NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2024
Check out the latest Canadiens speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TVA SPORTS: Entering the final year of his contract with the Montreal Canadiens, David Savard knows he’ll be the subject of trade rumors this season.
The 33-year-old defenseman carries a $3.5 million cap hit. He’s aware the Canadiens at some point must clear roster space for their younger blueliners. Nevertheless, he believes he can still bring a lot to the team and its young players.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard was the subject of trade speculation in the weeks leading up to last season’s March deadline. Contenders in the market for an experienced defenseman will come calling again this season.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico looks at the Canadiens’ top trade assets heading into training camp.
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has $5.5 million in cap space, and that’s without putting permanently sidelined goaltender Carey Price ($10.5 million) on long-term injury reserve. He could use it to his advantage by acquiring a player from a club looking to free up cap room before the start of the season.
Hughes also has nine picks in the first four rounds of the 2025 draft (including two first-rounders and two second-rounders) plus a deep prospect pool to draw on for trade bait if he’s looking to add an NHL player to his roster, preferably a forward.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are rumored to have had trade discussions with several teams this summer for a forward. Business could pick up heading into training camp starting in mid-September.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch believes the Canadiens have the pieces necessary to acquire goaltender Yaroslav Askarov from the Nashville Predators if they wish.
Askarov, 21, has been the subject of trade rumors since Nashville signed starting goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension on July 1. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported the Predators seek an NHL player that makes sense for Askarov or another high-end prospect forward or defenseman.
Couch speculates defenseman Logan Mailloux could be an option for the Predators. They could also be interested in a forward like Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, or Michael Hage.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are in the market for a scoring forward, not a goaltender. They’re set with the underrated Sam Montembeault as their starter. Cayden Primeau will be his backup after a solid performance last season.
Montreal has all the ammunition to trade for a high scoring forward! Someone like Brock Boeser of Vancouver!
Why do you think Boeser’s available, Sr? By all accounts, he wants to stay in Vancouver and the Canucks want to keep him.
Assuming Boeser and the Canucks can’t work out a contract, the Habs would likely wait until the offseason to sign him as a UFA, provided he’s willing to come to Montreal.
Lyle just using him as an example for a player that age that has had success as an offensive player!
Let’s not forget Jacob Fowler. He had a strong freshman year in the NCAA and is not far behind Askarov on the list of top goalie prospects. With Monty developing into a decent goalie and with Primeau and Fowler, Habs aren’t In the market for a goalie now.
No kidding, Howard. I’ve seen evaluations that have Askarov and Fowler one immediately after the other.
Plans can change but Hughes has been on record as saying he is looking for a scoring forward. Yet we get these repeated throw jello at the wall suggestions. Waste of time.
Askarov has apparently asked for a trade. Not too surprising.
I don’t know if spector is kidding but they are far from being set in goal
S.M IS NOT A STARTER and Primeau also is a backup
Fowler is the only hope but let’s say he fails what do they have … they should definitely go get Askrov and a young forward Mercer maybe but I rather they stay the same get Askrov make him start in the AHL and stink this year draft another top 5 forward and by next year demidov and that forward plus beck will be in the lineup and on top of that montreal will have so much money 16 mill as of now plus all the contracts coming off the books next year plus if salary goes up montreal can even sign 2 forwards that are UFA and still have all kinds of money
Frank, what assurances do we have that Askarov won’t be a bust? He’s also unproven.
I stand by my assessment.
They acquired Laine and a second for Harris no salary retained.
Habs can keep their powder dry and see how big a step up the young roster has taken and how well the gaps have or haven’t been filled.
There are more contracts coming off the books next year and a splash can be made if wanted.
As for Savard, young players have to push the veterans out, you don’t trade away veterans and leave a hole hoping to fill it.
RD has only one vet, the rest are prospects and have to prove themselves.
Ceci traded . 24 year old right D in return – Emberson. Not a terrible deal on its own adding a third. With EKane going on LTIR , They should be able to match St.Louis now. You are allowed 10% over the cap in the off season.
Thank you for acknowledging Montembault’s play to date. It is the first time I have seen someone refer to him as underrated.
I am hoping he has a great year and gets more recognition.
How many years now has it been since Montreal been relevant?
There not expected to be a playoff contender again this season.
When is the time to capitalize on all these prospects and draft picks? Yes they’re nice to have but at some point and time you need to be competitive and start moving forward.
Are you kidding Caper? Markets like Montreal will always be relevant like it or not. Don’t forget a few years ago they made it to the Stanley Cup final during the Covid season which all but one other team didn’t make it that far. So I guess that makes some relevant. Plus being an original six helps. Plus being one of the biggest markets in hockey as well as one of the most unique ones makes them quite relevant, regardless of where they are in the standings.
