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Canadiens Mailbag: Anderson, Edmundson, NHL Trade Market

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1 year ago

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Montreal Canadiens defenceman Joel Edmundson

You may have noticed this is the second edition of the Canadiens mailbag this week.

We all know Canadiens fans epitomize passion, and thanks to the incredible interest in Tuesday’s mailbag, I was unable to get to every question posed, leaving us with a lot of unanswered queries.

However, the break in the schedule allows us to circle back and delve into some of the most pressing questions facing general manager Kent Hughes and the Canadiens.

Brendan and Boeser

Decorum aside, there’s absolutely no way the Canadiens should refuse a reasonable trade involving Brendan Gallagher and Brock Boeser.

Boeser is 25 years old, which means he’s in his statistical prime, not to mention, he comes with roughly the same salary cap hit as Gallagher, who is 30 years old and signed until 2026-27.

The more important question, in this case, is how much it would cost to acquire a player of Boeser’s ilk with Gallagher heading the other way.

It may sound harsh given his history with the team, but as it stands, Gallagher holds little to no value on the NHL trade market.

The Canadiens would have to package him with a significant asset to convince the Canucks to downgrade their winger while absorbing significantly more salary.

Even if we put health aside, there are very few areas in which you could argue Gallagher brings more value to his team than Boeser.

Without knowing the Canucks’ game plan going forward, you’d expect them to ask for a high-end prospect or a very good draft pick as compensation.

When it comes to Gallagher’s status with the Canadiens, I’d argue the best bet is to let him heal and re-evaluate his play next season. Gallagher’s dedication to the organization has earned him a longer grace period than most.

If he struggles, the time has come to re-evaluate his future with the team, and that includes a possible buyout.

I’ve spoken and written these words before, but when I say “let him heal”, I mean it.

The team cannot afford to let players make the final call on their health, especially since Gallagher has shown a penchant for returning to play too early, resulting in additional injuries.

Dubois Situation

Absolutely.

I covered this topic in another article, but if Pierre-Luc Dubois is serious about his intentions of coming to Montreal, let him prove it.

There’s no rush for the Canadiens, and the extra time would allow them to gauge the overall potential of their centres.

Not to mention, it would allow them to hold onto precious assets that would otherwise be used to acquire Dubois, and consequently, give them better odds of finishing toward the bottom of the standings next season without the Quebec native on the roster.

To me, the most exciting aspect of Dubois’ desire to play for the Canadiens is that for the first time in a long time, a local player has expressed interest in playing for the team in his prime.

Previously, Quebec-born players have used the Canadiens as leverage toward the end of their careers, a situation that rings rather hollow in sincerity.

Gauging Goalies

With all due respect to Carey Price, I’d argue spending the least amount possible on goaltenders is the only logical approach in the NHL.

That’s not to say teams should not invest in goaltending, but there is always an abundance of goaltenders available in the NHL.

Teams have, at best, four spots for goaltending prospects in their organization (AHL, ECHL), which means a lot of goaltenders will fall through the cracks.

If we take a look at the save percentage leaders this year, no goaltender in the top 10 is signed to a contract with a $6 million AAV or more.

The best bet is to invest in drafting European or NCAA goaltenders with late draft picks, which gives you two additional years to evaluate their progress before signing them.

And in the meantime, keep an eye on the trade market for goaltenders that are perhaps undervalued by their NHL teams.

I’d also say investing in a ‘franchise goaltender’ is no longer a logical approach. It handcuffs teams and the goaltenders tend to struggle when it comes to repeating past performances.

Rebuild or Rental?

To be perfectly honest, none.

I’d look into re-signing Jonathan Drouin for a reasonable cap hit, but I get the sense he’d be better off in another market, seeing as how the media and the fans have soured on him during his tenure in Montreal.

It would be interesting to see what Sean Monahan would consider a fair offer for a contract extension because along with Kirby Dach, he’s the only player that seems to be able to instantly improve whichever line he plays on.

He provides stability at the centre position and is great in transition, two things the Canadiens need to improve upon.

But given the dearth of talented centres available on the trade market, the potential return for Monahan will likely be much too rich to refuse.

Ketchup or Catsup?

The only acceptable answer to the question “ketchup or catsup” is sriracha.

Make the switch and your life will be better.

Although I will vouch for putting ketchup on a hot dog.

I know a lot of people condemn it, but let’s be real here. You’re eating processed pig anus, are you really too fancy to add a little bit of tomato sugar sauce on top?

Oooh la la, Mr.PigAnusEater certainly has high standards for condiments!

Few things hit the spot as well as a whistle dog (bacon, cheese) topped with onions, relish, mustard and ketchup.

But for food that’s not mechanically separated and involves cuts of meat that can actually be identified without pulling out a microscope? Never ketchup. Always hot sauce.

Building Blocks

There are only two players I consider untouchable for the Canadiens: Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.

The rest, including Juraj Slafkovsky, can be moved if the price is right.

That’s not to say the Canadiens should trade all those players, including Slafkovsky, but if the team sees an opportunity to improve their long-term projections, only Caufield and Suzuki should be left out of the conversation.

Draft Deals

The most recent report when it comes to Josh Anderson is that the Canadiens are not in any rush to move him, and it will take a significant offer from an interested team to make a deal.

I took a look at the pros and cons of a possible Anderson trade Friday morning, but let’s just say the timing is probably right to get the best possible return on an asset that is perceived to have significant value on the NHL trade market.

As for Joel Edmundson, he too has garnered a lot of interest around the league, but to acquire a first-round pick, the Canadiens will likely have to retain some salary.

But let’s just say the Canadiens do manage to acquire two additional first-round picks for the upcoming Draft, should they move one of their four first-round picks for a player that is much closer to making an impact in the NHL?

It really depends on who is left on the board at the time of their picks. We all know the 2023 Draft is projected to be one of the best drafts in recent history, which leads me to believe they would hesitate to trade their picks unless a perfect deal is available.

If the trade involves picks that are closer to the second round than the start of the first round, and that would definitely be the case if they receive a first-round pick for Edmundson, the team may be a little more flexible

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