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Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Canadiens Should Target Jared Spurgeon in the 2025 Offseason

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Justin Giampietro | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Montreal Canadiens are finally in an adding stage. They’re right in the mix for the playoffs, led by a young group of core players. With superstar prospect Ivan Demidov set to join the team next fall, things are really looking up.

Still, they could use some help, particularly on the back end. If he’s available, the Minnesota Wild‘s Jared Spurgeon would be the perfect addition. The 35-year-old right-shot defenceman has a $7.575 million cap hit through the 2026-27 season.

In a previous episode of the Worst Seats in the House podcast, Wild play-by-play commentator Anthony LaPanta and The Athletic‘s Michael Russo discussed the possibility of moving out the team’s captain. “I think it’s something they would consider. Again, I think they want to try to get (David) Jiricek in the lineup next year,” Russo said, though not fond of the idea.

If Minnesota is willing to deal their veteran defender (and he’s willing to oblige, given his no-trade clause), the Canadiens should be all over it. There’s an injury history here, but it’s worth the risk.

Spurgeon Is One of NHL’s Best Shutdown Defencemen

The numbers alone say a lot about Spurgeon. Since the 2020-21 season, he’s allowing just 1.88 goals for every 60 minutes he’s on the ice at 5-on-5. In that five-season span, that’s the best mark among regular NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 usage per game—he’s the shutdown king.

Though just 5-foot-9 and 166 pounds, his pure defensive game rivals that of the much larger Jaccob Slavin. Spurgeon is a master at taking away space from opposing forwards and eliminating scoring chances as a result. When he hones in on an opponent, that’s usually where the play dies. His body positioning and defensive stick are both some of the best in the league. Like, probably top three.

Neither Spurgeon’s extensive injury history nor his age has weighed him down this season. With 28 points in 57 games, he’s fairly productive offensively while being the same demoralizing force in his zone. However, he’s only averaging 20:25 of total ice time this season, which is his lowest since 2010-11. Although his minutes are of the highest quality, they are indeed going down.

Why the Canadiens Should Pursue Spurgeon

The Canadiens should be eyeing someone of Spurgeon’s caliber for obvious reasons. The team’s biggest deficiency also happens to be this player’s biggest strength: defence.

At 5-on-5 this season, the Canadiens are in the bottom five for both actual and expected goals allowed per 60 minutes. They’re not very good defensively, and that’s been an issue since the rebuild began. But with Spurgeon, that can change a bit. Acquiring him could maximize the potential of the roster, establishing a winning culture in Montreal.

He’s not a long-term solution by any means, but Spurgeon would be an excellent partner for Lane Hutson. If Hutson has someone who can handle a bulk of defensive responsibilities, that will only unlock his offensive game more. Sure, it’d be one of the smallest pairings in the NHL in terms of size, but Spurgeon doesn’t play “small.” The things he could teach the 21-year-old Calder Trophy favourite may be invaluable.

Adding Spurgeon could also elevate the Canadiens’ play between the pipes. Sam Montembeault, though undergoing a bit of a cold streak, is one of the best netminders in the league when isolated from the defence in front of him. With 56.79 goals saved above expected since 2022-23, he ranks fifth in the NHL—better than Juuse Saros, Andrei Vasilevskiy, etc. So, Montembeault’s .901 save percentage in that span hardly tells the full story. If he gets more help in front of him, the sky’s his limit.

Montreal finally has the offensive talent to flourish. Demidov, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Hutson should instantly be one of the better cores in the Eastern Conference. A high-end shutdown defender seems like the perfect piece.

What Might Spurgeon Cost?

Now, actually trading for Spurgeon would be complicated. He’s expensive, has control of his own destiny, and has spent over 900 games with the Wild. But in the event that all parties are up for it, what might a trade look like?

With the expiring deals of Christian Dvorak and David Savard alone, the Canadiens would be able to afford Spurgeon’s salary if neither were to return. That, coupled with the vastly increasing cap over the next few seasons, should make the money a non-concern.

David Savard, Montreal Canadiens (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

However, the salary is a consideration to make, since it might drive down the cost in terms of a trade. Though he’s a fantastic player, a Spurgeon deal may not even require a first-round pick. If the Wild were contemplating sending out their captain, they may settle on a couple of second-round picks. After all, if the goal is to get a young Jiricek usage, freeing up that much salary, a roster spot, and getting draft capital in return wouldn’t be so bad.

If you’re general manager Kent Hughes, do you target Spurgeon in the offseason, or someone else? Should the Wild avoid dealing away their captain?

Stats courtesy of Evolving-Hockey