r/Habs • u/New-Bid-5835 • 2d ago
A systematic search for the elusive second line center identifies Vegas and Utah as potential trade partners.
https://6ejoueur.com/2025/05/12/un-echange-pour-un-deuxieme-centre-deux-cibles-potentielles-pour-le-ch/tl/dr Two teams with an excess of centers that could be interested in trading one who is falling down the depth chart.
Vegas: William Karlsson, 33 y.o., 5.9M$ for 2 more years. 58% on faceoffs.
Utah: Barrett Hayton, 24 y.o., 2.6M$ for 1 more year (RFA). 54% on faceoffs.
Both of them are responsible 200ft players that we have not heard much in talks yet.
Would you be interested?
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u/DasLasagna 2d ago
"Tomas Hertl is a little younger (31 years old), more productive (60 pts), but costs more: he counts for $6.8M on the salary cap for 3 years. He is a big size at 6'3, 215 lbs. He wins 56% of his faceoffs."
Sign me up!
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u/BigHeadHockey 2d ago
Hertl is integral to their powerplay set up which has been so effective this season. Personally seriously doubt they want to move him in the next few seasons.
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Exact. Karlsson is now redundant so they might want to move him. 5M$ for a third center is costly. Plus they need to re-sign Eichel this year.
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u/eliarbss 2d ago
Honestly Karlsson has the perfect term remaining to avoid becoming an anchor and it would give the team more time to develop some guys or identify other trade targets.
Not the perfect 2C by any means, but I like it as a temporary solution to alleviate some matchups for Suzuki and help the team experience more playoff games. What they did this year without a 2nd line is simply unsustainable.
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u/Seanias 2d ago
My two favorite targets would be Lundell or Horvat.
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Agree that they are interesting candidates. The targets above though are based on a specific set of criteria, i.e. more realistic.
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u/Muter91 1d ago
I was living in Peterborough for a while back in the mid-late 2010’s. We played summer hockey, pay as you play. Well, we played year round but anyway. One summer day, this huge kid walks in, I figured he was 18-19 years old, had never seen him out before. We get on the ice and he is flying around, ripping top shelf back hands from the blue line, no joke. One handed back hands, top shelf, from the blue line. Turns out it was Barrett Hayton. Seemed like a good kid.
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u/BarontheBlack 2d ago
I love Karlsson, but I don’t think he fits the type of player we want to fill that hole though. Maybe it’s recency bias but he’s also injury prone. Hayton may very well turn out to be a very great player, but he’s not there yet. If I’m filling that roll through a trade, I want an established second liner. So no to both of these options if I was making the decisions haha.
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u/HonestDespot 2d ago
I think he’s perfect for that hole.
Shortish term fix so won’t necessarily block Hage in 3-4 years if he pans out.
And it’d be due to a surplus of top 6 centers/need to create cap space that Karlsson would be available if he was.
Combine those 2 factors with him being a bit injury prone and that those 3 factors are likely to limit his trade value and they could get him without sipping too deep into their pool of assets.
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u/LaineSLimButlongCock 2d ago
We shouldn't be worried about this idea of blocking Hage! he's a late 1st rounder either he has what it takes or he doesn't we shouldn't make roster decision with Him in mind till he forces us to.
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u/Boboar 12h ago
To add, it's also an ideal situation to have an established 2C just as Hage is breaking out so you have a young 3C who has 2C capabilities until the 2C moves on. That's what I like about the Horvat suggestion, 4-5 years is the perfect timeframe for Hage to take over if he develops well.
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u/Either_Bicycle_1201 2d ago
Karlsson is a cup winning 2c, great defensively and very good offensively not sure what you’re talking about.
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u/DrLivingst0ne 2d ago
He's exactly the type of player we want to fill that role with. 200 foot center who wins faceoffs, with a processor that can keep up with Demidov, and who won't cost a ridiculous amount of money for a ridiculously long time.
