Drouin blocks the trade. Buffalo is on everyone's list.

Not even close.

KK is a decent start. Now Montreal adds

KK is 7 years younger and not a UFA after next year. You're right, not even close lol. San Jose does this in a heart beat. They are in rebuilding mode until the big 3 liablilites on their back end are gone. KK would fit their future a lot more. Especially if Hertl decides he wants out to play for a competitive team

The only thing that SJ does in a heartbeat is hang up and wait for a better offer from 10 other teams

You don't trade a big two way 20 year old center that in his prime will be at least a second line center for a 27 year old second line center that only have 1 year left on his deal! KK fits too well with the age group of the habs to make this short term type of deal. Is Hertl better right now, of course. But the other factors lopside this the other way.

Kot is getting healthy scratched in Mtls most important games and doesnt even have the potential to be as good as hertl

Kot is 20 years old... Also second on the team in playoff goals. He was scratched for the same reasons Caufield and Romanov were. As a 20 year old you still make immature mistakes that just can't be made in the stanley cup playoffs.

Lets see what KK does for production in his 21year old season compared to Hertl's. I'd make a pretty big bet his product is better than Hertl's was

Maybe, He didnt even get close to touching Hertls 20 year old season, and thats nevermind the fact that during those seasons, Dustin Brown ruined Hertls knee for a very long stretch of time.

He played less than half a year...lol. On an extremly high octane offensive team.

He scored more in 30 games then Kotkanemi did in the whole season.

And KK had more points in fewer games as an 18 year old on a team that couldn't score than Hertl did as a 21year old on a top 3 offense lol. Don't get me wrong, Hertl is good and I would love to have him on my team but in no way do you trade KK for him at this stage of their careers.