The Montreal Canadiens are expected to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline. At the moment, Montreal sits fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, safely in a playoff spot. Just like every other contender in the NHL, they want to improve their roster ahead of the postseason.
Montreal’s biggest issue throughout the 2025-26 season has been with its defense. The Canadiens currently have the fourth-best offense in the league (3.45 goals per game), but struggle to keep the puck out of their net. In fact, the club is one of just 10 teams to allow more than 3.20 goals per game on the campaign.
Goaltending has been an ongoing problem for the team. Because of this, St. Louis Blues star Jordan Binnington has recently been linked with a move north of the border. A deal, however, is not exactly close, and Montreal may have to move on to other targets. Despite their offensive potency, the Canadiens could still use another quality forward. The Athletic’s James Mirtle is even claiming that acquiring an additional center “would be ideal.”
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is also reporting that Montreal has asked the Nashville Predators about Ryan O’Reilly. Speaking on his latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman claimed that a source close to the situation told him that there was a 50-50 chance the veteran center would leave Nashville. Nevertheless, Patrik Laine’s stance is complicating any potential deal.
Montreal Canadiens Must Offload Patrik Laine to Make Major Trade
GettyThe Canadiens are thriving without Patrik Laine in the lineup.
Laine has been linked with a move out of Montreal for weeks now. The Canadiens would even be open to retaining a chunk of the forward’s significant salary to facilitate a deal. Laine is in the final year of his four-year, $34.8 million ($8.7 million AAV) contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Montreal’s insistence on offloading Laine comes down to their tight financial restrictions. According to PuckPedia.com, the Canadiens have just over $1 million in current cap space. This particular figure is the third-lowest in the entire league. Because O’Reilly earns $4.5 million annually, Montreal must offload Laine to grab the veteran from Nashville.
Friedman revealed on the aforementioned podcast that the Canadiens have given Laine permission to talk to other teams about a trade. The insider, however, believes that the veteran forward does not exactly want to leave his current club. Laine also has some leverage in the situation. Due to the terms of his contract, he currently has a 10-team no-trade clause and can be somewhat selective with his future.
Canadiens Have Draft Picks, Prospects to Make Moves
The Canadiens will be hoping that Laine ultimately agrees to a move out of town. After all, they may not be able to make a significant move in the trade market if the forward remains on their roster. The 27-year-old sniper has been limited this season due to injuries. He has only managed to play just five games on the campaign, but is currently working his way back to the ice.
Potentially acquiring O’Reilly would be solid business for Montreal. The 35-year-old center is still putting up points and could provide a young Canadiens team with some much-needed veteran leadership. It remains to be seen if Nashville will eventually sanction a trade. Montreal does have very attractive assets to help encourage a potential deal, though.
Canadiens Interest in Acquiring Star Veteran Hits Snag