Habs continue to explore trade options — The Fourth Period
Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes remains fully engaged in trade talks with multiple teams this week and could pull the trigger on a big move leading up to Friday’s 3pm ET trade deadline.
The Canadiens are scouring the market for a top-line forward to play alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and management is also exploring the possibility of adding a right-shot defenceman – something several playoff contenders are also fishing for.
With around $1.4 million in available salary cap space, the Habs are also trying to create extra space by potentially moving winger Patrik Laine and his $8.7 million cap hit.
As TFP’s David Pagnotta reported last week, there is an expectation that Laine will be dealt by the deadline. What is unclear, though, is how much of his contract the Canadiens are willing to retain – they can eat up to 50 percent of his deal.
Moving Laine would give the Canadiens more financial flexibility, cap wise, to add at either end of the ice.
The Habs have been linked to both Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues – Hughes tried to acquire Kyrou at the NHL Draft last summer – Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames, Ryan O’Reilly and Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators, and Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers, among others.
View TFP’s Trade Watch List
The Los Angeles Kings spoke with the Habs about Laine prior to the Kings losing Andrei Kuzmenko for the balance of the regular-season and while, at the time, those talks hit pause, L.A. could now circle back given their rash of injuries.
Montreal currently sits in the first wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference with a 33-17-9 record and one point out of second place in the Atlantic Division.