Now that we cleared that up, is this around the right time to find trade partner for Price’s LTIR contract? They current have cap space which they could be accruing if not for Prices contract. I wonder how many years are still left on it and if a team who is in the win now window could make better use of it. It’s not the best move team can make, but it might help 18 and I’ll definitely help the Habs in the future.
Ron Moore, thanks for the laugh. Sorry as far has hockey results Montreal has been irrelevant.
Everything else is just blah blah blah.
I’m certain habs fans would love to see Montreal in the playoff and being competitive and just not watching regular season games for the fun of it.
Watching the Habs of late has not been fun Caper. And I don’t think they will make the playoffs this coming season.
But one wonders what the definition of relevance is.
Since 2020 your Bruins have never won more than one playoff round, and twice have won 0.
What’s the value of having the best regular season record if your team is then out in the first round? Is that relevance?
During that time the Habs have won as many Cups as the the Bruins. After all it’s about winning the Cup and everything else is blah blah blah.
After the supreme talent of Pasta, who do the Bruins have to lead the charge?
I’m clear eyed about where the Habs are. I know whose future I prefer.
LJ relevance can have several meanings but all I hear is how the Habs are building and improving each year when they have finished last in the Atlantic Conference the last 3 years in a row! Building towards what qualifying for the playoffs!
Sr, your post had so little value that it’s not worth responding to, so I will quit typing right about
Point sr.
LJ, when you look at the Habs’ past season their main areas needing improvement – much like Ottawa’s – stick out like a sore thumb.
Their top 6 Fs, in terms of last season’s production, were
Suzuki – 82gp 33g 44a 77 pts -14
Caufield 82gp 28g 37a 65 pts – 4
Slafkovsky 82gp 20g 30a 50 pts -19
Newhook 55gp 15g 19a 34 pts -11
Gallagher 77gp 16g 15a 31 pts -24
Evans 82gp 7g 21a 28 pts -1
Totals 119g 166a 285 pts – collective -73!
Fs 6 to 12
Armia 55gp 17g 8a 25 pts +4
Anderson 78gp 9g 11a 20 pts -18
Perzetta 61gp 3g 9a 12 pts +4
Dvorak 30gp 5g 4a 9 pts -5
Harvey-Pinard 45gp 2g 8a 10 pts -2
Roy – 23gp 4g 5a 9 pts -2
Totals 40g 45a 85 pts collective -19
Defense
Matheson 82gp 20g 30a 50 pts -1
Savard 60gp 6g 18a 24 pts -1
Guhle 70gp 6g 16a 22 pts -8
Harris 56gp 3g 11a 14 pts -5
Barron 48gp 7g 6a 13 pts -3
Xhekaj 44gp 3g 7a 10 pts +6
Struble 56gp 3g 7a 10 pts -2
Totals 48g 95a 142 pts collective -37
So, secondary scoring from 6 to 12 and a shoring up of their defensive system
I agree with your summary, George.
But I have them as a one line offensive team. Scoring past Newhook is dismal, with a too young set of D. I don’t believe there has been a post from a Habs fan that has said differently, save for Frank’s DEFINITIVE COMMENT that their goal tending is the issue.
Except that it isn’t. Or at least it hard to tell given the team in front of Montembeault and Primeau.
Caper no problem supplying you with laughs. How long have the Habs been rebuilding?
They don’t seem to be doing a poor job and you can only control something and have zero control like time. It won’t be long before they will challenge for a playoff spot.
There’s no team that is irrelevant just fans points of view.
LJ, Montreal really can’t point to goaltending as a major issue – certainly not like Ottawa could last season with sub-.900 performances by Korpisalo and Forsberg.
Hell, had Ottawa – also riddled with a lot of minus skaters thanks to an overall poorly constructed defensive “system” – received goaltending even as good as Montembeault and Primeau, they’d probably have been a lot closer to a playoff spot.
LJ if you’re going to use Stanley Cups as a pure definition of relevance, then you’re saying Montreal has not been relevant in over 30 years.
Carey Price has only 2 more years left on his contract and trading him for cap isn’t needed unless there’s a pleasant surprise of a sweetener coming back.
Habs management and subsequently most of the fan base are being patient, signing long term contracts at sensible costs, clearly building to a future.
The building blocks are signed for under 8 million long term. lesson learned from other franchises pitfalls.
This year is a time to see if and how Kirby Dach plays and improves the team as he pretty much missed all of last season.
Will the goalies up their game as a tandem as opposed to sharing a 3-way load? We’ll see.
As far as relevance the Habs are the 3rd highest valuation team in the NHL.
Good comments, HF30.
But don’t look past the restrictions that come with using LTIR as well. It’s a complex set of rules, some of which restrict in season player movement. The best solution is always to be cap compliant one one’s own merit, wise contracts in place.
hf30 thanks for the info. I guess next year or even this year’s TD would be the time to move it if you can maybe pick up an underachiever or picks.
