Team: 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 2, 2020

Published: Aug. 3, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I love Drouin, Tatar and Juulsen IMO and I would wait a year before trading them, but these trades make sense for both clubs and I just wanted to highlight them. In an ideal world, we would keep both Juulsen and Drouin for a year to see if they can prove themselves. Let me know if I’m wrong with the trade values of these offers.

DAL TRADE:
While I really love Drouin and I want him to succeed here and I dont really think we have that big of a need on LD with Romanov and potentially Nordlinder and Struble in the future if they reach their upside, I believe that this trade would help solidify Montreal’s defense. He would play well enough with Weber or Petry too. Drouin can bring some much needed playmaking in their top 6 and help their offense overall, something they need to improve. If Montreal drafts Sanderson, there’s no need to make this move though.

TOR TRADE:
I don’t like trading with rivals, but this could help both squads. I like Juulsen and Inthink he can be a good top 6 guy, but Fleury could pass him in the depth chart and a good offensive, scoring winger for Kotkaniemi would be really good for his development. Toronto needs cap space desperately, so they don’t have much leverage imo. I think this trade is fair since I mostly see Kapanen get dealt for a second (Juulsen + 3rd imo = 2nd), but if it isn’t, let me know and I’ll change it.

TBL TRADE:
We get a better 13th forward who happens to be a local guy as a bonus while Tampa gets a cheaper alternative, who, while being less good than Paquette, still allows Tampa to save some cap space to re-sign their RFAs. The Lightning also get a decent third goalie that can be called up if one of their goalies get injured, which also allows MTL to make room to bring Demchenko in and re-sign McNiven.

WPG TRADE:
Montreal knows that they are likely losing Chiarot in the expansion draft. Thing is, he has some decent value. Montreal capitalizes on that and deals him at the deadline, knowing they aren’t going to be huge contenders anyway. Before he gets dealt, either 1) Romanov can play in the AHL or 2) Fleury can play in the AHL and Mete plays on his off-side. We also get some nice futures, while Winnipeg gets a LD that they know fits in the system who can slot in nicely with Pionl to balance their lineup. This deal doesn’t have to happen and doesn’t have to happen with Winnipeg if Heinola is NHL ready, but if the latter doesn’t happen, this makes sense.

COL TRADE:
Montreal likely won’t contend this year, so selling a guy like Tatar makes sense, despite how much we love him. Before the trade, he would play on the first line and all the LWs would be moved down a line. Since Tatar is extended, Colorado adds a 2nd as well. Colorado gets a great scoring threat for their top 6 that helps them contend even more for years to come.

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MTL would re-sign Danault, Armia and Petry to team-friendly deals and sign Cole Caufield to an ELC so he can make the team after the deadline. Ylonen, Brook and Holtz (who I see Montreal drafting at 9 in this scenario) making the team the following year. With KK, Suzuki, Caufield and Romanov taking the next steps, I can see Montreal making the playoffs the following year.

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