The Montreal Canadiens/Kris Letang trade rumors came out of left field this week on the Breakfast with Benz podcast. Pittsburgh radio personality Mark Madden revealed that Letang requested a trade home but the negotiations fell flat. My initial reaction was that it was just a podcast looking for clicks. However, it seems like there is some truth to the rumors.
Letang was a valuable player for the Penguins in 2023-24. He played in all 82 games, which was a welcome sight for a player battling an unfortunate injury history. He also tallied 51 points and held off new acquisition Erik Karlsson as the top offensive blueliner. Letang would be a good fit for the Canadiens if they were contenders. The problem is that the Canadiens already have a crowded roster and will likely try to distance themselves from aging veterans Mike Matheson and David Savard.
The story of Letang returning to Quebec to end his career isn't lost on me. However, the feel-good story that Canadiens fans want to see is the team winning their 25th championship, and inserting Letang into the lineup doesn't increase the likelihood of that happening. Letang holds a $6.1 million cap hit for the next four seasons, which could look like a terrible contract by the end of it. There is an emotional connection with Letang being a former client of Kent Hughes, but this isn't the value deal he was getting with Alex Newhook.
The Canadiens also can't guarantee that Letang will remain healthy. He had two healthy seasons over his last six, and taking that chance is too risky for a team trying to contend in the next 2-3 years. It's too bad that the Canadiens couldn't acquire Letang sooner when the defenseman was in his prime and the Canadiens needed a right-handed puck mover. It's too late to make this happen and Hughes must stay far away.