Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes remains interested in strengthening his roster. So far, the team’s top exec has already added veteran forward Chris Kreider to his young lineup. Despite this move, Montreal has been heavily linked to acquiring another forward. While this could certainly happen, the Canadiens perhaps need a defensive reinforcement even more.
NHL insider David Pagnotta is reporting that the Calgary Flames are receiving calls about multiple players, including Zach Whitecloud. The reporter went on to specifically mention Montreal’s previous interest in the star defenseman. “There’s interest from other teams in Zach Whitecloud. I know Montreal had some interest last season,” claimed Pagnotta, as reported by Daily Faceoff.
“I’m not sure where they’re at right now on that front, but just as an example of a lot of teams that do have interest in that player.”
As Pagnotta points out, the Montreal Canadiens have been linked to Whitecloud multiple times in recent months. Hughes previously had interest in acquiring the blueliner ahead of last season’s trade deadline. The club was then linked to the Flames star in August by NHL journalist Marco D’Amico. According to the reporter, Calgary could make the veteran available due to the emergence of Simon Nemec and Zayne Parekh.
Whitecloud would be a smart addition for any NHL team, including the Canadiens. The defenseman has two seasons remaining on his team-friendly six-year, $16.5 million ($2.75 million AAV) contract. Montreal has just under $2 million in current cap space but would free up funds by offloading a player in a potential trade.
Zach Whitecloud Would Give the Montreal Canadiens a Defensive Boost
So far this season, the Montreal Canadiens have not looked strong defensively. In fact, they have allowed an average of 4.67 goals per game in their first three games. Only the Los Angeles Kings and Flames have a worse average in the NHL this season. The injury to Kaiden Guhle has not helped, but the Canadiens could still use an upgrade at the position.
Montreal most recently allowed six goals to the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. After the game, several Canadiens players hinted that they did not match Carolina’s intensity and physicality. While few teams match up well against the Hurricanes, Montreal’s issues in defense are pretty clear.
Adding Whitecloud would help solve these problems for the Montreal Canadiens. The 6’2″, 210-pound blueliner is known for his physical play. On top of this, he is a right-shot defenseman. This is particularly noteworthy because Montreal has a plethora of left-handed blueliners on its roster.
Montreal has Pieces to Make an Attractive Trade Offer
Interestingly, Calgary has also been linked to landing a current Montreal Canadiens forward. NHL insider Frank Seravalli recently reported that the Flames were interested in Kirby Dach. Montreal is willing to part ways with left-handed blueliner Adam Engstrom as well. Because of this, the Canadiens and Flames are potentially solid trade partners.
Along with these two players, Montreal has attractive draft picks in the near future and one of the NHL’s top pipelines. If Hughes truly wants Whitecloud, he can offer Calgary a very solid package. A combination of Dach/Engstrom, along with a draft pick and/or prospect, should be enough to get a deal done.
Canadiens Trade Pitch Would Land $16 Million Star Defenseman