Montreal Canadiens: 4 Habs Already Packing Bags 4 Weeks From Trade Deadline
The Montreal Canadiens are sellers in case anyone was not sure yet. They already traded Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets for a first round pick, signalling the start of their selling phase.
Unfortunately for us Habs fans, this isn't a new space for the Canadiens. They were sellers two years when they traded Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames for a package that included a first round pick. They also shipped out Ben Chiarot that year for a first round pick in addition to other assets.
Last season was quieter, but saw them continue to tinker and continue in their selling and rebuilding state. This season, they are somewhere in between since they have already moved their biggest piece of trade bait in Monahan.
What will come next? Well, with the team having secured 50 points in 50 games, they are far from an embarrasment that needs to completely revamp the organization. They have some good young pieces in place that are going to be key components of this team when it is rebuilt. These players are already keeping the team afloat and on pace for 82 points in a rebuilding season.
This isn't the Chicago Blackhawks that has a roster of Connor Bedard and 22 placeholders that need to be replaced and improved upon in the coming years.
As such, we are not going to see a gigantic firesale in Montreal in the coming weeks. However, as a rebuilding team that is far enough outside the playoff picture they will continue to look to sell assets.
The trade deadline is on March 8th and is now exactly four weeks away. There are some Canadiens players who are far more likely to move than others. Let's take a look at the four Canadiens who are already packing their bags with four weeks to go until trade deadline.
Lucas Condotta
Lucas Condotta is not likely to be traded by the Canadiens before the trade deadline. So, why is he packing his bags already? Well, Alex Newhook is due back in the lineup any day now and someone is going to lose their roster spot.
Condotta has played fine for the Canadiens, but someone has to go down when Newhook returns to the lineup and Condotta is the logical odd man out. He plays a strong two-way game for the Laval Rocket and they are in a playoff hunt themselves and can use the services of Condotta to help them get there.
The 26 year old has played three games with the Canadiens so far, and had 13 points in 40 AHL games with the Rocket to begin the season. He should be prepared to head back down to the AHL as soon as Newhook is back.
Tanner Pearson
When a team is struggling and become sellers ahead of the trade deadline, the most logical moves for them to make are to trade away their pending unrestricted free agents. You are going to lose these players for nothing in the summer anyway, so you may as well trade them for something now instead.
Well, the Canadiens do not have many UFAs to toss out there on the trade market right now. In fact, their only players who are about to hit the open market this summer are Chris Wideman who has not played this season and Tanner Pearson who just returned from his own injury.
Pearson played well to start the season on a veteran third line with Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher, but cooled off quickly. He is still a trusted veteran who skates well and is good defensively. No one can ever take his Stanley Cup winning experience away from him which makes him a desirable asset for contending teams.
However, his $3.25 million cap hit and eight points in 31 games will ensure the Canadiens can't get a big return. If they retain half of his cap hit, they will find a team that can use an experienced fourth line winger for a 5th round pick in return.
David Savard
If there is one thing these general managers in the National Hockey League like more than they should it is Ryan Reaves, After that it is veteran defensive defensemen who kill penalties and block shots.
David Savard is not Ryan Reaves but he is a veteran defensive defenseman who kills penalties and blocks shots. He was traded at a deadline three years ago and then went on to help the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup. He blocked shots, killed penalties and just played smart defensive minutes for that team and could do it once again.
You could make the argument that since he also has 11 points in just 28 games this season, and had only six points in 40 games before being traded at the 2021 deadline, that he has more trade value now than when he was traded for first and third round draft picks.
If anyone offers a first round pick, Savard will be packing his bags and heading out of town on the next flight. Since he is exactly the type of player general managers look for at this time of year, expect him to be dealt.
Jake Allen
The Canadiens need to end the three goaltender experiment. First of all, because it is an experiment that had been tried in the past and just does not work. We know that already so why even bother trying it out?
Secondly, we have gotten the answers we needed at the beginning of the season. Allen is a fine veteran option and we knew that anyway. What we have learned is that Sam Montembeault may very well be a solid starter in the NHL and Cayden Primeau deserves to hang around with the Canadiens as an option as well.
So what we really learned is Allen is no longer needed since a Montembeault/Primeau tandem would be just fine.
Also, there are a handful of contending teams with questions in goal. The Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings all consider themselves among the teams with a chance to win it all, yet they also need help in goal.
One of them is eventually going to offer the Canadiens what they want for Allen. It is just a matter of time and then he will be packing his bags and heading out.
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