The Montreal Canadiens have had a surprisingly good start to their season, with an 11-9-1 record through their first 21 games. Currently they are only two points out of a wild-card spot and three points out of placing third in their division, which is nowhere near where anyone thought they would be at any point in the season. Although Montreal has had moderate success, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes remains focused on the team’s long-term goals and is still trying to make trades and moves to improve its future. Here are the latest news and rumours coming out of the Canadiens’ camp.
Canadiens Seeing Huge Intrest in Monahan
Sean Monahan was a surprise acquisition by the Canadiens this summer, but one that came with a lot of perks. He was traded along with a 2025 first-round conditional pick to Montreal for future considerations, was coming off hip surgery, and looked like he would miss the first couple of months of the season. Not only did he come back at the start of the season, but he has also excelled, with the Canadiens scoring 14 points in his first 21 games and eight points in his last eight games. The Habs got a first-round pick and a reliable center to help the team’s youth and provide secondary scoring whom they could easily trade at the deadline and receive another first-round selection.
It’s no wonder teams have been contacting the Canadiens about the availability of Monahan. With the Habs still looking at the future as contenders and not in a hurry to get there now, it would make sense for the team to trade an expiring contract like his. Rumours suggest the Colorado Avalanche could be interested if they can fit his contract under the cap; he will have time to add on the points with the Canadiens because odds are he won’t be moved until closer to the deadline when he is at peak value.
Devils Showing Intrest in Anderson
The New Jersey Devils have been one of the better teams in the NHL this season. After finishing in the bottom five of the league last season, they completely turned it around after an 0-2 start and skyrocketed to the top of the standings with a 13-game winning streak. They have three players scoring over a point per game (PPG), Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Jack Hughes, all with 22 points or more, but then there is a drop off with Dougie Hamilton – a defenceman – the next highest scorer with 15 points. Even with all their success, they could…
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