Montreal Canadiens: Three Non-Rentals The Habs Need to Trade This Season

Brendan Gallagher

The Canadiens have a lot of good wingers, though not many terrific ones, and they just have too many of them signed to long term contracts. There is no room for young players to step onto the Habs wings in the coming years.

Take a look at Jesse Ylonen for example. The 22 year old right winger is scoring at nearly a point per game pace for the Laval Rocket this season. But, to become an NHL right winger for the Canadiens he would have to take a spot away from Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Joel Armia or Mike Hoffman. That’s five right wingers right there and four of them are veterans signed for at least two more years after this one.

The problem with clearing space is Hoffman and Armia have no trade value because of their big contracts and little production. No way the team is moving Caufield so the only way to make room is to move either Gallagher or Anderson.

Gallagher is a couple years older, earns a million more per season, and would get more in return so it makes the most sense to trade him.

Gallagher is the type of player that would be good to keep around during a rebuild to teach the younger players how to play the game. But he was also one of the first players to talk openly about how he didn’t sign here long term expecting to go through a rebuild.

If he wants to move to a contender, it makes sense to pull the trigger as soon as possible.