Canadiens Price Tags: Ranking the Trade Value of Every Player

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The Montreal Canadiens are certain to be sellers leading up to the March 21st trade deadline that is officially two weeks away.

They already started selling when they dealt Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames for a combination of prospects, draft picks and cap dumps. We can expect that trend to continue as they are still the second worst team in the NHL standings, even after winning seven of eight games.

They could continue playing at this pace for the rest of the season under new head coach Martin St. Louis, but it won’t be enough to overcome the hole they dug for themselves to begin the season.

So the selloff will continue. The team needs a bit of an infusion of young talent throughout the lineup. They could be much better next season, with a healthy Carey Price and Jake Allen in goal and a rebuilt blue line. It would all start by selling at this trade deadline and then being aggressive in the offseason as they look to add via trades and free agency.

But, let’s start with step one and the trade deadline. The team will be moving out veteran players for future assets. But who will they trade? And what will they get in return?

Well, here is the totally inside (no, it’s not) look at exactly what general manager Kent Hughes will trade every single player for right now. (Again, I’m kidding).

But seriously, what would be fair market price for every single Canadiens player? Let’s go down the list from the player with the least value (sorry Paquette but we all know it) to the player with the most and what kind of return they could expect.

Jan 30, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens left wing Michael Pezzetta. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports /

The Low End Tier

Cedric Paquette: He might get less than Michael McNiven did. (In case you forgot, Michael McNiven was traded for nothing.)

Andrew Hammond: I guess fair value is a depth AHL player like Brandon Baddock.

Kale Clague: When you get off waivers his value is low. When he is an offensive player with two points in 22 games, that value is lower. Could be traded for a player that already cleared waivers.

Sami Niku: Speaking of players who recently cleared waivers… if a contending team gets a couple injuries they might move a 7th round pick for Niku.

Michael Pezzetta: Same idea as Niku. No one is scrambling to add him but a team that wants a depth forward in case of injury(ies).

Laurent Dauphin: Same as Pezzetta except he can play centre so he’s worth a tad more.

Samuel Montembeault: You can only allow five or more goals so many times before value hits rock bottom. Acquired from waivers, could be traded for another player who passed through waivers.

Corey Schueneman: Has played quite well when called upon but is still way down the depth chart. Would be well down any other team’s depth chart as well so value is low.

Chris Wideman: An offensive minded depth defenceman who could go for a 7th round pick like Erik Gustafsson did last season.

Mathieu Perreault: A cheaper version of Paul Byron so he has a little value but he has been hurt most of the season as well. Could get the Habs a 6th round pick.

Rem Pitlick: Also picked up off waivers (do the Habs let anyone through waivers?) but has played well, scoring 21 points in 40 games this season. Team looking for depth may offer a 6th round pick.

Tyler Pitlick: The Canadiens acquired another Pitlick, right? Has he just decided not to show up? And who could really blame him if he didn’t want to? Tyler Pitlick is a veteran, depth winger that a playoff team could pick up for a late draft pick if he is healthy before the deadline.

Nov 15, 2019; Washington, DC, USA; Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Value would be a lot higher without that contract…

Paul Byron: Contending teams would like to have him, except his cap hit is way too high, he has another year on his deal and he is always hurt. Would be hard to get anything for him because no one could fit his contract.

Shea Weber: A team like the Arizona Coyotes might enjoy having a nearly $8 million cap hit for each of the next four years for a total price of $6 million.

Carey Price: Teams don’t even know if he will play again and his contract is the biggest among goaltenders in the league for four more seasons. He would jump pretty far up this list by just playing a single game, but right now he has pretty much no value on the trade market.

Brendan Gallagher: Without taking back a lot of bad money, or eating a lot of Gallagher’s contract, the Canadiens won’t be able to move Gallagher’s $6.5 million cap hit with five more years remaining. He has five goals this season after scoring twice in last year’s playoffs.

