On the Oct. 24 episode of TSN’s Insider Trading, host Gino Reda and hockey insider Pierre LeBrun had a discussion that should grab the attention of Montreal Canadiens fans. The segment, starting at the 3:03 mark, revealed that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has been reaching out to his counterparts across the NHL. With the team struggling and injuries accumulating, is a trade on the horizon? Should one be made? Let’s delve into it.
Injury Challenges Slow Canadiens’ Rebuild
As Ryan Szporer from The Hockey Writers detailed in his Oct. 24 article, the Canadiens are grappling with a series of injuries early in the 2024-25 season, reflecting their ongoing misfortune over recent years. Cole Caufield couldn’t finish the 2022-23 season, Kirby Dach played very little in 2023-24, and although Patrick Laine is now with Montreal, he won’t play for a couple of months. Carey Price continues to receive paychecks despite not having played since the end of the 2021-22 season.
These challenges hinder the franchise’s rebuild, a process that has struggled since the team’s surprising Stanley Cup run in 2021. They’ve missed the playoffs since that time, experiencing mostly disappointing seasons amid hopes of developing promising young talent. Moreover, fans have faced more lopsided defeats like the 7-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Oct. 22 than they would like.
There’s a marked difference between losing competitively and losing consistently in ways that lead fans to question, “What exactly is the plan here?”
GM Kent Hughes is Seeking Solutions
With injuries mounting, a 2-4-1 record (placing them last in the Atlantic Division), and a goal differential of minus-10 (the fourth worst in the NHL), Hughes is actively contacting other teams, according to TSN’s LeBrun. LeBrun is a highly respected voice in hockey reporting, lending credibility to his insights.
This is noteworthy for several reasons that LeBrun discusses in the segment. Firstly, significant trades rarely happen in October. Secondly, Montreal won’t sacrifice future potential by trading young players or draft picks just to achieve more wins now. Lastly, the salary cap situation is tight, with projected negative-$3.113 million in a few months, according to PuckPedia.
Financially, the Canadiens have little flexibility. The situation becomes even more complicated tactically. Hughes must identify players on his roster who could be scapegoated for recent shortcomings (such as poor scoring or defense) and find someone from another team who earns a similar salary and could potentially resolve some of Montreal’s issues.
While finding trade options is possible, it’s an intricate challenge in October. Which players are underperforming right now? Center Alex Newhook has one point and a minus-7 rating but has drawn six penalties, ranking second on the team among forwards. Center Christian Dvorak also has one point, a minus-6 rating, but is a good shot-blocker with seven. Defender David Savard, at 33, has a minus-8 rating.
Even if these players become trade candidates, the question remains: what kind of return could the Canadiens receive for them? Additionally, matching salaries of approximately $2.9 million (Newhook), $4.45 million (Dvorak, who has a modified no-trade clause), or $3.5 million (Savard) entails significant scouting and salary cap maneuvering before November.
