Habs Daily: Brandon Gignac Contract Impact, Goalie Trade Market

Check out the latest Montreal Canadiens news, highlights, and stories you may have missed during the weekend.

Habs News

• ICYMI: The Montreal Canadiens are yet to find a trade partner for one of their goaltenders, despite several teams needing goaltending reinforcements. Veteran Jake Allen may not seem like the most exciting option, but a closer look at his statistics reveals his play this season isn’t far removed from the results the team has enjoyed from Samuel Montembeault. [Evaluating Jake Allen’s Potential Trade Deadline Value]

• The Habs made a pair of decisions on Sunday. They recalled centre Lucas Condotta from the Laval Rocket, which was to be expected, but they also signed Laval’s leading scorer, Brandon Gignac, to a two-year, two-way contract. [Canadiens Impact Of Signing Forward Brandon Gignac]

• There was some good news at practice on Sunday. Forward (and centre) Alex Newhook participated in practice for the first time since injuring his foot. In addition to Condotta’s recall and Gignac’s contract, Newhook’s return should mitigate many of the issues with the lack of centre depth in the lineup now that Monahan has been traded to Winnipeg.

Newy est de retour à l'entraînement avec tout le groupe!

Wooo!

First practice back with the group for Newy!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/RawB4tZavm

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 4, 2024

• Juraj Slafkovsky had enjoyed a lot of success playing alongside Monahan. He’ll clearly miss playing alongside the versatile centre.

“He's a great guy, great person, it was great to have him around. We'll miss him a lot but we just gotta keep playing. I was a little sad. I just told him good luck there, obviously I'm going to miss him. Sad day but we keep going." – Juraj Slafkovsky on his friend Sean Monahan pic.twitter.com/1MQcIGxeik

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) February 4, 2024

• Monahan joined his new team, the Winnipeg Jets. Monahan may have only played 74 games with the Habs, but he still looks odd in Jets garb.  [Impact Of Sean Monahan Trade On Canadiens Lineup And Rebuild]

Everyone say Hi Sean 👋 pic.twitter.com/0M5BNgbsgM

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) February 4, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

• When former New Jersey Devils captain, Zach Parise, signed with the Colorado Avalanche, it took the NHL world by surprise. The 39-year-old forward signed a one-year deal for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, worth $825,000, adding to an already strong Avalanche team. [New Jersey Devils]

• The era of the workhorse goaltender is over. It has been for years, really, with just one Cup-winning roster since 2011 having boasted a netminder with 60 starts or more in that season. Welcome to the future, hockey fans. Unless you’re the Colorado Avalanche. [Colorado Avalanche]

• They say that when one door closes, another door opens. Such is life with Philadelphia Flyers goaltending and the team’s 2023 second-round pick, Brandon Wheat Kings goaltender Carson Bjarnason. [Philadelphia Flyers]