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Insider Discusses Canadiens' Strategy Ahead of Trade Deadline

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jan 7, 2025 9:15 AM ET

The Montreal Canadiens have put together a strong 19-18-3 record through the first half of the season and find themselves at a critical juncture ahead of March's trade deadline.

Following Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Habs grabbed hold of the second wild card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The team’s recent surge, winning eight of their last ten games, has complicated their approach to the trade market as that run of positive results wasn't quite expected following an 11-16-3 start to the season.

According to Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period, the Canadiens are in no rush to make moves and will take a measured approach before deciding whether to sell, buy, or stand pat.

Speaking on TSN’s "Melnick in the Afternoon" on Monday, Bernstein outlined the factors that will shape Montreal’s trade deadline strategy.

“Be three points out of the trade deadline,” Bernstein said when asked what it would take for the Canadiens not to sell. “With the one caveat of, if someone’s going to offer you a first-round pick and a great prospect for David Savard, you’re going to make that trade, right?

”If you get two seconds for Jake Evans, you’re probably going to make that trade. Depends on what the market is.”

The Canadiens’ roster includes tradeable assets in veterans such as veteran Savard, forward Evans, and defenseman Mike Matheson, but each potential subtraction could harm the team’s own playoff push.

For general manager Kent Hughes, balancing the short- and long-term prospects of the franchise will be key, but the current position the team is at offers him the chance to play a wait-and-see game.

“Do you really want to take anybody off the team right now?” Bernstein wondered. “I don’t think Kent Hughes is in a sell mindset. The team’s right there, and you look around—anything can happen.

”You can afford to be patient because of the result of the team. If the bottom falls out on the season or teams come with offers too good to refuse, that’s when Hughes makes a move.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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