We’re less than two months away from the NHL trade deadline and the Montreal Canadiens have remained competitive with a record above .500.
As a result, Montreal may not be the big-time sellers they were for the past two seasons, with GM Kent Hughes auctioning off Tyler Toffoli, Ben Chiarot, and Artturi Lehkonen before the 2022 deadline, but the Habs will be looking to make deals nonetheless.
With the roster crowded in multiple areas, here are three veterans the Canadiens could realistically trade before March 8 rolls around.
Jake Allen
The biggest lineup issue plaguing the Canadiens this season is keeping three goalies at the NHL level.
Hughes is well aware of problems that a crowded crease brings and even admitted that he’s looking to trade one of Montreal’s netminders.
“There are teams that everyone talks about in the media that need a goalie,” he said on RDS this week. “The goal is to make a trade.”
With Sam Montembeault assuming the role of starter and Cayden Primeau showing major improvements in his game, Jake Allen is likely to be the odd one out.
At 33, Allen holds a $3.85 million cap hit, a reasonable amount for any team looking for a qualified backup to go on a run with.
One likely reason a deal has not been made yet is that Hughes is holding out for the best possible offer.
There have already been multiple reports of teams inquiring about the New Brunswick native; however, his seven-team no-trade list could complicate things.
Sean Monahan
Acquired by the Canadiens from the Calgary Flames for “future considerations” in August 2022, Sean Monahan has proven to be both an effective leader and a productive offensive asset for Montreal.
And while there are talks of the team offering the forward a contract extension before the offseason, his trade value is hard to ignore.
Along with 11 goals and 24 points over 40 games this season, the 29-year-old also boasts a faceoff-win ratio of 57.4%, the best out of any centre on the team.
And since the centre’s one-year, $2 million contract concludes in July, Montreal could technically rent him to a contender to gain assets and re-sign him in the summer as a free agent.
Tanner Pearson
Upon trading extra goalie Casey DeSmith to the Vancouver Canucks before the start of the season, the Canadiens acquired forward Tanner Pearson.
The 31-year-old got off to a hot start in Montreal’s bottom six, scoring three goals and adding two assists through five games.
That was followed by an offensive slump that lasted until Pearson was injured back in early December.
While still not fully recovered, Pearson, who has eight points through 27 games this season, has begun skating and is nearing a return to play.
If Pearson starts racking up points again, the two-time 20-goal scorer and Stanley Cup champion could see his stock rise on the market.
Teams looking to add depth, grit, and playoff experience could very well benefit from his services.