With the trade deadline looming on the horizon, the Montreal Canadiens will be sellers this year. The front office tandem of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes is working to rebuild the team. They started by getting Martin St. Louis as the interim coach, and the difference in the team has been eye-opening. Front offices across the NHL are looking at a few of Montreal’s players, and the Canadiens are open for business. Trading Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames was their opening move, but it is only going to get harder from there. Montreal has gone from playing in the Stanley Cup Final last season to now last in the Atlantic Division this season. While rock bottom isn’t a place Montreal or their fans want to be, they can move up into a better future.
Make sure to check out all of our other NHL Trade Deadline Previews.
Current Status
Current Record: 12-33-7
Division Standings: Eighth in the Atlantic Division
Buyers or Sellers: Sellers
Vitali Kravtsov
Gorton would be derelict in his duties if he did not consider helping Montreal get Kravtsov from the New York Rangers. This season in the KHL, he has played 19 games, netting six goals and seven assists. Overall in the KHL, he has played 167 games with 36 goals and 32 assists. In the NHL, he has played 20 games with two goals and two assists. Kravtsov would make a great addition to a line for Montreal, and more than likely, they would give him what he wants, which is the chance to prove himself.
If the Rangers are not able to bring Kravtsov back into the fold, a place like Montreal might be where he could call home. The Rangers loaned Kravtsov to Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL, and their season will be over on February 27, making him available way before the trade deadline.
Jakob Chychrun
Chychrun is an offensive-minded defenseman with a big shot who would be a great addition to any team’s power play. Montreal should consider making an offer to the Arizona Coyotes; he could be one of the building blocks of their rebuild. His stats have taken a dip this season, and with his contract, valued at $4.6 million through the 2024-25 season, he would be a good investment.
In 40 games this season, he has had two goals, nine assists, 35 hits, and 39 blocks. Juxtaposed next to a career-high 41 in 56 games last season, he appears to have a decline in play. However, despite injury and COVID-19, Chychrun has managed to bounce back and play better in the Coyotes’ second half of the season.
Ilya Samsonov
Samsonov is an adequate backup but struggled when taking on more prominent roles. However, his contract is up this summer, and the Washington Capitals will need to move on from him or re-sign him. As of right now, Samsonov is 17-7-3 with a save percentage of .906 and goals against average of 2.84. Although Montreal would be taking a chance on him, it is worth trying.
While no one believes Samsonov will replace Carey Price, Price’s future with Montreal is still uncertain. Jake Allen is hurt, and Sam Montembeault became the current starter. However, Montembeault is playing injured, and so the Canadiens have brought in Andrew Hammond as a backup. Montreal obviously has a goaltender issue. They need healthy goalies. The solution might come by moving Allen or Montembeault and bringing in Samsonov.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Liz Pendergraft on Twitter @lizzibear824
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
