we miss leo k
Rejoint: févr. 2018
Messages: 5,961
Mentions "j'aime": 5,094
Not going to argue about the prospect value (IMO, Bolduc's ceiling is a left handed Scott Mayfield, and Dufour's is a solid middle-6/PP specialist) but more about Gallagher's value to the Isles.
First off, if they made this trade they 100% need to move one of their $4M+ forwards or Varlamov - they won't be cap compliant any other way. If they move out Bailey's $5M, it would leave them about $4M to figure out LD2/LD3 - so most likely you wind up with an okay LD2 and Robin Salo as your opening night LD3. Not the end of the world, but not ideal. Then you enter the 2023 offseason with Barzal & Wahlstrom needing new deals and needing to replace Mayfield & Varlamov, and you only have $18.7M to do all that.
I guess my main point is that if the Isles want to spend $6.5M on a forward, I'd prefer they go after more of a sure thing than Gallagher. He's 5'9", about to be 30, and has been alternately injured and ineffective the last couple years (21-26-47 in 91 regular season GP between this season and last, and only 6 points in 22 playoff games last summer.) Habs fans can argue about this year being a down year all they want, but he wasn't that great on the better version of their team last season either. It's hard to look at those numbers and say "yes, I'll give up some young guys with potential to take on that player and his 5 remaining years at $6.5M!"