Latest NHL Buzz: Fallout of the Max Pacioretty trade
The Max Pacioretty saga was only heading towards one direction, a trade, and the Montreal Canadiens sent their captain packing Monday morning in trading Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights.
In return for Pacioretty, Montreal acquired forward Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki, and a 2nd round pick in 2019 from the Vegas Golden Knights (Columbus’ pick previously acquired by Vegas).
Tatar who carries a $5.3 million cap hit through the 2020-2021 season, was a total disaster in Vegas, struggling mightily in the Knights fast-paced system. In Claude Julien’s slower paced system, Tatar may bring some value to a Canadiens team depleted at center.
The key to the deal for Montreal is clearly Nick Suzuki, the 13th overall pick in 2017. He’s a versatile forward that can play all three positions and scouts think his ceiling will be 20 goal, 50 point player who can play anywhere in a lineup because of his versatility and how well he thinks the game.
With Pacioretty coming off a bad luck season and to maximize his value he had to be moved to a team he would agree to an extension with, the Canadiens did okay here after putting themselves in the position of alienating Pacioretty over the last year in getting a prospect of Suzuki’s caliber.
To fully evaluate this deal for Vegas, it was going to come down to what the extension looks like.
The numbers are now in with Pacioretty agreeing to a 4 year, $28 million extension on Monday afternoon.
That’s a really good term for Vegas where they get Pacioretty this season at a $4.050 million cap hit and are only paying for years 31-34 when the next extension kicks in.
Vegas with the trade/extension for Pacioretty also keep Pacioretty out of the division. Montreal had agreed to a trade with the Los Angeles Kings at the June NHL draft that would have sent Pacioretty to LA but the 29 year old turned down an 8 year, $48 million extension his former agency had negotiated.
San Jose had also pursued Pacioretty after losing out on John Tavares.
The knock on Vegas from some corners is going to be that their surprise inaugural season has seen them mortgage the future since last years deadline by trading a first round pick, two-second round picks, third round pick and the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft combined in separate trades for Tatar and now Pacioretty.
However, Vegas is in good position to remain a contender for the next little while in what was a down Pacific Division last year.
They can continue to operate as aggressive trade suitors with their cap space for this season and next season as they have over $23 million in cap space for the 2019-2020 season and that’s if the cap held flat, which it likely won’t.
As for mortgaging their future. Vegas still owns a first, second and three-3rd round picks for the 2019 draft in rounds 1-3.
For the 2020 draft they currently own a first, three-2nd round picks and a third round pick in rounds 1-3.
MORE BUZZ
— We’re the Penguins a player for Pacioretty at any point this summer?
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— Industry buzz is rival General Manager’s believe Artemi Panarin is locked into signing with the New York Rangers next summer as a free agent to the extent that LeBron James was set on signing with the Lakers a year in advance.
The Blue Jackets brass is also not in the dark on this.
They know Panarin fully intends to sign with the Rangers and the Rangers amped with a ton of cap space next summer, seem perfectly fine to just wait for it to happen then go try to trade for Panarin now.
“He’s going to be a Ranger [In 2019] just like LeBron was always going to sign with the Lakers,” one NHL source said. “There’s nothing Columbus or anyone else can do about it,” the source added. “It’s going to happen.”
Despite this consensus around the league, if the Blue Jackets take a step back and go into sell mode, any top Stanley Cup contender with cap space should be all over Panarin as a rental.
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Big overrated, right maloni?
Minus 5 Alive.
Cervelli cries like a Sam.
I wonder what the old poster Zetterberg would think about Zetterberg retiring?
Cue the Simply Dusty why don’t we have any articles rant.
Nhl19 anyone
I heard npl is playing nhl09 on ps3 still
EA really screwed the EASHL drop in fans this year
rather FM19
Lol loser
Most of the comments are -5 yet you’re here surfacing for online friends? Bahahahahahaha what a fucken goof… then again if the pool of people I had to choose from in reality lived in fucken PQ I’d probably desperately try to find friends online too haha
*surfing
Guys, I’m starting a new thumbs down crew. Who’s in?
I’m sure npl and your multiple accounts are in it
Looks like you started a thumbs up crew with both your accounts
The -5 Crew.
In. F Sam
I can barely contain myself.
i don’t know how you ever manage to contain yourself.
Karlsson to Sharks.
Senators receive forward Chris Tierney, defenseman Dylan DeMelo, prospects Josh Norris and Rudolfs Balcers, a conditional 2020 first-round pick, a conditional 2019 second-round pick. Ottawa would also receive a conditional 2021 second-round pick if Karlsson re-signs in San Jose.
Robbery… I mean even the conditions are interesting. Sharks went all in on a Thornton Cup run here. WOW! That team is gonna score a lot but man I would hate to be Jones. While Burns and Karlsson are more capable than some admit it will be interesting to see if they can contain themselves lol
Now they have 2 Norris trophy winners
Did the forecaster tell you that too?
It will only be robbery if Karlsson bolts next season. I am pretty sure the Sharks talked to him about signing before they made the trade. Time will tell.
Worst case scenario they can trade him at the TD if there is no agreement
Um….right…. that is what Montreal would do.
The Sharks robbed the Sens… at least up front. Unless there is some savy drafting and conditions met its a pretty one sided deal
Looking online and there are comments from reporters that say he looks shocked and does not understand why he was traded. Either the reporters are really stupid or EK is. Everyone saw this coming, it was just a matter of where. This is not hard to understand.
Is there a chance these storms can destroy and wipe out fake news headquarters CNN
I will take -5 for 800 Alex.
I see the Canadians’ TV ad rates are down 29% because people aren’t watching as much. Typical bandwagons.
Dude your a clown. Even down most probably more then pen’s bandwagon’s
Minute pens down 2-0 half the population turn off their TV’s
Apparently in Montreal, they don’t even turn them on to begin with.
I will take Is That English? for 200 Alex.
Pacioretty might have size but does not play physical at all. .
Looking forward to watch that bum in west
Looks like you pulled that directly from the forecaster lol. While he isn’t a prototypical power forward the reality is you are getting him for his ability to score. He may not use his body to engage in the after whistle play etc but he seems to go where he needs to to get the job done without the bonehead mentality of another big body that seems to be soft like Neal (effectively the guy he has replaced in Vegas). On that note 118 hits in 64 games… in comparison Sid had 75 in 82. He has surpassed the 100… Read more »
Not sure why every deal has to have “fallout”. Mind you, if that is what it takes to get an article on this paid site then sweet, but this deal helps or hurts the Pens in no way. Montreal is a shitshow and Vegas is in the West.
-5am
It is pathetic when getting traded to an expansion team is a step up.
I guess in a way you can gauge Letang’s value. He’s not worth anywhere near a second, good prospect and Tatar.
With that said the Habs do seem to have an aversion to any kind of quality on the blueline under Bergevin so its a tough call lol
Fuckk You Sam
So did they mortgage the future or did they not… you kind of said two things here
we’re the penguins a player…?
We’re the Penguins a player because we do not know if Hall wants to play their long term
He’s not even pretending to not be sam at this point lol