NHL Trade Rumors: 5 players Canadiens should target
By Adam Stocker
The Montreal Canadiens currently sit first in the Atlantic Division. Here are five players the Canadiens should target at the NHL trade deadline.
The Montreal Canadiens are currently in first place in the Atlantic Division and seem destiny for the playoffs. The Canadiens maybe first in their division, but the leaders in the Metropolitan Division have much higher point totals. If General Manager Marc Bergevin is going to bring the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, he is going to have to make a trade before the deadline.
The Canadiens have plenty of assets that they can trade at the deadline, but cap space could be an issue. Montreal is expected to have just over $4 million in cap space at the deadline. The lack of cap space could complicate any potential trade, unless Montreal can convince the other teams to retain salary.
Bergevin has done a great job acquiring assets that he can turn around and deal to improve his team now. Montreal has all of its picks in the next three drafts except for their sixth and seventh round picks in the 2017 NHL Draft. The Canadiens also have the Chicago Blackhawks second round pick in 2017, and the Washington Capitals second round pick in 2017 and 2018.
Montreal also has former first round picks Mikhail Sergachev, Noah Juulsen, Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron to dangle as trade bait. Forwards Sven Andrighetto and Jacob De La Rose could also be of interest to other general managers.
As currently constructed, the Montreal Canadiens are not good enough to win the Stanley Cup. If they want to bring the cup back to Montreal for a record 25th time, they need to make a trade. Here are five player they should target.
5. Brian Boyle
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brian Boyle is a name that has come up a lot lately in trade rumors. The 6’6″ Boyle is in the final year his contract that pays him $2 million dollars. Given his salary, he will easily fit into Montreal’s cap crunch.
Teams are not acquiring Boyle for his offensive abilities, but for his defensive ability. Boyle is a tough match up for opposing scoring lines. His ability to win face-offs is one of the main reasons, why he has started 63 percent of his shifts inside of his teams’ own blue line.
Fourth line centers are not the type of players involved in blockbuster trades, but they are the type of players that are important in the playoffs. A trade for Boyle would cost a prospect such as Jacob De La Rose and a fourth round pick. De La Rose has played 64 games for the Canadiens, but has never been able to stick in the NHL. This year De La Rose has 18 points in 40 AHL games this season. A change of scenarios could benefit both the Canadiens and De La Rose.