Canadiens’ perfect trade target amid 2026 NHL Free Agency

The Montreal Canadiens are clearly a team that is surging after their performance down the stretch during the regular season and in last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Head coach Marty St. Louis has a team that is clearly dangerous after beating both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh game of consecutive Stanley Cup playoff series.

While there was something quirky about both of those triumphs — the Canadiens were outshot convincingly in Game 7 of both series — there is a sense of determination that surrounds the Canadiens. Perhaps some of it has to do with the team’s history of having won the most Stanley Cups (23) in NHL history, However,that would be selling this team’s instincts, skill level and drive short.

The Canadiens have one of the best young cores in the NHL. A look at the top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky gives St.Louis and Canadiens fans confidence. This team is going to be formidable for years to come. Suzuki is a do it all center who can score, set up his linemates and play defense. Caufield is a 50-goal scorer who should reach that total on a consistent basis while Slafkovsky gets better every season.

Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson form one of the top defensive pairs in the Eastern Conference. Lane Hutson is just below Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes when it comes to offensive potential.

The future is bright in Montreal.

However, they could use some additional scoring depth and a move for a potential second-line forward could be just what general manager Kent Hughes will go after prior to the start of the season.

Two of the forwards they could look at include 29-year-old Jake DeBrusk of the Vancouver Canucks of Kirill Marchenk of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canadiens are rich in young prospects, and that could be the basis of a trade for either player.

DeBrusk could be a solid fit on the 2nd or 3rd line

One of the things that Jake DeBrusk can bring to the Canadiens is the ability to get hot for 2 weeks or more at a time. When he is on a hot streak, he can take the burden off some of the team’s stars.

DeBrusk has played nine seasons in the NHL. The first seven were with the Boston Bruins while the last two were with the Vancouver Canucks.

DeBrusk first flashed his talent in 2018-19, his second year with the Bruins, when he score 27 goals and 42 points. He had 8 power play goals that season. That season DeBrusk demonstrated his tendency to be a streak scorer. He could score goals in bunches but then turn relatively invisible for two weeks or more.

The Bruins were often frustrated with him because of his hot and cold nature. The question was why he couldn’t demonstrate more consistency.

He would go on to match his career high of 27 goals in Boston’s record-setting regular season of 2022-23, but when that number slipped to 19 goals the year after, he left the Bruins as a free agent and signed with the Canucks.

He nailed a career-high 28 goals in 2024-25 and followed up with 23 last year.

However, the Canucks had the worst record in the league and they need to shake things up. It seems likely that DeBrusk would release the Canucks from his no-trade clause if he could go to a team like the Canadiens that appears to have a legitimate Stanley Cup opportunity.

Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko could be a huge difference maker