However, that may change soon, as quietly the picture of teams seems to be emerging more and more. Normally, the American Thanksgiving is a pivotal stage of the season, in order to determine a little more the fate of the various NHL teams, by the end of the season.
For the Habs, the plan is very simple for management, they continue the rebuilding process. This means that several important elements of the current team could move between now and the trade deadline.
In this sense, the surplus of forwards that is still in effect with the CH, in addition to the surplus of defensemen now, since Joel Edmundson and Michael Matheson have returned from their respective injuries, may fuel some important decisions by Kent Hughes.
In a recent article on Montreal Hockey Now, the excellent Marco D'Amico identified the three Canadiens players with the most value right now.
Not surprisingly, he names Sean Monahan. Monahan is playing great hockey and his leadership, in addition to the fact that he is a center, is likely to interest NHL teams. There is little doubt that Monahan will be traded by the trade deadline.
It remains to be seen what the return for number 91 will be, but a first-round pick is likely to be the minimum asking price for the 28-year-old veteran.
Then there's the name Christian Dvorak. This isn't a big surprise either, as he has excellent value for a team looking to add a healthy dose of defensive talent to their roster in an attempt to win big.
I'm thinking of a Blake Coleman or Barclay Goodrow type deal if the CH agrees to trade him.
And then D'Amico gives us a surprise that explains the new depth on defense for the Habs, Joel Edmundson. Edmundson's value is certainly high on the trade market.
A former Stanley Cup winner, Eddy also brings a lot of leadership and depth to a lineup. He is the kind of defenseman that can greatly help a team win the Stanley Cup.
I believe the veteran could offer a return similar to what the Ducks received for Josh Manson last year, a very attractive prospect and second round pick.
The Habs still have several good candidates to bring back a very interesting player for the organization's long-term future. Furthermore, none of the three candidates mentioned above should have a role on the team once the Habs have rebuilt a championship contending team.
Credit: Keven Mawn, Fanadiens
POLL | ||
Who is more likely to be traded? | ||
Christian Dvorak | 76 | 35.7 % |
Joel Edmundson | 70 | 32.9 % |
Sean Monahan | 67 | 31.5 % |
List of polls |