No, we don’t need to go after anyone right now. 2 years from now we go after a solid high scoring free agent. Right now we develop
PuckPulse
No. Continue to be hopeful on Fowler and keep the assets that NSH would want in return. Hughes has done a tremendous job staying patient and building this team properly and should stay the course.
froli
The part where he won’t report to the AHL makes this spicy. Might lower the asking price as the Preds might fear he just ignores his contract and goes to Russia.
matthewdonut
I hard disagree with the no’s. Of course this all depends on the asking price but his value is at an all time low since Nashville has no leverage.
If he comes cheap you absolutely take him and run Askarov/Monty for the season. I also think it’d be nice for Demidov to have a Russian teammate to help him integrate with North America.
Fowler isn’t really a reason not to pursue this, he’s still easily 3 years away from the NHL.
jmoney_84
Yes we should! I mean it all depends on the price, but we have more D-men than spots on the blue line for the upcoming season. At his age, he fits perfectly with our core, and he’s projected to be elite. We have the assets, we need to take some swings.
VarietyMart
Imho it’s best we avoid players who publicize problems with their teams.
nationofcool83
Askarov has a very high ceiling.
Should we go after him? It depends on the cost. If Nashville is expecting us (or whatever team is interested) to pay for « what Askarov could be », then absolutely we do not go after him.
If the fact he has requested a trade and is threatening to stay in Russia drives his cost down, then we absolutely should be looking into it. I know we have Fowler in the pipeline, but goalies are never a guarantee.
Remember how high the fanbase was on Primeau? And now he’s a backup/fringe starter.
If the cost is Primeau and one of our depth defencemen, I would do it.
Askarov’s ceiling is huge. Even if Fowler ends up being better, Askarov could still be traded down the road anyway.
Monty/Askarov is a much better tandem for the current period and lets us develop Fowler properly for the next few years.
Askarov is 22 so it’s not like he is in his prime and looking to get a huge payday.
Dialectical
Absolutely. We have insane prospect depth to make a move like this. He and Monty can run 1a/b until he’s ready to be the guy. His prime would perfectly align with our competitive window
Rustyguts257
It appears Nashville will have very little leverage in any trade discussion which will lower his trade value significantly. It is also evident that Askarov will demand a guarantee of NHL employment. So, low cost but at the expense of either Primeau or Montembeault unless there is another year of a 3 goalie rotation with a trade at the deadline. Not really a good idea
burnSMACKER
No. I don’t want to shake up our prospect pool and I believe in what we have in Monty, Primeau or Fowler.
Sean_redit
I mean Fowler won’t be ready probably for another 3-4 years while Askarov is NHL ready or needs maybe 1 more year. Plus goalies are voodoo who knows if Fowler is gonna be able to do well at the nhl level. If you can get a solid goalie prospect like askarov who has shown capability at pro level, why not go after him as long as the asking price isn’t too high. I trust Hughes more than me but I think people here are quite dismissive of Askarov. This is coming from someone who lives in Milwaukee and has seen Askarov play many times, he’s really talented
PKG0D
Struble/Harris/Barron + CGY/FLA 1st
or
Mailloux + 3rd (Mailloux is younger than the other 3, shoots R, and has a higher ceiling imo)
If Nashville asks for more I hang up the phone.
x-man01
If we do I think we have to trade Primeau. I think it was clear that the 3 way situation cost us games last year. Monty gets better the more he plays
wbs1976
Yes. Yes we should.
![gif](giphy|tsgNNs93oIbwk)
AutomaticAccess3760
Absolutely
schmarkty
If he’s that good, there are a lot of teams that would be in on him. So I can’t imagine the price tag will be ideal.
Weary_Ingenuity2963
I loooove Askarov. Seen him play in the AHL a few times. Dude is a maniac. Ice in his veins. The type of goalie I’ve always had a soft spot for. He takes chances, handles the puck well and he’s super talented.
SellingMakesNoSense
One of the x factors in Askarov trade talks is the reports that him and Trotz had ‘conflicting personalities’.
I’d want the Habs to do their homework and look into getting him, I’m not sure I’d want the Habs paying the price to get him.
