What a great time to be a Montreal Canadiens fan. The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. Alexandre Texier hat tricks and slapshot overtime goals are all the rage. (Yes, I'm aware it's still snowing.)
But the Habs are in third in the Atlantic Division while sitting just three points off the division lead. Even then, a question emerges: is there still room to improve this team?
On one hand, you could argue that the Canadiens are playing like a true playoff contender and that they deserve to be rewarded for their efforts.
And you would be right to say that. The Habs are fourth in the NHL in goals scored per game and in total points, while their power play is eighth in the league. Though the defensive side of the ice needs work - their penalty kill is just 20th and they give up the tenth-most goals in the league - it's clear the Habs are capable of outscoring their defensive woes. At the same time, such issues can be addressed at the deadline.
You could also argue the inverse: the Habs are built like a contender already and making a move could risk destabilizing the hard work done over the past four-and-a-half seasons. One could reinforce this argument by using the Phillip Danault trade as the Habs' means of addressing issues at centre. At the same time, it's also worth noting that general manager Kent Hughes hasn't been one to force a move; he's only made moves that he believes can truly improve the team while refusing to force moves that could present themselves.
I lean slightly towards the former argument. Yes, players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are still in their mid-twenties and have much of their prime ahead of them. It's also worth noting that young prospects like Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson are only just getting started in the NHL; when combining these two statements, one can see that the Habs' window is only just reopening.
That said, the Habs' opportunity to take the next step and be in position to win a playoff series or two might just be this year. And with teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes quickly asserting themselves as the conference's best, Montreal has to make moves if they are to get into that weight class as quickly as possible.
If there were a chance to make a move to improve the roster, where could that come from?
The New York Rangers are clearly heading towards a retool, and players like Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin are going to be made available. Calgary will also be a team to watch; the Habs have been linked with Blake Coleman but it remains to be seen if the front office can get a move together. Other teams like St Louis and Vancouver will have players of interest available, while others like Steven Stamkos could potentially hit the market as well.
My targets of choice? Vincent Trocheck and Ryan O'Reilly.
Vincent Trocheck has played a big role in the Rangers' recent playoff pushes; in the team's run to the Conference Final in 2023-24, Trocheck amassed 8 goals and 12 assists. Vincent Trocheck is also incredibly good in the faceoff circle; he's won a majority of his faceoffs in every season since the 2015-16 campaign while winning almost 60% of his faceoffs in two of the last three seasons.
If Montreal were to trade for Trocheck, they would be acquiring a player who has significant playoff experience and who is more than capable of filling an important role for the team. For the Rangers, the move would clear almost six million dollars of cap space for each of the next three seasons.
That said, the cost would be a hefty one for the Habs. Trading for a playoff veteran would almost certainly force the team to part with one of their top forwards, many of whom have made a name for themselves with Habs faithful.
Despite posting 38 points in his 2022-23 campaign, Kirby Dach has struggled to maintain the same offensive capabilities that he displayed in his first season with Montreal. Yes, I'm aware he's been out with injury for much of this season, but it's clear that Dach hasn't necessarily lived up to the billing since that 2022-23 campaign. Even with his over $3 million cap hit in mind, acquiring Dach should keep the Rangers below the cap; the $2.2 million dollar gain from this proposed trade would bring the Rangers below the cap and then some. Throw in an early-round pick or two in this year's draft, and Montreal has the recipe to incorporate Vincent Trocheck without significantly harming their core.
A similar story presents itself in the form of Ryan O'Reilly; like Trocheck, Ryan O'Reilly has years of playoff experience under his belt. Not only did he win a Stanley Cup with the St Louis Blues, but he also helped bring Toronto to its first playoff series win in two years. His efforts in helping the Nashville Predators turn a slow start in 2023-24 into a playoff berth are also noteworthy.
The cost to acquire Ryan O'Reilly might be considerably less than that of trading for Vincent Trocheck. Ryan O'Reilly carries a cap hit of $4.5 million while his contract runs until the end of next season, making a trade seem more of a medium-term rental than a long-term commitment.
That said, Nashville might be hesitant to move any of their core players, especially Ryan O'Reilly. Nashville is three points back of the San Jose Sharks for the final wild card spot and four back of the Utah Mammoth for the top wild card position. They also contest two divisional games over the next week, making a move for O'Reilly improbable until just before the Olympic break at earliest.
If the Predators were to slip in the wild card race and end up deciding to sell off assets, Montreal should find themselves in a good position to make a move. Nashville is $6 million below the cap; moving off Ryan O'Reilly would put them well over $10 million below it. Even if Nashville were to ask for a package including an established player like Kirby Dach and a prospect like Owen Beck, the return would likely be bearable for Montreal.
While the Habs are in a great position to take the next step in their route towards contention, making a move unneccessary to some, it's also possible to justify investing in the roster for the medium-to-long-term. Bringing in veterans to help young prospects like Oliver Kapanen continue to mature would benefit the team while also coming at a low cost for the organization. Such moves could also be ceremonial to a degree; bringing in a big-name player like Vincent Trocheck could effectively allow Montreal to close the book on their rebuild while turning their attention towards a goal they haven't achieved in three-and-a-half decades: the Stanley Cup.