With the Montreal Canadiens’ numerous injuries that could affect who they move by deadline, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes will have to get creative if he wants to maximize his fortune. One way to do this is to trade healthy players with maturity to get the assets they need to rebuild and make room for the cap. Here’s a look at a player who could be moved to fill a few needs that Hughes said he wants to acquire at the close of trading (TDL).
Flames are interested in Anderson
Ever since Josh Anderson played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving has been interested in acquiring the power forward. It ended up being forestalled by former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin when he traded Max Domi to the Jackets in 2020. The Flames were battling for a wild card (WC) position in the Western Conference and struggling to gain consistency from their forward group, adding a power forward could be the answer.
Josh Anderson, Montreal Canadiens (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
When the Canadians took over Anderson it was for Domi and a third round selection. Domi started struggling and Anderson had just had major shoulder surgery, leading many to question whether he could return to the 27 goals he had in Columbus in 2018-19. With all the variables, the price for Anderson was relatively low. While he hasn’t scored 20 goals as a Habitat yet, he hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season at Montreal, either, and he’s on track to score 25 goals this season. Hughes is a big Anderson fan and if Treviling is looking to acquire him the price will be much higher than what the Canadians paid.
Canadians want a major haul for Anderson
Hughes has stated multiple times that he is not buying Anderson and it would take a deal that would blow his mind to get him to move. Exactly what that deal will be is pure speculation, but you can make an educated guess by listening to Hughes’ interviews over the past few months. He has mentioned on a few occasions that he would love to land a third-round pick, a high school senior and a young NHL-able goaltender. With his best trading fortune either injured or collapsing, acquiring any of these items will be difficult unless a miracle happens within the next week.
Related: 3 Canadians that could still be moved at the close
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Anderson’s cap hit will be another factor in the forward’s away trading, so any team interested must have the $5.5 million left over for the next four seasons. This could be another reason Hughes isn’t buying him, recognizing that not many teams have the cap space to acquire Anderson without complicating the deal. That’s not to say that Hughes wants all three – pick, prospect and goalie – but a combination of at least two of those things. A competing team could afford a deal like this depending on the prospect; Montreal won’t want just any prospect, but one that fits his team vision going forward. Most of the top contenders don’t have solid A prospects, but some teams in the playoffs or in the championship match do, and it’s from there that Hughes hopes to generate the most interest in Anderson.
Flames have the assets Hughes wants
Several teams are interested in Anderson; He’s the most valuable Canadian going into the TDL and probably the only one getting the return Hughes wants. The Flames are one of those teams, and they seem to pick up any point Hughes could ask for in return. They’ve got a first-round pick in 2023, an A-level prospect, and a young NHL-able goaltender. Treliving won’t give up all of that for Anderson, but if he wants him, he needs to move at least two of the three pieces. With just under $4.5 million available at the TDL, Calgary needs to make Cap space to fulfill Anderson’s contract.
Calgary Flames CEO Brad Treliving (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal)
A hypothetical deal between the Habs and the Flames might go something like this: keep your cowboy hats, Calgary fans; you probably won’t like that. The Canadians would give up Anderson and a 2023 fourth-round pick for a 2023 first-round pick Dustin Wolf and Milan Lucic. Canadians win the first-round pick they want in 2023 and the young NHL-able goaltender they want going forward. Wolf is probably the best goalie not in the NHL and dominates the American Hockey League, a big reason Flames fans would think this deal was crazy, but believe it or not, goalies aren’t valued as highly as forwards or defenders . Wolf has all the makings of a solid NHL goaltender but has yet to crack the NHL. Lucic, of course, is the amount of money to make the deal work within the cap, and there’ll still be over $4 million left for one more move.
Two key issues that would nullify this deal before it goes through are Anderson’s No Trade Clause (NTC) and Lucic’s NTC, No Move Clause (NMC). Anderson has a roster of eight teams to submit with teams to trade with, while Lucic has a roster of 10 teams. Anderson shouldn’t be a problem but it’s known that Lucic isn’t a Montreal fan and could turn down the move. On the other hand, there are no players from Lucic’s days with the Boston Bruins on the team, so he can accept a month of hockey in Montreal. If Wolf is a no-go, the Canadians might be looking at Jacob Pelletier, who might be easier to win in this trade.
I understand this is a one sided deal but Hughes has said the price for Anderson will be high and if Treviling wants him to push his team into the playoffs and beyond then he will probably have to pay, to get him.
Source: thehockeywriters.com
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