Canadiens Trade Talk: Top NHL Prospect Reportedly Available

It’s always important to keep an eye on available players in the NHL’s trade market, particularly for a team like the Montreal Canadiens that is intent on adding more talent to its lineup.

According to Elliotte Friedman, one of the most interesting players in college hockey could be available, though we’re a little light on details when it comes to Winnipeg Jets prospect Rutger McGroarty’s situation.

“His family advisor is not talking, and the Jets are not talking, but the one thing I can tell you is that I have heard his name has come up in trade discussions,” said Friedman. “That the Jets have discussed trading, and other teams have discussed acquiring McGroarty’s rights.”

McGroarty, 20, recently announced he would be heading back to the NCAA for a third season with the University of Michigan, a surprising decision given that most assumed he was more than ready to make his professional hockey debut. The 6’1″ winger scored 16 goals and 36 assists in 36 games for the Wolverines last season.

Speculation As To His Future

Before we discuss what it would potentially cost to acquire a talented prospect such as McGroarty, we have to have an honest discussion about whether he would be inclined to play for a Canadian team. In fact, it’s probably a question Canadian teams should ask, point-blank, during the Scouting Combines.

While there’s been much ink spilled in regard to Russian prospects potentially not coming to North America, it’s important to note that no top-tier Russian prospect has ever refused to play for the team that has drafted him in recent decades, whereas there’s starting to be a growing list of NCAA players who are intent on dictating where they will play. Personally, I like the idea that younger players are taking charge of their future, but the narrative surrounding prospects from the NCAA and the KHL should probably change a little going forward.

Truth be told, Russian prospects have shown great loyalty toward the teams that draft them, whereas there’s a real risk that an NCAA prospect will flat-out refuse to play for certain organizations.

Of course, the Jets and the Canadiens are in different standing throughout the collegiate ranks. One team is building toward the future, while the other is attempting to find success now. The opportunities will be a little more plentiful in Montreal for players like McGroarty. And then there’s the matter of having Kent Hughes as the team’s general manager, a significant boon considering his NCAA connections.

Potential Trade Cost

Before anyone suggests it, no, the Canadiens could not simply return Winnipeg’s 2024 first-round pick to the team in exchange for one of their most highly-touted prospects. Rankings will change, and some may not recognize him as so, but McGroarty is often considered one of the top 10 prospects currently playing outside the NHL, which means you would have to convince the Jets that the trade offer you are sending their way would improve the team.

Rutger McGroarty with a huge hit. pic.twitter.com/P8hnLKLcig

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 5, 2024

One option could be to dangle one of the most productive defencemen in the NHL last season, Mike Matheson. The Jets already have Josh Morrissey firmly in place on the top pairing, but Matheson would be a significant upgrade on players like Dylan Samberg or Nate Schmidt. At 30 years old, Matheson could still absorb a lot of minutes for the Jets while providing excellent offensive output from the back-end. He was one of only 10 defencemen to crack the 60-point mark last season, and the only non-RFA that did so while being paid less than $5 million per season.

The Canadiens could also delve into negotiations surrounding many of their young defencemen, as the team is currently enjoying an overabundance of blue liners with fairly high potential.

And, of course, the Habs own impressive draft capital, but as we mentioned early, it will probably take more than just one late first-round pick or a pair of second-round picks to get this done, as any team around the league not inquiring about McGroarty’s price tag should probably replace their general manager. For what it’s worth, Jets management recently said that despite not having a first-round pick in 2024, things could change in a hurry.

This is a situation that definitely calls for due diligence from Kent Hughes and his colleagues throughout the NHL.