Recently, former Lightning co-owner Oren Koules talked about an agreed-upon trade between Tampa and Montreal. It would have been a blockbuster trade that would have sent a package of Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Chris Higgins, Tomas Plekanec, and a first-round pick to the Lightning for Vincent Lecavalier and goalie Mike Smith.
According to Koules, commissioner Gary Bettman nullified the trade as it was during a time when potential buyers for the Lightning wanted to keep Lecavalier. However, it is worth wondering what might have happened if this trade had gone through.
Jaroslav Halak probably remains with Montreal as the starting goalie
One of the biggest notable changes is that Carey Price would not have had the career he did with Montreal. He would play 15 seasons with the Canadiens and still owns the record for most games started and wins for Montreal.
Early in his career, though, it wasn't clear that he would be as great as he was and he was splitting the net with Jaroslav Halak. Around this time, both Halak and Price were heading for restricted free agency and the Canadiens had to make a choice between the two.
They ultimately went with Price and would trade Halak after the 2009-10 season to the St. Louis Blues. While the Canadiens would have gotten goalie Mike Smith as part of the trade, a deal like this would have cleared a path for Halak, and he might have ended up having the long career that Price did in Montreal.
Montreal Canadiens would not have traded for Scott Gomez
Another part of the rumored trade package was Chris Higgins, who was coming off a down season with only 23 points in 57 games after 52 points the year prior. The Canadiens would end up trading Higgins after the 2008-09 season to the New York Rangers as part of a package that brought back Scott Gomez.
It was a trade that didn't really work out, as Scott Gomez struggled to score with only a total of 21 goals over three seasons with Montreal. In fact, he went a full calendar year between goals at one point during his tenure with the Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens would miss out on elite seasons from P.K. Subban
Similar to Carey Price, the Montreal Canadiens didn't know what they had yet with defenseman P.K. Subban. He didn't make his NHL debut until the 2009-10 season and played only two games.
However, after that, was some of his best seasons as he would be named first-team All-Rookie and then two seasons later win the Norris Trophy. This would be the last time the Montreal Canadiens had a player win that award.
Eventually, Subban would be traded to the Nashville Predators in a move that brought Shea Weber to Montreal. If this rumored trade had gone through, the Canadiens would not have gotten Weber.
Vincent Lecavalier would not have lived up to what the Montreal Canadiens gave up for him
At the time this trade was being discussed, Vincent Lecavalier was one of the best centers in the NHL. In 2006-07, he led the league in goals with 52 and then had 40 goals and 92 points during the 2007-08 season.
However, his production really tailed off after that and didn't have more than 70 in any of his remaining seasons in the league. It would have been a disaster for Montreal to see Lecavalier struggle while players like Carey Price and P.K. Subban excel for a division rival in Tampa Bay.
It is tough to say exactly how the Montreal Canadiens would have done over the next decade or so, but it is hard to imagine they would have been better if this trade had ended up going through.
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