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Montreal Canadiens: What If Marc Bergevin Goes All-In This Season?

By Ken MacMillan

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 03: New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall (9) skates during the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Vegas Golden Knights on December 3, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 03: New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall (9) skates during the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Vegas Golden Knights on December 3, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QC – DECEMBER 3: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates with teammates (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – DECEMBER 3: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates with teammates (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /

What would the team look like after all the trades?

The Habs are already deep at forward. They don’t have a dynamic game-breaker like Taylor Hall, and they could use some more scoring punch at center short-term so Jean-Gabriel Pageau would be a great fit as well.

Trading two top defence prospects in Josh Brook and Jordan Harris along with a first round pick is a hefty package, but it is what would be required to get a player like Hall. The Devils are currently asking for first round pick(s), yes that is plural, but also want help on defence where they are thin on NHL talent and prospects.

Pageau is having an exceptional season but will likely revert back to the steady, defensively aware third line center that sometimes chips in offence instead of the elite goal scorer he has been so far this season.

Their biggest need is of course on defence and Gostisbehere would be a huge upgrade on what Kulak and Reilly have brought to the left side so far. He may not get back to his lofty heights of 65 points, but a steady two-way game and consistently moving the puck up ice to the dangerous forwards would make him a great fit with this lineup.

The lines and defence pairings could then be:

Tatar – Danault – Gallagher (if it ain’t broke…)

Hall – Domi – Suzuki (speed, skill, nastiness, creativity, goals for sure)

Drouin – Pageau – Caufield (Did I forget to mention Caufield will be here by the postseason?)

Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia (The Finnish line is great, but sometimes lacks finish. Won’t matter if they are the fourth line.)

Gostisbehere – Weber (23 minutes per night of great two-way play)

Mete – Petry (always play well together, can take on any opponent for 21 minutes per game)

Chiarot – Fleury (Solid, steady defensive play against bottom six opponents for 16 minutes per game would be a walk in the park for these two)

Price (too good to not bounce back and would be unbelievable with best team he’s ever had in front of him)

This means Byron, Thompson and Kulak would be the three extras and guys like Weal, Peca, Cousins and Reilly would either be sent to the minors or just extra guys hanging around in case of injuries.

Putting this team together would cost the Habs Olofsson, Brook, Norlinder and Hillis, 2020 1st round pick, 2020 2nd round pick (CHI), 2021 second round pick and 2021 3rd round pick (CHI). That is a lot of futures to give up but would it be worth it to have a legit Stanley Cup contender this season?

Next. Claude Julien isn't the problem, it's Bergevin. dark

Not to mention, we haven’t even traded away Caufield, Poehling, Primeau or Romanov in this situation who are the Canadiens best prospects. It’s not like the team would be awful for a decade after these deals. It would go against everything we have seen from Bergevin lately, but that lineup above would be amazing to watch.

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