Several members of the Montreal Canadiens have already caught the eye of teams across the NHL, despite the trade deadline being months away. As reported by TSN, four Canadiens players are positioned within the top 20 potential trade targets in the league.
Among them is veteran goaltender Jake Allen, who holds the fourth spot on TSN’s ‘Trade Bait’ board, indicating a potential increase in the goaltender market. Following closely is Cayden Primeau, ranked fifth on the board. The Canadiens’ recent three-year contract extension offer to goaltender Samuel Montembeault suggests an excess of goalkeeping talent, making a move involving Allen or Primeau not just a sensible choice but a necessity for both the players and the team.
Versatile center Sean Monahan, currently under a reasonable contract with an annual average value of $1.985 million, holds the ninth spot on the list. With notable offensive and defensive contributions, Monahan’s on-ice performance, including stellar 5v5 play, powerplay, penalty kill, and impressive faceoff efficiency at 57 percent, makes him an attractive trade prospect.
Sean Monahan scores a very nice shorthanded goal after Bedard's shot goes wide.
Once again, RHP did great work on the penalty kill. Smart player, that one. pic.twitter.com/jFrSNImnpM
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) October 15, 2023
The Trade Bait board also features defenseman Mike Matheson, occupying the 20th position. While names like Allen, Primeau, and Monahan are frequently discussed in trade scenarios, Matheson is a less common mention.
Considering the impressive performance of younger defensemen in the league, the prospect of moving Matheson becomes more acceptable, particularly if the return involves a valuable asset that could significantly contribute to the team’s rebuilding efforts.
WOW.
Mike Matheson with an early goal-of-the-year candidate.
End-to-end beauty. pic.twitter.com/MLJLiz5bSf
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) October 25, 2023
Monahan’s projected season statistics, indicating a pace for a 12-goal, 41-assist pro-rated season, make him an enticing option for NHL teams seeking improved blueline production.
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