Montreal Canadiens: Trade Deadline Power Rankings

The Canadiens just recently acquired Tanner Pearson, along with a third-round pick from the Canucks, in exchange for Casey DeSmith. I think the intention has always been to move Pearson, regardless of performance, similarly to Evgenii Dadonov last year. But obviously, better play helps both parties.

The good news is Pearson has played well to start the year, registering six points in 12 games thus far. He has cooled off a little after a scorching start, but he’s still played well in a secondary role. He can shoot the puck, notching a couple 20 goal seasons in his career and provides a veteran experience for a young playoff team. Pearson won a Stanley Cup back in 2014 with the Los Angeles Kings, playing on a line alongside Toffoli.

And Pearson’s contract is much easier to take on for any team, with a cap hit of $3.25 Million for just this season. And the Canadiens could retain his salary to make his contract even sweeter, but that’s not a guarantee. The Habs have just one retention spot left, already using the other two on Joel Edmundson and Jeff Petry. They may choose to keep the last spot for someone else.

Pearson would be a full-on rental, bolstering any team’s middle six. He can play in a multitude of different situations. He may not be the difference between a first-round exit and a Stanley Cup, but he can certainly contribute. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because I don’t think he’ll bring in significant compensation the way some other players could.