20 Jun 2026 12:11:25
Trade idea like this.
Toronto Maple Leafs receive

Mike Matheson
Jake Evans

Montreal Canadiens

Brandon Carlo
Steven Lorentz
Jacob Quillan
2026 2nd-round draft pick

And Rielly has played his last game in Toronto. So trade somewhere I don't care where.

1.) 20 Jun 2026
20 Jun 2026 15:48:05
So what is Montreal's motivation to do this deal. To give up a D-man like Matheson, who you can flip a coin from game to game if you want to use him in top or number 2 pairing, he is that good and steady. For Carlo? Jake Evans, a very good number 3 centre who stepped up into the number 2 role for the playoffs seamlessly, for 4th liner Lorentz? Quillan might have a future somewhere in the NHL but not in Montreal.

They have one of the deepest prospect pools in the league.

This would benefit us for sure but Montreal will say no.

2.) 20 Jun 2026
20 Jun 2026 21:54:55
Montreal would probably accept a trade, because Hutson, Guhle, and Struble are much younger, and the latter two are already better than Matheson. And Struble will most likely surpass Matheson completely next season.

In addition, Montreal needs a right-shot defensive defenseman who can play on the second pairing.

Evans is not really a game-changer either, just a solid third-line center, around 30 years old, playing 15–17 minutes a night and producing about 30 points. He’s good for face-off guy and would be a useful addition to the thhird line, also strong on the penalty kill.


Lorentz is also around 30 years old, a 20-point player and more of a fourth-line guy, so a second-round pick would balance that value.

Now then, trade Hildeby for a righgt-winger who could play on the third or second line…

And yeah, Chayka will probably pull another rabbit out of the hat soon...
I met him twice. He has a very unusual way of seeing things. He does listen to others, of course, but I didn’t notice any arrogance in him, he actually seemed calmer and funnier than what I had heard before.
.

3.) 21 Jun 2026
21 Jun 2026 02:02:11
I still disagree. Matheson is a guy that leads that defense group in minutes played per night. Carlo is defintely not a trade off there. Matheson is very sound both ways, defensively and offensively, and Carlo doesn't bring that two-way game.

As far as Evans being a solid 3rd centre, yes he is and he showed up large in the playoffs.

Even a 2nd is not enough to balance the Lorentz trade-off out for me, because Montreal really doesn't need any 4th liners. They are deep in the organization and can fill from within.