Safe-Storm6464
I would say yes definitely pick him up. He’s gonna go relatively cheap so there should be no harm trying to pick him up. After last years performance I don’t have a lot of hope in Primeau and Monty is just kinda hitting his stride. So if we could grab someone like Askarov it’s definitely a win. That way we can also develop fowler more and not rush him. At most for a deal it probably be a none first round pick and we could throw in one of our plethora of dmen.
FBR_MC
The cost is probably not even that crazy too, like I keep seeing Fowler thrown in offers, we probably wouldn’t even have to throw in Fowler.
TrentonRommy
He’s one of the best goalie prospects, and he’s essentially ready for the NHL. If the price is right, it makes a lot of sense to try to acquire Askarov. While I haven’t closed the book on Primeau by any stretch, and am pretty high on Fowler being an NHL-quality goalie in five-ish years, there’s really no such thing as having too many goalies in the system.
ATNfromMTL
Would you give up Fowler and a mid-round pick?
Professional_Mode804
You can say what you want about goalies but Askarov is elite. Unless the price is ridiculous he’s well worth a swing.
MileEnd76
Could we then say we casually built the TBL without anyone noticing?
silk_1233
The real question is what does Nashville want for him?
They have no cap space so they cant really take back other than a guy on a rookie deal.
So draft picks?
Are we willing to part with future first round picks? I am not willing to give up next years first (easy top ten pick, maybe top 5, could be first overall)
We already have fowler. Is askarov an upgrade? No one here knows
TheDuelIist
No. We will need to sacrifice a top defence prospect for something we don’t really need.
ukrainianhab
Why the heck would we need a goalie
HabbyKoivu
I would totally pursue this if im montreal. no brainer. Primeau can be dealt away, and you have Monty in Tandem. You also have Fowler coming up so the cupboard remains stocked. If they want Monty back the other way, id consider it as part of a deal.
Heywazza
There’s no point guys lol. It’s not happening.
PofolkTheMagniferous
He’s my favorite goalie in the league right now just cause of his aggressive style (and I think a strong team strategy could be formulated around that aspect of his game), so I’d be in favor of it on that principle.
On the cons side, I think Monty is a solid goalie who has been growing his game with the rest of the core. It would feel shitty to have to relegate him to backup or 1B.
But if the cost to acquire Askarov is within the realm of reason, I’d pull the trigger on that deal. The question there is: what does Nashville want from our roster? They are in a win-now mode since Trotz took over, and just acquired the aging Stamkos and Marchessault. So they would probably be looking to target players like Savard or Armia as a return; veterans who have experience playing a role during a cup run. Can we afford to move one of those veterans? Our pool of experienced players is getting a little thin and we are among the youngest rosters in the league already.
I would be most interested in acquiring him if we could get him for picks, but I don’t see that working for Nashville unless the situation with the player has deteriorated so much that they just need to ship him out of town.
Deadmanlex45
Depends on the price, but yeah I’d be all on him. He’s by far the most promising goalie prospect since Shesterkin and Vasilevsky, but he’s still ultimately unproven in the NHL. And goalies are also absolute voodoo.
I guess it’ll all depend on how Hughes and Gorton see our goaltending rn. Primeau and Montembault are pretty good but ultimately probably not vezina caliber goalies.
Electrical_Analyst65
The cost to acquire is the biggest factor here. Nashville reportedly wants a ransom for him. With other needs upfront spending valuable trade assets like a 1rd pick and higher ceiling d-men should be avoided.
Diligent-Work7526
Yes Montreal have top 3 goalie staff in the league! He will develop very well there!
flipthatbitch_
We are 100% not going to trade for a goalie!
Final-Pop-7668
Of course we should. I know the fans are optimistic towards Primeau, however he gives too many goals too often.
To go with a duo Montembault / Askarov would be much better for now and the future.
I would not mind to give the lowest 1st round pick between Montreal and CGY/FLA + a 2nd round pick + Jordan Harris for Askarov.
Old_Canuck
I dont think we NEED to cuz we have Fowler and I think hes gonna be a Stud in the NHL.
Im sure there sre more then a few teams that will give the Preds ALOT more then the Habs SHOULD be comfortable with.
I just dont want to fall into old habits.
I LOVE when the Habs goalies stand on their heads and drag us to the playoffs and finals and cups….but its never sustainable.