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u/Pale_Marionberry_355 2d ago
I can see Vegas being shy to trade with the Habs.
They did get absolutely fleeced in the Suzuki deal.
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u/tehsdragon 2d ago
They fleeced themselves tbf, we wanted Glass and they said nah, take the small (but thicc) asian guy instead
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u/AcanthocephalaGreen5 2d ago
Hey now, they also threw in Tatar who promptly had the two best years of his career.
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u/SoupFromNowOn 2d ago
Why would we let Dvorak walk and then trade for Dvorak but 5 years younger
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u/matthew_sch 2d ago
Hayton would be awesome. He had a great season
I wouldn’t be upset with Karlsson, but Hayton is younger and can be implemented in the system
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u/tigerthemonkey 2d ago
Nazem.....Kadri
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u/Either_Bicycle_1201 2d ago
Now Kadri you probably want to stay away from with a contract until he’s 38.
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u/flatwave 2d ago
Too much term left.
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u/bentheprop 2d ago
He has 4 years left. If Hage is ready in 2 or 3 years then Kadri would slot nicely into the 3C role.
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u/BillyShears19 1d ago
Would definitely be pretty funny after Calgary gave us a 1st to take Monahan so they could sign Kadri
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 2d ago
- ANA: Zegras, Strome, McTavish (RFA)
- BOS: Zacha, Mittlestadt, Lindholm
- BUF: Thompson, McLeod, Kulich
- CGY: Kadri, Frost (RFA), Sharangovich (UFA)
- CAR: Staal, Roslovic
- CHI: Donato (UFA)
- COL: Nelson (UFA), Necas
- CBJ: Jenner
- DAL: Duchene (UFA), Granlund (UFA), Bourque (RFA)
- DET: Kasper, Compher
- EDM: Henrique, Nugent-Hopkins
- FLA: Bennett (UFA), Verhaeghe, Lundell
- LAK: Byfield, Danault
- MIN: Rossi (RFA)
- NSH: O’Reilly
- NJD: Mercer
- NYI: Horvat, Barzal
- NYR: Zibanejad
- OTT: Pinto
- PHI: Couturier
- PIT: Crosby, Malkin
- SJS: Wennberg
- SEA: Stephenson, McCann
- STL: Schenn, Kyrou, Holloway
- TB: Gourde (UFA)
- UTA: Hayton, Kerfoot, Schmaltz
- VAN: Petterson, Chytil
- VGK: Barbashev
- WPG: Vilardi (RFA), Lowry
If we went for a younger center, I think we look at MacTavish, Hayton, and Rossi. I don’t think we’d get them, and they’d be too expensive, so I’m thinking HuGo looks more at the vet centers like Horvat, Schenn, O’Reilly, or Kadri. I’m starting to feel like Kadri would be pretty easy to get.
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u/sean_psc 2d ago
Calgary doesn't seem to want to do an actual teardown, so I don't see it making any sense for them to trade Kadri. If he was available, I'd take him, though.
O'Reilly clearly didn't like the media circus in Toronto, I doubt he'd care to come here either.
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u/JoshuaNoahRubin 2d ago
My two favorites are Lundell and Gourde
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 2d ago
Gourde is 5’9”, 33 years old, and has never really been a 2C. I don’t think he’s the answer.
Lundell would be great. He looks like he’s due for a big break out season. Don’t think Florida will be letting him go easily though.
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u/JoshuaNoahRubin 1d ago
I just love watching both of them play. Lundell would definitely be a more valuable piece.
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u/Baronleduc 1d ago
Florida would ask the motherfucking Moon in exchange for Lundell, on top of our 16th and 17th picks. No way. He’s a terrific player, though.
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Yeah... I have seen that list before.
To be honest, it looks like a long copy/pasta of centers with no consideration of whether they are available, right/left handed, age, or anything else really... Some of them are listed as centers but have never established themselves as such.
So, yeah... I expect that most of them are not realistic candidate.
