The Montreal Canadiens had a highly discouraging trade deadline. They were in on several players, but ultimately failed to make a single move.
By all accounts, this situation is a failure. The Habs did not upgrade, leaving their team as-is. But before pinning the blame on incompetence, Montreal tried its best to make moves. They just didn’t work out in the end.
As insider Elliotte Friedman noted on the March 7 edition of Saturday Headlines, the Canadiens had something big in the pipeline. In the end, it just didn’t work out. The Habs tried, but came up short in the end.
The notable insider posited that the deal would have been something substantial, but it’s something he just can’t prove.
“It would have been big. But I can’t prove it. So, I’m not going with it.”
By the sounds of it, it wasn’t a disgruntled prospect. It would have been a major piece. One of the names the Canadiens were linked to was Nazem Kadri. However, the chatter suggested that the Canadiens dropped out of the running for the former Calgary Flames center. In the end, Kadri returned to the Colorado Avalanche in a last-minute deal.
Throughout the season, the Canadiens were reported to be in on several other players, like Robert Thomas or Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues. But those deals did not materialize. Likely, it was the sky-high prices that kept Montreal at bay.
Fans may never really know what the Canadiens had up their sleeves. In all likelihood, it might just be a matter of time before some rumors trickle out.
Canadiens Looking for Help Up Front
What was no secret was the fact that the Canadiens were looking for help up front. Particularly, the target was a top-six scorer who could play with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Some of the aforementioned names hit the airwaves, but none gelled into anything.
Another idea floating around was Montreal’s interest in a right-shot defenseman. One name floating around was that of Rasmus Ristolainen. That idea, nevertheless, didn’t seem to gain much traction. So, it fell by the wayside relatively quickly. That’s why the focus seems solely on a forward.
Various forwards were available at the deadline. Some higher-end forwards, like Vincent Trocheck, did not move. Meanwhile, other second-tier pieces changed teams in seemingly minor deals.
So, it remains unclear if the Canadiens will have the depth needed to compete in the postseason, since a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup seems likely.
Montreal Could Circle Back in Offseason
Lastly, the prevailing chatter suggests that some deals were left on the “cutting room floor,” as Friedman stated in this 32 Thoughts Podcast.
He followed that up by suggesting that some deals could be revisited in the offseason. So, it’s safe to assume that, if the Canadiens really had something up their sleeves, they could circle back to that in the offseason.
Much of what happens after the season ends will depend on how the Habs fare in the postseason. A quick, first-round exit may accelerate the pressure to do something. Otherwise, the Canadiens may take their time in assessing a deal that makes sense for them.
Canadiens Deadline Massive Failure but Not for Lack of Trying