Five Free Agents The Canadiens Could Target This Off-Season
By Ryan Praught
Kris Letang
This would be a splash, and an unlikely one at that, but it could still be a possibility, especially with Jeff Petry’s future up in the air. Earlier this season, Petry requested a trade, but it appears as though he isn’t opposed to returning to Montreal next season either.
Kent Hughes has a tough decision to make regarding Petry’s future with the organization, especially if there are decent trade offers on the table.
"The situation was definitely different than it is now. Since Marty took ove, I've started to find my game. Going to take some time, get back to my family, and we're going to have a conversation. I don't want to close the door on this organization." - Jeff Petry@MTLhockeynow
— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) April 30, 2022
This brings us to Kris Letang, a Quebec born defenseman that has won three Stanley Cups in his lengthy career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now, Letang is a pending UFA, and the cap situation in Pittsburgh might make it difficult to keep the defenseman in the Steel City.
The Penguins cup window may be over, with their last playoff series win coming in 2018, before falling in the second round. They may choose to move on from Letang, regardless of the cap space available.
If that’s the case, the Canadiens may be interested in Letang, especially if Jeff Petry is traded before Free Agency opens. While the Canadiens may not be in win now mode, and instead are focusing on player and prospect development, having a veteran presence on the blueline is important. Letang would certainly provide that for the Habs.
Letang put up 68 points in 78 games this season for the Penguins, including 22 points quarterbacking the powerplay, as he has done for the last decade in Pittsburgh. The Canadiens need someone to do that for them, and possibly mentor some of the other young defensemen in the organization as well. A 1-2 year deal at $5-6 Million would be good for Montreal, but Letang may want more.
Ultimately, it will come down to price and fit for Letang. He’s from Quebec, so he may be open to coming home, but he may still want to compete for the cup, and let’s face it, Montreal just can’t offer him that right now. And if Jeff Petry is not traded, you can pretty much rule out Letang coming to Montreal.