Habs Feature | Trade Deadline, 2023-24, Roster, Prediction, NHL, Montreal Canadiens, Sean Monahan, Josh Anderson, Kirby Dach, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alex Killorn, Matt Dumba, J.T. Compher

ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA | MONTREAL, QC. — More than 50 games into the the 2022-’23 season, the Canadiens are on a pause for the All-Star festivities. The team finds  themselves near the bottom of league standings for the second season in a row, and for fans, it’s hard not to start thinking about next season. Add in the trade deadline being 45 days away and it’s possible that there will be numerous changes coming to the Habs.

There are seven players in the organization who will become unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2023. Currently, Evgenii Dadonov is the only player in the Canadiens lineup with Jonathan Drouin listed as injured while Sean Monahan and Paul Byron are on long-term injured reserve. The rest are non-roster players.

Make no mistake, the new management seems eager and more willing than their predecessor to improve this roster, making some or all of these players, once healthy, available at the deadline.

The rumor mill has been in full flight surrounding the Habs as they possess two first round picks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Depending on how the Florida Panthers finish the season, the Habs may increase their odds at winning the first overall pick again.

For this to happen the Panthers, who currently sit 21st in the league would have to finish 22nd or worse as a team can only move up 10 draft positions as the draft lottery winner. While this isn’t something the Habs can control, some fans are hopeful the Panthers do finish 22nd or lower. General manager Kent Hughes is hopeful that he can acquire a third first round pick.

Trade Assets

Sean Monahan has been an impact player for Montreal when in the lineup. The issue is that Monahan has been sidelined with another injury and the Habs have missed him in the lineup dearly. More importantly, Monahan needs to prove to the NHL that he can survive the physical toll for the rest of the season.

Monahan was labeled injury-prone by the Flames and could no longer afford his salary cap which is how Habs were able to acquire the veteran forward along with a 2024 first round pick. With Monahan sitting out practice again, the Canadiens are expected to make an announcement about his status soon.

If Monahan can return to the lineup and resume his strong play, the Habs could very well get a high return. If Hughes is happy with the offers, I wager that he makes the deal to send Monahan to a playoff-bound team. It is my opinion that Hughes could very well get more than one first round pick at the upcoming trade deadline.

There have been reports that the Canadiens have been contacted about the availability of Josh Anderson and Joel Edmundson. While it is my belief that Hughes is not keen to move either player, I expect that he will make a deal if a team is willing to meet his demands.

NHL Entry Draft

I love predictions. And while I wish more than anything right now for the Habs to win the draft lottery and select Connor Bedard, I don’t expect that it will happen. Instead the Habs are likely to finish with a top-5 pick and another pick in the top 15 thanks to the Florida Panthers.

Without Bedard, I believe that the Habs will need a second top center to compliment Nick Suzuki. Many believe that Kirby Dach could very much turn into a very good second line center for the Habs.

It’s also possible to sign Monahan to an extension or as a free agent this summer after being traded at the deadline. While it is rare for players to re-sign with a team that traded them away, I believe that it would be possible with Monahan after getting good  value for him at the trade deadline.

Off-Season

My solution at center is Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Quebec native is having the best season of his career and is becoming a true power forward, something the Habs need.

The Winnipeg Jets are now seventh in the league and could very well be buyers at this year’s trade deadline. Dubois has a history of getting what he wants and while he is in for a big pay raise there have been rumblings in the past he would love to play for his hometown team. While there is really no reason for Dubois to want to leave the Jets, he will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Dubois hasn’t always been happy as a member of the Jets. If he does have true desires to play for his hometown, this is the off season he needs to make that clear and the Habs should make it happen, in my opinion.

A trade for Dubois could be extremely costly. With five first round picks in the next three years and the potential to gain another two or three more, the Habs not only have the firepower but a very strong prospect system to get a deal done.

Potential Roster Changes for 2023-’24

IN: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alex Killorn, Matt Dumba, J.T. Compher, Sean Monahan (traded and signed in the off-season)

OUT: Joel Edmundson, Jonathan Drouin, Mike Hoffman, Josh Anderson, Joel Armia, Paul Byron, Christian Dvorak, Evgenii Dadonov, David Savard

Forward Lines

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Sean Monahan
Juraj Slafkovsky – Pierre-Luc Dubois – J.T. Compher
Alex Killorn – Kirby Dach – Jesse Ylonen
Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Jake Evans – Brendan Gallagher

extra: Michael Pezzetta

Defence Pairings

Mike Matheson – Matt Dumba
Kaiden Guhle – Justin Barron
Jordan Harris – Arber Xhekaj

extras: Chris Wideman, Johnathan Kovacevic

Goaltenders

Jake Allen
Sam Montembeault

Forwards

This forward group should be a strength for the Habs and one that should continue to get better each year. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield already have chemistry and could be complemented by the experience of Sean Monahan. The hope is to see development in the games of Suzuki and Caufield to be a consistent threat each shift.

Juraj Slafkovsky‘s placement on the second line is a large leap of faith. Playing with top line talent would be a challenge and an opportunity for him. If Slafkovsky can learn to use his size, this line could be difficult to play against. The addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois could take pressure off Suzuki.

The third line with the big addition of Alex Killorn could be a very interesting line. It will give Kirby Dach two players that are capable of scoring goals and should be very strong in their own end. Jesse Ylonen deserves a chance on the third line and Killorn will provide leadership.

Brendan Gallagher should not be a surprise on the fourth line as his body has been breaking down. The combination of Gallagher playing along side two very scrappy forwards in Jake Evans and Rafael Harvey-Pinard could be relentless on the puck.

Overall this group of forwards has the potential to have top-six scoring. A big benefit of this lineup is the depth at center with Monahan capable of playing down the middle if necessary.

Defensemen

I’d like to see the team bring in Matt Dumba who would provide help on the right side and could be great partner for Michael Matheson. Kaiden Guhle and Justin Barron seem like a good pairing on paper. Jordan Harris could play his wrong side with Arber Xhekaj. The hope is all these young players develop quite well and take another step as they all get  comfortable playing at the NHL level.

Goaltending

There is an obvious flaw in my predicted lineup and that is the goaltending. It has been a major issue this season and is something the Habs should look to resolve. In free agency , there is unlikely to be an upgrade to Jake Allen and Sam Montembeault without having to overpay. I believe that the Habs should focus on finding their next franchise goalie via the draft.

Final Thoughts

The Habs have a good prospect pool and a number of first round picks that will push for roster spots next season. The team would be wise to continue the rebuild by slowly bringing in only a few rookies over the next few seasons. This will allow players such as: Riley Kidney, Joshua Roy, Filip Mesar, Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, Jared Davidson, Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble, and Lane Hutson all develop at their own pace.

It may be tough times for Habs fans right now but the future is looking bright. Who knows? Maybe the team will get lucky and win the draft lottery once again!

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By Sam Gerber, Staff Writer
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