The Montreal Canadiens enter the summer in a vastly different position than they were a year ago. After a deep playoff run and significant progress from their young core, management is now focused on finding the right pieces to support a team with growing expectations.
This search has fueled rumors surrounding several available centers across the league, but not every name generating headlines appears to be a realistic target.
As talk continues to build around one Anaheim Ducks forward, a Canadiens insider has offered a more cautious view of the situation and why a deal may not make as much sense as some believe.
Canadiens Insider Questions Montreal’s Interest in Mason McTavish
Despite renewed reports linking the Canadiens to Mason McTavish, Sportsnet insider Eric Engels believes Montreal should proceed carefully before making a major investment in the 23-year-old center.
Montreal has reportedly contacted Anaheim regarding McTavish’s availability as Kent Hughes continues searching for a long-term second-line center behind Nick Suzuki. However, Engels suggested that interest around the league does not automatically make McTavish the Canadiens’ preferred solution.
In a recent Sportsnet mailbag, Engels acknowledged why McTavish remains attractive to many organizations. He noted that the Ducks forward is still young, has never produced fewer than 17 goals and 41 points in a season (apart from his 9-game season), and brings a physical presence at 6’1″ and 219 pounds.
Engels also pointed to the circumstances that have fueled trade speculation, saying McTavish “was on many teams’ radars going back to the trade deadline” and noting that healthy scratches under head coach Joel Quenneville only intensified questions about his future.
Engels added that contract tensions from last year’s negotiations and McTavish’s uneven season left his status in Anaheim uncertain. Still, he stopped well short of endorsing a blockbuster move by Montreal.
“Even when confident, McTavish’s skating and defensive acumen should cause a team like the Canadiens some pause,” Engels wrote. He also questioned whether those areas of his game can improve enough for him to become an ideal fit within Montreal’s structure.
This concern becomes even more important when considering the acquisition cost. Reports indicate Anaheim would likely begin discussions by asking for top prospect Michael Hage, while additional assets such as a young defenseman and premium draft capital could also be required.
With St. Louis, Detroit and Ottawa reportedly monitoring McTavish, any bidding war could quickly drive the price even higher.
Engels believes that combination of risk and cost is exactly why Montreal may look elsewhere. “It’ll cost something significant to get the player,” he wrote, adding that his contract could become “exorbitant” if McTavish never develops into a bona fide top-six center.
His strongest assessment came when discussing Montreal’s broader roster-building philosophy. “Because there are no guarantees McTavish will become one, I don’t think he’s top priority for the Canadiens,” Engels noted.
He further explained that the organization has already taken chances on developmental projects and is likely seeking more certainty moving forward.
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For a Canadiens team transitioning from rebuilding to contending, this distinction could ultimately determine whether trade interest turns into serious negotiations or remains nothing more than offseason chatter.
