The Montreal Canadiens news of the day includes Ivan Demidov, Kirby Dach, and Florian Xhekej. To start, the Canadiens will be without Demidov for two to four weeks due to injury. Following that, Florian looks to make his season debut, while Dach gets a bump up to the second line.
Lately, there has been a lot of noise surrounding Dach in trade rumors. That is why Heavy Sports has proposed a trade with the Edmonton Oilers to help both teams move on from the noise.
Canadiens Receive:
- Isaac Howard ($972,500)
- Quinn Hutson ($875,000)
- 2028 3rd-round draft pick (from the St. Louis Blues)
Oilers Receive:
- Kirby Dach ($1.8 million, 50% retained)
- 2028 2nd-round draft pick
This trade pitch sees the Canadiens trade away Dach at 50 percent retained and a 2028 second-round draft pick for Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, and a 2028 third-round pick. It allows the Oilers to shed $828,000 in salary, giving them some breathing space under the cap.
For the Canadiens, the highlight is Isaac Howard. The 22-year-old forward was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning 31st overall in 2022. He hasn’t been utilized to his full potential, averaging just over 10 minutes over the first 32 games of his young NHL career.
The Oilers finally get their guy in Dach, who will reunite with his brother Colton, after both were drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks. The 25-year-old center has struggled to find his place in the NHL and live up to his high draft pedigree.
Montreal Canadiens Trade Rumors: Kirby Dach To Edmonton Oilers Chatter Won’t Quiet Down
From the moment Stan Bowman took over as the Oilers’ GM, their interest in Dach was only a matter of time.
Darren Dreger recently made a recent appearance on The Nielson Show (based in Edmonton) and spoke about an unnamed player who sounds suspiciously like Dach.
“I’m not gonna mention the player’s name. A young forward, a young center potentially, with plenty of upside, plenty of room to grow, and plenty to prove at the NHL level,” Dreger said via a social media post. “I know it’s a conversation the Oilers have had for a number of weeks with a team in the Eastern Conference. We’re talking about a guy who’s still trying to prove his NHL value at this point.”
“I just know that Edmonton was considered to be a front-runner in trade conversation with this team about this Eastern Conference player.”
One way or another it certainly feels like a Dach trade to Edmonton is more a matter of “when” than “if.”
Montreal Canadiens Can Give Isaac Howard a Fresh Start
To say that Howard has been underutilized with the Oilers would be a massive understatement.
We are talking about an offensive-minded forward who recorded 52 points in 37 games in his last year of NCAA. Not to mention that Howard also had 50 points in 47 games for the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, last season.
Howard has speed, offensive creativity, and the ability to put the puck in the net. This is the kind of player who should be getting 15 minutes a game in the top six, not fighting for ice time in a bottom-six role.
With Demidov sidelined for a bit, Howard could slide in on the second line, taking Dach’s spot. Under Martin St. Louis’ tutelage, Howard could blossom into the offensive threat that he was drafted to be.
For everyone’s sake, this is a trade pitch that both the Canadiens and Oilers should consider to help everyone involved.
Canadiens Add Promising Oilers Forward With Kirby Dach Trade Pitch