avs decline, Lindgren has 0 value to the avs as an AHL 4th string goalie and a 1st and Bowers is too much for Tatar

MB says it will ruin the cap because of next offseason. Almost everybody deserves a raise and there is no extra cap room so it would ruin the team next year, and MTL isn't in "Win now, and we'll see what happens later" mode.

Yeah Bowers is too much I agree. Wanted to put... ''any B prospect'' instead. It's not the center piece. In fact the trade should read: Tatar for a late 1st + B prospcet to any team who wants. Value is right.

But @HabsFan77, as for next offseason, I made the exercice and it still works just fine. Between Allen being replaced by Primeau, Seattle expansion draft and 2 or 3 rookies making it over the next 2 seasons (Caufield, Ylonen, Norlinder, Fleury, etc)... Everything is gonna be fine cap wise. Not like Kotkaniemi is getting 8-9M on his second contracts either. A guy like Hall fits the '''helps now AND later'' mode.

2-3 years from now, before it's too late(i.e. declines too much), you then have to trade Weber to a reduilding cap floor team so he can still be a mentor for cheap $... and everything is still fine cap wise. By then that load of defenseman kids should be ready to take on... Or development is a real problem.