NHL Trade Rumors: Canadiens open to trading Tomas Plekanec

The Montreal Canadiens might make center Tomas Plekanec available at the trade deadline unless he starts producing. 

It should come as a surprise to no one the Montreal Canadiens enter 2017 as a serious buyer. Atop the Atlantic Division, the team knows their Stanley Cup window is wide open. Though it might be closing, depending on if they can re-sign Carey Price. With Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais recovering, the team slowly starting to get healthy after suffering some injuries. Once they get healthy, their lineup could get quite crowded. A trade might be necessary. If Montreal goes that route, one player they could move is Tomas Plekanec.

“(The Canadiens) are going to start to get healthy with Galchenyuk coming back,” Nick Kypreos said, via Sportsnet. “But there’s a sense that if Plekanec doesn’t get re-engaged that he might be available by the trade deadline.”

Plekanec has been very poor this season. Following consecutive 50 point seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16, he has merely 17 points, including just three goals, in his first 40 games this season. However, trading him could be very difficult. Plekanec still has a year remaining on his contract after the 2016-17 NHL season and carries a $6 million cap hit. Not only is his 4.4 percent shooting percentage the lowest of his career, he’s generating under two shots per game for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Must Read: 1 trade every NHL team should make

However, Plekanec could still bring a little bit of value to a contender. He’s still quite good in the faceoff circle, winning 50.2 percent of his draws. Plekanec is roughly average in terms of puck possession, posting a 51.9 percent CorsiFor percentage with a -0.6 percent CorsiFor relative at even strength. He can bring veteran leadership and the Canadiens might be willing to eat part of his contract.