Canadiens Add Interesting Project Via Trade With The Ducks

The Montreal Canadiens announced they have traded forward Jan Mysak to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Jacob Perreault.

It should not be considered a significant trade, though it’s clear why Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes pulled the trigger on the prospect swap.

Mysak, 21, has struggled to find his rhythm with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. In 110 career games in the AHL, Mysak has managed to score 20 goals and 11 assists. He had fallen out of favour with the Rocket head coach Jean-Francois Houle during his rookie season, which led to limited ice time.

Originally chosen 48th overall at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Mysak never found the next gear once he made the jump to professional hockey from the OHL.

As for Perreault, he has enjoyed much more success than his trade counterpart since being chosen in the first round of the 2020 draft, 27th overall.

That’s not to say he has blown anyone away with his production, but his 32 goals and 59 assists in 161 career games in the AHL equate to a little less than 0.6 points per game, compared to Mysak’s 0.28 points per game in the same stretch.

Montreal Canadiens Angle

The trade will not improve the team’s current NHL roster, and Habs fans should temper their expectations when it comes to Perreault’s potential, but it can also be noted that Hughes landed the better offensive player in the minor-league swap.

Perreault projects as a prospect with a fantastic shot, one that he used to perfection in the OHL by scoring 39 goals in his final year with the Sarnia Sting. He has more untapped potential than Mysak, which should help the Rocket as they attempt a late-season surge up the North Division standings in a desperate bid to clinch a playoff berth.

It should also be noted Perreault is the son of former Hab Yanic Perreault.

Perreault’s entry-level contract expires after the 2024-25 season, which should give the Canadiens ample time to evaluate whether the once highly-rated prospect can secure a role in the team’s long-term rebuild plans.

All things considered, the trade is a win for Hughes, a low-risk, medium-reward situation that also has the added benefit of improving the AHL lineup.

Jacob Perreault for Jan Mysak.

At the 2020 draft I was quite high on both of these guys (more so Perreault). But the confidence that either is an NHLer has greatly diminished.

Perreault especially showed some decent productive moments in his post-draft years but never… https://t.co/2XnAUsXQo9 pic.twitter.com/i6btXaRKzM

— Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) March 7, 2024