The Montreal Canadiens made their first “seller” trade on February 14th when they sent Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames in exchange for draft picks and prospects.
It promised to be just the first of a number of trades the Canadiens make before the March 21st trade deadline. With the team sitting last in the Eastern Conference standings and the postseason an impossibility, contending teams will be calling the Canadiens as they look to bolster their lineup heading into the postseason.
One player that is sure to be dealt, and will likely have a lot of suitors is Ben Chiarot. But just how big is the market for Chiarot?
Every team would like to add a top four defender who skates well for his size, has a proven track record of shutting down opponents in the postseason and puts up a few points here and there. Chiarot is a minute muncher who can allow teams to be comfortable defensively for a large percentage of the game as he takes care of business around the front of his own net and consistently wins battles for pucks along the boards.
But, sellers are at the mercy of supply and demand in the NHL, much like every other business in the world.
The market price can change for a player like Chiarot from one year to the next. Back in 2015 the Canadiens picked up Thomas Vanek at the trade deadline for a second round pick and a decent prospect (at the time) in Sebastian Collberg. Any other year and a top six winger like Vanek would be getting a really good prospect and a first round pick for sure.
It just depends how many teams are in the market for a specific position, and how many players are available via trade that play that position.
Chiarot is a top four defender who is certainly available via trade, but how many legit top four defencemen are going to be traded before the deadline?
If you look at TSN’s Trade Bait list, you will find quite a few defensemen are available. Jakob Chychrun, Mark Giordano, John Klingberg, Justin Braun, Colin Miller, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, Nick Leddy, Robert Hagg, Jeff Petry, Mary Pysyk, Calvin de Haan, Damon Severson, Rasmus Ristolainen, Marc Staal, Nils Lundkvist, Luke Schenn and Travis Dermott are on the trade block in addition to Chiarot.
But how many of them are actual top four defencemen? Chiarot, Chychrun, Giordano, Klingberg, Lindholm, Manson, Leddy, Petry and Ristolainen makes nine of them. But will Chychrun actually get dealt before the deadline? The asking price is astronomical. Will the Anaheim Ducks trade both Lindholm and Manson or find a way to re-sign at least one of them?
If a team really needs a left defender, that would leave them choosing between Chiarot, Chychrun, Giordano, Lindholm and Leddy. That is only five top four defenders on the left side, and Leddy is barely hanging onto that moniker.
So how many teams are in the market for a top four defender on the left side? The Toronto Maple Leafs sure will be if Jake Muzzin is out long term, and if they keep allowing five or more goals to non-playoff teams like the Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, which they have done in the past two weeks.
The Florida Panthers have heavily been rumoured to be in the market for a top four defender and Chiarot could be a fit there. The New York Rangers are looking to upgrade their defence and Chiarot could be a nice fit with either Adam Fox or Jacob Trouba who both play the right side.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers are in the market for defensive help. The Calgary Flames were also reportedly very interested in acquiring Chiarot when they made the Toffoli trade and they could always circle back. If Bowen Byram remains out long term, the Colorado Avalanche could be looking for a left defender to play top four minutes.
There are a few “ifs” in there, but that is a total of eight teams that will be looking for a top four blue liner ahead of the trade deadline. Many of those teams, including the Leafs, Rangers, Blues, Flames, Kings and Avs would much prefer someone to play the left side.
That is six teams calling around trying to land one of Chiarot, Giordano, Chychrun, Lindholm or Leddy. It might go down to the wire, but that’s a game of musical chairs that the Canadiens can easily win.
If the Ducks re-sign Lindholm and the asking price for Chychrun remains sky-high, Chiarot will become even more desirable by other teams.
The Canadiens can certainly land a first round pick for Chiarot, and maybe even a third round pick or something like that as well. But, since there are just a couple more buyers than sellers on the left shot, top four defender market, the Habs may have to wait until the last minute on March 21st to get a buyer to sweat a little bit and finally make their best offer.
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