It's time to end the speculation and analysis of which direction the Montreal Canadiens should go at this year's trade deadline. The team had an excellent opportunity to prove why the fans should continue to believe in them this weekend. However, they lost both games to the Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils and spent too much time looking in the back of their net for pucks, as Sam Montembeault does in the picture above.
There was an argument to have that the Canadiens should have been sellers regardless at this year's trade deadline. They made some progress midway through the season and looked like playoff contenders, but this roster would never be in contention for a Stanley Cup. If you make the postseason and everything falls correctly, you could pull off an upset or two and advance through the rounds. However, everything went correctly in 2021, and the Canadiens still fell three wins short with Carey Price.
It isn't easy to win the Stanley Cup in this league. It's the most challenging postseason to compete in, and the Canadiens don't have the maturity or horses to climb that mountain. The day when they are ready to do it is coming, but it won't be in 2025. The Canadiens are better off getting rid of their expiring assets, compiling some more of those younger assets in the trade returns, and dreaming about the brighter days ahead.
Punting on the success they showed through November and December and selling at the trade deadline isn't an easy surrender to make. The Canadiens front office has been known to be stubborn, but it's a different era under Kent Hughes. In a report from RG.org, a source states that the Canadiens are ready to become sellers but may try to acquire some young roster players instead of draft capital and prospects.
"Sources indicate that Montreal is targeting a young, NHL-ready forward and age-appropriate top-4 right-shot defensemen—someone who can contribute immediately but also fits into their long-term vision," Marco D'Amico at RG.org states. "The Canadiens have reportedly expressed interest in players such as Dylan Cozens and Trevor Zegras, as both fit the mold of skilled, young centers who could complement their existing lineup.
The Cozens and Zegras ideas aren't foreign to this site, as we've broken down the possibility of signing those players ad nauseam. The Canadiens have plenty of options, and it could finally be time for Hughes to come down off the fence. The 12-day break gives the front office plenty of time to come to terms with this season being a lost cause and get comfortable with getting back into the draft lottery and landing a top pick.