The Montreal Canadiens are living in limbo.
They sit just within reach of a potential playoff run, but if they have hopes of fighting for the Cup it needs to start now. Montreal (27-24-7) currently sits five points out of the third Atlantic Division spot held by the Toronto Maple Leafs (29-19-8) and six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes (32-20-3) for the second wild card. So do the Habs go all-in for a late push or play seller, stocking up for next season?
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Only three players are contracted past the 2021-22 season and 10 are in the final year of their contract right now. So while a rebuild seems imminent, with 11 draft picks in 2020 and eight in 2021, the Canadiens are still, oddly enough, in a spot to compete for the playoffs this season and in the next few. However, they can increase their firepower by selling at the deadline now or go all-in by buying another piece in hopes of making a late-season push to the postseason.
That being said, Montreal has some flexibility in terms of veteran status — knowing you should be a contender next season (even if you aren't this year) means there is little risk of players aging out on you before you get a shot at Lord Stanley's Cup. So the Habs can keep some of their veteran players and stock up on youngsters for the future of the franchise, essentially working through a mini rebuild.
With all of this uncertainty, it's hard to tell what the Montreal Canadiens need at the trade deadline, but here we go.
What to do with Ilya Kovalchuk
The biggest acquisition the team made mid-season may be the smartest. A low-risk, high-reward one-year deal was granted to 36-year-old Ilya Kovalchuk worth $700,000 and he has delivered above that market price.
Not only has he been re-energized after leaving Los Angeles, but his "been there, done that" perspective could prove vital for the Canadiens' players who haven't experienced the same level of success.
Speaking of success, Kovalchuk is having it. He has twice as many goals (six) in 16 games with the Canadiens than with the Kings (17 games) in the 2019-20 season. His plus/minus rating of plus-six is far better than the minus-10 he had in LA and while part of that is obviously the quality of the team, Kovalchuk does deserve some of the credit.
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Trade rumors are sticking to Kovalchuk like barnacles to the bottom of a boat, probably because of how favorable his contract is and the level he is currently producing at. So here's the verdict: If the Canadiens believe they can make a run to the playoffs, they may need the 13-year veteran; but if they decide to focus on the future, a draft pick and/or a package of prospects would be the best return.
Kovalchuk is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Why they need Jeff Petry
Jeff Petry is precisely the type of player previously referred to as one that the Habs should consider keeping even if they don't make a playoff push this season. Why? He plays upwards of 25 minutes per game on a regular basis. With eight goals and 27 assists, the 10th-year defenseman is having a career year, on pace for 49 points and 38 assists which would both mark career highs.
Something about Petry in Montreal makes sense; other than his first full season with the club (2015-16), the four best years of his career have come in Montreal with point totals of 28, 42 and 46. He is already at 35 this season with 24 games to go.
Petry's name also appears on TSN's trade bait list, along with Kovalchuk and our next target — Marco Scandella — but the Habs should strongly consider saving the blueliner for next season (he has one more year remaining on his contract).
How to part ways with Marco Scandella
Scandella just finished unpacking his bags and he may be packing them again. Traded to Montreal on Jan. 2, 2020, Scandella joined the club from Buffalo. In 17 games with Montreal, the blueliner has just one goal and one assist.
It takes some time to get acclimated with a new team but Montreal's midseason roster change-up (in signing Kovalchuk and Scandella) doesn't look like enough to propel the team past the allotted 82 games. The Canadiens will need another move to prove they are serious about making the postseason, but if they decide to postpone that battle until the 2020-21 season, they have almost no attachment to Scandella and should let him go.
Prior to joining Montreal, the 29-year-old was having a solid year with the Sabres, scoring three goals and six assists in 31 games — not All-Star numbers but fairly consistent with what he has been producing throughout his 10-year career.
His contract is not favorable — he's the the second-highest paid defenseman on the team (behind Petry) at $4 million AAV but set to become a free agent this offseason. That could make him hard to trade as he would cost a pretty penny for a rental and therefore, he may remain on the roster through April 5. Regardless, Scandella likely won't be on the roster next October, so Montreal might as well try and get something for him now if the team decides to fold on this season.