Re Habs and goaltending
i think the Habs runs with the duo of
Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau to see how it works out.
I think the Preds give 21 Yaroslav Askarov a shot at some back up work in the NHL, and then they trade him at the NHL 2025 draft?
The Habs could very well be intrested then in the young goaltender Askarov, it could cost them a Good young Habs d/man and maybe a pick ,…❓
as goaltending is a weaker area for the Habs
Askarov has informed Preds he won’t report to camp and has asked for a trade. He’s going to get moved.
Any teeth to the rumor of Kris Letang trying seek a trade to Montreal?
Dark G, you must have missed it 3 days back
https://www.spectorshockey.net/2024/08/nhl-rumor-mill-august-16-2024/
Ahh.
Was at the cottage.
Missed that block buster announcement.
The dull days of summer.
No.
Hab fans are considered to be knowledgeable and critical of players and/or management dogging it yet here we are explaining how and why patience is in order now while “outsiders” try goading without result.
We know what it takes, we know how to evaluate players, we know how to view prospects, we know who has a legit chance and who is a hope and a prayer.
We know our young D has a lot to prove before “making it”
You guys want to question relevance, that’s ok, You want to concentrate on finishing last 3 years, that’s ok. You want to question the building, you aren’t serious.
Dark horse Hab in Laval d-man nobody talks about William Trudeau, the kid has game.
You pointed out Trudeau last year, HF30, and I thought you had a point. My concern is that he is getting lost in the surfeit of ‘sexy’ prospects the Habs now have on D.
As for others commenting on the Habs, I am fine with critiques, disagreements and pushback. That’s what this site is for and it would be dishwater if there were no lively debates and the odd zinger. Rivalries are an integral part of the passion of sports.
I do grit my teeth on meaningless comments including stating the goal is to make the playoffs.
Really? And then? Mission accomplished, having sold a few more hot dogs and beer? Think it through.
First off, F THE HABS.
There is no team in the NHL that I would prefer to watch struggle. That includes the Leafs.
I think the playoff runs in during the Covid years were a mirage and was basically riding a hot Carey Price, who could still be one of the best tenders in the league at that time. At least for a short stretches. They likely don’t even qualify for the post season in a normal season looking at their record. Got a bit lucky IMO.
That delayed the rebuild, which worked out for us Bruin fans.
On the downside, they ended up with Gorton and Hughes who appear to know what they are doing. Let’s hope I’m wrong about that.
On the bright side I don’t see a 2C to play behind Suzuki, or a 1C to play ahead of him. Not sure they can truly contend without another one?
Hopefully they finish too high in the standings to get one in the draft, but still miss the playoffs.
Thank you Ray. The bitterness of a Bruins fan is like listening to Maria Callas arias. Oh the sweetness!
For your enjoyment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1C8NFDdFYg
We have different tastes in music LJ, but it is a sweet sound.
Better than Danny Gallivan describing a Savardian Spinorama anyway.
Yes, I am bitter, thanks for noticing.
RB,
People continue dissing the Habs run to the SCF but to be fair they beat TML in 7, swept the Jets in 4 and beat Vegas in 6…..more importantly nobody puts an asterisk on Tampa’s SC.
As for the C question, I happen to hold an outlier opinion on that in that I believe Qwen Beck will be filling that role, he’s another Suzuki.
LJ,
The sexy prospects are 1st and 2nd round picks while Trudeau is a 4th rounder and Habs management isn’t shy about giving low picks a run if they earn it.
LOL I’m not a scout just a long time fan of a team with a ton of GMs.
HF30, I should have worded my post a bit better. Ya, if you win playoff series, you win them, doesn’t really matter what the reason is, other than the question of – is it sustainable.
My greater point was do they even get in if the regular season didn’t end early and have a qualifying round in 19/20? Didn’t look like it it was likely. in 20/21 the North division wasn’t the same as making the top 8 the eastern conference normally. At least IMO.
But hey they got in, and had success, so all the power to them, especially Mr Price.
I think think the internal evaluation of where they were headed long term, and who should be managing it would have happened sooner if that success didn’t happen.
I do not now, nor will I ever acknowledge the freak cups that Tampa won during the covid debacle.
Furthermore, I will never acknowledge the wrongful cup thievery against the Flames.
I list them with these***.
Well Laine and his 52 games will help improve the Habs in the standings. Doesn’t look like too bad of an arrangement . Harris and a pick . Lots of young guns on the back end . Not sure of the details but no money held ?
The 2nd round pick is to Montreal, not to Columbus.
Going to be interesting to see how that rejuvenates his total game. Should certainly make those top 2 lines just that more dangerous – and at the same time add some improvement to the bottom 6 depending upon who he replaces in the top 6.
Laine and a 2nd to MTL for Jordan Harris. Mtl taking on full cap hit
Bravo Mr. Hughes & a second rounder to boot!!!!