Montreal Canadiens: Grading All of Marc Bergevin’s Trade Deadline Deals
Matthew Peca
Matthew Peca was signed to a two-year contract with a $1.3 million cap hit in July of 2018. Bergevin commented that day that he expected Peca to play for the Canadiens, though he was mostly a minor league player when he was in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization before becoming a free agent.
That was more of an indictment on the Habs centre depth at the time and not so much a delusional general manager speaking. Well, maybe a bit of both. The Ottawa native came to Montreal with a roster spot waiting for him but he never really grabbed onto it.
Peca scored ten points in 39 games as a member of the Canadiens in 2018-19 and was placed on waivers early this season and sent to the Laval Rocket. He scored just 13 points in 34 games for the Rocket and was pointless in five games with the Habs this season.
His name was never really in the rumour mill because he was playing in the minors for most of the season. The 26 year old is a small, but skilled player though he definitely wasn’t firing on all cylinders during his time in the Habs organization.
Bergevin traded him to his hometown team today and got a seventh round pick and Andrew Luchuk in return. Luchuk led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring just two years ago but the 22 year old had nine points in 27 games with the Belleville Senators last season. He has 50 points in 45 games for the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL this year and will now report to Laval.
The Habs have done well with late picks, drafting Cayden Primeau and Jake Evans in that round in the last few years and both have played NHL games this season and look to have long NHL careers in front of them.
I’d rather Luchuk and a late draft pick than two more months of Peca playing for the Laval Rocket but this certainly isn’t moving the needle. Still, to get anything for Peca is a win.