Canadiens Interest in Boeser Renewed, Past Trade Offer Revealed

Vancouver hockey insider Rick Dhaliwal discussed the trade market for winger Brock Boeser on the most recent episode of the Sekeres and Price show, particularly the past and current interest shown by the Montreal Canadiens.

Boeser requested a trade from the Vancouver Canucks last week, and at just 25 years old he’s the type of player that would fit into the Canadiens’ rebuild, despite his recent downtick in production.

“All I can say is teams continue to call, kick tires,” said Dhaliwal. “One thing I can tell both of you is Boeser can make a trade happen a whole lot quicker if he gets on a heater like Horvat. But sitting at four goals, week after week, is going to make it tough, guys. There are a lot of things that factor, cap space and all that stuff. Right now, sitting at four goals is going to be tough.”

Dhaliwal goes on to speculate a player like Sean Monahan, who is on the last year of a contract that pays $6.3 million per season, would be the type of player the Canucks would look to acquire if they were to move Bo Horvat in a separate deal.

“Someone told me the Canadiens and Canucks talked a few weeks ago, he said. “This is me purely speculating, but Sean Monahan, the contract, is exactly the type of contract the Canucks would find attractive in a Brock Boeser trade. One year left, 6.3 million, guys. Monahan is having a decent season with the Habs.”

“He’s a veteran centreman, which would help if the Canucks move Horvat at the deadline.”

Dhaliwal goes on to explain the Canadiens’ interest in Boeser is longstanding, going back to when Marc Bergevin was calling the shots for Montreal.

.@DhaliwalSports on Boeser:

"MTL is interested….go back to the bubble year, there was a big rumour that the #GoHabsGo had made the #Canucks a pretty decent offer centred around Romanov, a pick & they were even willing to take a bad contract…but Benning said no." @VanMortgage

— Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) December 10, 2022

Marc’s Man

“I’ve been told Montreal’s interest in Boeser goes back to when Marc Bergevin was general manager of the Habs,” said Dhaliwal. ‘Bergevin loved him. If you go back to the bubble year there was a big rumour the Habs had made a pretty decent offer.”

Bergevin’s interest apparently reached the point that he offered the Canucks a good young defender, a draft pick, and a contract dump if they were willing to entertain a trade involving Boeser.

“I was told it was centred around Alexandre Romanov, a pick, and they were willing to take a bad contract like Beagle, Roussell, or Eriksson, but Benning said no.”

“It sounds like somebody in pro scouting loves Boeser,” added Rob Williams.

Dhaliwal circled back to the Monahan subject, once again affirming he’s the type of player the Canucks would be interested in acquiring in a deal for Boeser, particularly because he’s currently signed to an expiring contract.