Montreal Canadiens Can Wait to Make A Trade
Dennis Bernstein of the Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked about the Montreal Canadiens. With the current run they are on, does it make sense for them to move out players at this time?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Vancouver Canucks, and the Montreal Canadiens
Host: “Given how well this team is playing right now, do you see them trading guys like Mike Matheson or David Savard? Because if they maintain form and they start getting into the playoff mix, which they already are in. They are three points behind Ottawa, like you said, and they’re in the discussion. Like, would they want to upset the apple cart, trade guys that are playing well right now?”
Dennis Bernstein: “No and what this does, it buys Kent Hughes, it gives them the luxury of time. So there’s not like, Oh, they’re out of it and because of where they’re positioned, the other GMs are gonna saying, well, maybe they don’t call Hughes because they’re only three points out of the spot, or he might be telling guys like, ah, I’m not there yet.
Now, could you trade some players off this team? Savard, yeah, because you look at Savard number one, because he’s a walkaway free agent the end of the season. He’s super affordable, $3.5 million cap hit. Like, if I’m another GM, the player I love, and I’m sure a lot of people this season do as well. I’d go after Jake Evans.
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens; Jayden Struble, David Savard and Mike Matheson
I mean, I really like that player. For some team, he makes some 3C or maybe even a 4C on a championship team. And again, he’s affordable at $1.7 million. He’s restricted at the end of the season. He’s had a really nice season. That would be the guy. But I would suspect, look, if there’s some regression from the Habs, yeah, they’ll wind up trading Savard. Like Matheson, a possibility.
I think it’s easier still, even though the caps going up next year, and it’s a little bit more flexibility for these teams cap-wise. I still think the highest value are the guys that don’t have a term attached to them. And you could also throw in (Christian) Dvorak, (Joel) Armia, with the return you get on those. But I think those two guys, because of their UFA status I think that those are at the top of the list.”
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