The Montreal Canadiens haven't been able to make a trade yet to upgrade their Top 6 but it certainly doesn't mean they aren't trying. According to Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens have been working the phone and even calling on "the guys that you wouldn't think about."
Recently on Insider Trading, LeBrun mentioned that the Canadiens have been calling around to get an understanding of the full market. He mentions they are monitoring some of the players who have already been reported, like Vincent Trocheck, but also some players who may be a surprise, like the New York Islanders' Bo Horvat.
"Speaking of Montreal, by the way, I mean, they’re being pretty aggressive calling around to figure out the market when it comes to being able to upgrade their top-six forward group. They’re monitoring Vincent Trocheck for sure and see where that goes. But they’re also calling on guys that you wouldn’t really think about. I mean, my understanding is they’ve called the Islanders on Bo Horvat, and the answer was no, he’s not available. They’ve called Columbus on Kirill Marchenko and also got a fat no from the Blue Jackets. The point is to illustrate that Montreal’s calling not just on the obvious guys but making sure they understand the full market."
Montreal Canadiens are certainly looking to make a big splash by pursuing players like Bo Horvat
There is no question that a player like Bo Horvat would have been a great addition to the Canadiens Top 6. He immediately addresses a major need at center and a significant upgrade at the position.
In the past three seasons, Horvat has averaged over 30 goals per season and has been excellent in the faceoff circle with a win percentage over 56%. He may be a little older in terms of players the Canadiens have targeted, as he will be 31 this season with five more seasons on his contract with an AAV of $8.5 million.
One thing that is clear is that the Canadiens are trying to get a deal done but in their mind have a certain value they want to offer. Unfortunately, with some of the trades made already the asking price has certainly risen, as evident by Bowen Byram's trade to the Chicago Blackhawks or the reported offers for Mason McTavish that includes the 11th overall pick from the St. Louis Blues.
It certainly seems that the Canadiens are trying to get a deal done and exploring outside the obvious trade candidates. The big question is whether they can find a trade that addresses their need with a player that makes sense while offering enough to make it worth it for the other team.
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