3 recently traded pending free agents who would ignite the Canadiens in 2024-25

Anthony Duclair could move about the lineup as the Canadiens keep growing

Anthony Duclair would make for a versatile puzzle piece regardless of whether he re-signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning or if he ended up with another team that may not contend for the upcoming season. While signing with someone like the Canadiens could be a last resort for Duclair, his ability to hold certain spots in the middle-six would work well for the Habs. 

As younger players eventually make their way to the Canadiens or, if applicable, expand their respective roles with the big club, Duclair would join a contingent like Joel Armia, Jake Evans, and Christian Dvorak, who would ultimately move down the lineup. 

As was the case with the Sharks this past season, Duclair is also a player Kent Hughes could end up moving should a team in contention need a potentially high-scoring winger. For most of his career, Duclair has provided impeccable scoring value even when playing for the worst teams, so there’s no doubt that trend continues even if he landed in Montreal for a while. 

And that would, at times, lead to Montreal snagging more wins and points than they otherwise would have earned this past season. Remember, this is a team that finished 26th in goals scored, so if they climbed only a few rungs in the scoring department, quite a few potential losses would be flipped around into wins.