and potential from him than McCarron.

WS: Both McCarron and Rychel are still without contracts for this upcoming season for a reason, neither of them lived up to the hype. McCarron was a first-round pick and turned into a part-time NHL player which is unfortunate because he’s 6’6″ and everyone loves a big body center, especially on a team that’s notorious for being small. McCarron might find a home in the NHL in the near future, but I doubt he will sign long-term anywhere and for very much money. I would offer McCarron a 2-year deal at most for 1.5 per season and tell him if he wants more money to go out and earn it.

Kerby Rychel is a little bit of a different situation. Rychel was acquired for the Leafs with Valiev, and because of that, I think the Canadiens are more intrigued to keep him around. The Montreal Canadiens traded an asset in Tomas Plekanec to the Leafs, yes it was a rental basis, but this move raised a lot of questions. Plekanec has always been a heart and soul player for the Canadiens and trading him specifically to the Leafs made a lot of people question management, so I don’t think you can let that move be overshadowed by letting Rychel walk.

Again he is one of those players who hasn’t lived up to the potential everyone saw in Junior. However, it is there. He has a cannon of a wrist shot and skates relatively well for a fairly big guy (6’2″ and 210 lbs). If I were in charge of contract negotiations, I think Rychel would be receiving 2 maybe 3 years at somewhere between 1-2 million and same as McCarron, be told to prove he belongs playing hockey at this level.