But….if we could get him for a song…well definitely NO arguments from the likes if myself. 😂
BrandonPHX
I don’t think that’s a huge need of ours right now. We have two very serviceable goalies in our starting rotation and two quality prospects.
A much bigger need would be forward depth (hopefully with size too). I’d rather us take swings in that area personally.
EasyPanicButton
No. We got 2 good guys and maybe next Carey Price in waiting
39 Comments
No
No, we don’t need to go after anyone right now. 2 years from now we go after a solid high scoring free agent. Right now we develop
No. Continue to be hopeful on Fowler and keep the assets that NSH would want in return. Hughes has done a tremendous job staying patient and building this team properly and should stay the course.
The part where he won’t report to the AHL makes this spicy. Might lower the asking price as the Preds might fear he just ignores his contract and goes to Russia.
I hard disagree with the no’s. Of course this all depends on the asking price but his value is at an all time low since Nashville has no leverage.
If he comes cheap you absolutely take him and run Askarov/Monty for the season. I also think it’d be nice for Demidov to have a Russian teammate to help him integrate with North America.
Fowler isn’t really a reason not to pursue this, he’s still easily 3 years away from the NHL.
Yes we should! I mean it all depends on the price, but we have more D-men than spots on the blue line for the upcoming season. At his age, he fits perfectly with our core, and he’s projected to be elite. We have the assets, we need to take some swings.
Imho it’s best we avoid players who publicize problems with their teams.
Askarov has a very high ceiling.
Should we go after him? It depends on the cost. If Nashville is expecting us (or whatever team is interested) to pay for « what Askarov could be », then absolutely we do not go after him.
If the fact he has requested a trade and is threatening to stay in Russia drives his cost down, then we absolutely should be looking into it. I know we have Fowler in the pipeline, but goalies are never a guarantee.
Remember how high the fanbase was on Primeau? And now he’s a backup/fringe starter.
If the cost is Primeau and one of our depth defencemen, I would do it.
Askarov’s ceiling is huge. Even if Fowler ends up being better, Askarov could still be traded down the road anyway.
Monty/Askarov is a much better tandem for the current period and lets us develop Fowler properly for the next few years.
Askarov is 22 so it’s not like he is in his prime and looking to get a huge payday.
Absolutely. We have insane prospect depth to make a move like this. He and Monty can run 1a/b until he’s ready to be the guy. His prime would perfectly align with our competitive window
It appears Nashville will have very little leverage in any trade discussion which will lower his trade value significantly. It is also evident that Askarov will demand a guarantee of NHL employment. So, low cost but at the expense of either Primeau or Montembeault unless there is another year of a 3 goalie rotation with a trade at the deadline. Not really a good idea
No. I don’t want to shake up our prospect pool and I believe in what we have in Monty, Primeau or Fowler.
I mean Fowler won’t be ready probably for another 3-4 years while Askarov is NHL ready or needs maybe 1 more year. Plus goalies are voodoo who knows if Fowler is gonna be able to do well at the nhl level. If you can get a solid goalie prospect like askarov who has shown capability at pro level, why not go after him as long as the asking price isn’t too high. I trust Hughes more than me but I think people here are quite dismissive of Askarov. This is coming from someone who lives in Milwaukee and has seen Askarov play many times, he’s really talented
Struble/Harris/Barron + CGY/FLA 1st
or
Mailloux + 3rd (Mailloux is younger than the other 3, shoots R, and has a higher ceiling imo)
If Nashville asks for more I hang up the phone.
If we do I think we have to trade Primeau. I think it was clear that the 3 way situation cost us games last year. Monty gets better the more he plays
Yes. Yes we should.
![gif](giphy|tsgNNs93oIbwk)
Absolutely
If he’s that good, there are a lot of teams that would be in on him. So I can’t imagine the price tag will be ideal.
I loooove Askarov. Seen him play in the AHL a few times. Dude is a maniac. Ice in his veins. The type of goalie I’ve always had a soft spot for. He takes chances, handles the puck well and he’s super talented.
One of the x factors in Askarov trade talks is the reports that him and Trotz had ‘conflicting personalities’.
I’d want the Habs to do their homework and look into getting him, I’m not sure I’d want the Habs paying the price to get him.
