What the Montreal Canadiens could use as trade chips at the NHL Trade Deadline

The NHL Trade Deadline is on Friday, and the Montreal Canadiens have been in their fair share of rumours. Whether it is for a top-six centre, a winger to play alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, a physical right-shot defenceman, or an upgrade in net, the Canadiens have been involved in just about everything. But if new players are coming in, someone from Montreal’s everyday roster will have to go the other way.

Some players hold more value than others, and if the Canadiens are trying to acquire a player who can play in their top-six on offence, it will take someone of value going the other way. The Canadiens have pieces that they can work with, but that might mean moving off some young players to get the deal done.

Kirby Dach

Kirby Dach was originally acquired at the 2022 NHL entry draft, when they flipped the first-round pick they received from trading Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders and added their own third-round pick to sweeten the deal. Dach was a former third-overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, but after struggling in his three years there, he got a fresh start with a move to Montreal. For the Canadiens, the hope was that one day he could be the team’s second-line centreman, but the injury bug has delayed that process. Dach has had multiple season-ending injuries in his four years in Montreal, playing in 117 out of a possible 246 games in his first three seasons.

In that time, the emergence of Oliver Kapanen and the reacquisition of Phillip Danault have left Dach playing on the wing. With the rumour circulating around the NHL that the Canadiens could be eyeing a player to play alongside Suzuki and Caufield, Dach’s name could be used as a trade chip to get the deal done. However, with that being said, Dach has played very well on the first line with Suzuki and Caufield, recording four points in five games since moving to the line. The upgrade would have to be substantial for the Canadiens to consider it, but it does not appear that any big-name wingers are on the market as of now.

Arber Xhekaj

If the Canadiens are truly looking for an upgrade on defence, it will likely be at the cost of Arber Xhekaj. The way Martin St. Louis and his staff have chosen to deploy Xhekaj this season is puzzling to say the least. When he is in the lineup, he is rarely on the ice, playing less than 10 minutes in a game in six of his last 10 appearances. Even when he plays well, he finds himself on the outside looking in. He played well against the Islanders in a losing effort, but in the next game against the Washington Capitals, he found himself out of the Canadiens' lineup.

Xhekaj likely holds a higher trade value than Jayden Strubble, based on his physical gifts. The 6’4” physical defenceman also has a blistering slap shot that we saw on display at the Canadiens skill competition during the Olympic break. Teams may believe they could unlock his potential better than the Canadiens have so far this season. The Canadiens have Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher waiting in the wings, making Xhekaj more expendable than in years past. If the Canadiens do acquire a physical right-shot defenceman, it will likely mean Xhekaj is going the other way in the transaction.

High-end draft picks

The Canadiens' front office was unwilling to move off their first-round picks, that was, until their blockbuster deal in the summer to acquire Noah Dobson. Montreal may be more willing than ever to trade its draft picks if there is a deal that makes the team better right now. Any high-end rental would cost the Canadiens, at a minimum, a first-round pick. The Connor Murphy trade to the Edmonton Oilers for a second-round pick (Blackhawks retain 50% of his salary) will only raise the price in the defenceman market. With the Canadiens having interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen, it might take a first-round pick to get that deal done.

Besides adding a defenceman, if the Canadiens truly want to upgrade their goaltending position with someone with playoff experience, both Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington will command at minimum a first-round pick. Montreal have had its name circulating around a plethora of players, and whether it is Robert Thomas, Nazem Kadri, or Ryan O’Reilly, if any of those rumours were to materialize, a package of picks would have to be involved to get a deal done.