The Montreal Canadiens are not expected to add any new free agents in the coming days. They simply have too many veteran strikers under contract for next season and there is no place for anyone else on the list right now.
In fact, if any deals do come out of Montreal in the next few days, it’s more likely to be a trade for the city’s veteran departing, rather than a new addition. He serait logique d’expedier quelqu’un qui a prouvé ce qu’il peut faire au niveau de la LNH for faire de la place a des joueurs like Jesse Ylonen et Rafael Harvey-Pinard to assume more important roles au sein de l’ equipped.
It might also make sense for the Canadians to execute a Sean Monahan type trade this summer. Adding a veteran player with an optional draft attached would be valuable to make room for another team. It wouldn’t be ideal with their current situation, but if someone offers a first-round pick, the Canadians need to listen up.
So don’t expect the Canadians to take down any remaining free agents like Vladimir Tarasenko or Matt Dumba, even though they could use a decent shooting defenseman and have plenty of room.
Given the remaining free factors, it makes no sense to target Canadians. However, there are a few former Canadians that someone needs to sign and they will be invaluable at this point in the offseason.
Obviously, after being caught and having his contract ripped up by the Arizona Coyotes, Alex Galcheniuk wasn’t one of those old locksmiths anyone should be going after right now. But these three former Canadians will provide plenty of value for another team locking them in in 2023-24.
