In this edition of the Montreal Canadiens News & Rumors, the Canadiens cut ties with a defenseman. General manager (GM) Kent Hughes makes a move during the All-Star break, ending the “will they or won’t they” talk around trading Sean Monahan.
Related: Canadiens Front Office Deserves More Patience From the Fans
Injuries and lack of depth continue to plague the team, causing Montreal to begin their slide away from the final playoff spot. This will lead to several hard decisions as the trade deadline approaches on keeping the remaining veterans or trading them off for more futures.
Canadiens Deal Monahan for Futures
At the time Hughes took on Monahan’s contract from her Calgary Flames, if anyone had posted on social media that the Canadiens would get two first-round picks for the oft-injured center, they would have been mocked, but 18 months later, that is exactly what Montreal has been able to do as Monahan has been traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2024 first-round pick and a 2027 conditional third-round pick.
There will be some panic now as the Canadiens center depth is more of a puddle for the rest of the season, and the comments from the GM don’t show signs of any additions to the team, at least for the rest of this season.
“We were open to a prospect or a pick, if it was a prospect, it had to have first-round value. We’ll always be open to the idea of moving a pick for a player down the road, but in this case, there was just a pick available, and that was an acceptable return.”
– Kent Hughes
As this is a rebuild, it isn’t a surprise to see a valued veteran on an expiring contract be traded. This will hurt the team in the standings this season. Which means the Canadiens could end up with another top five draft pick in 2024. Also, adding more draft capital adds weapons for a GM to add to his roster this summer. If past actions are predictors of future decisions, this will happen. Over each of the last two drafts, Hughes has traded first-round picks to bring in talented former first-rounders Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook. Each was young, inexpensive cap-wise, on the upswing of their development, and now, with the Jets first added to his draft arsenal, Hughes has re-armed to do it again.
Newhook Nearing Return to Canadiens Lineup
Montreal forward Alex Newhook is close to returning to the lineup, according to GM Kent Hughes when addressing a question about center depth in a press conference following the Monahan trade.
“We have reasons to be optimistic that Alex Newhook will be back soon, so that gave us a certain amount of confidence to make the trade now rather than wait. We’ve seen a bit of Mitchell Stephens, and then Lucas Condotta, for six weeks, and I think we’re going to continue having that style of player who will help us on the fourth line.”
– Kent Hughes
Initially, Newhook was announced as out for 10-to-12 weeks in early December after suffering a high ankle sprain. That timeline places his return somewhere in mid-February. With his return to the ice, skating on his own at the Canadiens practice facility before the All-Star break suggests he’s progressing at or slightly ahead of schedule. Newhook has appeared in 23 games with Montreal this season, scoring seven goals and 13 points. While his return would help to bolster the Habs’ offensive losses with Monahan’s trade, it still leaves a hole at center and in the faceoff circle.
Canadiens and Nicolas Beaudin Cut Ties
The Canadiens placed defenseman Nicolas Beaudin on unconditional waivers with the intent to terminate his contract following a mutual agreement.
The 24-year-old Beaudin is a former first-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks. When he was acquired by Montreal, his goal was to crack an NHL roster finally, but with the defensive depth on the left side in the system, he couldn’t do so, failing to play a single game in the NHL for the Canadiens. He has been in the American Hockey League (AHL) all season, with the Laval Rocket, scoring no goals and six assists in very limited ice time over 16 games. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Beaudin’s limited minor-league action this season left him unhappy with his role. This has allowed Beaudin to sign in Europe with HC Sprata Praha. This move to the Czechian Extraliga will give Beaudin a bigger role. If he performs well over the remainder of this season, there is a chance that he could turn some heads of North American teams and earn one more chance to chase his NHL dream.
Four Nations Face-Off
The last time the NHL replaced the All-Star game with an international best-on-best tournament was in 1998, but perhaps the best event was the Rendez-Vous ‘87 event held in Quebec City.
The NHL will try to spice up the 2025 All-Star week with a similar idea: an international best-on-best tournament. The NHL All-Star game has become an overlooked event, so finding a novel way to showcase talent is necessary as the current format lacks the speed and intensity the game thrives on. So now, the NHL will hold NHL will hold a 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in 2025.
The tournament will feature NHL players from the USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden and will take place February 12-20 in place of the All-Star game at two host cities, one in the USA and one in Canada. Every team will play each other first in a traditional round robin with a 3-2-1-0 point system: 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT/SO win, 1 point for an OT/SO loss, and 0 points for a regulation loss. Following the round-robin, the two best teams will advance to a winner-take-all championship game.
Canadiens Not Shopping David Savard
Montreal recognizes the need for some veteran stability in the lineup and, because of this, isn’t planning on parting ways with defenseman David Savard, according to Hughes.
Savard is currently in his third season with the Canadiens, joining the team via unrestricted free agency with a four-year, $14MM contract signed during the summer of 2021. It was the first time in Savard’s then 11-year career that he reached free agency, and he made sure to return to his hometown team. His role on the team is more than just as a shot-blocking, stay-at-home defenseman. He is also a stabilizing force for the young defensemen on the roster. Also, he provides the team with some Stanley Cup experience they can benefit from. With all that being said, NHL GMs have been heard stating, “I’m not looking to trade” a player, and then it happened. While Hughes is proving to be truthful when he makes comments, there could be a scenario that makes him change his mind.
Going into the 2024 Trade deadline, Hughes still has the assets contenders need, such as a solid goaltender and veteran defensemen. He is known as a GM who sets a price for his players and won’t make a transaction unless that price is met. The next few weeks will be an important one for the Canadiens. With the NHL playoffs progressing and the NHL Draft fast approaching, the Canadiens’ roster will be facing significant change over the offseason. Keep an eye on our THW Podcast Network for all your hockey needs, as well as THW’s affiliated podcast, Habs Unfiltered, for the latest Canadiens news, notes, and rumors.