The Montreal Canadiens have made it clear that they are not chasing every big name that becomes available, even when those players can fill an obvious offensive need. That approach has generated plenty of discussion among fans, especially after one of the league’s top goal scorers found a new home elsewhere.
While many wondered whether Montreal missed a golden opportunity, an insider believes the organization never viewed the situation the same way. His explanation offers a closer look at why the Canadiens stayed on the sidelines instead of joining the bidding.
Canadiens’ Patient Approach Sheds Light on Trade Priorities
Pavel Dorofeyev’s move to the New York Rangers immediately raised some questions about the Canadiens, but according to Montreal insider Marco D’Amico, the Canadiens were never positioned to outbid New York for the winger.
“I don’t think the Canadiens were beating that,” D’Amico said on The Starr & D’Amico Show, pointing to the steep acquisition cost. He added that the assets required “would have to be worth a top-10 pick” for “a player who had quite a few question marks,” making it difficult to justify from Montreal’s perspective.
The financial commitment also played a major role. Dorofeyev signed a seven-year, $77 million extension with the Rangers immediately after the trade, a price D’Amico never believed Montreal would entertain.
“I don’t think the Canadiens were offering seven years at $11 million,” he said, especially when the opportunity available in Montreal would have been significantly different from what New York could provide.
Marco D’Amico Explains Why Pavel Dorofeyev Never Fit Canadiens’ Plans
D’Amico stressed that the biggest obstacle wasn’t simply the contract but how Dorofeyev would fit into Montreal’s lineup.
The winger produced 20 power-play goals last season, yet the Canadiens already have an established first unit centered around Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, and Juraj Slafkovsky.
“If he’s not playing on your first power-play unit, he’s not scoring anywhere near 35 goals,” D’Amico explained before asking, “Who are you taking off?”
He continued, “Cole Caufield? Nick Suzuki? Lane Hutson? You’re not taking [Ivan] Demidov off, so you’re going to take Juraj Slafkovsky out and put him net-front? I didn’t necessarily see the fit there for him.”
D’Amico also pointed out that Dorofeyev’s willingness to commit long-term in New York mirrored Noah Dobson’s situation. “He very much would have liked to go to New York, and that’s why he extended there,” he said, suggesting Montreal faced an uphill battle before negotiations could even begin.
Rather than matching the Rangers’ aggressive approach, the Canadiens stayed committed to protecting future assets and preserving roster flexibility.
Ironically, Montreal still benefited from the blockbuster, as Vegas later flipped the 26th overall pick acquired from New York to the Canadiens in a draft-day swap. Montreal used that selection to draft Gleb Pugachyov, allowing the organization to add another prospect without taking on Dorofeyev’s long-term contract or sacrificing premium assets.
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In the end, D’Amico acknowledged why some fans were disappointed but maintained the front office’s reasoning was sound.
“I can understand fans who were a little concerned,” he said, “but I don’t think the Canadiens were going to offer him $11 million over seven years. I just didn’t see that happening.”
