The Montreal Canadiens are one of the main teams to watch closely in the trade market, especially as we inch closer to the deadline. Although they have had a decent start to the 2023-24 season, they are very much rebuilding and have won just four out of their last 10 games. Because of this, they are set to be sellers this season, and they have an array of trade candidates.
Their two biggest trade candidates as we get closer to the deadline are Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau. The Canadiens have been running a three-goalie system all season, but that is very likely to change before the deadline passes.
When looking at some of the recent news around the NHL, it is clear that two new teams are emerging as potential trading partners for the Canadiens. Let’s dive into each team and why this is the case now.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes made headlines over the weekend, placing veteran goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers. The 34-year-old has had a truly disastrous season in 2023-24, posting a .854 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.61 goals-against average (GAA) in 14 appearances. Due to his struggles, he has since cleared waivers and is now down in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Related: Canadiens Have Prime Trade Target in Red Wings’ Berggren
With this move, the Hurricanes are now running with 42-game veteran Pyotr Kochetkov as their starter, while prospect Yaniv Perets has been called up to the NHL. Aaron Dell has also been signed to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. While the Hurricanes have options, if their inexperienced tandem struggles and Dell fails to earn a contract, they certainly could call the Canadiens about Primeau or Allen.
On the bright side, Frederik Andersen was recently cleared to resume skating, and the hope is that he will be good to return in a month. However, even with his expected return, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night In Canada that the Hurricanes are “definitely looking around” at the goalie market. It is understandable, as they are currently fourth in a tight Metropolitan Division and have won just three out of their last 10 games. Because of this, it would not be surprising if they made a push for either Canadien goaltender.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are another team to keep an eye on as a potential trade partner for the Canadiens. The Kings recently placed goaltender Pheonix Copley on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) with a lower-body injury. While the Kings have a third-string goaltender with experience in David Rittich, adding another goalie would be wise for Los Angeles with Copley being forced to miss at least a month.
Friedman also mentioned the Kings as another team that could browse the trade market due to Copley’s injury. With that, Kevin Weekes confirmed that the Kings are looking to add a “likely #3 type goalie” to help with their depth. While Allen does not fit that description, Primeau certainly does. However, if the Kings wanted a more reliable option and to upgrade the backup position long-term, Allen would make sense for them. However, the Kings would need to move money the other way, and/or the Canadiens would need to retain some salary.
Primeau would give the Kings another option for the backup role while Copley is sidelined. With that, if he performed well with Los Angeles, Primeau could even take away the backup job from Copley. In six appearances this season, Primeau has a .902 SV%, while Copley has a .870 SV% in eight appearances. Meanwhile, if the Kings landed Allen, they would gain an experienced goaltender who is a proven 1B at the NHL level.
Nevertheless, with the goalie market heating up, these are now two teams to watch as potential trading partners for the Canadiens. It will be interesting to see if something happens between the Canadiens and one of them from here.
