This is when I go into PURE SPECULATION of course, please allow me.
Just like drafting, predicting the future is always a sure way to fail.
This is anticipating decent productions from the players flipped at the trade deadline to contenders who would draft in the 1st round somewhere around 26-32.
DROUIN: on pace for a 15-20G 25-35A so about 50 points, where he can usually hit. If he stays healthy, which no one can know for sure.
DADONOV: on pace for a 20-25G 25-35A so about 55 points, where he can usually hit. If he stays healthy, which no one can know for sure.
MONAHAN: Biggest speculation of all, let's pretend he is on pace for 25-30G 35-40A so about 60 points. If he stays healthy, which no one can know for sure.
I KNOW - these trades are bad. Got it!
But the Habs would likely tank for the remainder of the season and shoot for a Top-5 pick in the 2023 draft with their own pick.
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This is for day 40:
- Monahan has left LTIR and in the lineup
- Byron has left LTIR, and straight to waivers where no one picks him up and sent to AHL.
- Price now gets on LTIR; so that it is a IN-SEASON LTIR, so that there will be no swinging come trade deadline (those who know how LTIR works will get it).
- If the Habs are able to have some decent production from Armia and have a team pick him up, that will open up a lot of cap space to take on more cap dumps later on.
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This was for Day 1:
- Sean Monahan should be put on OFF-season LTIR and removed when he comes back. LTIR is available as long as Monahan doesn't come back before 30 days.
- No one will pick up Byron so sent down to AHL. But he will start also on LTIR in the OFF-SEASON
- Carey Price should only be put there if he starts the season on LTI -- and then put on LTIR. It's complex but there IS a difference . IN SEASON LTIR can be totally taken off the books - not if it is put there before Day 1. So best option is to put Price on Day 1. So Carey Price, contrary to Monahan and Byron, WILL remain on the LTIR all year, so best to put him on there on Day 1 and not before.
- Both Monahan AND Byron will be taken off the LTIR about 1, 2 or 3 months in season. So that will leave the Habs the opportunity to play with retained salaries at the trade deadline, with Dadonov, Monahan and Drouin.
- The ONLY real hope is that someone picks up Mike Hoffman on waivers... although it is not needed right away.
The Blues have zero use or cap for Monahan. And you sure as hell ain;t gettin' no damn 1st for Monahan anyway. Obviously. So yes, the Blues pass without hesitation. Obviously.
Several problems:
1) you're not getting a 1 for either Dadonov, Monahon or Drouin.
2) you can only have 3 retained salaries.
3) Armia pulls A 5 maybe a 4 if a teams desperate.