Montreal is one of the biggest hockey markets in the entire world, so there will always be noise about trading for superstars that are on the market. This offseason, though, it seems fairly convincing that Habs general manager Kent Hughes is looking to add to his young forward core.
Was Trevor Zegras Almost a Canadien?
According to Marco Normandin, the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks had a trade lined up that would have sent Zegras and a 2nd round draft pick to Montreal for a package including the 1st round pick they eventually used to select Michael Hage. Apparently, the trade was denied in the final moments leading to the pick, as it's fair to assume Montreal was counting on Hage being available, which may have been the deciding factor in the deal.
(Photo Credit: David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)
We could see Montreal move for Zegras differently now that this opportunity has passed. We have heard in recent weeks that the American forward could still be on the move late in the off-season, and Montreal should certainly be in the mix. They have a particular asset that would be of similar value to the one included in the earlier reported package, with the Flames 2025 conditional 1st round pick. While the pick is conditional, it is certain to be a 1st round selection either in 2025 or in 2026.
Additionally, a reunion between the two close friends Cole Caufield and Trevor Zegras would be very interesting. This reunion means Zegras already has chemistry with Caufield, should they play together, and this could be something Kent Hughes considers if he decides to move for Zegras.
Reported Interest in Patrik Laine
Various sources point to the Canadiens being one of the teams interested in acquiring Laine from Columbus. It seems fairly clear that Laine is due to be traded this August, it is just a matter of where and when. Other teams reportedly interested in moving for Laine have been the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild, however, there may be even more teams in the mix for the Finnish goal-scorer.
The way I see it, Laine is a perfect fit for the Canadiens. They need a player that can score goals at a high level outside of the first line of Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield. Laine could also help finally ignite the second power-play unit. At the moment, all of the goal-scorers play the first unit, and having that option on the second unit would be huge for making the most of every power-play opportunity the Canadiens get, as unfortunately, the 2nd power-play unit was dreadfully bad last season.
(Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski, USA Today Sports)
Laine has had problems, and there are concerns around him for that, however, his tenure with the Blue Jackets has gone somewhat under the radar, as he's been good overall. He's tallied 117 points in 129 games, including 54 goals. While this is not Laine playing to his potential, he's still a very good player. If somehow Montreal could bring out his full potential, that would be massive for the rebuild going forward.
If Montreal would be willing to take on Laine at less than 50% retained, it seems Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell would favour an offer big time. The price tag to acquire his talents won't be small, that's for sure, but it's been much higher, so now is the time to trade for him.
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