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There have been a few rumors around the Canadiens in the last few days. Today’s birthday boy, Arber Xhekaj has made the headlines much more than he should have done in hockey mad Montreal. Much was made of both his retrogradation to Laval and of the penalties taken on his return. For me, the fact that he was sent down wasn’t a dig at him, but rather an opportunity to take a closer look at another defenseman in the Canadiens’ system. Kent Hughes is no fool, he knows he’s got too many defensemen in the pipeline, especially on the left side, and that sooner or later, he’ll have to trade some of them. Before he can do that, he needs to have a complete assessment of every one of them. While Xhekaj was in Laval, Struble shone in Montreal. When Xhekaj was called back up, Barron went down.
According to the rumors Hughes has had offers for his rugged defensemen, some including young forwards that have yet to meet expectations, but Hughes wouldn’t pull the trigger. Personally, I do not believe Xhekaj will be the one to go. Perhaps in a couple of years down the road when another batch of prospects is knocking on the door, but not right now.
The fact he was scratched against the Penguins, for me, was an example of the players being held accountable this season. Both Hughes and St-Louis explained, prior to this season, that they wanted the players who are part of the team’s future to be held accountable when they make mistake as it’s part of the normal progression. The fact the Penguins are not overly physical could also have played in the equation.
I believe Jayden Struble has also earned himself a spot, at least for a while, and while it pains me to write it, I think Jordan Harris is the one who’s the most likely to go via trade to make some room. When the Canadiens drafted Florian Xhakej, they said they loved Arber, his work ethic, his values and in that sense, they knew what kind of player they were acquiring by drafting the younger Xhekaj. Perhaps Martin St-Louis isn’t overly pleased with the eldest’s style of play, but Kent Hughes seems to be a fan for the reasons mentioned above and, of course, because of his physicality. Contrarily to what TVA Sports mentions this morning, I do not think Xhekaj is getting the same treatment as Subban, not by a long shot.
The other rumor out there states the Canadiens and Rangers are involved in talks about Sean Monahan. The 29-year-old veteran was performing exceptionally well prior to the All-Star break. He’s third in team scoring with 35 points in 49 games and he’s stayed healthy this season. Right now, he’s on pace for 59 points which would be his biggest output since 2018-2019 when he scored 82 points. Monahan is also a faceoff wizard with a 55% success rate. Monahan would definitely be an improvement on the New York center line, he produces more than both Brodzinski and Goodrow and is also better in the faceoff department.
The way to landing Sean Monahan starts with a first round pick and the Rangers still have their 1st round picks for the next three drafts. Hughes also likes US National under 18 team prospects, could he be trying to pry Gabriel Perreault, Yanic Perreault’s son, a Quebecer with a knack for the attack away from the Rangers. A great playmaker who can also score, could perhaps become part of the Canadiens’ core players, this may be a very long shot, but who knows, perhaps other players could be involved.
I do not buy the idea that a deal between the Rangers and the Canadiens couldn’t happen because New York’s general manager Chris Drury and Canadiens’ Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations are reportedly not big fans of each other. Those guys are professionals whose job is to ice the best hockey team possible either now (for Drury) or eventually (for Gorton). In any case, Hughes is the one handling the negotiations and not Gorton.
I wouldn’t be surprised either if Hughes gave a call to Colorado to enquire about their interest in Monahan. Landeskog’s prolonged absence left a big hole in their forward group and while Jonathan Drouin has king of stepped up, they’ve also lost Valeri Nichuskin who has entered the Player Assistance Program and is out indefinitely. The Avs still have their next three first round picks and therefore meet the prerequisite. The young Nicholai Kovalenko could be an option, after all, he’s producing at a nearly point per game pace in the KHL, which isn’t that easy to do. The Avs also have a big center Calum Ritchie in the pipeline. The 6’2’’ and 187 lbs pivot is dominating in the OHL this season and could prove a brilliant acquisition, especially since Kirby Dach doesn’t find a way to stay healthy.
I wouldn’t dare saying Jake Allen is part of the team’s top asset as the trade deadline approaches, but I’m fairly sure Kent Hughes would still love to find him a new home to allow Montembeault et Primeau to have more ice-time… I’ll be keeping a close eye on the Canadiens as they’ll definitely be active on the trade market when the time comes.
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