The Montreal Canadiens are off to a strong start this season. They sit first in the Atlantic Division with a 9-3-2 record. However, they’re coming off two narrow losses. A 4-3 overtime defeat to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and a 5-4 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
Last season, Montreal battled hard to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as the second wild card. But fell to the Washington Capitals in the first round in five games. This year, they look like a much-improved team, though adding a few key pieces could help them stay competitive down the stretch. Reports suggest the Canadiens are eyeing a player who was once on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ radar.
Who Is the Former Maple Leafs Target That the Montreal Canadiens Have Set Their Sights On?
The Canadiens are being led by captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson. They currently top the team’s scoring chart. Montreal has over $6.4 million in cap space, giving them the flexibility to make moves if the right opportunity arises.
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, one area the Canadiens might address is their second-line center position, a role that’s notoriously difficult to fill across the league.
“But second-line centres are hard to come by, just ask (GM Kent) Hughes and some of his colleagues across the NHL on the hunt for the same thing. Montreal has been linked to Nazem Kadri.” Pagnotta said. “But I also wonder about veterans like Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly as potential targets later in the season.”
Schenn was previously a top target for the Maple Leafs, but now appears to be on Montreal’s radar. Other teams reportedly interested in similar high-impact players include the Carolina Hurricanes, Utah Mammoth, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rookies like Oliver Kapanen (8 points in 14 games) and center Kirby Dach (6 points in 11 games) have helped stabilize Montreal’s depth down the middle.
Pagnotta added that if the young players continue to perform, the urgency to add another center might lessen, though the Canadiens are still expected to keep a close eye on the trade market. “The Habs will surely keep tabs on the trade market, and my understanding is they aren’t afraid to make another huge splash if the opportunity, be it at centre or on the wing, presents itself,” Pagnotta said.
Next up, the Canadiens face the Mammoth on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
