Montreal Canadiens acquire Brett Kulak from the Calgary Flames
The Montreal Canadiens are getting busy on the trade front moving Matt Taormina and Rinat Valiev to Calgary for Brett Kulak.
It’s a month of hockey, and the Montreal Canadiens got on the board as far as trades go. The deal was with the Calgary Flames which will Brett Kulak don the red, white, and blue while Rinat Valiev and Matt Taormina are headed the other way.
The Flames originally drafted Kulak in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Expectations weren’t as high for him considering he was a fourth-round pick and his average production in junior with the Vancouver Giants. Kulak made his professional debut with the Abbotsford Heat at the end of the 2014-15 season and split time between there and the NHL.
This past season saw Kulak see his longest time at the show playing 71 games with the Flames putting up 2 goals and 6 assists. He’s described as being an all-around defenceman who uses his physicality to his advantage. However, he limited offensively despite possessing a hard shot from the slot.
Taormina was signed by the Habs in the summer of 2016. He was instantly part of the leadership group on the Laval Rocket. The 31-year-old was the second highest-scoring player on the team with 4 goals and 48 assists for 52 points in 63 games. Taormina was entering the final year of his contract, and it would be unlikely the Montreal Canadiens hand him an extension.
Seeing Valiev leave in the deal as well is a little eyebrow-raising. He performed well for the Habs during the preseason, and despite not making the team, he easily would’ve been one of the first to be called up if there was an injury on defence.
Although players are involved, this move may also have salary cap implications as well. In particular, the contract limit. The Montreal Canadiens were at 48 out of a possible 50 and have now shed an extra deal. What they do with it is still up in the air. Perhaps they use the spot to give a contract to Simon Despres who they have already offered an AHL contract to. Maybe Marc Bergevin is preparing himself for possible deals to take place down the line.
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The possibilities are there, but for now, the Habs have a new defenceman to watch and at 24-years-old he may be a factor if placed in the right situation.