Three Questions Faced By Canadiens Ahead Of NHL Trade Deadline

The Montreal Canadiens have been suspiciously quiet heading into the March 3rd NHL Trade Deadline.

Kent Hughes did swing a deal that sent oft-maligned forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars in exchange for the 25-year-old power forward Denis Gurianov,

But for the most part, the leaks coming from the Canadiens’ camp have been few and far between.

With the lull in the action, we can take a look at three pressing questions facing Hughes and the Canadiens ahead of the deadline.

Will Injuries Cost The Canadiens Assets?

As it stands, both Sean Monahan and Joel Edmundson are likely considered damaged goods on the NHL trade market. Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Kings is the last opportunity the team will have to showcase both veterans ahead of the deadline.

You can’t fault Edmundson or Monahan for their injuries, but in Monahan’s case, there are legitimate questions to be asked in regard to his last few games in a Canadiens uniform.

The Canadiens obliged and gave Monahan the green light to face his former team, the Calgary Flames, on Dec.1, despite arriving in Calgary wearing a walking boot due to a foot injury that occurred when he blocked a shot a few nights earlier.

However, Monahan remained in the lineup against the Edmonton Oilers the following game, as well as the Seattle Kraken on Dec.5, which led to the veteran leaving the game in Seattle after playing just 10 shifts.

The Canadiens were originally quite positive about his progress, stating he was recovering well, and a return to play was possible in a few weeks.

But things quickly unravelled. Monahan’s health status was kept under wrap as his recovery period grew to over two months.

It’s easy to criticize the decision in retrospect, and without knowing all the details of his injury it’s incredibly difficult to pinpoint any mistakes, but it’s also fair to say there’s a strong possibility the team did not handle the case as well as they could have.

With that in mind, there’s still a chance the team can trade Monahan at the deadline, but the return will certainly not be on par with what they could have received if he was healthy.

If the Canadiens move Monahan in the next two days, there’s a strong likelihood the return will be conditional on Monahan’s ability to play a certain amount of games.

Will Teams Bite On Depth Options?

Teams do not seem to be waiting for the deadline to get their trades done, and though it may seem like the Canadiens are being left behind, it may lead to an unexpected trade.

As the best options on the trade market run out of stock, players like Jonathan Drouin, Jake Allen, Rem Pitlick, and Christian Dvorak start to become legitimate options for teams that have pivoted to their contingency plans.

Of course, the Canadiens would have to retain salary in most deals involving a depth player, but it would not be shocking to see one of the aforementioned players leave the team after the 3 PM deadline on Friday.

If the Canadiens cannot convince a team to acquire one of their depth players, expect them to take advantage of their ability to retain salary in a three-way deal.

Will The Canadiens Move Josh Anderson?

It’s the topic du jour.

Anderson is one of the most discussed players on the NHL Trade Market, and with good reason.

He checks all the classic general manager dream-player boxes. He’s fast, he scores goals, and he’s well versed in truculent activities.

Regardless of his actual impact on the underlying numbers, Anderson is perceived as a unicorn in the NHL.

A rare combination of talent that stands out during the playoffs.

And it’s for that very reason the Canadiens should strongly consider moving the 28-year-old winger. His perceived value is much higher than his actual impact on the game. Not to mention, he’s been playing some of the best hockey in his career over the last two months, which is when most teams would have sent professional scouts to evaluate his form.

That being said, it should come as no surprise that Hughes has mentioned he’s not overly interested in trading Anderson.

But every general manager has his price.

If teams start to panic as their rivals load up for the playoffs, Hughes may end up receiving an offer that is simply too good to refuse.