4 Win-Win Trades for the Montreal Canadiens and NHL Playoff Contenders

The Montreal Canadiens are enduring the ups and downs of their first full season of rebuilding under executive vice president Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes. They've improved over their disastrous 2021-22 campaign but currently find themselves 11 points out of wild-card contention in the Eastern Conference.

Gorton and Hughes were sellers leading up to last year's trade deadline, shipping out such notable players as Tyler Toffoli, Ben Chiarot, Artturi Lehkonen and Brett Kulak for draft picks and prospects. They're likewise expected to be busy this year as the NHL's March 3 trade deadline approaches.

Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette recently speculated that the Canadiens' lineup will look vastly different following the trade deadline. He believes veterans such as Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Sean Monahan, Joel Edmundson and Josh Anderson could all be available in trades.

Drouin, Dadonov and Monahan are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Edmundson has one more season remaining on his contract, while Anderson is signed through 2026-27.

Dadonov's inconsistent performance and Drouin's injury history could make them difficult to trade. If Hughes can move either one, he probably won't get much in return.

However, Monahan, Edmundson and Anderson could have sufficient value to fetch quality returns for the Canadiens. There could even be a market for a veteran such as Mike Hoffman.

Here's our take on four potential win-win trade scenarios that could benefit the Canadiens and their possible trade partners. Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

A lack of scoring depth has plagued the New York Islanders since John Tavares departed for Toronto in 2018. Sitting 24th this season in goals-per-game average (2.94) and struggling to stay in playoff contention, they must bring in a scoring right winger to skate alongside centers Mathew Barzal or Brock Nelson.

Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello could be shopping for help between now and March 3 to address that need. Depending on what he's willing to part with, perhaps he'll try to pry Josh Anderson away from the Canadiens.

Anderson, 28, scored a career-high 27 goals in 2018-19 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and tallied 19 goals twice in injury-shortened seasons. Skating alongside an elite playmaker such as Barzal could turn him into a perennial 30-goal scorer. Anderson is signed through 2026-27 with an annual cap hit of $5.5 million and an eight-team no-trade list.

The Isles have $6.8 million in projected deadline cap space. Lamoriello could offer winger Anthony Beauvillier ($4.15 million annually through 2023-24) to make room for Anderson, provided he includes a first-round pick or a high-end prospect as part of the return. The struggling Beauvillier might benefit from a change of scenery.

The Canadiens don't have to trade Joel Edmundson by the March 3 deadline. The 29-year-old defenseman is signed through 2023-24 with an average annual value of $3.5 million. Nevertheless, they could listen if a club seeking a top-four left-side shutdown blueliner came calling with a suitable offer.

The Edmonton Oilers could be that club, given their need for experienced depth on the left side of their blue line.

Earlier this month, Sportsnet's Mark Spector and Adam Vingan reported the Oilers don't plan to pursue Jakob Chychrun of the Arizona Coyotes. Spector and Vignan don't believe he'd provide the type of stay-at-home physical defensive game they need.

Sportsnet's Jason Bukala suggested the Oilers should ship winger Jesse Puljujarvi, a 2024 fifth-round pick and either a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick or an unprotected 2024 first-rounder to the Canadiens. In return, the Habs would include a 2024 sixth-rounder with Edmundson and retain $500,000 of his salary.

Bukala's proposal could be a win-win here. The Oilers would get the physical defensive blueliner they need, one who carries an affordable cap hit through next season. Meanwhile, the Canadiens would get a first-round pick plus a reclamation project in Puljujarvi, who might thrive with a change of scenery.

In just their second season, the Seattle Kraken find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. With his club jockeying with the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division, Kraken general manager Ron Francis could become a buyer leading up to the March 3 trade deadline.

Francis recently told Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that his plethora of draft picks give his club the flexibility to add players by the deadline. In this year's draft, the Kraken possess three second-round selections, two fourth-rounders and two sixth-rounders.

The Kraken could use some experienced scoring depth at left wing behind first-line winger André Burakovsky. Mike Hoffman of the Canadiens could help them address that need.

The 33-year-old winger has tallied 22-plus goals six times in his career, along with 20 points in 33 playoff games. He could regain his scoring touch on a deeper club like the Kraken.

Hoffman is signed through next season with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million. The Canadiens might have to retain part of his salary, but it could be worthwhile for both clubs if the Kraken agreed to part with a second- and a fourth- or sixth-rounder for Hoffman. The rebuilding Habs could use those assets for themselves or as trade bait to acquire a player.

The Colorado Avalanche have needed a reliable second-line center since Nazem Kadri signed with Calgary last summer as a free agent.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, recent speculation has linked them to the Vancouver Canucks' Bo Horvat. However, he felt the Canadiens' Sean Monahan would be a more sensible option.

Slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Horvat is a skilled two-way center who's on pace to reach 50 goals for the first time in his NHL career. However, LeBrun believes the Avalanche would have to sell the farm to acquire him. Monahan would be a more affordable choice.

Following two years of hip surgeries, Monahan was enjoying a fine bounce-back performance with the Canadiens with 17 points in 25 games until he suffered a lower-body injury in early December. Expected to return to the lineup later this month, he could be a solid addition to the Avalanche if he picks up where he left off.

The Avalanche possess $5.6 million in projected deadline cap space and lack second-and third-round picks in 2023 and 2024. However, the Canadiens could retain a portion of the remainder of Monahan's $6.4 million cap hit if the Avs make it worth their while. Perhaps they'd part with a prospect such as Oskar Olausson or Sean Behrens as part of the return.

Stats (as of Jan. 22, 2023) via NHL.com. Salary info and line combinations via Cap Friendly.