The Montreal Canadiens are not done adding by any means. The prevailing chatter surrounding the team suggests it will do whatever it can to continue building the club. And the chatter continues to point towards the team targeting a top-six forward.
Unfortunately, top-six forwards have been hard to come by. When they do, they cost a pretty penny. That’s why the Habs have a potential trade chip they could dangle in front of potential trade partners: Oliver Kapanen.
Kapanen had a solid season last year. The 22-year-old scored 22 goals in 82 games. For a while, it seemed like he could be an in-house solution to the team’s need for a second-line center. However, Kapanen slid down the depth chart throughout the season.
It’s not like the Canadiens have given up on Kapanen. It’s just that he could become a useful trade chip if there’s a clear upgrade out there. As for the precise trade partners and targets Montreal could look at, that’s another story.
But whatever the organization chooses to do, it seems that Kapanen could be a decent place where a conversation could begin this offseason and beyond.
Canadiens Aren’t in a Hurry to Move on from Kapanen
If it seems like Kapanen is on the trade block, he isn’t. It’s not like the Canadiens are in any sort of rush to move on from Kapanen. It’s just that he’s an attractive piece that the organization could use to fill in a major need.
The thing here is that the Canadiens are no longer looking at things like a rebuilding club would. The philosophy has shifted enough to where the organization is looking to make the sorts of additions it needs to compete in the Eastern Conference.
Those possible upgrades will require sacrificing a couple of young pieces. That’s why Kapanen is attractive. He’s in the final year of his entry-level deal, and could be the sort of younger piece that teams out there might want to bring in to replenish their roster.
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Habs Won’t Be Making Deals for the Sake of It
There’s always a temptation for GMs to make deals as fans and pundits urge them to make deals happen.
That’s not really the case in Montreal. It seems that the Canadiens won’t be making any deals for the sake of it. The trades have to make sense for the organization, while foregoing the desire to jettison prospects for veteran players.
Bear in mind that last season’s playoff run was a boon. Getting as far as the Canadiens did was a bit unexpected. The run signaled that the rebuild is slightly ahead of schedule. And it’s all the more reason to hold off on making reactionary moves this summer.
Ultimately, Habs fans shouldn’t be surprised to hear Kapanen pop up in trade rumors. But the team will likely be wary of moving him without having a solid deal in place. Perhaps Kapanen really does take that next step, making this entire conversation moot next season.
Canadiens Could Dangle This Prospect in Possible Deal