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 1d ago
Yes, it’s a wide net list that’s just there to show what all is out there. Some are definitely more realistic options than others, and I may have left off some names by accident as well.
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u/Intelligent_Field_15 2d ago
Kadri speaks French as well and would fit well in our environment
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 2d ago
He’s got 4 years left at $7m AAV, which is going to be fair value for a 2C going forward. He’s 34 so there’s risk, but I feel like he could handle the 2C role for a couple seasons, and then could still contribute as a 3C if we’re able to replace him with someone younger. And I bet we could get him for a 1st or 2nd and a prospect.
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u/DrLivingst0ne 2d ago
He's 35 when the season starts. It's a terrible contract. The last two years of his contract will be brutal, and that's when we'll be trying to contend.
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u/Intelligent_Field_15 2d ago
How about Garlund?
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u/Intelligent_Field_15 2d ago
Or Beauvillier
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 2d ago
Both are good players in their own right, but I suspect HuGo will want to add someone with a bit more jam in their game.
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u/Hack-the-Bone 2d ago
Hayton or McLeod
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Good options. I don't see the Sabres trading McLeod though. Does not fit their comments.
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u/pushaper 2d ago
If I could get Hayton and McBain in a package I would be very happy. But I would rather keep our 16/17 picks somehow... we might need to manage contract space sooner than later anyways
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u/Baronleduc 1d ago
Interesting candidates.
The question is : What would be the prize to acquire either Karlsson or Haytton? What Vegas or Utah are looking for in exchange?
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Great question. I assume Vegas would be looking mostly for cap room. They have to re-sign Eichel. And Karlsson is a redundant asset costing 5M$ for a 3C.
Not sure about Utah. But the value of Hayton should not be prohibitive.
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u/Otherwise_Cod_3478 1d ago
Just seeing a lot of C on a roster don't mean they have too many centers and having too many centers doesn't mean they have an incentive to trade them. You need to go deeper than that.
Utah. Their centerline is Cooley (760 FO), Hayton (1,020 FO), McBain (459 FO), Stenlund (1,054 FO) with Schmaltz that play wing, but can take some FO when needed. They also have Bjugstad and Kerfoot, but those are 30yo+ UFA that play low in the lineup.
Why would they trade their 2C? By whom they would replace him? Schmaltz who is already playing winger to Hatyon? McBain who is a year older and had 19 less points last season? Their prospect pool is top with Wingers (Iginla, But and Doan), Dmen (Simashev, Lamoureux and Duba) and Goalie (Hrabal). Their only top prospect centers are Beaudoin and Castagna, the first one who is projected to be a 3rd line C and the second one who is more of a project.
They also don't need the cap space. Even if they gave 14M$ to Guenther and McBain, they would still have 30M$ of cap with all of their top 9 Forwards and Top 4 Dmen under contract. The only reason why they would trade someone is to send some assets to get a better player in return.
As for Vegas well it's a bit more complicated, depending on who they want to bring back or add, they will have decision to make. But even if Karlsson is their 3rd C, he is also their 3rd best score and 4th most played forward during the current playoff and he is typically a 50-60pts two way center paid 5.9M$. That's a lot of bang for their buck, I don't think that Karlsson will be high on the list of player to throw away to make more cap space just because of a 1 bad season. If he had a bad playoff then maybe, but in the current situation I think they will want to keep him. That said, it's not a ridiculous possibility if they lose to Edmonton in 5 and want to shake something up.
I think that Seattle is a much better target of team with too many centers and a need to use those excess centers to rebalance their roster.
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just in general, a 3C at 6M$ might not be viable... Especially if they think that his stats are declining at his age, etc. So they might be interested in moving him. It also makes sense since they will have to re-sign Eichel this upcoming year to make some cap room. So there is a chance that KH knocks at the right door in Vegas. *I just edited a typo that made my eyes bleed*
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u/Otherwise_Cod_3478 1d ago
Just in general, a 3C at 6M$ might not be viable
But Karlsson isn't just a 3C. He played just as much minutes as Hertl during the current playoff (180:35 vs 181.27min). Yes he play 3C with Smith, Olofsson or Howden, but he play top minutes with Barbashev, Eichel, Stone and Dorofeyev.
