Montreal Canadiens: Top 5 players they should trade at the deadline

Nick Cousins

Now we’re getting into the more likely players to be traded. Tatar likely won’t be traded unless some team offers a first-round pick and either a top prospect or a young player ready to contribute in the NHL. Kovalchuk might be traded, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Canadiens elect to keep him. I would be surprised if the Canadiens don’t trade Nick Cousins.

Cousins has been a bit of a Swiss-Army knife for the Habs this season. He’s filled in all over the lineup, though he’s most often used on the third or fourth line. In 44 games this season, Cousins has 16 points, which isn’t too shabby considering he averages under 14 minutes per game. That’s tied for 17th among forwards with less than 14 minutes of average ice time and at least 40 games played.

Moreover, Cousins has proven himself to be quite versatile. He’s a capable option on the penalty kill, even if the Canadiens don’t really use him much there. Cousins is also useful on the power play, as he’s averaging nearly two minutes per game there with the Canadiens this season. Also, he’s amassed at least 70 PP minutes in three of his last four seasons.

While Cousins likely won’t fetch the Canadiens more than a fourth-round pick, trading him would make sense because their lineup is starting to get a bit crowded. Why not trade a surplus forward who could be useful for a contender?