Montreal Canadiens: Trade Deadline Preview

NHL GMs love Josh Anderson and what he can bring to their team. There are only so many power forwards in the league, and not many of them can skate like Anderson. When he’s on his game, he’s a fierce competitor, and he seems to come alive in big games and against the Habs’ biggest rivals. It’s why Kent Hughes has seen many teams call him regarding Anderson’s availability.

Hughes doesn’t want to move Anderson but could if the right deal came along. And as we have seen before, if you wait long enough, it usually does, especially as teams continue to try and outbid each other. The issue is, can many teams afford it?

As if Montreal and Calgary haven’t traded with one another enough over the last year, the Flames are reportedly interested in Anderson. As it stands right now, Calgary can’t afford Josh Anderson without shedding some salary first, but the Canadiens could help with that by taking back a bad contract like Milan Lucic and his $5.25 million cap hit. Lucic would need to waive his no-trade clause to make it work though, which may add a wrinkle to things. Nevertheless, here is a mock trade that I think could change Hughes’ mind about not moving Anderson.

It’s a steep price for Calgary, but after the off-season they just had, there might be enough pressure building that Flames GM Brad Treliving feels he needs to do something dire. The Canadiens would add a young French prospect and a first-round pick this year while also adding a veteran on an expiring deal. The Habs would still have two other fourth-rounders in the 2023 draft despite parting with a fourth-round pick here. The Flames would get an upgrade over Lucic with a much better power forward who might thrive in Darryl Sutter’s system.