Montreal is stacked on defense. If top 3 forwards are gone at 5 overall, Montreal GM has stated publicly several times he may move his pick if BPA is a defenseman. Most likely be #1 defenseman like Buium, Dickinson or Parekh. Whichever you perfer?
Wonder what Habs could get for this pick?
alternate to keeping d and trading pick [for F help]
LaF could be had imo but requires overpay. he is excellent 5x5, signif part of best 5x5 line in NHL, short term not crazy $$$, etc
You
don't HAVE TO go LaF, but if you do,
You have to bite the bullet and pay top $
equal value doesn't cut it, and let's not be hypocrites, we usually don't do = for = value, coke for pepsi
we do trades to get ahead, profit
which brings me to
Guhle + Reinbacher ++
for
LaF + [likely including Lindgren + Jones as stopgaps]
that checks all boxes, keep yr 5OA, draft bpa, and even if Lind + Jo not included, you STILL have lots of D
[also Reinbacher not actually here for another 1.5 yrs, so in terms of immediate roster removal, that would just be Guhle].
Rs would take D help and gamble Othmann can step in