A Winning Habit
Fansided

Montreal Canadiens: Hypothetical Habs Trade With Every Central Division Team

By Ken MacMillan

BUFFALO, NY - FEBRUARY 23: Nikolaj Ehlers (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - FEBRUARY 23: Nikolaj Ehlers (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 8
Next
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 29: (L-R) Center Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 29: (L-R) Center Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Colorado Avalanche

Trying to find a deal between the Canadiens and Avalanche that is realistic was difficult. The Avs are basically going “all-in” next season if you listen to the insiders like Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. They have one more year before they need to re-sign Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar so next season might be their best opportunity.

There have been some rumours linking Taylor Hall to Colorado. It would make sense, but if that doesn’t come to pass, they could use another top six winger. The Habs have a handful of left wingers like Tomas Tatar, Jonathan Drouin, Paul Byron, Artturi Lehkonen and Max Domi sometimes finds himself on the wing, though the team wants him to be a centre.

Tatar would be a solid fit, but what if Nathan MacKinnon mentions that he wants to play with his old Junior linemate, Jonathan Drouin?

The pair were unbelievable for the Halifax Mooseheads back in 2012-13. They were just 17 years old but they led the team to a Memorial Cup championship while putting up ridiculous offensive numbers.

MacKinnon has mostly played with Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, but Landeskog would fit really well on a second line with Nazem Kadri as well. Let’s say the Avs decide to target Drouin to play with MacKinnon and Rantanen. What would a deal look like?

With the Avs going for it next season, they don’t want to create a hole to bring in Drouin. That means, they aren’t going to trade Ryan Graves who was regularly partnered with Makar last season.

So, this would have to be a “futures” type trade for the Habs if they are going to do it. That kind of flies in the face of what they have been up to so far this offseason, but they could always flip assets they acquire to try and bring in a veteran. They could use the cap space they save in a Drouin trade to help make room for Taylor Hall if they want.

Anyway, the parameters are set here. Drouin to the Avalanche with futures coming back to Montreal. The Habs also have a logjam on defence with the arrival of Joel Edmundson and Alexander Romanov. They seem to be targeting big, rugged defenders while the Avs are okay with their speedy, skilled blue line. The Habs have a left defenceman who could fit right in with that philosophy.

Home/Editorials