Three Potential David Savard Trades Ahead Of NHL Trade Deadline

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers were also among the teams interested in Tanev, but did not land him. That makes them a potential trade partner with the Canadiens as they try to find an upgrade on right defense.

Rumours out there suggest the Oilers are looking to move out Cody Ceci to clear some cap space and could use that space to bring in a more reliable right defender. The Canadiens could addomodate that by taking on Ceci in a trade involving Savard, though it isn't ideal for the Habs since Ceci is signed through next season.

However, their cap hits are almost identical, so it would make the trade much easier to pull off. Then, the Canadiens could focus on a slightly better return than the Flames got for Tanev because they are also taking back a bad contract to make things work for the Oilers.

With the Oilers looking to round our their top four for a long playoff run, they would have to give up their first round pick in 2024 and a solid prospect like Raphael Lavoie to land Savard. The Canadiens could make it easier on the Oilers by retaining half of Savard's salary ($1.75 million) which would actually save Edmonton money and allow them to target an impact forward as well.

Lavoie is an interesting prospect as he is a skilled forward with size, but he struggled enough to pass through waivers earlier this season. He has rebuilt some value with a strong season in the AHL but also had zero points in seven NHL games this season. The Quebec native may never make it as a full time NHLer, but at 22 there is still time to develop into an NHL player.