One thats not getting us Keith + we can just wait for Gardiner to become UFA after this season

I like your reasoning in this and taking the difference between Keith and Alzner into account, but it might take a little more than this. Throw in another prospect and I'd be okay with this

That's all fine an dandy but there will be 30 other teams interested in Gardiner, assuming the leafs don't lock him up.

Edit:
Plus MTL seems to have a very tough time getting UFA's to sign with them.

Leafs dont have money for him going be going anywhere from 6-7 per and for Chicago is looking for like
Hudon, Charles
Reilly, Mike
Peca, Matthew
2019 1st round pick (MTL)
2019 2nd round pick (CBJ)

You might have to offer something of value, especially if they are forced to take Alzner.

That is absurd for a declining asset (and I think you know this). Keith is 35 and not getting younger. His play is trending downward and so is his ice-time with Chicago. I wouldn't even be interested in giving up Reilly for Keith, Reilly is 25 and although he is inconsistent he shows lots of potential. He has been playing great with Petry as of late.

Edit: The whole point of the trade is to fill the hole of a top 4 LD. Reilly is currently a top 4 LD in MTL.. so you wouldnt be solving any issues while giving up a bunch of value and adding a big contract.

They get a decent prospect and a 2nd round pick, as well as cap space for a declining asset. I don't think many teams would be interested in Keith's contract, unless they retain salary (I think Chicago would rather take on another contract than retain salary, alzner could find his way back into the NHL.) I do agree with @ForsbergForVezina though, Montreal would have to add another asset.

mtl wont trade any core pieces or futures for any player. even kieth. more like rielly, hudon, lindgren and a 2nd rd pick. keep alzner. u have the cap space ri now

I disagree with you when you say MTL won't trade any futures. Suzuki, poehling, oloffson, mete, Reilly, juulsen, brook, fluery, romanov, harris, lindgren, yes I wouldn't trade these guys. MTL has two 2nd round picks and I would trade one if it gets a top 4 LD for a couple years.

Can't keep alzner if you are bringing in Keith. If you are gonna add a bad contract (Keith has 5 years left at $5.5M will be 39 in last year) you have to get rid of a bad contract. If MTL did this deal without getting rid of Alzner they would be screwing themselves with the cap in the near future as both alzner and Keith will be unmovable.

Hudon value is 3rd round pick.

If the premise of trading Keith is to get out from under his contract taking on Alzner defeats the purpose. Either keep Alzner or make it worth their while to take him.

I see nothing really wrong with it besides needing to add just a tad more. I ether make the 2nd a 1st OR keep the 2nd but add a future top6 forward prospect.

Good basis, rather not take Alzner unless MTL is adding a first, and even then it's a tough deal to accept for CHI. When the hawks traded Bickell when he had 1 year left on his contract at 4 million it cost them Teravainen and they only got a 2nd and 3rd back.

If I'm Chicago, and I have to take Alzner I want Suzuki and a 2019 1st rounder.

mtl would be stupid to trade any futures as they are retooling. yes the team has been better then expected, but imagine this. instead of kieth as ur top lhd at age 35, u get philip broberg who can help u for the next 10 plus years. not worth trading futures for a quick fix. a guy like reilly, lindgren sure. maybe even evans, but u dont touch brook, romanov, suzuki, peohling, primeau, fluery

Keith will need to be protected for Seattle. So it is a big no go from the start.

That's exactly what I said.. I wouldn't trade any of those guys. I offered hudon (who the habs have given up on) and a 2nd round pick (they have 2 this draft). I also got rid of alzners contract. I wouldnt trade Reilly or lindgren.

So I'll repeat myself, hopefully you will read it this time. "I disagree with you when you say MTL won't trade any futures. Suzuki, poehling, oloffson, mete, Reilly, juulsen, brook, fluery, romanov, harris, lindgren, yes I wouldn't trade these guys. MTL has two 2nd round picks and I would trade one if it gets a top 4 LD for a couple years."

MTL is currently in a playoff spot. They have tons of prospects they can afford to buy low (which is why Keith is the target). They just lost scherbak for nothing, at some point if your prospects dont make the team they lose all their value.. identify the ones you want to keep and trade the ones you dont want.

Why did you mention broberg instead of Keith as if they are somehow related? Montreal trading for (or hot trading for) Keith has nothing to do with broberg.

An excellent point that I completely overlooked! To me that decreases Keith's value even further. It is possible Keith would waive his NMC though. MTL would be looking at Keith, Weber, and only one of Juulsen, Mete, Fluery, or Reilly for the expansion (Petry is UFA). By that time MTL should have Brook, Romanov, and Harris pushing for spots in the lineup anyways, plus they may have other D prospects by then.

Keith is attractive to me only as a buy low candidate. No 1st, no good prospects, not interested in anything more than 2nd or B prospects. Keith is 35 and has 5 years left @ $5.5M. If his play continues to trend downward any team will be stuck with him just like MTL is currently stuck with Alzner. As others have pointed out, Keith has a full NMC and would have to be protected in the expansion draft.. in other words any team that has Keith will have to protect a 39 year old LD making $5.5M when they could be protecting more young promising D.

Well Keith is better than Alzner and Alzner is a lot younger, so what does that mean for the team that has to take Alzner's contract?

It doesnt defeat the purpose. They save $1M over the next 3 seasons and $5.5M in the 4th season. They also get rid of Keith's NMC which will could potentially screw them over in the Seattle expansion draft.

So they get cap savings, they free up a spot for the expansion draft, and they get a package of prospects/picks (Montreal needs to add to this - but the extra piece wouldn't be worth more than hudon or a 2nd.)

Edit:
No team is going to take Keith's contract without Chicago either retaining or taking a contract back, in my opinion. If Chicago can find a partner to take Keith with that happening then they should do that I just dont think it's likely.

Keith is still better than alzner has ever been in his career. It's not like alzner is getting worse because he is aging, the league is getting more offensive and players like alzner are losing value. All I'm saying is in 2-3 years when keith is 38 years old, he might not be able to keep up and he too will have negative value like alzner.

Sure he will, most players have negative value at that age, but he's still a serviceable top 4 D man for at least two more years, and ahead of the curve compared to many other players with bad contracts. (Lucic, Alzner, Backes, Neal, Abdelkader)

Which is why I would be willing to trade for him, however I still have to consider the fact that I will be taking on a bad contract 2-3 years from now, and I will have to use a spot on Keith in the expansion draft in the final year (I doubt he agrees to move in his last year of hockey he'd probably just retire). Which means I'm losing one of Mete, Juulsen, Reilly, or Fluery (assuming MTL doesnt add any other D's).

What I've gathered from feedback here is that maybe MTL should retain some of Alzners salary and offer up another prospect or pick. However there are many MTL fans not interested in Keith or his contract altogether as well. I still think theres a deal that could benefit both sides.

trading for kieth indicates that u want to go for a cup run. imo, mtl should not do that. grab a high draft pick instead

Montreal is a playoff team right now, they are not getting a high pick. And I'm not mortgaging the future to go for a cup run either, I'm filling an obvious hole (top 4 LD) for a team that compete with anyone in the league at 5 on 5. Keith could probably help get the powerplay going which would be a huge boost. I think Mete, Reilly, Kulak, etc. Could all really benefit from learning from a 2 time Norris winner and 3 time Stanley cup champion.

I would not give up any big prospects for this deal, but if MTL could get it done using what they have in surplus, I would do it.

i get ur point, and yes they are a playoff team, and once ur in, anything could happen. but i'd prefer it if we can land a top young LHD. cause taht can help u for the next decade. i get ur point though. if he cheap and available, it is a need