The Montreal Canadiens were not expected to add much during the free agent period and they really did not. As a slowly rebuilding team they just were not looking to spend big money on newcomers since they are not ready to contend.
That is why it was surprising to see them add Jeff Petry and Casey DeSmith in a shocking trade last week. The headliner of the deal was Erik Karlsson going from the San Jose Sharks to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Canadiens got involved to ensure all the financials worked out.
Oh, and they also received a second round pick and prospect Nathan Legare for taking on the salaries of Petry and DeSmith. While a case could be made that Petry can serve as a mentor to some of the younger players and play serviceable minutes on the team’s second defense pairing, there really isn’t a spot for DeSmith.
The Canadiens already had Sam Montembeault and Jake Allen under contract for next season. Cayden Primeau is also in the organization and he will require waivers for the first time in his career before being sent down to the American Hockey League, so the crease was fairly crowded before DeSmith ever arrived.
That would signal a trade is likely to occur before the season begins. Jakub Dobes signed out of college and will make his professional debut this season, and he won’t be sharing time with Primeau and DeSmith in the AHL with the Laval Rocket. Someone is going to be on the move and it will likely be DeSmith.
The 32 year old did not have his best NHL season in 2022-23, but proved to be a very reliable backup option in the two previous seasons. Who could be interested in adding an insurance policy? Let’s take a look at three teams who could acquire DeSmith.