As stated, it's never going to happen, but if you want to analyze it, here goes.

I don't think Mete is in the same range as Mantha. Mete is a small (smaller than Saar and Hronek) Dman, that while may be a good skater, only put up 7 points in 49 games last year with MTL (and no goals). That would make him a younger, smaller version of Jensen (who you included in the trade as well). If DET is going to trade him, Juulsen would be at the top of the list, along with a 1st rounder to get close to full value for a blossoming goal scorer.

Juulsen is going to be a 3-4 Dman (not a 1-2 from where he was drafted). And the pick will be a crapshoot. I think everyone has a pretty good idea where Mantha is going.

Also (as you mention), there is no talent in MTL on the D coming up (outside of Mete and Juulsen). They could never afford to trade anyone for Mantha.

Exactly what I was looking for. I am a big Mete fan as I saw him play for years on the Knights, so that is why I wanted him over Juulsen. I think Mete's skating and hockey sense are on another level than Jensen's so it will be an upgrade. I don't see Mete as a point producer, I see him as a smart puck moving defenseman that is really good in the defensive end.

How about this as a trade:
Montreal receives Mantha, McIssac, and Saarijarvi.
Detroit receives Pacioretty, Mete, 2019 1st round.

It doesn't take much to upgrade Jensen, and Detroit certainly wouldn't pay Mantha to do it. If Mantha goes, it's going to be for a defenseman with guaranteed high celling, likely higher than anything Montreal has to offer.

Get real Mete isn't even the same stratosphere as Mantha, If we deal Mantha it would be for a Karlsson type player. Not a Mete type player.

I never said that Mete is in the same league value wise for Mantha. Just stating that I watched him develop and I like his game, hence why there is the first round pick in there to compensate for Mantha being in a different league than Mete.

I’m not going debate the players in this deal too much, although saying something Mantha and Karlsson in the same sentence is a bit of a joke lol. Detroit would have to add a ton to that. At this point in Mantha’s growth his value isn’t near as good as you think it is imo. That being said Montreal’s first round pick with their current state is by far the biggest value piece in this deal! Definitely going to be a top ten, but also a good chance it would be top 5 in a supposed very deep draft. ZERO chance the habs are giving up theirs first round pick this year...Zero

Yeah you're definitely right about the value of their first round pick. They most likely would not give it up. I think that you are undervaluing Mantha though. A 6'5" winger who skates well, has good hands, and an elite shot is hard to come by. He'll be a 30 goal scorer next year, and I think that is something very valuable.

Looks like a Mantha to Montreal trade is just exploratory, it will never happen.

Pac, while great, isn't a need (if DET is going to give up Mantha, but not for a top 2 dman, then it'll be for a C). If I'm DET, I'm doing something like this:

Montreal receives Mantha, Saarijarvi, and Jensen
Detroit receives Kotkaniemi and Mete plus a mid round pick (3-4th rounder)

Montreal isn't going to part with their top pick, and Detroit isn't going to part with one of their top goal scorers.

In your trade, I don't see Montreal improving. Montreal is very weak down the center, they will not part with Kotkaniemi. I can see Detroit parting with Mantha for the right trade, I just don't think it is with Montreal. Pacioretty is definitely a type of player Detroit needs; someone who can score goals. The issue I see is the contract that Pacioretty will demand. Detroit will be buying Pacioretty's declining years instead of Mantha's prime years.

Mantha, to me, is the second coming over James Van Riemsdyk. JVR is not as big as Mantha, but their progressions are similar, and their styles are similar (net front, below the dot, with a good shot from close in is a good way to describe both of them). Looking at JVR vs Mantha in their first 2 seasons, they have a similar projection. I expect Mantha to be a big goal scorer, but not a big points guy (this season, JVR had 36 goals to go with 54 total points). JVR was doing it without a good C (his string of goals started before Matthews), because he creates his own opportunities being in the scoring areas. Mantha has the similar trait of being down low all the time. In a few years, I expect to see many similar parallels between JVR and Mantha (along with being an underrated value just like JVR is).

It definitely not straight up trade material for Karlsson, but he could be part of a package (though, I know DET wouldn't consider that either).

I think Detroit would for sure consider trading Mantha for Karlsson. That would have to be the core of the package though. Detroit could potentially replace Mantha's goal scoring. A franchise defenseman doesn't become available very often. That being said I think Detroit's strategy is to see if Karlsson goes to FA and make a pitch to him then.