Montreal Canadiens Prospects Who Could Be Traded This Summer

Coming off a first-round playoff loss, the Montreal Canadiens are one of the teams to watch this offseason. The team is looking to become more competitive and qualify for the playoffs once again next year. The Canadiens will look to make a big splash in free agency. They have an abundance of picks as well as prospects that could be used in a package for an impact player. But which prospects do the Canadiens view as expendable? Let’s take a look at which Montreal Canadiens prospects could make for difficult decisions and potentially be trade bait this offseason.

Decisions on Montreal Canadiens Prospects Trade Bait Start with Filip Mesar

Filip Mesar was once one of the Montreal Canadiens most exciting prospects. He was drafted 26th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He was picked in the same draft as fellow Slovakian Juraj Slafkovsky. The pick seemed like a reach at the time and appeared to be a move solely to give Slafkovsky a friend in Montreal. Mesar lacks size but he is a great and elusive skater. We saw flashes of his potential in his first training camp in Montreal as well as the World Junior Championships in that same year. However, Mesar struggled when coming over to the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers. He fell short of the point-per-game mark in his draft-plus-one-year. This is a poor sign from an overager, let alone a first-round pick. Nowadays, Mesar is with the Laval Rocket and is struggling to crack the lineup.

While Mesar is only 21-years-old, we haven’t seen much progression since his draft year. His chances of being a regular in the Canadiens lineup are quickly fading, and it’s hard to envision where he would fit into the Habs lineup. Being a former first-round pick, Mesar still holds some value and the Canadiens may opt to use him in a package to acquire a more established player.

Sean Farrell

Sean Farrell dominated at every level he played at. After his performances in the NCAA and the men’s worlds, it appeared the Canadiens may have a star on their hands. However, in his first stint with Montreal, Farrell looked out of place. Since then, he has had some ups and downs in the AHL and has struggled with injuries. Farrell’s numbers in the AHL are solid, but he hasn’t done enough to earn another shot with Montreal as of now. He will be 24 in November, and if he isn’t in a top-six role, it’s hard to see a place for the undersized winger in Montreal.

Farrell could be an intriguing addition for many teams. He has an elite hockey IQ and playmaking ability. He can still be an impactful player for an NHL club if given the right opportunity. However, it’s seeming less and less likely that it will be with Montreal.

Logan Mailloux

Logan Mailloux has the most value on the trade market out of these three prospects. He just turned 22 years old. Furthermore, he has put up great numbers from the backend for Laval in his first two seasons. He could be a promising offensive defenceman with some physicality to boot. However, the Canadiens have a lot of other promising young defenceman, including former fifth-overall pick David Reinbacher. Mailloux has a chance to crack the Canadiens lineup next season, but the Canadiens could also dangle him on the market in a package for a more established right-handed defenceman. It’s no secret that Montreal needs a right-handed top 4 defender to pair with Lane Huston. Mailloux could be a big piece of the Habs future, but if Montreal wants to acquire a defenceman on the trade market, Mailloux would likely be involved in the deal.