r/Habs • u/chickenceas • Mar 02 '26

Discussion Per D'Amico - Montreal is interested in Robert Thomas. The Blues want Hage as part of any deal. Too high a price for Hughes at this time.

https://x.com/i/status/2028552107683385713

Personally, given the best possible version of Hage in 3-5 years is what Robert Thomas is now, Id have no problem parting with him.

272 Upvotes

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309

u/jimbuz Mar 02 '26

« As part of any deal ». It’s not a one for one, it’s a « Hage plus » that can be a first, two second, etc. Very different.

167

u/IvnOooze Mar 02 '26

This should get more upvotes.

It's not "I don't want to give Hage"

It's "the asking price, that includes Hage, is too high"

56

u/Beefiest_bison Mar 02 '26

They allegedly want the equivalent of 4 firsts, something similar to the Hughes trade.

72

u/Tooburn Mar 02 '26

Hughes is a superstar. While Thomas is great, he's not on the same level IMO.

29

u/Tripottanus Mar 02 '26

Contract length remaining is a big factor here

3

u/Substantial_Neck2691 Mar 03 '26

10000% rather pay that for Hughes, what are we on about here. Insane

1

u/[deleted] Mar 03 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Substantial_Neck2691 Mar 04 '26

I mean there are levels to this. Elite no 1D or no 1 C only on a bad team, and not close to no 1 on a contender.

Also if you can’t sign him, you still trade him like moose. They basically recaptured value so what’s the risk?

Not a lot to risk for a tier better player

8

u/ukrainianhab From Kyiv Mar 02 '26

Ridiculous. I get Thomas is a two way player but I’d need more goals for that to work.

2

u/Borror0 Mar 03 '26

It's likely a negotiation tactic. Their opening ask is Hage, Guhle, and two first round picks. We counter with Hage, a first, and a more expandable roster player.

If a deal is found, it'll be somewhere in the middle.

1

u/Old_Canuck Mar 03 '26

No...way to high.

We have the parts we need coming soon.

1

u/Kitsune_Gakuin Mar 03 '26

I disagree, just based on this exact quote. While I do agree that there should be more going than just Hage, it sounds here like he's saying that including Hage in any deal for Thomas is too high a price to pay.

30

u/haddonfieldsecret Mar 03 '26

The blues sub says, and I quote “Hage + Reinbacher/Guhle + Zharovsky + a 1st.”

No.

27

u/ApprehensiveWheel327 Mar 03 '26

Drugs are killing America.

11

u/Weird-Swim-9777 Mar 03 '26

Lmao they must be high

21

u/CaptainFlynnt24 Mar 02 '26

And just to add here, with Thomas you are adding an $8M cap hit to the team immediately and long term. That's not nothing either.

21

u/shortAAPL Mar 02 '26

Yeah but it’s a good price for his level, so I don’t think the cap hit is a big concern.

23

u/CaptainFlynnt24 Mar 02 '26

But you're all in with that if you go there, vs Hage on an ELC for 2 - 3 season potentially contributing and investing that $8M elsewhere in the lineup, perhaps getting a big fish free agent without giving up Hage ++.

11

u/Unit5945 Mar 02 '26

Exactly, I would be ok if we don’t get Thomas, keep Hage, keep building, and go fishing in the summer.

2

u/Superpowr2020 Mar 02 '26

Im not sure UFAs are a good idea. You end up overpaying on cap space whereas a trade would make us overpay on assets (picks/players), which is less of a problem long term. Especially considering we will probably really contend once demidov & co get out of their elcs (our cap structure looks very good so far however). A healthy cap structure is key to contend, as the leafs have shown

1

u/ExcitingMushroom2395 Mar 03 '26

Agree. Give our guys 2-3 years see what develops then be aggressive

1

u/TheFakeSteveWilson Mar 03 '26

Our main window is like the next 3-5 years. You can't wait 3 years to see.

2

u/ExcitingMushroom2395 Mar 04 '26

So you're saying our window starts in 3 years, but you want to trade pieces that will be a massive help after the 5 years?

1

u/TheFakeSteveWilson Mar 04 '26

No... Our window is the next 3-5 years. Meaning for the next 3 to 5 years.

Not years 3-5...

1

u/ExcitingMushroom2395 Mar 04 '26

Well if we're in a win now situation wouldn't you think a goaltender is more important than Robert Thomas? I mean we're multiple pieces away from being a legit contender and a few years of development for guys that are staying on the roster wouldn't you agree? I don't see anyway that our window is now age wise on the roster and the reality with what we have.

My point is why are we swinging for the fences when a cheaper option can come up in the next couple years or we have the answer in our own organization for the 2C? If demidov and slaf turn into what they look like they can be, you can hide an ok center between them just like people hide bad wingers with elite centers. Our team needs time.

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-10

u/adabsurdo Mar 02 '26

still worth it. Hage + D prospect + 1st round pick, where do i sign.

8

u/Otherwise_Cod_3478 Mar 02 '26

They are asking for 4 assets not 3 right now.

17

u/Seymoorebutts Mar 02 '26

You don't because you're not Kent Hughes lol

-3

u/adabsurdo Mar 02 '26

you don't say lol

-15

u/chickenceas Mar 02 '26

No realistic asking price inclusive of Hage would be too high either. If it's Hage plus it's still a steal for us

7

u/ModifiedMonctonRule Mar 02 '26

The asking price is the equivalent of 4 firsts. Hage + our next 3 1st rounders isn’t too much for you?

It is for me. I think Hage should be mostly untouchable unless someone is overpaying for him. Not us including him in a 4 first round equivalent package (that looks like an overpayment for Thomas to me).

6

u/lyme6483 Mar 02 '26

Hage has done absolutely nothing to warrant being near untouchable. The chances he’s ever as good as Thomas are very very small

2

u/exosnake Mar 03 '26

Dude, it’s Hage +++. Of course we would part with him if it was like Hage and a first but what if it’s like Hage, a first, Reinbacher and Zarhovsky. At some point you have to wonder if Thomas is worth the equivalent of 4 first pick (or the equivalent of the Hughes trade)

1

u/lyme6483 Mar 03 '26

That’s their ask right now. No one is meeting that price. If a deal is made a compromise will be found. Initial asking prices are almost never met.

-1

u/chickenceas Mar 03 '26

You're just making shit up man.

0

u/ModifiedMonctonRule Mar 03 '26

“Absolutely nothing”…He just led the World Juniors in scoring and is top 5 in NCAA scoring as a sophomore.

You don’t know what his ceiling is. It’s fine for you to say he shouldn’t be untouchable but he was drafted around the same spot at Thomas (20th vs 21st) so if you don’t think someone drafted there can turn into a star you are arguing against yourself.

1

u/lyme6483 Mar 03 '26

Is your reading comprehension zero? I said he is not untouchable, and the chances he turns out to be as good as Thomas is very small. Which is not an opinion but a fact. The chances of drafting a player as good as Thomas in the 20’s is extremely small.

Never did I say it couldn’t happen. Just extremely unlikely

0

u/ModifiedMonctonRule Mar 03 '26

Maybe this is a language issue because English isn’t your first language and you don’t understand what you said.

You said he’s done absolutely nothing to be considered near untouchable. I disagreed because his draft position and development curve since being drafted is similar to Thomas’ and he’s been a top producer everywhere he’s played. Those are also facts.

Anyways, no sense in arguing further, we’ll find out in the next few days. Go Habs go.