TFP: Several Teams Express Interest in Multiple Habs

According to The Fourth Period (TFP), several NHL teams continue to express interest in multiple Canadiens players. Habs’ GM Kent Hughes has already traded Tyler Toffoli and, more recently, Ben Chiarot but teams continue picking at other players.

Artturi Lehkonen is on very high demand and while Hughes has clearly stated that he is not trying to trade him, it doesn’t keep teams from calling about him. The pending restricted free agent (with arbitration rights) is in the final year paying him $2.3 million. He will be looking for a substantial pay raise as he’s having a career season offensively.

	GP	G	A	PTS	PTS/GP	TOI/GP	GvA	TkA	CORSI	FENW	CAP
LEHKONEN	58	13	16	29	0.50	14:43	13	15	52.3	51.8	$2.3
ARMIA	46	3	7	10	0.22	13:26	22	24	50.2	48.7	$3.4
COLEMAN	61	13	15	28	0.46	15:16	41	27	56.6	56.9	$4.9
GOODROW	59	13	11	24	0.41	16:58	26	27	42.9	44.3	$3.64

The Canadiens are reportedly asking for a first round pick and a prospect for Lehkonen. You will recall that the San Jose Sharks traded Barclay Goodrow to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a prospect (Anthony Greco) and a first round pick. The New Jersey Devils received former 1st round pick prospect Nolan Foote and a first round pick for Blake Coleman.

Other players of interest

Still according to TFP, Lehkonen is not the only player drawing attention from other teams.

Pending UFAs Brett Kulak and Chris Wideman have teams interested in them, as do Mike Hoffman, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, Laurent Dauphin and Jake Allen. Of course, the level of interest varies for those players.

It will be interesting to see if or when Kent Hughes makes his next move. Stay tuned…