Hockey

“They’re Not Just Acquiring Futures”: Canadiens Looking To Improve Roster, Maximize Selling At Trade Deadline

Published: Feb 9, 2025, 8:45 AM
1 min read
Updated: Jul 24, 2025, 10:51 AM
Fact checked by:
Sergey Demidov
Jake Evans #71 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates with David Savard #58, Michael Pezzetta #55, and Lane Hutson #48

Jake Evans #71 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates with David Savard #58, Michael Pezzetta #55, and Lane Hutson #48 (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

As the NHL trade deadline approaches, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves in an interesting position. While they are certainly listening to offers on several veteran players, they are also actively looking to add young talent to their core.

This approach makes them a classic example of hybrid sellers—teams that move assets for future growth but also look to improve their roster in the short term.

“We’ve heard them having very different conversations,” said one source close to the subject. “On one end, they’re listening on their pending free agents and some roster players, but on the other end, they want to go out and improve their roster for the future, not just acquire futures.”

The Calgary Flames had a similar mentality and went out to grab both Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost from the Philadelphia Flyers. It seems like the Canadiens, who are sliding down the NHL standings again, would like to follow up the same process.

The two biggest differences between the Flames and the Canadiens though, is that the Canadiens have way more draft capital to work with and, more importantly, rental assets that have caught the eye of NHL GMs across the league.

Jake Evans: Will They, Won’t They?

Multiple NHL sources have confirmed to RG that the Canadiens have been receiving inquiries about several of their veteran players, including Jake Evans, Joel Armia, David Savard, and even Mike Matheson. Each of these players brings something different to the table, making them appealing options for contending teams looking to shore up their depth for a playoff push.

Evans is perhaps the Canadiens’ most valuable trade chip due to his career year, both offensively and defensively. As reliable two-way, right-shot center with strong defensive instincts, Evans has drawn interest from teams seeking a solid bottom-six forward who can contribute on the penalty kill and win key face-offs.

The Canadiens have however expressed that they would like to retain him, with both parties looking to make a deal happen; but the parties aren't close on AAV or term.

However, a source indicates that the Canadiens have played this game before.

“The Canadiens know what they’re doing in leaking that they want to re-sign Jake Evans," said a source out of the Eastern Conference. 

“They did it with Lehkonen, Monahan and others. Creating this sense of possible availability is a surefire way to create urgency, especially as players start being taken off the board.”

And players have already started coming off the board, with the first center rental already moved earlier last week hen the Dallas Stars acquired Mikael Granlund from the San Jose Sharks.

It’s still not a given that the Canadiens will move Evans, but the longer this goes and the more calls they take, the more likely they will be to make a move.

One thing is for sure, the Canadiens will either sign or trade Evans by deadline.

“There’s no way this goes beyond the NHL Trade Deadline,” said the source. “The Canadiens will lose their leverage if they don’t have a resolution with Evans’ camp before March 7.”

Joel Armia Getting Attention

While his contract might be a hurdle, Joel Armia’s combination of size, defensive responsibility, and occasional offensive bursts make him an intriguing depth option for teams looking for a playoff performer.

He’s come a long way from being waived and sent to the AHL at the start of the 2023-24 season, and now the veteran forward has a lot of eyes on him. At 3.4M, the pending free agent could be easier to absorb if the Canadiens are willing to take on salary or utilize their final retention slot on him.

That being said, sources on the subject say that his name is really starting to buzz around the league, given his prowess with Evans on the penalty kill.

“His value across the league is much higher than some may believe,” said a source out of the Western Conference.

“That type of gritty, two-way forward is hard come by and, if you can snag him as a sneaky add before the start of the playoffs, your bottom-six just becomes that much more dangerous.”

Couple of Veteran Defensemen

David Savard is another name teams have called on. A veteran right-shot defenseman with Stanley Cup-winning experience, Savard is exactly the type of player playoff-bound teams covet to solidify their blueline. His leadership and shot-blocking abilities make him a valuable trade asset.

Although his on-ice play has dipped a little bit, his overall package as a player and the fact that he’s a right-shot defenseman, will still make him a coveted piece. The Stars’ trade with the Sharks not only helped Evans’ value, but possibly even Savard’s, as Cody Ceci, one of the other few right-shot, veteran defenders on the market, was plucked off the trade market too.

Savard’s age, as well as youngsters like Logan Mailloux and, eventually, David Reinbacher pushing for a roster spot, make it almost inevitable that a move will be coming.

