The Montreal Canadiens have already taken care of an important matter of internal business, freeing up valuable salary cap space with the trade of Carey Price’s contract to the San Jose Sharks exchange for prospect defenseman Gannon Laroque and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
While Price hasn’t appeared in formal NHL action since 2022, he still has a single season remaining on his contract, which has now been taken on by the Sharks.
It won’t be long before the Canadiens have to think about freeing up additional salary cap space to sign young players like Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson to new contracts. Additionally, they’re reportedly on the search for a forward who can play in their top-six and are allegedly willing to consider parting ways with young assets as part of a trade package to make that a reality.
Could the Canadiens Be Planning To Dangle Young Names As Trade Bait?
According to a recent report from Insider James Murphy of RG.org, the Canadiens are planning on dangling naems like Joshua Roy, Oliver Kapanen, and Jayden Struble as potential trade bait in order to acquire a second-line center to bolster the forward units.
“While a trade doesn’t seem to be imminent at this point, another source told RG that different trade scenarios have been discussed,” he wrote. “While no names were confirmed, the source said that Canadiens forward prospects Joshua Roy and Oliver Kapanen, as well as defenseman Jayden Struble, are names that continue to be bantered about in NHL trade chatter regarding the Canadiens’ search for a second-line center.”
The Canadiens had already been linked to Mason McTavish, who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks but remains a restricted free agent without a contract for next season.
Roy is a 2021 Draft selection of the Canadiens who currently plays for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Laval Rocket. Struble, selected in 2019, elected for salary arbitration earlier this offseason and was eventually signed to a two-year extension.
Kapanen, selected 64th overall in 2021, played in 18 games for the Canadiens last season and registered two assists.
The Canadiens returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, their first appearance beyond the regular season since their surprise run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final in the shortened 2020-21 NHL campaign.
Since then, the Canadiens bottomed out and also selected Juraj Slafkovsky with the first overall pick in 2022 after winning the NHL Draft Lottery.
They also bolstered their blue line with the acquisition of former New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson, who was then immediately extended with an eight-year contract.
One player that the Canadiens have been linked to is longtime Pittsburgh Penguins team captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby, who grew up a devoted fan of the Canadiens and has been linked to them in a potential trade.
Crosby has two seasons remaining on his current contract, and could potentially be persuaded to accept a trade to a more talented team than the Penguins if it bolstered his chances of winning another championship before his career comes to a close.
Such an acquisition by the Canadiens would signal that they’re serious about competing for the Stanley Cup for what would be the first time since 1993, which is also the most recent season that a Canadian-based NHL club has been the last team standing.
I’d hate to see Struble go.