Canadiens acquire Hunter Shepard, Jake Chiasson in trade
On the day of the American Hockey League Trade Deadline, the Montreal Canadiens have made a minor-league trade, acquiring goaltender Hunter Shepard and forward Jake Chiasson from the Ottawa Senators for forward Riley Kidney.
Shepard has played 15 AHL games with Belleville, posting a 6-7-2 record with a 3.65 goals against average and .885 save percentage. The 30-year-old netminder has also posted a 2-3-1 record in six career NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Senators.
He won the AHL’s best goaltender award in 2021, and is a two-time Calder Cup champion. He has played 133 career AHL games, with a 84-33-14 record, 2.38 goals against average, and .910 save percentage.
He provides the Rocket with additional depth and may indicate the team does not expect Jacob Fowler to return to the AHL this season.
Chiasson, 22, has registered one assist in 20 games this season with the Belleville Senators in the AHL. The 6-foot-2 and 181 lb forward has also played 16 games in the ECHL with the Allen Americans, producing eight points (2G, 6A). The Abbotsford, BC native was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He will join the Trois-Rivières Lions in the ECHL.
Kidney, also 22, was a Canadiens second-round pick in 2021 (63rd overall). He struggled to make a role for himself at the professional level. He has spent most of the season with the Lions in the ECHL, with 11 goals and 22 assists in 46 games. He has six games with the Rocket with one assist.
In 127 career AHL games, Kidney had 11 goals and 26 assists. The Laval Rocker also sent Ryan O’Rourke, on an AHL contract, to the Senators for future considerations.
No players involved in this trade are eligible for the NHL playoffs, but this is clearly a trade intended for the Rocket going forward, who should make a playoff push. Because all players were already in the minors when the AHL playoff roster freeze happened, they will still be eligible for their new teams.
