The Canadiens have kept things relatively calm this offseason, and that may be exactly how they want it.
Montreal is still one of the league’s youngest teams, and after reaching the Eastern Conference Final in the spring, there’s no urgent need to force a move just for the sake of movement. A real upgrade would help, of course, but patience could be the smarter play if the right deal doesn’t show up. Even rolling into the 2026-27 season with essentially the same group that closed out 2025-26 wouldn’t be a disaster.
That said, the Canadiens will be ready to act if a fit opens up. They’ve been linked to Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko, but neither club is in a selling mood while still chasing a playoff spot.
Both players would make sense in Montreal’s top six. The problem is simple: those teams are not looking to move them.
So where should the Canadiens look instead?
One place is Anaheim.
The Ducks are dealing with major cap pressure after a huge offer sheet to Leo Carlsson left them tied to an $18 million cap hit for the promising center. They still have roughly $9 million in space, but Cutter Gauthier is coming off a 40-goal season and will need a deal worth more than $9 million on his next contract. On top of that, Anaheim needs help on the right side of its defense after losing John Carlson, Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas in free agency.
That makes a player like Adam Engstrom useful, even if he is not a natural right-shot defenseman. He can handle the right side, and the Ducks clearly need bodies and relief.
Mikael Granlund also stands out as a logical target for Montreal. He has two years left at $7 million, and he would fill a top-six need alongside Ivan Demidov.
The Ducks could also be a place for the Canadiens to land either Chris Kreider or Alex Killorn. Both carry salaries above $6 million, both are in the final year of their contracts, and neither should require a major prospect haul like Engstrom. They could slide into Montreal’s middle six without much trouble.
Seattle is another team worth watching.
The Kraken made the playoffs in their second season, but they’ve now missed three straight years, and only the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Ducks have fewer total points over that span. A shakeup feels possible, and Montreal has pieces that could appeal to them.
Seattle could use younger help on the blue line, which puts Engstrom, Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble on the radar. Adam Larsson also fits the profile of a player the Canadiens could chase.
He is 33, shoots right, plays a steady defensive game, and could be a strong partner for Lane Hutson. A package built around young defensemen and draft picks would make sense for a Kraken team that could be ready to reshape its roster.
Jared McCann is another name to keep in mind. Larsson is signed for three more seasons, but McCann is heading into the final year of his deal.
He put up 20 goals and 40 points in just 52 games last season, and he would step right into a second-line role in Montreal. With the prospect pool and future draft capital the Canadiens have available, they could easily put together an offer that gets Seattle’s attention on one or both players.
Calgary rounds out the list.
The Flames have already moved veterans Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, both of whom would have fit well in Montreal, and they could keep selling as they continue their rebuild. That opens the door for the Canadiens.
Morgan Frost is one possibility. The 27-year-old left-shot center had 22 goals and 43 points last season and won nearly 57% of his faceoffs. He has one year left on a contract that carries a $4.375 million cap hit, which makes him a sensible trade chip for a team looking to add prospects and draft picks.
Zach Whitecloud is another name that works for Montreal. He is 6-foot-2, shoots right, weighs 218 pounds and would give the Canadiens some needed size and toughness on the back end. He has two years left on his deal at $2.75 million, which keeps the money manageable.
Montreal has been quiet so far, but these three teams stand out as the cleanest trade fits if the Canadiens decide to make a move.
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