Canadiens: Five Likeliest Trade Candidates

With the Canadiens entering a transitional off-season, trades could play a large role in talent acquisition.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has some work to do this off-season. The team is coming off a disappointing season and the current roster has some holes that need to be filled.

Free Agency seems to be the most likely route for the Canadiens to acquire talent. However, the Canadiens only have an estimated $10 million in available cap space. That may not be enough to re-sign their own free agents while also bringing in a free agent winger.

If Bergevin is to bring in talent, he will likely need to shed salary. The easiest way to do this is through trades. Trades could also net potential scoring wingers as well. With that in mind, here are the Montreal Canadiens 5 likeliest trade candidates.

5. G Zachary Fucale – 2 years @ $714,666 Cap Hit

Expected Return: Part of a package for an established 1st/2nd line winger

Potential Suitors: Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs

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Fucale’s stock has taken a bit of a hit since he was taken 36th overall by the Canadiens in 2013. Most notably, his final year in the QMJHL was marred in inconsistent play and that carried over into his first year in the AHL. In his defense though, he was playing rather well for St. John’s before their roster was decimated by call ups.

Despite the rocky start to his pro career, Fucale still has loads of potential and is just 21 years old. With Carey Price firmly entrenched as the Canadiens #1 for the foreseeable future, and the presence of Mike Condon and Charlie Lindgren, Fucale’s future with the Canadiens seems murky at best.

This makes him the perfect candidate to help boost a potential package for a top 6 winger. The Hurricanes and Leafs are in need of a future #1 goalie and both teams are in the midst of a rebuild. Fucale could be a key piece in a trade for players such as Jeff Skinner or James van Riemsdyk.

4. C David Desharnais – 1 year @ $3.5 Million Cap Hit

Expected Return: 4th or 5th round pick

Potential Suitors: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets

David Desharnais is not well liked among the vast majority of Canadiens’ fans. He is also coming off his worst season as a pro player. His trade value is fairly minimal at this point and the Canadiens would be trying to use him as a pure cap dump.

His spot in the lineup is up in the air. He has been usurped as the team’s top line center with the emergence of Alex Galchenyuk and Tomas Plekanec is a superior 2nd line option. Desharnais also does not fit the ideal mold of a 3rd line shutdown center.

Desharnais can contribute to a team and be an effective offensive player. He has proven that in the past. What hurts his trade value is the negative perception the media and fans have of him.

The Carolina Hurricanes could struggle to hit the Cap floor this off-season and Desharnais’ $3.5 million salary could help get them there. Plus, as an expiring contract, if he plays well, they could turn him into a better asset at the trade deadline. The Blue Jackets on the other hand could use center depth and Desharnais could thrive on their 2nd line while also being completely out of the spot light.

3. D Nathan Beaulieu – 1 year @ $1 million Cap Hit

Expected Return: Core trade piece for a 1st/2nd line winger

Potential Suitor: Any team

Nathan Beaulieu really came into his own this past season. He fought off early-season inconsistencies and became one of the Canadiens’ most reliable defenders. At 23 years of age, he still has a very bright future ahead of him. Combine that with his minimal salary and cap hit, Beaulieu is easily one of Montreal’s most valuable trade assets.

With so much trade value, Beaulieu is likely one of the more popular targets in trade talks. As such, Bergevin could make Beaulieu the core piece of a potential blockbuster trade.

With such a small cap hit, literally any team in the league could be engaged in trade talks. This puts Montreal in a strong position to almost pick and choose what players they want to target.

2. D Alexei Emelin – 2 years @ $4.1 million Cap Hit

Expected Return: 2nd Round Pick and Prospect

Potential Suitor: Playoff contender

Alexei Emelin is in a bit of an awkward spot in Montreal. He has a fairly large cap hit on a team that already has some substantial contracts on the blueline. Montreal is highly unlikely to trade P.K. Subban, Andrei Markov or Jeff Petry which means Emelin could be the roster casualty to help create more cap flexibility.

Emelin’s play took a positive turn this past season and as a physical shutdown defender, he has a fair amount of value.

Montreal would likely want to shed all or most of Emelin’s contract in any trade trade. Recently, the Florida Panthers traded Erik Gudbranson and a 5th round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Jared McCann, a 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick. The Canucks have been widely criticized for paying such a steep price for Gudbranson but this trade bodes very well for Emelin’s value.

Both Gudbranson and Emelin play very similar styles. Surprisingly, Emelin is actually superior in every aspect of the game. The only things that go in Gudbranson’s favor are his size and the fact he is 6 years younger than Emelin. I don’t believe the Canadiens can get what the Panthers received as I believe Florida took advantage of a desperate GM. But I also believe it is very realistic that an Emelin trade could net the Canadiens at least a 2nd round pick and a B-level prospect.

1. C/LW Lars Eller – 2 years @ $3.5 million Cap Hit

Expected Return: Change of scenery winger with potential

Potential Suitor: Edmonton Oilers

Lars Eller is an effective 3rd line defensive forward, capable of playing on a team’s top penalty killing unit. He likely won’t be more than the 25-30 point player he currently is but his value is on the defensive side.

Their has been talk among fans of Eller going to Edmonton for almost 2 years now. The vast majority of it has been speculation but every once in a while, a small rumor pops up linking the Oilers to Eller.

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The most popular return in hypothetical Eller trades has been Nail Yakupov(or someone of the same ilk). Yakupov, despite all of his struggles, still has some major untapped potential and could benefit from a change in scenery. The biggest reason Habs fans continue to dream about Yakupov stems from his chemistry with Alex Galchenyuk. They showed a lot of potential as 16 year old’s with the Sarnia Sting.

However, that was over 5 years ago. They may have had chemistry back then but it doesn’t mean they would have it now. Still though, an Eller for Yakupov trade does make sense. Eller would give the Oilers a good defensive forward and the Canadiens would have the opportunity to see what Yakupov does with a fresh start.