Trade Pitch Has Canadiens Acquiring Top Prospect for $39 Million Defenseman

The Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of a rebuild and one trade pitch has them acquiring a top prospect.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Canadiens acquire Shane Wright from the Seattle Kraken.

Canadiens acquire:

• Shane Wright

Kraken acquire:

• Mike Matheson

The proposed deal is a one-for-one swap and is an intriguing deal. Montreal adds another top prospect in Wright while Seattle, who’s looking to compete for a playoff spot gets a bonafide defenseman in Matheson.

Wright was selected fourth overall by Seattle in the 2022 NHL draft. Wright was considered the top prospect in the draft but he fell to fourth overall. However, he has struggled to be an NHL player, as he has played just 16 games in the NHL and a change of scenery could be needed for the top prospect.

Matheson, meanwhile, has two years left on his eight-year $39 million deal. The defenseman would bolster the Kraken blue line. Matheson could be a second-pairing defenseman for the Kraken. Last season, Matheson skated in 82 games recording 11 goals and 51 assists for 62 points.

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Wright Opens up on Stare Towards Canadiens Draft Table

Wright was expected to be selected first overall in the 2022 NHL draft. The Canadiens had the first overall pick but Montreal decided to draft Juraj Slafkovsky instead.

After Seattle selected Wright fourth overall, as he was leaving the stage, he appeared to stare down the Canadiens draft table.

However, Wright says the stare wasn’t intentional and there was nothing behind it.

Not at all. I was just kind of looking at the cameras in front of me, To be honest, I don’t really remember too much going up on stage. It was just kind of a whirlwind for me so,” Wright said on Blue Jays Central in July 2022. “I wasn’t intentionally trying to stare anyone down I guess maybe it looked like that from the video, but there was no intent to stare them down. Just kind of look at the camera and their table was right behind it so I guess it kind of looked like it but there’s no intent behind that.”

However, Wright said he had a chip on his shoulder after not being selected first overall.

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Canadiens GM Expects Team to Improve

Montreal is in the midst of a rebuild and had the fifth-worst record in the NHL in the 2023-24 season.

However, in the offseason, the Canadiens focused on re-signing their own but did trade for Patrik Laine. Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes says he expects the team to be much better.

“I think we’ll grow organically and be better than we were last year. The one unknown that we’ve dealt with in varying degrees over the last few seasons is the injuries. But if we’re healthy I expect that we’re a better team organically,” Hughes said.

“If we have Kirby Dach for 82 games instead of one and a period we’re a better hockey team. We expect that our young players get better. I expect that as a team we improve the more that they work together and understand. You add building blocks when you have continuity in terms of a group,” Hughes added.

Montreal opens up its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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