Montreal Canadiens: How does the Jeff Skinner trade impact Montreal?

The Buffalo Sabres made a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes to acquire talented sniper Jeff Skinner. But what does this mean for the Montreal Canadiens?

Well, the obvious point is that Jeff Skinner plays in the Atlantic Division as opposed to the Metropolitan. The Montreal Canadiens will have to face Jeff Skinner 5 times now instead of 3. This trade doesn’t involve the Canadiens, but it does impact them negatively as it makes the Buffalo Sabres and the rest of the division even more competitive.

More interesting though is the comparison to Max Pacioretty because they are if nothing else comparable to each other. Buffalo gave up Cliff Pu, a high calibre OHL player who has a chance to crack the NHL this season, a second-round draft pick for 2019 and a third and sixth round pick in 2020. So what does this mean for the package that Pacioretty could fetch if he is dealt?

I’ve said in a prior piece I could see the Montreal Canadiens moving their captain to the Calgary Flames for a package including Sam Bennett, whose career hasn’t played out how he’d like in the NHL to thus point only totalling 89 points in 241 games. Defensive prospect Oliver Kylington who is a solid two-way defenseman with a cannon of a shot could also be part of the deal and would help the Habs power play almost immediately.

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Jeff Skinner Stats

Skinner has 379 points (204 goals and 175 assists) in 579 career games which is about .66 points per game. Skinner has been the best offensive player on the Hurricanes for a good chunk of time now. He’s scored 30 goals three times throughout his career which will likely only increase while playing on a line with Jack Eichel. The 26-year-old’s career Corsi For% (CF%) is 52.1% which means his team has a higher percentage of shots directed towards their opponents net when he is on the ice.

Max Pacioretty Stats

Pacioretty has 448 points (226 goals and 222 assists) in 626 career games which is about .71 points per game. Pacioretty, similar to Skinner, has been the best offensive player for his team throughout his career. The 29-year-old has scored 30 goals five times in his career although only scoring 17 last season. I don’t believe that anybody thinks that’s what Pacioretty is as a player today. Pacioretty has a career CF% of 53.5% which again means that the Montreal Canadiens have more control of the puck when their captain is on the ice.

The Conclusion

The Skinner trade gives the Canadiens an excellent leveraging point when/if negotiating a trade for their captain. Skinner is younger than Pacioretty which likely played into the three draft picks that the Hurricanes received for him. However, Pacioretty is a perennial 30 goal scorer on not the highest of offensive teams in the league.

I believe that Pacioretty can fetch a pretty package if sent to the right team and the fact Skinner netted the Hurricanes a prospect and three picks only helps to prove that point.