Canadiens: January Trade Deadline Power Rankings

With the season now reaching the halfway point, now feels like a good time to take a look at the trade deadline, which is fast approaching. The Canadiens have just 20 games between now and then, including Wednesday’s contest versus New Jersey. This is the second edition of the trade deadline power rankings, having first done so back in November.

That time, I ranked five players, but for a multitude of reasons, with injuries being a big one, I’ll only rank the three most likely candidates. I suspect Kent Hughes could be busy but not sell five players busy. Plus, it’s not yet a guarantee that Hughes will sell at the deadline, with the Canadiens still in the thick of things in the playoff hunt.

Still, I’d wager it’s more likely he sells than buys, but if that changes, fear not; we will cover that, too. But with that out of the way, let’s dive into the 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.

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.