The Anaheim Ducks’ cap crunch has put them in a spot where a trade feels less like an option and more like a requirement.
The latest buzz centers on Cutter Gauthier, who still does not have a contract with the Ducks. And with Anaheim sitting on just $9 million in remaining salary cap space, the math is pretty simple: Gauthier is expected to cost more than that on his next deal. After a 41-goal, 69-point season at 22 years old, he’s not exactly headed toward a bargain contract.
That’s why TVA Sports brought the conversation back to the surface yesterday. The question they raised is the one hanging over Anaheim right now: how do the Ducks make this work?
The answer may involve more than one move. Even if Gauthier himself stays put, the Ducks still need to clear room somewhere, and they are clearly under pressure to do it. In that kind of setup, the team on the other side of the table usually has the leverage.
For the Canadiens, that opens the door.
Kent Hughes could look to take advantage of Anaheim’s situation, and according to most of the sources consulted, three names stand out as possible trade targets. The Ducks are in a tough negotiating spot, and when a team is desperate to open up cap space, someone else is usually ready to pounce.
One name that makes sense for Montreal is Chris Kreider.
He’s the kind of power winger who can still help a lineup right away, and his recent production has been steady: 22 goals, 22 goals and 39 goals over the last three seasons. He also comes with a $6.5 million cap hit, and only one season remains on that deal.
If Anaheim were to send Kreider and a second-round pick to the Canadiens in exchange for future considerations, that would be a very intriguing outcome for Montreal.
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Lalonde arrives with championship pedigree from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was part of a staff that reached the leagues biggest stage year after year. For a Canadiens team trying to give St-Louis the support fans have wanted, the move adds a proven voice and a steadier hand to a coaching setup that should look a little deeper now than it did before. [Read more 🡒]