While the Montreal Canadiens deal with a bevy of injuries, the rumours linked to the team have started to multiply.
The Habs were among the teams interested in signing former Toronto Maple Leaf, and current Vancouver Canucks forward David Kampf. That ship has obviously sailed, but it’s far from surprising that general manager Kent Hughes showed interest in a centre who happens to be left-handed. As it stands, not only do the Habs desperately need reinforcements, they also lack a centre who shoots left.
Former Star Player Available
According to Jeff Marek, the Canadiens are among the teams that have inquired about Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.
“Where could Stamkos end up?” asked Marek on the Sekeres And Price Show. “Make no mistake about it, Vancouver is part of that conversation, as is Montreal, as are a number of teams. I don’t know about full freight, but I know they’re in the conversation there.”
It’s important to pay close attention to the information provided by Marek. While he does confirm the Canadiens are ‘part of that conversation’ regarding Stamkos, he did not suggest a deal is imminent. He also mentioned players such as Jonathan Marchessault and Filip Forsberg as potential trade targets should the Predators decide to make wholesale changes.
Given that Stamkos is currently serving as a left-winger for the Predators, and has slowed down considerably in recent years, I’m not sure if there’s a fit between the player and the team. He’s right-handed, and is in the second year of a four-year contract that carries an $8 million annual average value (AAV). It should be noted that he’s registered just five points in 20 games, far from the type of offensive contributions you would expect for a player earning that much money.
This seems more like a due diligence situation than a serious inquiry by the Canadiens.
A Better Option For The Montreal Canadiens
With that in mind, there is one player in the Predators lineup that would certainly garner a fair amount of interest in Montreal, as well as around the league.
Centre Ryan O’Reilly continues to put up very impressive underlying numbers, and is currently second in Predators scoring with 13 points in 20 games. He’s left-handed, an area of weakness for the Habs, and he provides the type of veteran presence that could help the youngest team in the league.
Additionally, O’Reilly is only making $4.5 million per season, on a deal that expires next summer.
In other words, there’s very little long-term risk tied to his contract, unlike most veterans in the NHL.
Of course, the cost of acquisition would be relatively high, as the NHL’s Trade Market is rather barren when it comes to legitimate trade options.
According to Alex Daugherty, who covers the Predators for the Tennessean, if Nashville does end up moving O’Reilly, the price tag would likely be similar to what the New York Islanders received for Brock Nelson: a first-round pick and a talented prospect. To clarify, Daugherty was speculating as to the potential cost, not reporting it as a fact.
The first-round pick would not be an issue for the Canadiens, as they’re willing to spend quality assets if the player they’re acquiring holds value, but the situation becomes more complicated once we reach the prospects that could end up in play.
The Predators would be probably interested in forward prospects such as Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky, while the Montreal Canadiens would likely be inclined to move any forward prospects except for the aforementioned duo.
Marc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The … More about Marc Dumont