NHL Trade Rumors: 5 deals the Canadiens should make
Here are five trades the Montreal Canadiens should make to help them win their first Stanley Cup in over 20 years.
Patience is not a virtue when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens. While they have won the most Stanley Cups of any franchise, their fanbase hasn’t seen a victory parade in over 20 years. When you’re used to having them on a regular basis, that seems like an eternity. Montreal is hoping to end their drought, as they have one of the best teams in the NHL.
As of Dec. 16, the Habs lead the Atlantic Division. They have a well balanced team featuring the likely Vezina Trophy winner (Carey Price) and a Norris Trophy candidate (Shea Weber). However, Montreal has struggled to score without Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais, both of whom are out with injuries. Their injuries expose the Habs’ main weakness — their lack of forward depth. In order to win the Cup, they must add depth. Here are five trades the Canadiens should make.
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5. Michael Stone
Sure, Montreal needs seem forward depth. But it also wouldn’t hurt them to add a right-handed option to their blue line. With several prospects who could get playing time next season, trading for a pending unrestricted free agent makes a lot of sense. It upgrades their blue line without potentially stunting a prospect’s development. Michael Stone of the Arizona Coyotes would be a great fit for the Habs.
First of all, he would give them a very complete blue line. Stone is capable of playing over 20 minutes a night. Though he has just six points in his first 20 games, it’s likely due to the Coyotes being a terrible team. In the playoffs, you can go with a short bench on your blue line. Joel Quenneville has proven this. However, if you have six quality defensemen, you don’t have to. Stone would provide them with that option.
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4. Jarome Iginla
Once a foe of the Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla could provide Montreal with some much needed forward depth. He is also a proven scorer, as the last time he didn’t score at least 20 goals in a season was during the 1997-98 season. Through 28 games this season, Iginla has just three goals. However, this is with the Avalanche, who are a complete mess.
Iginla would fit in nicely with the Habs. He’d probably be on their fourth forward line, which could look very different than it does now, depending on what else Montreal does. Iginla would help the Habs have four lines capable of scoring. While he’s not nearly as fast as he used to be (and he was never fast to begin with), he can still get to the greasy areas to score goals. That makes him an excellent fit in Michel Therrien’s system.
Of course, there are some cheaper options than Iginla. After all, once Galchenyuk and Plekanec get back healthy, the lineup will be a bit crowded. If they trade for another center, things will be even more complicated. But Iginla still makes quite a bit of sense for Montreal. Also, wouldn’t it be terrific to see the legend ride off into the sunset with his first Stanley Cup?
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3. Brian Gionta
If the Canadiens are looking to add a forward, why not turn to an old friend in Buffalo Sabres right wing (and captain) Brian Gionta? Michel Therrien is already quite familiar with him and the former Habs forward would likely be willing to waive his limited no trade clause for a chance to play for a Stanley Cup.
Gionta would also fit into the locker room. Consider that Montreal put a heavy focus on leadership in their offseason moves, trading for Shea Weber and Andrew Shaw. If this is still the case, why not bring in a captain? Sure, the Sabres are terrible. But it’s not Gionta’s fault his team has very little depth.
An added benefit of the diminutive forward is he can fit in a variety of roles. Gionta can spend time on special teams, both on the power play and penalty kill. He can play on either side as well, which helps with Montreal’s issue of left wing depth.
However, it’s worth considering things could get awkward because Gionta used to be the Habs’ captain. But this is a risk Montreal should be more than happy to take because they’re in “win now” mode. Gionta would be a solid pickup for the Canadiens.
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2. Patrick Eaves
If the Canadiens really want to splurge on a rental forward in their Stanley Cup pursuit, the best one is probably Patrick Eaves of the Dallas Stars. Sure, his teammate Patrick Sharp could make sense as well. But Eaves would be a better fit for Montreal because of his low cap hit and style of play.
He plays a very skilled game, but he has a bit of grit as well. Though Eaves is just 6-foot and 200 pounds, you wouldn’t know it by how he plays. The Stars forward consistently fights his way into the dirty areas and is willing to take the punishment necessary to do so. He’s an above average finisher as well with 11 goals so far in the 2016-17 season. Eaves is well on his way to setting career highs in goals and points.
The Stars forward would be a good fit on a variety of lines, but he’s best utilized in a more offensive role. That rules him out for Therrien’s fourth line. However, Andrew Shaw would be a flawless fit on that line and would even bring a bit of offense to it. So Eaves could play on the second or third forward line. Goals are hard to come by in the playoffs and the Canadiens could do far worse than adding someone who can score them.
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1. Martin Hanzal
The Canadiens must add a center to help them tread water without Galchenyuk and Desharnais. Hanzal is the best rental center available, so trading for him obviously makes sense. Even once Galchenyuk and Desharnais get healthy, he still makes a ton of sense for them.
Look at how recent Stanley Cup champions have been built. They’re built right down the middle with a lot of center depth. The Los Angeles Kings won with Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, and Mike Richards. Chicago won with Jonathan Toews, Brad Richards, Marcus Kruger, and Antoine Vermette. The Pittsburgh Penguins won with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bonino, and Matt Cullen.
With Hanzal, the Habs would have a very deep center group. Galchenyuk would obviously be the top scoring line center. Hanzal could slide in nicely as the second line center. Tomas Plekanec’s offensive skills might be dwindling, but he’s still excellent defensively, making him a great third line option. Desharnais would likely have to switch to wing, especially with Torrey Mitchell and Philip Danault.
Too much depth is never a problem, especially at center. Most centers can easily make the switch to wing. It also provides matchup options for face-offs. Hanzal could be the guy who pushes Montreal over the top to win the Stanley Cup.
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