Canadiens Will Continue To Play Waiting Game on Trade Market Involving Defensemen
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period on TSN Montreal Radio was asked about what the Canadiens could do with so many defensemen in their system.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
NHL Rumors: Vancouver Canucks, and the Montreal Canadiens
Host: “Wrapping up with Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period on Campbell versus Gallo. So what happens with the Canadiens blue line that is starting to get really crowded?”
Pagnotta: “I think it’s patience from a managing perspective. From Kent Hughes’s side of things, again, look at the Canadiens as close as they may seem with or within reach, I guess, of a playoff spot, it’d be nice, but the objective is to continue to build; continue to develop these players and when you’ve got you know four guys in it, on a roster, excuse me that are 22 years old, I think, (Jordan) Harris is 23 you want to see what these guys can do.
So let’s give him the opportunity. Let’s rotate a couple of guys when we can and see how they perform. I think the Canadiens are taking a patient approach to this. And I don’t see anything wrong with it because, again, you want to see what you have and at the same time because of the amount of depth you have not everybody between the four guys here, (Arber) Xhekaj and (Logan) Mailloux and a couple others in Laval and the other guys you in the system overall, you are not going to have 15 spots on the blue line.
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens, and the Calgary Flames
So eventually, the Canadians will utilize these assets. And maybe this is an opportunity for them right now to showcase some of these guys not necessarily for potential move now leading up to the trade deadline on March 8, but to start the wheel and get it moving for potential moves in the summer around draft time.
So it’s a combination. I think of that and also just again, wanting to see what these guys are capable of and what they’re doing. It’s a very, very good problem to have, as Kent Hughes alluded to in his press conference last week.”