The Montreal Canadiens are still rebuilding on the fly, thanks to general manager Kent Hughes’ patience with his team. The Habs have a 12-12-3 record this season, and despite recent contract extensions, there is expected to be significant movement off their roster this season. While Samuel Montembeault, who recently signed a three-year extension, is almost certainly off the market, here are three other Canadiens trade candidates who are likely to be moved before the trade deadline in early March:
Monahan, Sean
Monahan’s name has recently appeared in multiple reports, and the trade buzz isn’t going away anytime soon. Monahan is a top target throughout the league as a veteran center with Stanley Cup Playoff experience and the skill set to play up and down the lineup.
The 29-year-old Brampton, ON native has dealt with a slew of injuries recently, but he’s managed to get his game back on track when he’s dressed. Monahan has eight goals and eight assists in 27 games so far this season. He has won 57% of his faceoffs and has played a significant role on the Canadiens special teams units, including heavy minutes on the power play and penalty killing on Montreal’s second unit.
His ability to slide over the wing if necessary does not diminish his trade value, nor does his contract. Monahan is due $1.98 million this season, the final year of his contract, and he has no trade protection and can be moved at any time. Recently, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli listed Monahan as his #2 trade target and had this to say about a deal:
Strong teams are built from the center out. When healthy, Monahan has the potential to be one of the most valuable trade chips available this deadline. He’s been productive, averaging nearly 50 points per game this season, and he doesn’t cut corners on defense. Monahan appears to be an excellent third-line center option for a Stanley Cup contender.
It is a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ Monahan will be traded, as Hughes will try to make as much money as possible.
Allen, Jake
With Montembeault committed in the long term, veteran netminder Jake Allen is on the market. So far this season, the Canadiens have accomplished the unusual feat of carrying three goalies. This is not expected to last the entire season.
Allen, 33, has one season left on his contract, which pays $3.85 million per season, and he has trade protection against seven teams, which will be reduced to three starting next summer. Allen has a 3-5-2 record in 10 appearances this season, with a 3.74 GAA and.898 save percentage. He hasn’t had a winning record in over four seasons, but the Canadiens haven’t been a wagon for him to ride in either.
With 29 Stanley Cup Playoff games under his belt and some serious production when it counts, Allen will be on the radar of several contending teams looking for crease depth. In his previous playoff run in St. Louis, he had a 1.89 GAA and.935 Sv.%.
In terms of potential fits, the Edmonton Oilers have been watching Allen’s game for the majority of the season and appear to be interested. The Colorado Avalanche have also been mentioned as a possible fit, and they will be worth watching because they have a trade history with Hughes in Montreal.
Tanner Pearson’s
While Hughes would prefer to avoid Josh Anderson’s and possibly Christian Dvorak’s massive contracts, veteran winger Tanner Pearson is one player Hughes will hear about from other teams. Pearson is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $3.2 million salary this season.
Pearson has played well for the Canadiens since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in a trade. He has eight points in 27 games this season. He’s shown 20-goal potential in the past, and his 51 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience is valuable to GMs.
Pearson isn’t your typical bang-and-crash third-line winger, but he’s defensively responsible and versatile enough to move up into a more offensive role if someone gets hurt or the team requires a quick fix. At this point in his career, he’s clearly just a depth piece, but if properly placed on a contending team, he could help move the needle heading into the postseason.
The Canadiens are one of the few NHL teams with cap space. They have Hughes, an aggressive general manager who isn’t afraid to make a bold move, and a fervent fan base that wants the team to return to relevancy. This season, Montreal should be active in the trade market, and it could start with Monahan and Allen and Pearson.
Leave a Reply