The 2025 Trade Deadline looms for the Montreal Canadiens as it marks a pivotal point in their season. This deadline will decide whether or not the team can continue to push for the playoffs or sell the farm. However, general manager Kent Hughes can sit somewhere in the middle if he plays his cards right. Let’s take a look at the Canadiens deadline checklist.
Montreal Canadiens Trade Deadline Needs
Sell Off Expiring Contracts
The Canadiens have a few contracts that are set to expire this summer. Joel Armia, David Savard, and Christian Dvorak are all set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. None of these players fit into the Canadiens future plans. While Armia and Savard have some value for the team, they can afford to move on from them. Furthermore, the Canadiens can still compete even after moving on from this trio. Dvorak hasn’t performed as expected ever since being traded to Montreal from Arizona in 2021. As for Armia and Savard, they are impactful penalty killers for the Canadiens.
Owen Beck, Logan Mailloux, and Emil Heineman are three players who have been impactful at the NHL level this season. These three can easily replace the hole left behind by their veteran teammates. Dvorak, Armia, and Savard likely won’t fetch much on the open market. However, getting a mid-round pick and/or a prospect is worth it rather than losing these assets for nothing.
Properly Handle the Jake Evans Situation
One of the most-talked about Canadiens this season has been Jake Evans. The 28-year-old has 27 points in 57 games this season, just two points shy of a career-high. The centreman has been invaluable to the team’s success this season both on and off the puck. Alongside Armia, he has formed a top penalty-kill duo as well as a high-scoring fourth line.
Evans contract is also expiring this season. The Canadiens biggest decision of the deadline is whether or not to re-sign him. His play this season has increased both his trade value and contract demands. He can be impactful for Montreal moving forward. However, as a fourth-line center putting up career numbers, Hughes has to be cautious of the dollar value when negotiating Evans contract. While the team doesn’t need more picks, if an opposing team is offering a high pick or solid prospect it might be worth moving on from Evans if they can’t come to terms on a new deal beforehand.
Acquire a Young Impact Player
Despite selling off some pieces, this doesn’t mean that Montreal should give up on their post-season hopes. A few consecutive wins before the deadline has them right back in the hunt. While they shouldn’t be buyers, they can still acquire a younger impact player who can help the team long-term as well,
Names like Dylan Cozens and Noah Dobson have been linked to the Canadiens in rumors. Adding one of these players would address holes in the team’s top-six forward group and top-pair right defenceman. Despite having many good pieces in their current top-six, players like Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine, and Juraj Slafkovsky have all had their own inconsistencies.
Adding a player of Cozens caliber would help shore up that group. As for Dobson, the Canadiens biggest need might be a top-pair right-handed defenseman. They have Matheson, Lane Hutson, and Kaiden Guhle on the left but they don’t have someone to play on the right side. With Guhle’s injury likely keeping him out for the year, they could use a defenseman to keep their playoff hopes alive this season.
The Montreal Canadiens trade deadline will be one of the most interesting to keep an eye on. Hughes needs to find a balance between selling off players and helping the team now and in the future. If he makes the right moves, the team can still compete for a playoff spot with a younger core while acquiring assets for the future at the same time.
Main photo by: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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