The Calgary Flames announced on Sunday that Kevin Bahl will miss the rest of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles. Shortly after the news broke, Darren Dreger believes that Flames general manager Craig Conroy might look to add a young defenseman, and if that is the case, Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens should be the first call Conroy makes.
Right now, the Canadiens have a crowded blueline even after trading Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators earlier this season. Right now the third pair is Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom but one of those two likely will come out once Mike Matheson is ready to return from his injury.
On top of those two, David Reinbacher is NHL-ready but down in Laval with no roster spot available in Montreal. Then, of course, there is also Luke Mittelstadt, who is tied for the AHL lead in points with 18 through 14 games.
Montreal Canadiens should try to get a trade done for Morgan Frost
While the Calgary Flames need a defenseman and the Canadiens have plenty, it has to make sense from Montreal's perspective. They should look to add a player who helps them, and they still could use a center for their second line.
For Kent Hughes, the conversation should start with what it might cost to acquire Morgan Frost, a center who has been rumored to be available.
Frost is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. However, he is coming off a career season with 22 goals and 21 assists and is already off to a strong start with 12 points in 17 games.
While the Canadiens are operating under the belief that Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky are going to be on their roster before the end of the season, it doesn't make sense to believe that Hage can step right into the Top 6 and make an impact this season. Kent Hughes should be looking for a player who could handle that role this season, and trading for a player like Frost makes perfect sense.
The Canadiens are not committing to anything long-term by trading for a player like Frost but if he plays well, it doesn't stop them from working on an extension. It is a move that really makes sense for both sides and Frost is a player that can help Montreal this season.
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