The Montreal Canadiens can take solace that they are one of the top scoring teams in the league and have plenty of young stars. That's why the Canadiens are in prime playoff position. But they are trailing the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division by a significant margin.
One main area of concern for the Canadiens is goaltending. Sam Montembault has been far from great in net, as he owns a 3.46 goals allowed average, a .869 save percentage, and a 9-8-2 record through 22 games. Jakub Dobes, meanwhile, has had more success in terms of wins (15-5-3 record), but owns a .887 save percentage. If the team wants to make a run to the Stanley Cup, they need to try and add some goaltending help.
The Minnesota Wild are shocking the hockey world, as recent reporting indicated that they are open to trading rookie sensation Jesper Wallstedt. He was one of the biggest stars in the NHL early in the season, but has fallen back down to Earth, so to speak, in the new year.
Wallstedt would be a dream trade target for the Canadiens. The problem is, the Wild have a very high asking price.
Jesper Wallstedt fits Canadiens' need, but the asking price is high
The Wild are willing to listen on Wallstedt, but they are not completely motivated to move him at whatever cost. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Wild are open to moving Wallstedt due in part to Filip Gustavsson having a full no-trade clause, and they would move the rookie at the right price. That right price, according to Russo, is a No. 1 caliber center.
Sure, the Canadiens have a deep core of young players, such as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Oliver Kapanen. Sure, having the depth does help, but would the Canadiens front office comprised of Team President Jeff Gorton and General Manager Kent Hughes consider moving on from their young core of forwards?
This season, the Canadiens are averaging 3.37 goals per game, the fifth-highest mark in the league. The scoring is a non-issue.
Wallstedt was stellar to start the season for Minnesota. November was a standout month for Wallstedt, as he recorded a 6-0-0 record, a 1.14 goals allowed average, and a .967 save percentage. It truly felt like the Wild had their goaltender of the future. But in January, Wallstedt has a 4.42 goals allowed average, a .865 save percentage, and a 1-3-1 record. His play this month has been concerning, but the upside is there.
If the Canadiens truly want a potential game-changing goaltender like Wallstedt, they'd have to pay a siginificant sum. That means a top center to help the Wild in their playoff push.