Murphy: Two Different Takes On Potential Trade Return For Dvorak

Montreal Canadiens centre Christian Dvorak has been a constant in NHL trade chatter and rumours since prior to the March 21 NHL trade deadline. NHL trade talk regarding Dvorak and other Canadiens players had quieted down recently, but the acquisition of another centre in Sean Monahan last week seems to have increased NHL trade chatter amongst NHL management and scouting circles since the Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old pivot last Thursday, and Dvorak’s name is right back in the thick of it.

“He’s been out there for a while, that’s no secret,” one NHL exec pointed out to Montreal Hockey Now on Tuesday morning. “I’m hearing name again the last few days. I think with the depth they have a centre, he’s gotta be a strong candidate to be the odd-man out up the middle.”

The attractive aspect of acquiring Dvorak is his reasonable salary cap hit ($4.45M AAV), and term (two years), he has left. With Dvorak signed through the end of the 2023-24 season, acquiring teams wouldn’t have to worry about losing him to unrestricted free agency next summer if things worked out. If they didn’t, he’d be a good asset to have at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. The main question now is what can the Canadiens get for Dvorak on the NHL trade market?

In two separate conversations regarding NHL trade value of Christian Dvorak – who had 11 goals and 22 assists in 56 games last season – the potential trade return predictions varied. The aforementioned NHL exec was not as high on Dvorak’s current trade stock as the second NHL exec we spoke to.

“Third round pick if they’re lucky but I’d say a fourth rounder sounds more on target,” the first source said. “I know he started to play better under Marty [St. Louis] but he is what he is, and on a Stanley Cup contender, that’s a third line centre.”

The second NHL exec, whose team has had at least exploratory talks with the Canadiens regarding Dvorak seemed to have a better opinion of the 6-foot, 195-pound center whom the Canadiens acquired from the Arizona Coyotes last September in exchange for conditional draft picks.

“If he is playing a 200-foot game then he can be really effective and I think rotate between the second or third slot up the middle,” the source said. “I hope your other source is right though and we don’t have to give up more than a third for him.”

As my MHN partner-in-crime Marco D’Amico wrote earlier on Tuesday:

‘The Montreal Canadiens find themselves with 16 NHL-calibre forwards and some youngsters pushing to surprise; something’s got to give before the end of training camp.

The Montreal Canadiens currently sit at 15 forwards on their roster with about $4.4M in projected LTIR relief space with Kirby Dach left to sign. Currently, the Canadiens have $57.8M committed to their forward group and not enough room for them to stay on their main roster. That number could increase once they sign Dach to his extension, which is likely to be a bridge deal.’

Clearly something will have to give up the middle as the Canadiens – with Dach included – would enter camp with five NHL centers: Dvorak, Nick Suzuki, Dach, Sean Monahan and Jake Evans.

Will Christian Dvorak be the odd-man out and what will the Canadiens get for him on the NHL trade market?

That question be answered if and when the Canadiens sign Dach, and very likely before the 2022-23 regular season begins.