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Montreal Canadiens: Three Bold Deadline Trades That Would Set Habs Up For Decade of Success

By Ken MacMillan

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 18: Jeff Petry #26 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his first-period goal with teammates Tomas Tatar #90 and Nick Cousins #21 while playing the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on February 18, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 18: Jeff Petry #26 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his first-period goal with teammates Tomas Tatar #90 and Nick Cousins #21 while playing the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on February 18, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Montreal Canadiens approach the trade deadline as sellers after already moving out Marco Scandella and Ilya Kovalchuk. What else will they do? Here are three bold moves that would pay off down the road.

The Montreal Canadiens will approach the deadline today as clear sellers. They are six points out of a playoff spot but would have to jump over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers as well as keep ahead of the Buffalo Sabres while playing less games than all three of those division rivals.

The chances are not impossible I suppose, but they are highly unlikely. That is why we have already seen the Canadiens trade away two pending unrestricted free agents. Marco Scandella was sent to the St. Louis Blues for a second round draft pick and a conditional fourth round draft pick in 2021. They also moved Ilya Kovalchuk to the Washington Capitals last night for a third round pick.

Those two moves were interesting pieces of business for the Canadiens and general manager Marc Bergevin. Kovalchuk and Scandella were both acquired shortly after New Year’s Day and all it cost the Habs was a fourth round pick. They have turned that into at least a second and a third and could also get a future fourth.

Does that mean we will continue to see Bergevin selling assets today? Will he be content with the work he has done already? Will he make any big moves to reshape the future of this team? I guess we will have to wait until after the deadline to see what deals he has up his sleeve today.

There has been no shortage of rumours leading up to this year’s trade deadline. Every single name in the organization has been linked to another team at one time or another it seems. Carey Price‘s name has been thrown around, Nate Thompson and Nick Cousins seem like logical pieces to move and Jeff Petry and Tomas Tatar are garnering plenty of interest.

What will Bergevin decide? We all know his phone will be buzzing away all day today. Will he tinker? Stand pat? Make a blockbuster trade?

Here are three bold options that he should consider that would greatly change the future of the organization and set them up for a decade of success.

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