The Montreal Canadiens have received some bad news regarding a top trade target. Montreal is expected to be a buyer in the market before the March 6 deadline. They have been linked with acquiring a new center, as well as a right-shot defenseman.
Bleacher Report previously claimed that strengthening the center position is Montreal’s biggest need. Nevertheless, Phillip Danault has been a nice addition to the squad since he arrived from the Los Angeles Kings in December. Oliver Kapanen, 22, has also developed well in recent months to help soften the team’s need at the position. The youngster has racked up 19 goals and 32 total points in his first full NHL season.
Because of this, the Canadiens are perhaps most likely to target a new blueliner in the coming hours. Several quality right-shot defensemen are currently available in the market. One player in this category who has been specifically linked with Montreal is Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud.
While the Canadiens would likely love to have Whitecloud, a separate Calgary trade has seemingly taken him off the trade board. According to Frank Seravalli, Mackenzie Weegar’s move to the Utah Mammoth likely means that Whitecloud will remain with the Flames. Weegar was sent to Utah for veteran Olli Maatta, prospect Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round draft picks.
Montreal Canadiens Will Have to Pivot Quickly After Seemingly Missing Out on Zach Whitecloud
GettyZach Whitecloud has fit in well with the Calgary Flames.
As Seravalli points out, Whitecloud has been a great fit in Calgary. The defenseman was only acquired from the Las Vegas Golden Knights in January. He currently has four points in his first 12 games with the Flames, while recording a career-high 23:08 average TOI. Whitecloud previously averaged just under 19 minutes per game with the Golden Knights.
Missing out on Whitecloud will likely sting Montreal. In fact, several Habs fans reacted negatively to Seravalli’s aforementioned social media post. Nevertheless, the Canadiens still have some solid options to upgrade their blue line. Justin Faulk, Dougie Hamilton, and Rasmus Ristolainen are widely viewed as the premier right-handed defensemen available in the market at the moment.
Although Montreal still has options, the market is evolving quickly. Two players in this particular position have already been dealt in recent days. Connor Murphy landed with the Edmonton Oilers, and Tyler Myers opted to join the Dallas Stars. Because the deadline is approaching, there have been concerns that the Canadiens will have to overpay to address the concern.
Canadiens Need to Free up Funds to Make Major Move
Montreal has plenty of attractive assets to help facilitate a trade. However, the club does have some significant financial restrictions. According to PuckPedia.com, the Habs have just over $1 million in current cap space. Because of this, they will have to offload Patrik Laine before making a significant deal.
Laine earns $8.7 million annually, and Montreal is willing to retain 50% of his salary to remove him from the roster. The Kings have been heavily linked with the veteran forward in recent weeks. Nevertheless, several other contending clubs are also expected to be involved in trade talks for Laine before the deadline.
Canadiens Receive Bad News About Top Trade Target