Montreal Canadiens Could Play The Role of a Third Party Broker
The Montreal Canadiens continue to be a team to watch as the March 8th NHL Trade Deadline approaches. Montreal has several key players that teams are interested in. We know general manager Kent Hughes has been looking for trade partners.
Outside of moving Sean Monahan for a first-round pick, that offer would not get any better; nobody else has moved.
NHL Rumors: Canadiens Continue To Weigh Options With All Three Goalies
As Marco D’Amico of Montreal Hockey Now writes, teams continue to call general manager Kent Hughes about players Jake Allen and David Savard. Hughes is still firm on his ground as he remains patient, looking for the right price. Hughes will not make a trade for the sake of making a trade. He wants to get the right offer.
However, as D’Amico notes, what if the correct price does not come and the market dries up for both Allen and Savard? Then what do the Canadiens do? We know they will have a top 10 pick in the NHL Draft this season, but could they be a third party to help facilitate trades to acquire draft capital?
As NHLRumors.com wrote earlier in the season, that quite possibly could be the case. The Canadiens helped the Penguins and Sharks move Nick Bonino last year. Montreal got a 5th-round pick and prospect out of it. So the price could be even higher now.
Earlier in the year, it made sense for the Canadiens to be a third-party broker, and it does now too, especially with so many teams up against a flat salary cap or using LTIR to open up cap space.
NHL Rumors: Kent Hughes is Focused on Finding A Trade Partner
The possibility has always been there, and with retention spots still available, they could help teams like the Anaheim Ducks with Adam Henrique, the Seattle Kraken with Jordan Eberle, and potentially Jake Guentzel if the Penguins move him.
When Erik Karlsson got traded, the Canadiens were part of the three-team trade with San Jose and Pittsburgh. So, anything is possible.
Expect things to pick up as the March 8th NHL Trade Deadline approaches as teams could get more desperate to add the Canadiens to the mix to get trade season going again.