Habs Should Tread Lightly Regarding Trading Zharovsky

Now, hockey is a business, and trades happen, but unless a trade including Zharovsky is to get a surefire all-star player back, it may not be worth giving him up in a package, as he could improve a lot just by spending his summer working closely with a bona fide NHL player before heading back for what looks to be his last year in the KHL before he comes to North America for good.

The Habs are in no rush to get better, and waiting a year for Zharovsky may be worth it. There is a very good possibility that the chemistry that Demidov and Zharovsky are building while training will carry into NHL action, especially if they are together over the next two summers before Zharovsky is ready to make his pro debut at the beginning of the 2027-28 campaign.

Even Craig Button, who is a former GM of the Calgary Flames, said on Tuesday night’s episode of the Sick Podcast that the Habs should be very careful when it comes to trading Zharovsky. The reason is that he sees Zharovsky as a potential 1st-line talent with all he did in the KHL as well as the support that the young Russian has in Montreal. At the end of the day, the 2nd part of that is likely the most important part, as other than Lane Hutson, there is no bigger rink rat than Demidov, as he always loves being on the ice, and he seems to be instilling that into Zharovsky over the past week, which can be invaluable for his development. If anything, the fact that he got drafted by the Canadiens a year after Demidov may be what helps Zharovsky reach his potential as a 30-goal and 70-point player in the NHL. It’s possible he could be even better.

However, about 2 weeks ago, it was reported that Zharovsky was involved in a trade that went through one minute after the 2026 trade deadline that would have sent the former 34th overall pick along with another unnamed prospect and 2 1st-round picks to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Matthew Knies. While Knies is a nice piece and is a young player that could be part of the Habs core for the long-term future, there was a lot given up in that deal, and one or two pieces would have surely haunted the Canadiens.

Nonetheless, Knies has shown that he is capable of scoring around 30 goals and 65 points a season while being a power forward that can hit, which is something that the Habs could use on their team. Although, I would still pass on it, as the Habs have time to let their prospects grow a bit before being a true Stanley Cup contender.

I’ll admit I was fine with this trade going through when I heard it initially, but the more clips I saw and thought about it, this deal could have hurt the Habs badly if he pans out while playing for one of their biggest rivals, as they would need to face him a lot more, and oftentimes players make their former teams pay every time they play each other. Luckily, the Canadiens don’t have to worry about that specific trade, as the new management in Toronto would rather get a top 4 defenseman like Kaiden Guhle in a package if they are to trade Knies away. As bad as losing Guhle to a rival like the Leafs would be, it likely wouldn’t hurt as much as Zharovsky scoring nearly every game vs. the Habs. Not to mention, Guhle is in a spot where he is pushed to the Canadiens’ 3rd pairing due to the depth on the left side of the defence, meaning that he is expendable and is a solid trade chip.

Zharovsky already exceeded expectations as an 18-year 2nd round pick by following in Demidov’s footsteps as the 2026 KHL Rookie Of The Year without having trained with Demidov. Now add his first KHL season with some training tips by one of, if not the most skilled, forwards on the Habs over the last 40 years, and Zharovsky seems poised to outproduce his 16 goals and 42 points in 58 games as a rookie in the KHL. Then from there, he can come over to Montreal and hopefully show what he can do at the NHL level before the end of the 2026-27 season if he is allowed out of his contract early like Demidov was.

The sky really seems like the limit for this young Russian prospect, and the Canadiens will need to be careful not to trade him in a deal for just anyone if they do end up sending him somewhere. However, the ideal situation would be to keep him developing his game within the Habs organization. There is a legitimate chance we are watching another elite duo being started for the Habs this summer as the Russians train together.