HabsAlways

This can't be stressed enough. You don't build a team through trades or UFA signings so much anymore. Those are used to compliment what you've drafted and put you over the top into contention. You need the young studs on ELC/Cheap RFAs to be top performers otherwise you simply won't fill out a roster with top talent given the cap.

No ... go look at CapFriendly ... we just finished the 2019/2020 season ... and will enter the 20/21 season. So for this COMING season we had 14.35 m in cap space with Domi, Mete and Oulette to sign (with some UFAs, Weise, Folin, Kinkaid) For the 2021/2022 season which would have started in October of 2021 a year from now ... we are projected to have 43m or so in Cap Space with UFAs Gallagher Tatar Danault Armia Weal Petry Allen (now UFA) Lindgren RFA Lehkonen Some of those guys above won't be with Montreal that summer anymore (:UFA and Expansion Draft)

Without allen we would have 18.35m in cap for 20/21 to resign Domi, Mete and Oulette ... check cap friendly. With Allen it's 14m, with say 2.5m backup its 15.85 ... Domi is likely traded, and Mete/Oulette are say 2m a piece. So that leaves us 10m for whoever we trade for to fill a top 6 winger role and top LHD role instead of the 12-13m we'd have with a reasonable backup ... and do we need one? Fleury might have filled in nicely getting 25-30 games on an ELC

He's the 18th highest paid goalie in the league currently (Allen that is). You don't throw that kind of money at somebody to be a backup, even for 1 year. Unless this is a step in another move it was yet another absolutely terrible trade by Bergevin. Allen's cap hit is 4.35 million ... most teams are spending 2-3 on a backup. Sure we can argue we still have 14m in cap ... to sign 2 FWs and a D. That would get eaten up fast if we're looking for elite talent.

Umm 15m tied up in goalies? This is a dumb move and does nothing to address our real needs

Yeah I doubt MB has the back bone to pull that off either ... but the trades involving Weber would likely be close to agreeable for Winnipeg.

True enough, but was trying to be optimistic about the future and the prospect of Laine signing long term (with Suzuki and Kotkaniemi)

I'm ok with losing Caufield in a trade for Laine ... Laine + 2nd Weber + Caufield for example Caufield as much as people tout him is unproven at the professional level. Laine on the hand has has 138 goals through four seasons in the NHL, tied for seventh most across the NHL since he entered the league as an 18-year-old. He's about to enter his 5th season which could be his breakout year (50+ goals) and added play making to his game (he was on pace for about 35g45a this year)

My suggestion .... Laine + 2nd Weber + 1st That leaves Domi/Tatar to be used in another trade (LHD). Winnipeg gets an "elite" Dman in Weber ... they're in win now mode, we're in "retool" mode. If they'd rather a C as well (since they need a 2C) then it's Weber + Domi + higher 2nd than Pegs That leaves us Petry, Fleury, Juulsen, Brook down the right side and we draft a RHD with one of our many 2nd round picks. I also think given the number of Finns we have that Laine may fit right in and be invigorated ... he'll also love the MTL crowd when he lights the lamp

Given the rumours ... I would really love us to try and snag Laine somehow ... Domi, Caufield, whoever .... except Suzuki/Kotkaniemi Imagine : Drouin - Suzuki - Gallagher Tatar - Kotkaniemi - Laine Lehk - Danault - Armia That top 9, with our D/goalie situation puts in the playoffs at least

Lets also consider that any vaccine for Covid may be more like the Flu shot where you have to get one seasonally based on a prediction of what genetic version is coming next ... there may not be a full immune proof vaccine even.

The prospects of us getting a young good/excellent (less than 22) D prospect are slim ... the only team that trades those types of guys away are the Habs (McDonough, Sergachev)

They won't trade Bouchard. Full stop. But they may go To MTLs 1st (14th), Pulujarvi, Klefbom To EDM 1st (16th), Domi, Poehling ( plus possibly 3-6th pick or one of Juul/Fleury/somebody Edmonton's whole point is to trade 2 of Larsson, Klefbom, Nurse to free up room for Bouchard/Broberg on ELC (read CHEAP) contracts. That means Bear, Bouchard, Broberg make their team next year ... I likely see them trying to shop Klefbom and Nurse leaving Larsson. https://thehockeywriters.com/could-oilers-trade-two-top-four-defensemen/

First ... we should have zero interest in Duchene. We already have a log jam at C with Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Danault, Domi and trying to find spots for all of those. Mete ... is worth a 4th or 5th rounder Juulsen is now an unknown coming off a terrible injury and saw no PO action Poehling was at best a 3rd line center potential (yes I know people think he was an offensive star, he wasn't) and appears to be on the Bust train. And other GMs will see he's below Jake Evans on our depth chart. So essentially that trade is Ekholm and Duchene for a 1st and two 2nds and Mete I don't think the trade makes any sense for either team ... we don't need a center and as good as Ekholm is he's a marginal top LD and closer to a Petry (middle pair guy who can step and play top pair for stretches).

Oilers are also somewhat in cap hell ... they have the odd piece they can move for relief (Russell etc) but say Klefbom + pick for Domi or Klef+pick for Drouin might work