The Montreal Canadiens are having a very inconsistent season and one of the worst defensive campaigns in recent memory. They rank dead last in 5v5 defence in the league and have looked terrible in their zone. This has prompted many to believe it will be another year of drafting in the top five instead of being a team that is supposed to be in the mix. Rumours have been swirling around the media about certain players general manager Kent Hughes could be shopping for other teams that are interested in them.
Canadiens Have Many Teams Interested in Xhekaj
Arber Xhekaj is having a difficult season. He has been playing very inconsistently, and head coach Martin St. Louis seems more demanding of him than others. This has led some to believe that Xhekaj may not be well-liked by the team and could be on the move, or at least shopped around.
Trading Xhekaj will not go over well with the fans; he is well-loved by Montreal, and his family grew up as Canadiens fans. He brings an element to the game that is dying in the league. Not only can he fight, but he also can skate; he has an average shot and provides much-needed grit. You could argue that St. Louis is more demanding of him because he is part of the Habs’ future and wants Xhekaj to be a better player.
It’s unlikely the Canadiens are shopping Xhekaj, but according to Darren Dreger, if they were, there would be a lineup of teams waiting to bid on his services. His playing as the seventh defenceman will fuel the rumours, but an actual trade is probably not in the cards. When he is on his game, he brings that unicorn element of a top defenceman who plays a rough game and also provides an offensive element. As a fan favourite, it will be hard to move him, especially as he is young and still has room to grow.
Jake Evans Hot Start Has Teams Interested
The Canadiens have two centers who will be pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) next season: Christian Dvorak, for whom the Canadiens paid a heavy price when former GM Marc Bergevin gave up a first and a second-round pick, and young drafted player Jake Evans. Dvorak has been a significant disappointment since he arrived in Montreal and has yet to reach any potential that would justify his cost. His hope of having a bounce-back year has diminished unless he can severely pick up his game from now on. On the other hand, Evans has been a bright spot, with five points in 11 games and leading the team on the penalty kill (PK), which ranks 13th in the league.
Related: Canadiens Should Probably Send Xhekaj to AHL at This Point
It’s no secret that the Canadiens would want to keep Evans longer than Dvorak this season, but there is just no interest in Dvorak, and rightfully so. There are at least three teams interested in Evans, and the Habs have hinted that they need a right-handed defenceman. With the way the defence has been, Hughes could be forced to make a move early if he wants to be in the mix come March. If this is the case, Evans would be the perfect candidate for that trade, especially with Owen Beck playing so well in Laval of the American Hockey League (AHL). Evans will be moved by the NHL trade deadline, and the Canadiens could probably get a better return then, but it would be something for the team’s future. On the other hand, Dvorak might not get moved; he isn’t winning faceoffs or scoring, and his $4.45 million contract is not appealing. On the other hand, Evans’s $1.7 million contract is very attractive.
Canadiens Have Big Decision When it Comes to Trades
If the Canadiens want to be in the mix, they need to make up their mind soon and make moves that could fix their issues. This would mean they may need to move Evans, Xhekaj or whomever they can soon to get what Hughes feels the team needs to get back in the playoff race. This could mean that Hughes might make a trade where he pays more than what he gives or a trade where he has to lose to gain, which is not ideal for a rebuilding team. I think what is lost here is that they are still in a rebuild, and playoffs might not be a thing this season. They have several holes in the lineup, especially with Patrik Laine still injured. They have been forced to try guys like Josh Anderson on the top line, and as we know, that doesn’t work.
As a rebuilding team, the Canadiens shouldn’t be forced to make a trade to be in the mix. No matter how much the fans and players want the team to be in the playoffs, it takes time to build a team properly. Making a trade now to fill a temporary hole is not what the team should be doing; they should be trying to find the players on their team and in their system who can fill those holes and hopefully make the team better. With all the pending UFAs like Dvorak, Evans, David Savard and Joel Armia, a lot of money is coming off the books, including Jake Allen and Jeff Petry’s buyout money. There is no need to panic and make a move now when they can play the season out, allow the cards to fall where they may, and fix the issues in the offseason with free agents or trades. Now is not the time to panic. If the Habs are in the same boat next season, get the pitchforks out because they should be in the mix then.
