I would be happy if that happen for real!

WOW - going into a season with Danault as your #1C does't smell like success.
Have we not learned anything in the last two decades with guys like Plekanec, Desharnais, Koivu?
These were/are good centers but they were never true #1C's - the limited success they did have only clouded our perception and because of that we never really made a push for a true #1.
Our last true #1 C was Damphouse that was over 20 years ago.

With 10M in cap space - go out and find a true #1 C to hold the fort until Vilardi is ready .

Lastly, what has Danault done to warrant such a salary? coming off his ELC and a RFA - he should be getting no more than 2.5M/year. If he wants to sign a bridge deal (2-3 years), I'd say lower that number to 2M.

Petry is a good piece at $4.5M, he is a good piece at $5.5M, but Carolina has some good defenceman and I think skinner is more of the type of player they need not Petry.

I don't think that LA trade would work either. Muzzin is a big part of their team, losing him and their best prospect for pacioretty isn't a very good move for them.

Danault has put up back to back seasons of 40 pts (on pace for that this season) and he does this while playing excellent defensive hockey and minimal powerplay time. $3.5M would be a good deal. Yeah he is an RFA but another team could just offer sheet him for a 2nd Round pick.

You're obviously gonna be upset when you see what Bergevin extends him for (even though it will be a fair deal no doubt).

Edit: He also isn't coming off his entry level deal, Bergevin already extended him for 2 years.

Also danault is 25. He will be UFA soon so you're going to have to buy some UFA years if you want to sign him with term (which would be ridiculous not to do).

So 1 40pt season (he's not gonna get 40 this year) warrants a 4x + salary hike?
Yeah, you can argue if he wasn't injured he would've gotten 40 pts again - but coulda, shoulda , didn't is what it comes down to.
I really believe that Danault over achieved last year by playing with Radulov - had it not been for that - and the need to thrust him into the #1C position, his numbers wouldn't have come close.
He's also not been able to elevate Patches game playing most the year with him when Patches was able to score 30+ goals consistently with the likes of Desharnais and Plekanec.

And just to give you a point of reference, Plekanec (which is who I equate Danualt to, but Danault has less skill) only received a 2.75M 1 year contract after scoring 3 consecutive 20+ goal seasons. After Pleks first FULL year with the Habs, in which he scored 20 goals and 47 pts he only received a 1.6M/year contract (2 years).

Sorry, but I just don't see the reasoning for awarding Danault the kind of money that's being suggested here - and I don't see him sticking long term on this team (maybe as a 3rd, eventually a 4th line center) - if we ask (and pay) Danault for more than that (2C or 1C), then we're just running into the same course we did the last twenty years with Pleks, Desharnais and Koivu - who were all great as #2 and #3 centers, but definitely were not #1C.

Eller got 3x3.5 with less production. Also, Danault has leverage due to Montreal's lack of centre depth.

You are going to compare plekanec who is 10 years older than danault????? The league is 10 years older and the cap is supposed to go up to $80M next year! To give you a reference point, price making $10.5M is less percentage of the cap than lundqvuist signing his deal $8.5M deal. You have no idea what the price for a 3rd line center is and you think I am overvalueing danault, when the reality is you are undervalueing 3rd line centers (not danault specifically).
Give me an example of a comparable top 3rd line center making $2M. Lars Eller just got extended for 5 years for $3.5M and he will be 35 by the end of that deal. Lars Eller was extended for $3.5M for 4 years when he was danaults age after he put up 27 pts in 70+ games (the cap was way lower back then as well)... danault has 25 in 50. You are kidding yourself if you think he doesn't deserve $3.5M.

Other than Tavares (who we won't be getting), there will be none available. Hence why the trade for Vilardi who will be that within 3 seasons.

Why do you feel like Tavares isn't possible? The habs have the cap space, so much is made of Montreal not being competitive enough but realistically getting Tavares solves all of their problems. They could also win a lottery pick this year. Montreal is as likely as a destination as any team other team.

He will get close to pageau numbers for salary. Id be happy with 3mil but might get as high as 3.5

This is where is stand, I think $3.5M is fair. More wouldn't be a good deal and less I would be pretty happy with. He deserves $3.5M, a good GM could get less.

no, they aren't.


yeah, I mean just look at how flawless the Islanders have been... lol

you obviously don't understand the context. What is Montreal's flaw? Their best center is a 3rd line C. Tavares is an elite C. They add him it solves their biggest issue, and the team is competitive again.

The islanders have crap goaltending and Tavares always lifts his wingers. Moulsen, okposo are prime examples. Lee and Bailey aren't this good without Tavares.

I understand what the word "all" means... Tavares or not they'd still be a heavily flawed team, kinda like the Islanders

You would be surprised. They need a 2C but galchenyuk or drouin could fill that spot if they had a legitimate #1C to take some of the responsibility away. Then they need a LD which they have the chance to get through the draft or they could make a trade for one if they don't get it because they will be loaded with wingers. Adding a superstar center for nothing in free agency would solve problems.

Edit: They just took the #1 ranked team to a shootout without pacioretty, price, Weber, mete, and they had 2 injuries during the game with hudon and danault. It's easy to be all doom and gloom, teams are never as good or bad as they seem.

Because he's going to have a better chance to win elsewhere, with better wingers and likely make more money due to tax savings.

All I'm saying is there are numerous reasons for Tavares to consider Montreal and obvious reasons for Bergevin to make a strong push to get Tavares. Montreal will be one of the many teams in on him and they definitely are a possible destination.