What would a hypothetical trade package for Joel Farabee look like for the Canadiens?
Joel Farabee would make the Montreal Canadiens a better hockey team, but what would the actual trade package look like should Kent Hughes inquire?
If the Canadiens were serious contenders to land Joel Farabee, how much would general manager Kent Hughes need to give up to make the trade work? I recently outlined why it would be an outstanding idea for the Habs to trade for Farabee if someone like Trevor Zegras wasn’t available, but I wanted to spend some time concocting what should be a fair trade package from both parties involved.
This one took some serious thought, as the Habs wouldn’t be working a potential deal with a team in a complete rebuild, as is the case in Anaheim. The Philadelphia Flyers came too close to that unprecedented playoff berth in 2023-24, so if they worked out a deal regarding Farabee, the team trading for him must be willing to give up more than primarily future assets.
The Flyers and Canadiens must mutually benefit from a Joel Farabee trade
Both the Canadiens and Flyers must equally benefit should the latter opt to trade Joel Farabee, and this would be a situation for each team to improve for the here and now. One reason is that the Canadiens are in a position to get more relevant in the 2024-25 season, while the Flyers surprising 2023-24 campaign should have them talking about snagging a playoff berth.
A trade like this would require the Canadiens to give up a high-end prospect ready to take the NHL ice if the season started tomorrow. But don’t worry, we’re not talking about moving players like David Reinbacher or Logan Mailloux. There is no way the Canadiens would part ways with them, but at least one A-prospect would leave.
Yet that’s the name of the game here since the Habs would know exactly what they’re getting in someone like Farabee. But they could also entice Flyers general manager Daniel Briere with experienced talent already on the team, experienced talent that could end up pushing the Flyers back to the NHL Playoffs.
The ultimate trade compensation the Canadiens must give for Farabee
In the hypothetical trade package regarding Trevor Zegras, if you remember it, I listed blueliner David Savard as a trade piece. The same thing would go for a potential trade regarding Farabee, meaning that no, the Habs wouldn’t trade for both players as far as these compensation packages go.
Further, Savard would be that experienced blueliner who would likely take over a role similar to what Erik Johnson had when the Flyers acquired him at the trade deadline from the Buffalo Sabres. He would drop to playing third-pairing minutes in his age-34 season and stick to his stay-at-home role.
Also, like the potential Zegras deal, we’re looking at a first-round pick for 2025 involved in the swap, plus that high-end prospect who should find themselves in the NHL next season. So, in this scenario, the Habs would hang onto Owen Beck, as it would entail Joshua Roy to be part of the package.
And yes, I know, I feel the same way: I didn’t enjoy putting Roy’s name down, but he’s clearly NHL-ready. The former fifth-round pick scored four times and put up nine points in 23 contests, stole the puck nine times, and accumulated 21 blocks. He’s someone the Flyers could start the 2023-24 season with, and a player who would grow throughout the campaign.
What a Joel Farabee trade would mean for the Habs and Flyers
Before we dive into the details, check out the visual of what this trade would look like for Joel Farabee. As you can see, the Habs are still giving up quite a bit in compensation, much like the Zegras deal, but I also threw in a fourth-round pick from Philadelphia since David Savard and potentially Joshua Roy should make them a win-now team.
Farabee Trade
Last season, the Habs had four players hit the 50-point mark, and they may have had five if Sean Monahan stuck around. Someone like Farabee, who also had 50 points (22 goals), would give the Habs not just a repeat, but a better performance.
His presence would give them four cornerstones at forward, and possibly a fifth cornerstone if Alex Newhook keeps playing well. Much like Trevor Zegras, if the Habs made a trade that instead brought Joel Farabee to town, their top-six is nearly solidified with 25-and-under talent.
At this point, Brendan Gallagher would complete the top-six, but someone like Owen Beck would be on their way sooner rather than later. Overall, both teams would be better versions of themselves than they were last season, with the Flyers perhaps getting just enough to break through to the NHL Playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Habs could put themselves in position to leapfrog at least the Ottawa Senators. The trade would inch them closer to postseason contention, and it would be safe to project that the team ends the year with between 85 and 90 points.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)