NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens, and the Calgary Flames

Sean Monahan Could Be The First Domino To Fall for Montreal

Eric Engles of Sportsnet: Engles writes about the State of the Union address Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes gave on Monday, where he tackled some of the biggest questions facing Montreal moving forward.

One of the big questions will be what the Canadiens will do on the March 8th NHL Trade Deadline. Montreal is a seller, and they hold many cards that teams want.

Engles writes the first player most likely to be traded will be Sean Monahan. Teams are looking for center help. Considering Monahan’s contract, the contenders will want to add depth down the middle. But of course, the market will determine what he can get.

The Canadiens also have three goaltenders on their roster and several defensemen, including David Savard, plus Tanner Pearson up front, who could be on the move. But again, it will come down to the offer on the table, especially for the goaltender, for Hughes to strike sooner than later.

The Flames May Wait Until Summer to Trade Their Number One Goalie

Eric Francis of Sportsnet: Francis writes the talk about the Calgary Flames trading goaltender Jacob Markstrom is a little premature. Markstrom holds all the say when it comes to him getting traded.

According to Francis, he has a full no-trade clause, and the Flames have not even approached Markstrom about potentially waiving it. The only way that will happen is if general manager Craig Conroy gets a significant package in return that he can’t say no to.

While the New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs need goaltending, the contenders are so far up against the salary cap. Markstrom carries a salary cap hit of $6 million over the next couple of years. High price to pay, especially with retention involved.

Those may go the Vegas route by acquiring a cheaper goaltender and hope he catches fire like Adin Hill did last year. So that means Markstrom could be moved in the offseason instead of at the deadline as the Flames climb back into contention.