Horrible trade for Montreal

Bad trade for Columbus

No deal.

Columbus would never on account of Gudbranson being an important part of the leadership group, but...



...*whispers*...


...I kind of like it.

Nope. We're getting Catton, better than KJ. Keep Reinbacher

Caton is under 6', it's true he's full of talent but he has a very "junior" game. He won't be around until 2026 and will then have to start acclimatizing as an nhl player.

KJ is 6'1 and full of talent too. He's already playing in NHL and could play with our top6 by next year.
As for a right-handed defenseman in the 2024 draft, I think we can do a lot better than Reinbacher...
And we have Mailloux and Barron to develop in NHL next year...

I don't. If we move KJ it ought to be for another veteran to help develop the other kids, not Even More Kids.

The leadership would suffer a black hole, and risk development...but trading one of our young top-6 wingers for another legit shot at a 1RD (after Jiricek, who do we have, Ceulemans?) would be worth it IMO, especially since our pick could theoretically then be one of Celebrini, Demidov, Lindstrom, Eiserman, or Catton.

It would never happen, and it's risky, but I'd still take it in this fantasy land. Take some pressure off Jiricek and suddenly a long-term D-core of Werenski - Jiricek/Reinbacher, Mateychuk - Reinbacher/Jiricek, Boqvist/Svozil - Severson looks pretty good. Top-9 still includes Gaudreau, Laine, Fantilli, Jenner, Sillinger, Chinakhov, Voronkov, Marchenko, 2024 1st rounder with Texier/Nylander/Dumais/Brindley pushing too.

I like the core of this. Would 100% move KJ for Reinbacher. I just don't like the other two parts of this one. Would need other parts on both sides.

It doesn't make sense for Columbus to trade for a RD without one going the other way, but maybe it's Boqvist instead of Gudbranson. If Ghule is the top RD, Savard would be a dominant shutdown 3rd RD, and Boqvist might be able to slot in at 2RD longer-term for MTL.

We certainly don't need more bodies, and there's no need to overcomplicate things since both teams have cap space and none involved are more than $3M. Maybe Boqvist + Johnson for Reinbacher + pick(s) (3rd or 4th?) to balance? Play a righty on the left side if both Jiricek and Reinbacher make the team out of camp? Werenski - Jiricek, Severson - Reinbacher, Mateychuk - Gudbranson (vets with kids)?

I love Gudbranson and don't want to trade him (I am the longtime Gudbranson apologist, after all), but I wouldn't consider him a long-term impediment at the position. He's only got two years left. Reinbacher's still in Europe. He'd be in the AHL next year, and then in 25-26 it's Gudbranson's last year anyway. They can decide if the want to move him or just use him as a 7th D. Boqvist is even less likely to be here next season, nevermind by the time it would matter vis a vis Reinbacher.

KJ + [lesser forward] for Reinbacher + [small thing] would work for me.

Guhle is RD right now in MTL, but LD long term. Boqvist wouldn't be an option as 2nd RD for the actual management in MTL (too small, and Hutson is coming and already small).
The long term plan in my ACGM would be to trade Savard at the 2025 TDL and Mailloux would be ready to take the spot. And after that Gudbranson at the 2026 TDL while the 2024 1st round pick would take his spot...

People in MTL believe Reinbacher is the new Josi because he was selected 5th overall... They can be true... But so far he looks like an Adam Larson to me. There's a risk KJ doesn't perform too. I think 1 for 1 would be fair.

Now KJ would take Dvorak spot and the RD prospects in MTL are not ready anyway, that's why I thought Gudbranson could be the perfect fit money/position wise... Didn't know Gudbranson was THIS important as a vet for Columbus though..