Quoting: CaptJosef
Good lord, every Canadiens post prior to the expansion was assuming that Plekanec would be snapped up by Vegas and now that didn't happen it's turned to assuming that Arizona (or any team) would take him off your hands for nothing in return...
Arizona need to add $3.5m to reach the cap floor and still have to add / re-sign about 5 forwards and a defenseman. They don't need an overpaid, old, past it, player that they have to give any kind of asset for - notice that to move Bickell the Hawks had to also give up Teravainen. You add cap dumps with sweeteners to a make a deal. What's the point in this for Arizona? It's just better to have a 4th round pick in next years draft. The same is true for all the clubs below the cap floor this year, they all have players to re-sign still and are fairly close to the number already.
Consider that the Coyotes made some decent acquisitions and may be hoping to get somewhere this season. Plekanec can be an asset.
If the plan doesn't work and they seem to be out of the playoffs, Plekanec can be flipped for a pick at the deadline.
They may even get a 2nd if they retain salary for a team at the limit, but a 3rd is at least likely.
(Pick could be conditional as well. If they move him at the deadline, Montreal gets their pick one round later than Arizona traded him for. Or something.)
----
I like it overall. Center is questionable but probably better than our current options of nobody. The wings are stacked.
Despres is an issue. Postma for 3rd pair RHD perhaps?
For the left, I'd like to bring Barberio back and we also have Jerabek that MB brought over and signed.
Failing that, look for another puck moving 3rd pairing guy or pay the pick price for a potential Weber partner.