5 seemingly unreasonable offseason moves that would make sense for the Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are an organization with a plan in place to build methodically, but they’re also in a decent position to try some rather unconventional tactics this offseason. Tactics that, if implemented, you may say, “This would be a head-scratcher,” but in hindsight, they could honestly be brilliant. 

Sure, it would be normal to question all five transactions listed below in foresight, but when you think about each, they could benefit the Habs in the long run. Some of these potential offseason moves may only involve bringing in a player for a year, but the aftereffects would have a positive outlook for a young team like Montreal. 

Just to be clear, merely saying these moves would “make sense” doesn’t mean I fully endorse them. In fact, I may critique some, if not all of those mentioned, if Hughes makes such moves. But just because I wouldn’t care for them, it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t make sense, especially if general manager Kent Hughes decides to be thinking ahead two or three seasons down the road. 

Trading up in the 2024 NHL Draft

Take one look at the number of picks the Canadiens have in the 2024 NHL Draft, and you’ll know why trading up would be such a luxurious route. Now, this isn’t the preferred route or anything like that, since having the fifth pick is still an outstanding position to be in. But the Canadiens have the means to trade up in the weeks leading up to the draft, given their sheer draft capital. 

If there is a player ranked between second and fourth who Kent Hughes thinks highly of, there is no reason he shouldn’t try to orchestrate a trade. And when you think about it, the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, and Columbus Blue Jackets would, and should, all be willing to swap picks, with more assets coming from Hughes in such a trade.

The San Jose Sharks would be far out of the question, as no matter what Hughes would offer, general manager Mike Grier isn’t taking a chance to pass on the opportunity to draft Macklin Celebrini. But everything else is fair game, and well worth giving up assets for, such as a dynamic forward in Ivan Demidov, or another future top blueliner like Artyom Levshunov. 

Signing Jack Roslovic

Yep, Jack Roslovic wouldn’t be a half-bad signing in Quebec, thanks to several different factors. He wouldn’t be an ideal signing everywhere, and to be honest, even a potential home in Montreal also wouldn’t be considered perfect. But Roslovic’s experience from this past season would make him a solid, experienced forward for a Canadiens team that could use one more versatile player. 

Roslovic won’t be playing in the top-six in Quebec, something that was the case with the Columbus Blue Jackets when he logged 16:33 of average total ice time. He also showed he could be a decent complementary points producer in Columbus, where he put up 23 points and six goals in 40 games before Roslovic went to the New York Rangers and recorded another eight in 19 contests. 

He would be a serviceable talent who would also find himself in a familiar with the situation in Quebec. But Roslovic was also part of a winning culture this season with the New York Rangers, who are in the Eastern Conference Championship as I write this. Few have seen it from both sides of the equation better than Roslovic, and that, along with his serviceable play, would make him valuable in Montreal. 

Trading Brendan Gallagher

Here’s the situation: Brendan Gallagher is heading into his age-32 season, and he’s got another three seasons left on his deal. The deal carries an AAV of $6.5 million, and the Canadiens are on the hook to hand him $9 million this season. But there is good news: Gallagher’s base salary falls in each of the last two years of his contract, which would make him more than attractive as trade bait. 

Because that salary falls to $6.5 million next season and $4 million the following year, a potential trade involving Gallagher could even negate the Habs need to retain anything. But why would it make sense to trade someone like Gallagher in the first place?

You can argue that it makes zero sense, considering his status as alternate captain and that he finished fifth on the team in goals scored. Gallagher was an effective asset in the middle-six and is a great leader. But there’s hardly any chance he will be in Montreal long after this Canadiens team starts winning, so the better option would be to move him elsewhere so a younger talent can take his place.