“His play has obviously dipped this season, but he’s the prototypical 3rd-pair guy teams go out and get for a playoff run, and a right-shot,” said a western conference scout. “I know a couple of teams keeping tabs on him right now.”

Mike Matheson has been one of Montreal’s most important defensemen this season and logs the most minutes on average of any defenseman on the team. His puck-moving skills and ability to log big minutes make him an attractive option, though the Canadiens would likely set a high asking price.

The emergence of a youngster like Lane Hutson, and Kaiden Guhle establishing himself as a strong option on the second pair now make Matheson expendable. With one more year left on his contract with a small $4.85M cap hit, Matheson would be an absolute bargain next season with the cap set to jump by nearly $8M.

While the Canadiens are listening to offers on these players, they are not simply looking to offload veterans for draft picks. Instead, they have a clear plan in mind—one that includes adding to their roster in a meaningful way.

Canadiens Looking to Add to Their Lineup

Unlike traditional sellers who focus exclusively on accumulating draft capital, Montreal’s management, led by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, is also exploring ways to add a young forward to their core. With their rebuild progressing and their roster featuring a mix of promising prospects and established talent, the Canadiens want to ensure they have the firepower necessary for future success.

Sources indicate that Montreal is targeting a young, NHL-ready forward and age-appropriate top-4 right-shot defensemen—someone who can contribute immediately, but also fits into their long-term vision. The Canadiens have reportedly expressed interest in players such as Dylan Cozens and Trevor Zegras, as both fit the mold of skilled, young centers who could complement their existing lineup.

As it pertains to right-shot defensemen, sources indicate that New York Islanders are floating Noah Dobson’s name out in trade discussions to see if they can find a way to significantly improve their fortunes and get a young forward in the process.

A source close to the situation confirms the Canadiens are keeping tabs on the situation, but that no offer has yet to be made. However, utilizing some of the assets acquired in their selling could help them soften the blow of the high price any of the above assets are likely to cost them.

This strategy aligns with the Canadiens' desire to remain competitive while still focusing on sustainable growth. They’re not in full rebuild mode; rather, they are seen as hybrid sellers. Acquiring a young forward or defenseman now could also help alleviate the uncertainty surrounding the future of some of their players, such as David Savard and Evans.

The Canadiens aren’t looking to strip their roster down completely; they are strategically assessing which moves best position them for success, both now and in the future.

“From what I’m hearing, they’re going to be proactive leading up to March 7,” said a source. “It sounds like they want to get ahead of their summer and make an impact while their team is still in the race.”

Looking for top-rated betting sites? Check out our Best Canada Sportsbooks Review.

Senior News Editor
Marco D’Amico is an accredited hockey reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens, with a strong focus on NHL prospects, the NHL Draft, and player development. His work has appeared on TSN, RDS, CBC, and more, and he’s interviewed top talents like Lane Hutson, Shane Wright, Ivan Demidov, Logan Cooley, and Nathan MacKinnon.
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James Murphy is a veteran sports journalist covering the NHL, NCAA and CHL hockey for RG.

With 25 years of experience covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA, CHL and more, Murphy has seen it all when it comes to hockey. His hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a diverse array of hockey media personalities who have lived and worked in and around the game. Murphy also currently co-hosts The Eye Test podcast with Pierre McGuire and, along with McGuire, interviews NHL owners and executives, as well as NHL and NCAA head coaches and players daily.

The Arlington, Massachusetts, native began his writing career in hockey in 2001, when the Boston Bruins raised one of his childhood idols, Ray Bourque’s No. 77, to the rafters before their 2001–02 season opener. For 22 of his 25 years as a hockey reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins daily, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals, multiple NHL drafts and countless Stanley Cup playoffs. He did all that for the Boston Metro, NHL.com, NESN.com and ESPN Boston.

In addition to his print work covering the Bruins, Murphy also made regular TV appearances on NESN, Fox 25 Boston, ESPN and NHL Network. From 2008 to 2012, Murphy hosted The Hockey Primetime Show on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and made numerous appearances on national and international radio shows.

Ironically, his three years not covering the Bruins were spent covering their archrivals, the Montreal Canadiens. From 2012 to 2015, Murphy was based in Montreal and covered the Canadiens for NHL.com and TSN.ca. He also appeared regularly on TSN 690 radio and CTV.

Murphy returned to Boston in 2015 and left the media business to work in sales and marketing for LiveBarn, a Montreal-based sports streaming company, for four years. In 2019, Murphy once again became a Bruins beat reporter, this time writing for Boston Hockey Now. He spent four seasons working for BHN before arriving at RG in 2024 and also dedicated more time to The Eye Test podcast.

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