Joel Armia: Much like Gallagher, contending teams would like the player, but with three more years at $3.4 million? Not so much. On his own, Armia would be very difficult to move.

Joel Edmundson: Two more years left at $3.5 million isn’t bad at all for a rock solid defender like Edmundson, but when will he be healthy enough to play? And does he need back surgery? Yikes.

Oct 26, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Montreal Canadiens left wing Jonathan Drouin. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports /

The Middle Tier

Brett Kulak: Depending on who you ask he is either an elite defenceman or a depth piece that is a dime a dozen but such is life in the era of analytics vs eye test. His game does sway from decent (usually) to great (rarely) and he is cheap and on an expiring contract. A 4th round pick to go play on a contending team’s third pairing makes sense.

Mike Hoffman: Was traded for 2nd, 4th and 5th round picks in 2018 after scoring 22 goals and 56 points. He is on pace for the same number of goals and 41 points over a full season this year, but is now 32 years old and signed for two more years at $4.25 million. Could fetch a B-level prospect or a 3rd round pick at this juncture of his career.

Jake Evans: Signed a three year deal (didn’t everybody at the end of Bergevin’s tenure) worth $1.7 million per year. He’s an okay fourth line centre and a team with some questions down the middle might give up a third round pick but his term is a bit much.

Jake Allen: Goalies just don’t have that much trade value. Even if he was playing extremely well, Allen wouldn’t be worth a first round pick. The Habs could deal him for a third if they wanted.

Jonathan Drouin: Hardest player to pinpoint a trade value. Has a ton of skill but also never puts it all together for a season. Scores in bunches and then goes quiet. Signed for one more season at $5.5 million so trade partners are limited. He’s also hurt but should be back soon. Wouldn’t be wild to see a team give up a good prospect or a second round pick for Drouin if they have the right fit for him.

David Savard: Was traded last season for first and third round picks. A smart, defensive defenceman who can kill penalties. His value is less because of he is 31 years old and signed for three more seasons at $3.5 million. He wouldn’t fetch a first again, but definitely a second round pick.

Ryan Poehling: Tons of potential as a possible two-way third line centre, but he hasn’t scored much at the NHL level. A former first round pick and still just 23 years old. Could definitely fetch second and third round picks or something similar in terms of prospects, but it doesn’t make much sense for the Canadiens to trade him.

Mar 3, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /

The Top Tier

Artturi Lehkonen: A really good defensive player who has surprised many by scoring 25 points in 53 games. The Canadiens will put a price tag of a first round pick on him, but aren’t likely to get it. He is right on the cusp of being worth a first rounder but isn’t quite there.

Christian Dvorak: Hasn’t really clicked with the Habs yet, but was worth a first and a second round pick to the Habs before the season began. Should pick up his game under Martin St. Louis and is definitely still worst a first round pick to a contender looking for depth at centre.

Jeff Petry: Brutal start to the season but has bounced back lately. Three more years on a contract that has him earning $6.25 million until he is 37. Still a top four defenceman on the right side that can play both ends of the ice. Definitely worth a top end prospect like a recent mid to late first round pick or a contending team’s upcoming first round pick.

Ben Chiarot: Without a doubt he is worth at least what David Savard got last year which was a first and a third round pick.

Alexander Romanov: Won’t be traded because he is worth an elite level prospect or a top ten draft pick but other teams won’t be willing to give that up at the moment.

Josh Anderson: Playing extremely well right now with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Would take a wild offer for the Habs to move him. He is worth a first round pick and an excellent prospect but other teams will be a bit wary of his lengthy contract and rugged style of play working well together.

Cole Caufield: His value is another team’s untouchable 20 year old emerging star. Obviously the Habs are content to keep him.

Nick Suzuki: Like Bruce Boudreau said when asked if he would be okay with his team trading JT Miller, “Yeah, if Connor McDavid is coming this way.” Obviously in jest, but pretty much the same sentiment for Suzuki. Caufield and Suzuki are the team’s building blocks.

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