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

By Dave Stevenson

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 13: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Calgary Flames in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 13, 2020 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 13: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Calgary Flames in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 13, 2020 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

Nate Thompson

As I mentioned earlier, the Montreal Canadiens lineup is a bit crowded. Trading Nate Thompson would help clear things up. As great of a leader as he has been for the Canadiens, he’s taking a spot in the lineup that could be occupied by Ryan Poehling or one of their other impressive prospects in the AHL.

Thompson has just 10 points in 50 games so far this season. However, he’d be an upgrade to many teams’ fourth line. Thompson is terrific in the faceoff circle, where he has won 54.1% of his faceoffs, which ranks in the top 30 among forwards who have taken at least 400 faceoffs. He can also kill penalties and is one of the Canadiens’ most trusted shorthanded forwards, as he averages over two minutes per game there.

Most importantly, his contract is cheap. Thompson has a cap hit of just $1 million, so he could be appealing for contending teams who are tight against the salary cap, but are still looking to make an upgrade. He wouldn’t get the Canadiens that much in a trade, but trading him would open up a regular spot for a younger player.

Next. One Player Each Team Should Trade. dark

Expect the Canadiens to get at best a fifth-round pick for Thompson. But as they say, something is better than nothing.

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