By JD Lagrange – Carey Price’s health issues have left the Canadiens scrambling in net for years to come… and it doesn’t appear that there is a solution coming anytime soon. Jake Allen was brought in by Marc Bergevin to be Price’s back up goaltender. He’s now the starter. Samuel Montembeault was picked off waivers and is doing okay. But he’s unlikely to be the solution long term. Cayden Primeau is taking his sweet time to develop and other goaltenders in the organization haven’t even turned pro yet… at least not in North America.
The situation in net for the Canadiens is a position of weakness. This is why it is so important for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens to find a solution and find one quickly. As the team is showing great progress with the young players drafted and acquired via trades since the 2018 Reset, the team won’t be able to take the next step without a suitable keeper.
Changes in Philadelphia
As Daniel Briere has taken over as interim General Manager for the Philadelphia Flyers, changes are coming. They always are after a new GM takes over. Briere himself hinted that while there wouldn’t be a wholesale change over, some key changes will be happening in the off-season.
Jeff Marek addressed concerns about Carter Hart’s future with the Flyers, given the emergence of goaltender Samuel Ersson. If they’re going to go through a rebuild, Marek wondered what Hart could fetch on the trade market and if the 24-year-old netminder wants to spend the best seasons of his career with a rebuilding Flyers.
Hart has one more year left to his contract, carrying a cap hit of $3.98 million. He then become a RFA with arbitration rights.
Why not the Habs?
The Flyers want to rebuild on the run and there are many reasons why the Canadiens would be a great trade partner with them.
The Habs’ cupboards are stacked with quality prospects, having drafted about 50 players since Marc Bergevin’s 2018 Reset, and 11 more in the upcoming NHL Draft. You can only sign so many…
Hart has an affordable cap hit for next season and has yet to have a great season to justify a huge pay raise
Standing at 6-foot 2-inches, he has good size
He’s only 24 years of age, so close to coming into his own
He grew up idolizing Carey Price, who is still under contract. Perhaps Price could help him out a bit?
My personal observation of Hart is that he is very mobile and athletic. He covers the bottom of the net very well. When he gets into trouble, it’s often because he tends to drop on his knees too quickly and doesn’t make himself big enough when in a butterfly position. A good goalie coach will get him to stand tall on his knees instead of crouching forward. Everything else, he has, including the talent to be a good franchise goalie.
Of all the names that have been thrown out there for potential young goaltenders for Canadiens’ trade targets, Carter Hart would be, by far, my favourite. My second favourite would be Flames’ prospect Dustin Wolf.
By JD Lagrange – It’s been a record-breaking year for this trade deadline when it comes to the number of trades. Not because of trade deadline day itself, but most big trades have happened int he 14-days window leading up to the deadline.
I don’t know about you but when there is that much player-movement, I find difficult to keep track of who is where. Even more difficult is to attempt judging which teams have improved the most, as all give up assets in order to get the new players. And that’s particularly true when every team is so tight against the salary cap.
Let’s have a look at what contenders (and pretenders) have done in an attempt to gain an edge for the upcoming NHL Playoffs. Those are teams that are either in a playoffs’ position or are still within reach for a playoffs’ spot.
EAST
Pittsburgh Penguins
IN
OUT
Mikael Granlund
Teddy Blueger
Peter Diliberatore
Brock McGinn
Nick Bonino
2023 2nd (PIT)
Dmitry Kulikov
2023 5th (PIT)
2024 3rd (VEG)
2023 7th (PIT – Cond)
2024 3rd (PIT)
Tampa Bay Lightning
IN
OUT
Tanner Jeannot
Vladislav Namestnikov
Michael Eyssimont
Cal Foote
2023 3rd (TBL)
2023 4th (TBL)
2023 5th (TBL)
2024 2nd (TBL)
2025 1st (TBL – Cond)
Ottawa Senators
