This year was meant to mark a significant advancement in the Montreal Canadiens’ rebuilding process, with hopes of competing in meaningful games during March and April, despite the management’s public assertions. However, although it’s early and fortunes can change, the season is gradually slipping away, raising concerns about facing another year plagued by injuries and a potential high draft pick.
In recent seasons, the Canadiens have experienced the highest number of man-games lost in the NHL. Their season began poorly with David Reinbacher out for the remainder of the year, and while they narrowly avoided more issues with Patrik Laine, he was unprepared for the start of the season. Now, players like Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, and Justin Barron are day-to-day with injuries, and Rafael Harvey-Pinard is on long-term injured reserve due to a leg injury.
As the situation rapidly deteriorates for General Manager Kent Hughes and Vice President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton, Hughes has started reaching out to explore potential solutions for his team.
On a recent segment of “Early Trading” on TSN, Pierre LeBrun reported that the Canadiens are actively assessing the trade market. Hughes is making calls to gauge options, as the team appears open to moves that could reinvigorate their performance. LeBrun noted that while trades are generally sparse at this time due to the salary cap, the Canadiens are acknowledging their slow start and are motivated to explore trade possibilities earlier in the season than usual.
Nonetheless, while the Canadiens are aiming to progress in their rebuild and establish themselves as a consistent playoff contender, they are cautious not to sacrifice their long-term future for a temporary solution. “The Canadiens won’t jeopardize their future for any trades—the long-term vision is paramount,” LeBrun stated. Additionally, with the team at the salary cap limit, any moves must balance incoming and outgoing salaries, complicating potential trades at this early stage.
The Canadiens have Laine and Harvey-Pinard on long-term injured reserve, and they could also utilize Carey Price’s $10.5 million in cap relief, but this has not yet been enacted.
Making a trade early in the season is challenging, especially as multiple teams, including the Utah Hockey Club, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators, are also seeking upgrades. As Predators GM Barry Trotz remarked, “Nobody is making moves right now.”
Thus, any potential trade by the Montreal Canadiens might need to be postponed until later in the season.