I would say yes definitely pick him up. He’s gonna go relatively cheap so there should be no harm trying to pick him up. After last years performance I don’t have a lot of hope in Primeau and Monty is just kinda hitting his stride. So if we could grab someone like Askarov it’s definitely a win. That way we can also develop fowler more and not rush him. At most for a deal it probably be a none first round pick and we could throw in one of our plethora of dmen.
The cost is probably not even that crazy too, like I keep seeing Fowler thrown in offers, we probably wouldn’t even have to throw in Fowler.
He’s one of the best goalie prospects, and he’s essentially ready for the NHL. If the price is right, it makes a lot of sense to try to acquire Askarov. While I haven’t closed the book on Primeau by any stretch, and am pretty high on Fowler being an NHL-quality goalie in five-ish years, there’s really no such thing as having too many goalies in the system.
Would you give up Fowler and a mid-round pick?
You can say what you want about goalies but Askarov is elite. Unless the price is ridiculous he’s well worth a swing.
Could we then say we casually built the TBL without anyone noticing?
The real question is what does Nashville want for him?
They have no cap space so they cant really take back other than a guy on a rookie deal.
So draft picks?
Are we willing to part with future first round picks? I am not willing to give up next years first (easy top ten pick, maybe top 5, could be first overall)
We already have fowler. Is askarov an upgrade? No one here knows
No. We will need to sacrifice a top defence prospect for something we don’t really need.
Why the heck would we need a goalie
I would totally pursue this if im montreal. no brainer. Primeau can be dealt away, and you have Monty in Tandem. You also have Fowler coming up so the cupboard remains stocked. If they want Monty back the other way, id consider it as part of a deal.
There’s no point guys lol. It’s not happening.
He’s my favorite goalie in the league right now just cause of his aggressive style (and I think a strong team strategy could be formulated around that aspect of his game), so I’d be in favor of it on that principle.
On the cons side, I think Monty is a solid goalie who has been growing his game with the rest of the core. It would feel shitty to have to relegate him to backup or 1B.
But if the cost to acquire Askarov is within the realm of reason, I’d pull the trigger on that deal. The question there is: what does Nashville want from our roster? They are in a win-now mode since Trotz took over, and just acquired the aging Stamkos and Marchessault. So they would probably be looking to target players like Savard or Armia as a return; veterans who have experience playing a role during a cup run. Can we afford to move one of those veterans? Our pool of experienced players is getting a little thin and we are among the youngest rosters in the league already.
I would be most interested in acquiring him if we could get him for picks, but I don’t see that working for Nashville unless the situation with the player has deteriorated so much that they just need to ship him out of town.
Depends on the price, but yeah I’d be all on him. He’s by far the most promising goalie prospect since Shesterkin and Vasilevsky, but he’s still ultimately unproven in the NHL. And goalies are also absolute voodoo.
I guess it’ll all depend on how Hughes and Gorton see our goaltending rn. Primeau and Montembault are pretty good but ultimately probably not vezina caliber goalies.
The cost to acquire is the biggest factor here. Nashville reportedly wants a ransom for him. With other needs upfront spending valuable trade assets like a 1rd pick and higher ceiling d-men should be avoided.
Yes Montreal have top 3 goalie staff in the league! He will develop very well there!
We are 100% not going to trade for a goalie!
Of course we should. I know the fans are optimistic towards Primeau, however he gives too many goals too often.
To go with a duo Montembault / Askarov would be much better for now and the future.
I would not mind to give the lowest 1st round pick between Montreal and CGY/FLA + a 2nd round pick + Jordan Harris for Askarov.
I dont think we NEED to cuz we have Fowler and I think hes gonna be a Stud in the NHL.
Im sure there sre more then a few teams that will give the Preds ALOT more then the Habs SHOULD be comfortable with.
I just dont want to fall into old habits.
I LOVE when the Habs goalies stand on their heads and drag us to the playoffs and finals and cups….but its never sustainable.
But….if we could get him for a song…well definitely NO arguments from the likes if myself. 😂
I don’t think that’s a huge need of ours right now. We have two very serviceable goalies in our starting rotation and two quality prospects.
A much bigger need would be forward depth (hopefully with size too). I’d rather us take swings in that area personally.
No. We got 2 good guys and maybe next Carey Price in waiting