Ducks willing to trade 2nd, Habs interested?

[Willie Dog]

www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=131498

I think this would get Mr. Gainey thinking, don't you?

Who would you want if we had 2nd?

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

My pick would still be Kopitar. We don't have a lot to give that the Ducks want. Theodore for #2 and keep #5. That frees cap room, builds for the future and enables us to fill holes.

[jkr]

habsfaninla said:

My pick would still be Kopitar. We don't have a lot to give that the Ducks want. Theodore for #2 and keep #5. That frees cap room, builds for the future and enables us to fill holes.

Huet is injured and you want to trade Theodore for a prospect? Besides, they already have Giguere.

How do you fill the huge hole in the Habs net after that deal?

[NWTHabsFan]

In the article, Burke says he would consider a trade that still allowed him one of the top flight prospects that he has his eye on. Given that the consensus is that the Fab Five are the next ones below Crosby, that should put Gainey in the running for a possible move. IMO, the player Gainey would like to get his hands on in Jack Johnson, as he would be a true blue chipper on D, something we currently could use. I would do it in a minute if the additional cost of moving up three spots isn't too much (ie, a fringe prospect or a third or lower round draft pick). With picks at around #56 and #65, Gainey might be willing to part with one of them.

[jkr]

nwthabsfan said:

In the article, Burke says he would consider a trade that still allowed him one of the top flight prospects that he has his eye on. Given that the consensus is that the Fab Five are the next ones below Crosby, that should put Gainey in the running for a possible move. IMO, the player Gainey would like to get his hands on in Jack Johnson, as he would be a true blue chipper on D, something we currently could use. I would do it in a minute if the additional cost of moving up three spots isn't too much (ie, a fringe prospect or a third or lower round draft pick). With picks at around #56 and #65, Gainey might be willing to part with one of them.

I agree. Burke would only be moving from 2 to 5 - not a huge sacrifice. To entice him to do that you do not have to throw in a big name player like Koivu to get the deal done. That's way too high.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

myhabit said:

www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=131498

I think this would get Mr. Gainey thinking, don't you?

Who would you want if we had 2nd?

Jack Johnson

Cheers

[blny]

I'd take Johnson.

[duster]

Johnson without a doubt... blue chip defensemen are harder to come by.

[BadCompany]

nwthabsfan said:

In the article, Burke says he would consider a trade that still allowed him one of the top flight prospects that he has his eye on. Given that the consensus is that the Fab Five are the next ones below Crosby, that should put Gainey in the running for a possible move. IMO, the player Gainey would like to get his hands on in Jack Johnson, as he would be a true blue chipper on D, something we currently could use. I would do it in a minute if the additional cost of moving up three spots isn't too much (ie, a fringe prospect or a third or lower round draft pick). With picks at around #56 and #65, Gainey might be willing to part with one of them.

I think the counter-argument Burke would give to that would be "why bother?" At pick #2, he's in the driver's seat; he can guarantee himself the player he wants, or he get immediate help, and maybe get a player that he wants. Dropping to 5 may not seem like much, but its conceivable Johnson, Kopitar and Brule will be gone, leaving him with Pouliot and Ryan as his only choices. Not nearly as enticing as choosing between Johnson, Kopitar, Brule, Pouliot or Ryan. Getting an extra pick in the mid-60's wouldn't sway me...

Besides, I'm still of the mind that the Habs should explore trading down. I really like Alex Bourret, and Luc Bourdon as well, and I think they would make great picks for the Habs at around 8-12...

[TheHabsfan]

I have heard that Burke is very high on Brule and will probably position himself to draft him. Brule could very well fall in 5th spot and could put "us" in the drivers seat. Interesting to see if BG actually is actually interested. Johnson would be very good for us. Imagine the hitting contests him and Komo would have! Could be fun!

THF

[habs4life]

I checked my crystal ball today, i it showed me johnson wearing a habs jearsey this year i think gainey's trading up.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

jkr said:

nwthabsfan said:

In the article, Burke says he would consider a trade that still allowed him one of the top flight prospects that he has his eye on. Given that the consensus is that the Fab Five are the next ones below Crosby, that should put Gainey in the running for a possible move. IMO, the player Gainey would like to get his hands on in Jack Johnson, as he would be a true blue chipper on D, something we currently could use. I would do it in a minute if the additional cost of moving up three spots isn't too much (ie, a fringe prospect or a third or lower round draft pick). With picks at around #56 and #65, Gainey might be willing to part with one of them.

I agree. Burke would only be moving from 2 to 5 - not a huge sacrifice. To entice him to do that you do not have to throw in a big name player like Koivu to get the deal done. That's way too high.

#1, Crosby, is clear cut. Anything (I mean anything) to get him is OK.
After that I like Kopitar and Skille, many like Johnson, some want Brule, Pouliot or Ryan. There isn't a strong consensus or a huge advantage worthy of making a huge sacrifice to move up.
The biggest upside, by far, is Kopitar. He could become a dominating player (or not). It's not a guarantee. All of the above will make it to the NHL. Johnson will be a very good defenseman in the NHL, but he's not an Orr, Harvey or Robinson.

If Johnson and Kopitar go #2 & #3, I'll be disappointed. We already had a pleasant surprise moving up to #5 and a disappointment not getting #1.
#5 will be a good player and Burke knows it. So does Gainey.

[PTH]

badcompany said:

I think the counter-argument Burke would give to that would be "why bother?" At pick #2, .....

I agree, but it's still worth a call to see, just in case. If Burke has a top-5 list that are all the same to him, maybe it would take a major premium to get him out of the top 5 (or 6, or whatever), but moving within that top 5 might not be that critical to him, so perhaps that extra pick would do it. It's worth a call, regardless.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

I'm glad Gainey didn't trade up with Anaheim for #2 to ensure that he gets Price.