IN
OUT
Jakob Chychrun
Nikita Zaitsev
Julien Gauthier
Tyler Motte
Patrick Brown
2023 1st (OTT – Cond)
2023 7th (NYR – Cond)
2023 2nd (OTT)
Future considerations (CHI)
2023 6th (OTT)
2024 2nd (WAS – Cond)
2026 2nd (OTT)
2026 4th (OTT)
Carolina Hurricanes
IN
OUT
Shayne Gostisbehere
Patrik Puistola
Jesse Puljujarvi
2026 3rd (CAR)
New York Rangers
IN
OUT
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vitali Kravtsov
Patrick Kane
Julien Gauthier
Tyler Motte
Samuel Blais
Cooper Zech
Andy Wellinski
William Lockwood
Austin Rueschhoff
Niko Mikkola
Hunter Skinner
2026 7th (VAN)
2023 1st (NYR – Cond)
Future Consid. (NAS)
2023 2nd (NYR – Cond)
2023 7th (NYR)
2024 4th (NYR – Cond)
2025 3rd (NYR – Cond)
2025 4th (NYR)
Washington Capitals
IN
OUT
Craig Smith
Dmitry Orlov
Andrei Svetlakov
Lars Eller
2024 3rd (BOS)
Garnet Hathaway
2025 2nd (BOS)
2025 2nd (COL)
Toronto Maple Leafs
IN
OUT
Ryan O’Reilly
Pierre Engvall
Noel Acciari
Rasmus Sandin
Luke Schenn
Joey Anderson
Erik Gustafsson
Pavel Gogolev
Jake McCabe
Adam Gaudette
Sam Lafferty
Mikhail Abramov
Josh Pillar
2023 1st (TOR)
2023 1st (BOS)
2023 3rd (TOR)
2024 3rd (NYI)
2023 3rd (OTT)
2024 5th (CHI – Cond)
2024 2nd (TOR)
2025 5th (CHI – Cond)
2025 1st (TOR – Cond)
2025 4th (TOR)
2026 2nd (TOR)
New Jersey Devils
IN
OUT
Timo Meier
Andreas Johnsson
Scott Harrington
Fabian Zetterlund
Zachary Emond
Nikita Okhotiuk
Santeri Hatakka
Shakir Mukhamadullin
Timur Ibragimov
2023 1st (NJD – Cond)
Curtis Lazar
2024 2nd (NJD Cond)
2024 5th (COL)
2024 4th (NJD)
2024 7th (NJD)
Boston Bruins
IN
OUT
Dmitry Orlov
Craig Smith
Garnet Hathaway
2023 1st (BOS)
Andrei Svetlakov
2023 5th (BOS)
Tyler Bertuzzi
2024 1st (BOS – Cond)
2024 3rd (BOS)
2025 2nd (BOS)
2025 4th (BOS)
New York Islanders
IN
OUT
Bo Horvat
Anthony Beauvillier
Aatu Raty
2023 1st (NYI – Cond)
WEST
Vegas Golden Knights
IN
OUT
Teddy Blueger
Peter Diliberatore
Ivan Barbashev
Zach Dean
Jonathan Quick
Michael Hutchinson
2024 3rd (VEG)
2025 7th (VEG)
Colorado Avalanche
IN
OUT
Lars Eller
Andreas Englund
Jack Johnson
2025 2nd (COL)
Los Angeles Kings
IN
OUT
Joonas Korpisalo
Jonathan Quick
Vladislav Gavrikov
Brendan Lemieux
Zack MacEwen
2023 1st (LAK – Cond)
2023 2nd (LAK)
2024 2nd (LAK)
2024 5th (LAK)
Minnesota Wild
IN
OUT
Gustav Nyquist
Andrei Svetlakov
Marcus Johansson
Josh Pillar
Oskar Sundqvist
Andrej Sustr
John Klingberg
Nikita Nesterenko
2025 4th (TOR)
2023 4th (DET)
2023 5th (BOS)
2024 3rd (MIN)
2025 4th (MIN)
Edmonton Oilers
IN
OUT
Mattias Ekholm
Tyson Barrie
Patrik Puistola
Reid Shaefer
Nick Bjugstad
Jesse Puljujarvi
2024 6th (NAS
Michael Kesselring
2023 1st (EDM)
2023 3rd (EDM)
2024 4th (EDM)
Dallas Stars
IN
OUT
Evgenii Dadonov
Denis Gurianov
Max Domi
Anton Khudobin
Dylan Wells
Jacob Peterson
Scott Reedy
2025 2nd (DAL)
Winnipeg Jets
IN
OUT
Nino Neiderreiter
2024 2n (WIN)
Vladislav Namestnikov
2025 4th (WIN)
Seattle Kraken
IN
OUT
Jaycob Megna
2023 4th (SEA – Cond)
CALGARY FLAMES
IN
OUT
Dryden Hunt
Radim Zohorna
Nick Ritchie
Brett Ritchie
Troy Stecher
Connor Mackey
The first thing to notice is that the Eastern Conference teams were a lot more agressive on the trade market this year. So many teams have loaded up yet, only one of them will make it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. That will make for several teams disappointed and having invested a lot… for nothing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may appear to have added a lot, but they have also given quite a bit. They have reinforced their bottom-six forward group and bottom pairing defensemen, with more experience. But aside from Ryan O’Reilly, not much will help bring grit to their top lines. Time will tell if adding Tarasenko and Kane will pay off for the Rangers…
I like what the Penguins have done and the Bruins will be a force to recon with. The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were modest but added a couple of experienced elements, and they should have Gabriel Landeskog back on time for the playoffs. But I quite like what the Edmonton Oilers have done, bringing in Mattias Ekholm and Nick Bjugstad.
Which team has improved the most in your opinion?
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