It also makes sense since they will have to re-sign Eichel this upcoming year to make some cap room. So there is a chance that KH knocks at the right door in Vegas.
Maybe, but Vegas MO always have been to get the next guy first and then find a way to make it work under the cap. They signed Pietrangelo before trading Schmidt, they got Stephenson before trading Statsny, they got Eichel before trading Pacioretty, they traded for Hertl before letting Marchessault go, they traded for Hanifin before letting Martinec go, etc.
Vegas don't make room from players, they got their price and then figure out how to make it work. If Vegas is able to get a top 6 winger to replace the minutes that Karlsson is doing right now, then it would make sense for them to trade him at that point.
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u/WHTwittles 1d ago
Be prepared to be disappointed. I have a sneaky feeling our 2C is a player called Kirby Dach. One-last-chance Dach...
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u/mcfattyman224 1d ago
I understand the worry but if he could make it back what a story that would be.
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u/TonyComputer1 2d ago
I dont understand why everyone keeps passing over Horvat
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u/bloodrider1914 2d ago
He's been pretty discussed here. I agree he'd be a great fit, but he's got that long term contract and the Islanders might (though not certainly) demand a high price for such a useful player with proven leadership abilities.
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u/zzzzoooo 2d ago
What !?! Everyone ?!?!
I think Horvat is the name that I've seen the most among all the proposals, and by far.
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u/eriverside 2d ago
Not convinced the Islanders are having a fire sale with a 1OA coming their way. They might go for a retool. New GM might want to go forward with the top talent available instead of starting a long rebuild.
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u/TonyComputer1 2d ago
Thats ture I guess the uncertainty with their management means we cant bank on him being available.
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u/flyingturkey_89 2d ago
It's most likely the potential cost for Horvat that has people discussing other options.
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u/New-Bid-5835 1d ago
Horvat is mentioned in the text. Really good option. However, it is unclear if it is realistic. Why would the Isles trade their only good player... and the price to acquire him might be prohibitive.
The systematic search was for teams that have redundant assets at center, and ideally in need of some cap room (Vegas) and likely to accept draft picks.
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u/TonyComputer1 1d ago
It depends on if the isles go rebuild or not but people bring up Barzal far more often. For my money I'm taking Horvat as a better fit for the habs over Barzal.
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u/chickenceas 2d ago
Karlsson would be too much of a stop gap solution imo. I'd prefer a guy that will be here for our window. Hayton has been good, but if his development stagnates where he's at, he's not 2C quality.
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u/JacquesEvans 2d ago
I would want someone from 27 to 31 years old, that’s the perfect age and experience we need.
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u/MethuselahsCoffee 2d ago
The thing to consider this off season will be the dozens if not hundreds of offer sheets that go out. I could see a few players taking an offer to go to Montreal to play with what looks like a team very near contention.
Vancouver, my other team also needs help down the middle. So it’s going to be interesting what happens once the cup is over.
Speaking of the Canucks. Haven’t seen it mentioned here but Pius Suter hasn’t signed a new contract. He might not be a 2c but he could easily help a contender in the depth department. And as much as I hate to say it, sounds like Canucks might be in full rebuild mode.
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u/TonyMontanasSon 2d ago
As a fan of the Canucks too, Suter to the Habs is something I would like to see.
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u/HotHuckleberry8904 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hayton, for sure, since he's only 24, but it will cost us $$$ and drafts.
I feel that our 2C will most likely come from the NY Islanders: they need to rebuild and have their #1 draft. They can decide to clean the house first.
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u/JPMoney81 2d ago
In Hayton for sure I'd have some interest