Canadiens Trade Talk: Top 3 Teams That Could Use Evans & Armia

With the NHL Trade Deadline scheduled for March 7, time is running out for the Montreal Canadiens to decide the best path forward for some of their pending free agents.

In the latest Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun suggested the Habs and Jake Evans are not remotely close to settling on a contract extension, connoting that a trade in the near future isn’t just possible, it’s becoming very likely.

“Both sides remain far apart,” explained LeBrun. “Again, this just leads to more speculation that the Habs will end up moving Jake Evans before the March 7 deadline. Things can change with one phone call, but as of now, all things point toward a trade. The Habs have talked to teams in the last few days on that front.”

It’s far from surprising, as the Canadiens did not engage in contract talks with Evans while he was shooting over 30 percent earlier in the season. That number has since dropped to 19 percent, which is still roughly two times higher than Evans’ career average, a situation that has surely complicated the limited discussions between the Canadiens and Evans.

And then there’s the harsh reality of Evans’ long-term value. He’s 28 years old, which means he’s leaving his statistical prime. He’s in the midst of a career year that is unlikely to be repeated. His production dried up immediately once Emil Heineman was forced to miss a month of action, a clear red flag when projecting his scoring in the near future.

We also have to keep the player’s point of view in mind. This summer will represent the only opportunity for Evans to sign a rich, long-term contract as an unrestricted free agent, and you’d be hard-pressed to suggest he doesn’t deserve a chance to maximize his value.

Evans will end up receiving a significant raise this summer, but it seems clear that Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is not interested in offering such a contract, and I have to say it’s probably the wisest approach.

As for a potential return, seeing as the Canadiens already own a bevy of draft picks, they’re not interested in receiving a mediocre pick in exchange for Evans. LeBrun suggests the starting price would be a second-round pick.

“Teams have been told not to waste their time,” he said. “I think the low bar is a second-round pick, at worst, for Montreal on Evans.”

There was another interesting angle brought up by LeBrun, via Arpon Basu at the Athletic. Arpon proposed the Canadiens could possibly package both Evans and Joel Armia, the team’s dynamic  penalty killing duo, to entice teams that are looking to bolster their special teams at the NHL Trade Deadline.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the teams battling for a playoff spot that could use special teams reinforcements.

Jake Evans to Joel Armia, that’s a shorthanded goal. 2-1 #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/QBNsVOeEFj

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) November 6, 2024

Detroit Red Wings

The first team that comes to mind has to be the Detroit Red Wings. They decided to press fast-forward on their rebuild, which means they’re currently fighting for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Truth be told, the Red Wings need a little help in almost every category, including 5v5 play. But a quick look at their penalty kill prowess, or lack thereof, confirms they desperately need help in that department.

The Red Wings have managed to kill a little over 69 percent of their penalties this year, which is dead last among all NHL teams.

They have plenty of cap space as well, but even if there was an issue regarding financial flexibility, the Habs still have the option of absorbing an expiring contract to facilitate a trade with a team that has to move bodies out before they bring bodies in.

Great individual effort by Jake Evans to score a shorthanded goal and make it 5-2 #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/a9V9ZuV1eD

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) April 3, 2024

Minnesota Wild

The Wild are sitting pretty, currently third in the Pacific Division with very little risk of falling out of the playoff picture. That being said, their greatest weakness is their 29th ranked penalty kill, an issue that could be remedied with a few phone calls to Montreal.

They also have an abundance of cap space available, a situation that will only improve for them down the road. Both Zach Parise and Ryan Sutter’s buyouts will cost significantly less next season, going from a $7,371,795 cap hit for each player, to just $833,333 until 2030.

In other words, the Wild are on the upswing, and they’re the type of team that could afford to trade for both Armia and Evans, while keeping an eye on a potential contract extension for either this summer.

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton doesn’t have as much cap space as some of the other teams that need help on the penalty kill, but a little creativity could easily solve that issue. The Oilers have several players on expiring contracts that could be moved to facilitate the financial aspect of a potential trade with the Habs.

With the best hockey player in the world in their lineup, it’s time for the Oilers to shore up their weaknesses before attempting another run at the Stanley Cup. A second-round pick means very little in the grand scheme of things if you’re aiming for a championship.

At some point, they’re going to have to commit to winning at all costs rather than worrying about the type of asset management that’s essentially irrelevant for Stanley Cup contenders.  The greatest risk for the Oilers at this point is the status quo. They have to keep improving, a lot like the Chicago Bulls did when they acquired Dennis Rodman. As good as Michael Jordan was, he still needed help. Keep in mind he was already playing with one of the best players in the league, Scottie Pippen.

In that same vein, Connor McDavid is definitely worth the investment, and it’s quite clear the Oilers could use help on the penalty kill, as evidenced by their bottom-five penalty kill (73.9 percent).