Canadiens Wrap: Defensemen Trade Market Busts Open; Chiarot Next?

The NHL trade market for defencemen busted open on Monday with Jakub Chychrun out for 2-4 weeks and Josh manson being traded. How will this affect the Montreal Canadiens and more specifically Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry?

With teams like the New York Rangers really interested in Habs winger Artturi Lehkonen, will Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes pull the trigger on a deal?

That and all the latest NHL trade rumors in the latest Canadiens Wrap:

Montreal Canadiens

Early Monday evening, ESPN and NHL Network Insider Kevin Weekes broke the news that Anaheim Ducks defenceman Josh Manson had been traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. Going the other way was Avalanche prospect and Boston College defenceman Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick.

Just minutes before that, the Arizona Coyotes announced that arguably the top trade target on the NHL trade market, Jakub Chychrun, would be out for 2-4 weeks with a knee injury.

INJURY UPDATE: Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun suffered a lower body injury on Saturday night versus the Boston Bruins. He will be out of the lineup 2-4 weeks.

— Arizona Coyotes PR (@AZCoyotesPR) March 14, 2022

Earlier in the day the Habs were linked to Helleson’s teammate and Minnesota Wild center prospect Jake McBain and New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha by Sportsnet Insider Elliotte Friedman.

Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show linked the #GoHabsGo to #mnwild prospect Jack McBain yet again today.

Also mentioned the Canadiens were kicking tires on #NJdevils Pavel Zacha. Worth noting that NJ had a scout at last night's game.@mndamico @MurphysLaw74

— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) March 14, 2022

Clearly the NHL trade market for defencemen picked up on Monday but were the Canadiens close to trading Ben Chiarot this past weekend?

MHN has confirmed that the New York Rangers are interested in Habs winger Artturi Lehkonen.

National Hockey Now

BOS: As my partner-in-scribe at BHN, Joe Haggerty, pointed out Monday (before the Manson trade), don’t sleep on the Ducks and Boston Bruins hooking up as trade partners again before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. Even with Manson going to the Colorado Avalanche, there’s still some Ducks that could help the Bruins.

If you recall, the Bruins acquired Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase in two separate trades with the Ducks before the 2020 deadline. If the two teams do business again, let’s just hope the trades and the rest of the year work out better than 2020.

NYI: The veteran core of the New York Islanders isn’t rolling over in what is basically a lost season.

Pittsburgh: Are the lineup changes being made by Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan correlating with the team’s plans ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline?

Washington: With center Lars Eller in COVID protocol, how will the Washington Capitals proceed a week out from the NHL Trade Deadline?

Florida: The Florida Panthers are big Buffalos Sabres fans these days.

Detroit: What will Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman do at the NHL Trade Deadline?

Vegas: Will Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley allow general manager Kelly McCrimmon to approach the NHL Trade Deadline on his own?

NHL

With the 2023 NHL Entry Draft projected to be better than the 2022 draft and teams up against the cap, 2023 picks are becoming a hot commodity.

IMHO, the NHL Department of Player Safety got it right with the two-game suspension for Auston Matthews.

Not sure how to really respond to what the Russian Hockey Federation sent to the KHL, who in turn willfully promoted and embraced this Monday, but if you don’t think the Russian Invasion of Ukraine doesn’t affect us and the NHL here in North America, you’re in a state of ignorant bliss.

The Russian Hockey Federation sent this message to all the clubs in the KHL. Asking then to support the war effort, and use the attached propaganda at the games and in social media.
"The support of their own during the war is the only possible reaction of a normal person" pic.twitter.com/4PhgL0bUuI

— Karl Månsson (@karl_khl) March 14, 2022

Today marks 21 years since I lost my grandfather who introduced me to hockey at 8-years-old by taking me to a Bruins-Habs game at the old Boston Garden. He then proceeded to take me to almost every game there until I was 21. He didn’t re-up for the Fleetcenter. 

“I’m not paying Jacobs that if he can’t pay for one more player to win it all,” I remember him saying.

Every year on 3/14, the sights, the sound, the smell of the old Garden flow through me, and I remember why I became a hockey reporter, because of him. To say, it’s ironic that on this day, I am literally covering both teams at the same time would be an understatement. Somewhere above, he’s having a good laugh. Miss you Pa!

With that, here’s his favorite Pogues tune for your Irish track of the day for him: