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What to expect from the Montreal Canadiens on Trade Deadline Day

By Omar L |
OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 11: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 and Tomas Tatar #90 of the Montreal Canadiens prepare for a faceoff against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on January 11, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 11: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 and Tomas Tatar #90 of the Montreal Canadiens prepare for a faceoff against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on January 11, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
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Trade Deadline Day is here, and the Montreal Canadiens are still one of the most interesting teams as they have players to sell but assets to spend.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Nothing gets the eyes buzzing and fingers moving like the NHL Trade Deadline, and even though analysts have been predicting a relatively slower day for weeks, there’s still a chance some crazy things take place. Whether the Montreal Canadiens are involved in any of this depends on what Marc Bergevin‘s thoughts are about his roster heading into the final stretch of the 2019-20 season.

So, where are we? The Habs are currently 6th in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 29-27-8 record good for 66 points on the year. The battle of the wild-card spots has been set between the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, and Columbus Blue Jackets, who all sit with 74 points while there’s still hope for the New York Rangers who are four points out.

If the Montreal Canadiens want to make the playoffs, it’ll have to be via the third spot in the Atlantic Division. The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are gone with the first and second seed, respectively, and that may change considering how hot the latter has been.

The Toronto Maple Leafs currently hold the third spot, but they’ve lacked the consistency to run away with it. The Florida Panthers are also in on that spot and haven’t done themselves any favours sitting four points back. Montreal is six points back, which isn’t the biggest gap.

Bergevin may believe the team is good enough to take that spot. On the other hand, the Habs have started to sell already and continuing on with that effort seems to be the better option, especially considering what teams have been giving up.

So what should Montreal Canadiens fans expect for Trade Deadline day?

MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 13: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 13: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

What’s Been Done Already?

The Montreal Canadiens got things started on February 18th, moving Marco Scandella. It was a similar model to the Ilya Kovalchuk signing. The Habs gave the player who was in odd sorts with their team and wanted an opportunity to prove they can be useful on a competitive team (competitive in the sense of making a run at a playoff spot – there was still hope back then). On the other hand, if things went south, Scandella could be an option to capitalize from at the Trade Deadline.

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Montreal originally paid a 2020 fourth-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres to acquire Scandella. The St. Louis Blues ended up paying a 2020 second and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2021. The second is guaranteed, which is an incredible upgrade.

St. Louis was likely more desperate to pay up, considering they lost Jay Bouwmeester to that cardiac episode. However, to make matters better, the Habs will get that fourth if Scandella re-signs or if the team wins two playoff rounds with him playing in at least half of the games.

The second big sell came Sunday evening. Pierre Lebrun teased the event happening on Insider Trading a little over an hour before the news broke. Ilya Kovalchuk was moved to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick in 2020. It may seem like the Montreal Canadiens settled here as the consensus was that Bergevin wanted a second for Kovalchuk.

Again, the Habs were able to turn two projects/pump ups into a second and third-round pick. What’s next?

MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 08: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 08: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Petry is Staying

Hockey minds have floated the idea of the Montreal Canadiens moving Jeff Petry for some time now. Petry is a spectacular defenceman who can skate, put up points, and play heavy minutes when called upon. With only a year left on his deal, the possibility of trading him now has come up where the Habs could get a boatload of assets coming the other way. Additionally, it could pave the way for the emergence of Cale Fleury, Josh Brook, or Alexander Romanov next season.

There was talk of the Carolina Hurricanes offering Jake Bean and a first for Petry. The prospect of adding Bean would address the team’s long-term needs as well as add a second first-round pick to make use of. Nevertheless, the Montreal Canadiens rejected the offer.

The team’s stance on the idea of trading Jeff Petry hasn’t changed: it’ll take a deal that blows the team’s socks off for the Habs to move the 32-year-old.

Related Story. A Petry Trade is Unlikely. light

Going back to the Hurricanes offer, Bean and a first is a start, but they’ll need to add more for Montreal to consider it. Carolina may though, given their level of desperation after losing both of their goaltenders in James Reimer and Petr Mrazek, as well as Brett Pesce.

Perhaps that pushes the Hurricanes to give up more in the deal. It’s all wishful thinking at this point, and if the Montreal Canadiens are committed to their sky-high price, Petry isn’t going anywhere.

Will the same be for the other name who hockey minds have been talking about?

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 18: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 18: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

What Are the Odds

Tomas Tatar has been the best offensive player on the Montreal Canadiens this season. He’s leading the team in scoring, by a considerable margin, with 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points 64 games. The next player after Tatar on the team leaderboards is Philip Danault, who has 41 points.

Teams have been paying assets left and right for forwards heading into the Trade Deadline. The New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild received first-round picks and top prospects for trading Blake Coleman and Jason Zucker, respectively. What can the Habs get for Tatar?

Kovalchuk getting traded takes another top-nine forward off the trade bait board. The Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames are still a team looking to improve their forward lines. And something that is really going to determine things is Chris Kreider and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Talks between Kreider, Pageau, and their respective teams are getting to the point where trades are more likely. If that’s the case, those teams will have their sights set on them. But if they stick around, it could push the buyers to entice teams with players, such as Tomas Tatar, to move pieces.

Similar to Petry, it’ll take a light’s out offer for Marc Bergevin to move Tatar, and if it gets down to the wire, perhaps the Montreal Canadiens have their price matched.

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It’ll be an interesting day for the Habs. The Canadiens may be done after moving Scandella and Kovalchuk, but who knows what’s coming.

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