The Montreal Canadiens took the appropriate stance on deadline day
The Montreal Canadiens did more than most teams on trade deadline day but were relatively quiet choosing to stay as is opposed to making a big move.
For those who predicted the Montreal Canadiens would remain calm ahead of Monday’s trade deadline, give yourself a pat on the back. For those who wanted Marc Bergevin to be involved in a Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds, or Kevin Hayes deal, let’s talk for a bit.
Bergevin shared his reasoning behind the distance between Montreal and those larger trades at his press conference. The price to acquire in them would be too much and could possibly derail the long-term success management has already established in their drafted prospects and budding young stars.
However, you look at deals such as the Simmonds one which cost only a draft pick and Ryan Hartman. The Habs may have been able to put together a similar package together, though the forward going the other way was likely a less than ideal option.
Bergevin is instead choosing to trust in the team that got to this point on their own. Sure that’s a scary thing, but the Montreal Canadiens did the right thing in not doing anything besides the Jordan Weal trade.
There is however one thing I take issue with. Teams aren’t bound by contract limits after the deadline passes. The Habs had 24 players on their active roster and adding Weal made it 25.
Adding is one thing, but I have to wonder why a player such as Charles Hudon who a team may pay for wasn’t moved. Even if it’s a draft pick, it beats having him sit in the press box and get ice time sparingly.
Perhaps there was nothing out there for Hudon, but it seems odd to keep him as one of five options to play on the fourth line including Artturi Lehkonen. Depth is important in the latter half of the season, but the question begs whether there’s such thing as too much depth. We’ll see in the remaining 19 games if that’s the case.
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It may not be safe for the Montreal Canadiens to stand pat at the deadline
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Montreal Canadiens add more depth trading for Jordan Weal
The Habs made only one deal, and it saw Michael Chaput flipped to the Arizona Coyotes for Jordan Weal.
Key points from Marc Bergevin after the deadline
Marc Bergevin met with Habs media after the trade deadline providing some reasoning behind the team’s lack of activity on Monday.