Montreal Canadiens: Four Carolina Hurricanes players to trade for
By Omar L
Top-Pairing Option
Jaccob Slavin completed his third full NHL season as the Hurricanes top-pairing left defenceman. His production took a dip at both ends of the ice, but there are still a lot of aspects of his game that make him a player worth investing in.
The 23-year-old finished the year with 8 goals and 22 assists (4 points fewer than his total from the year before). He has a well-placed shot from the point that finds its way to the net more often than not. Many of his assists have come from rebounds and deflections which work in favour of a team who has skilled forwards to finish the job.
The downside of his season was that more shots seemed to come towards his own net this year than last. Slavin’s Rel CF% dropped from 2.69 to 1.33 at 5v5. Not the most reassuring fact, but it doesn’t take away too much from what makes him a good asset.
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He presents good size at six-foot-three and 205 pounds. He’s not too physical which could hurt his ability to be a full shutdown option on the blueline, but Slavin makes up for that in his awareness and ability to control the puck.
That could be dealt with if Slavin is paired with someone who does play like that. Shea Weber for example. The two could make the affordable duo as their styles compliment each other. The veteran is a threat anywhere he is on the ice and Slavin can support that while bringing his own strengths to the table.
The downside of acquiring him, however, is his contract. Carolina signed him to a seven-year contract that will have him make $5.3 million per season. The Montreal Canadiens may not be willing to take that on, but if they could get rid of one of their bigger deals on defence (Karl Alzner), it could happen.