Canadiens: January Trade Deadline Power Rankings

3. Jake Allen

With the emergence of Cayden Primeau as a respectable NHL goalie and a need to eventually get back to a two-goaltender system, it feels increasingly likely that Jake Allen could be traded. Samuel Montembeault has emerged as a starter and is locked in, having signed an extension earlier this season. And the Canadiens clearly still want to keep Primeau, having avoided putting him on waivers all season.

And now, several teams are in need of help at the goaltender position across the NHL. Some are in desperate need of an upgrade, which might make less sense for Allen, but others just need quality depth, which Allen could certainly provide. Still, Hughes appears to be playing this one close to the vest. Will he eventually pounce?

I say yes, but not until the iron is hottest, which may be closer to the deadline. Hughes clearly has a price, and he’s not willing to budge from it. And to be fair, the goalie market has felt hot all season and yet no one has made a move yet. Perhaps patience will pay off for Hughes, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Allen slots down a spot, after falling at number two on the initial rankings. While I suspect he may be traded, I’ve felt this way for a while, and nothing has been done since. That said, I think Allen wouldn't mind a change of scenery seeing as his playing time has been cut from what it was in each of the last two seasons. But I’m not certain Allen will fetch a massive return the way other players could. For those reasons, he falls at number three in the rankings.

2. David Savard

Raise your hand if you thought David Savard was going to be an offensive weapon for the Canadiens this season. Ok, maybe weapon is too strong of a word, but he’s been an unexpected surprise offensively, with 11 points in 21 games. That’s a 42-point pace over a whole season, which would easily be a career-high for him. And that’s on top of logging big minutes, killing penalties and blocking shots.  

Savard would be a coveted asset for any team making a playoff push at the trade deadline. Just like Ben Chiarot was two seasons ago for the Canadiens when he fetched them a first-round pick and a prospect. Or perhaps more fittingly, just like Savard was three seasons ago when he was acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a first-round pick and a third-round pick.

Back then, Savard was about to become a UFA in the off-season where he ultimately signed with the Canadiens. But he helped the Lightning defeat the Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup before that. I’d bet he’ll be coveted again if the Canadiens are open to moving him. The only difference is this time, Savard has another year on his contract. That may scare some teams off, but I’d imagine that there would still be a lot of interest in Savard’s services.

I don’t think Hughes is looking to move Savard per se, but if the offer is right, Hughes will be more than willing to make a deal. He was cool doing that with Chiarot, and I envision the same will be true here. And if he doesn’t like the offers, he can wait another year and try again. But I think shifts like this explain why there may be a high demand for Savard:

Savard joins the rankings for the first time after not being ranked back in November. He is the prototypical trade deadline acquisition, and I think he’ll make any team that acquires happy with the role he serves. He’s also apparently a great presence in the locker room, so that should only help his trade value.

1. Sean Monahan

Many assumed that Sean Monahan would have been traded last season at the deadline, but an injury that saw him only play in 25 games changed that. He seems to be healthier this year, knock on wood, and looks primed to be moved this time around. I would be shocked if a healthy Monahan is wearing a Canadiens jersey past March 8th.  

Monahan signed a one-year extension with the Canadiens in the off-season for $1.985 million, a very trade-friendly contract. It seemed like a bit of a discount at the time, and now we see why. It appears as though the Canadiens and Monahan had and still have an agreement that will see him get traded to a contender at the deadline.

I would assume there will be interest in Monahan’s services as he’s still a dependable middle-six centre. Health is the biggest concern with him, as he’s missed a ton of time over the course of his career due to various injuries. But the market should be there for Monahan, and the Canadiens will take full advantage of that. The reported asking price? A first-round pick or a second-round pick and a prospect. That would be a solid return for the Canadiens on top of acquiring a first-round pick for taking Monahan off the Calgary Flames hands in the 2022 off-season.

Monahan retains the top spot in the rankings, a place he would’ve been in had I done this list last year as well. The intention was always to move Monahan, and that will remain true heading into this year’s deadline as well.