A one-for-one trade idea has surfaced that could send Dalibor Dvorsky to Montreal and David Reinbacher to St. Louis, and on paper, it checks a lot of boxes for both sides.
According to Marco D'Amico, Reinbacher would already be in the NHL for about ten teams, while Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues has become a possible target for the Canadiens.
From Montreal’s side, it’s the kind of swap worth a hard look. St.
Louis could say the same.
Reinbacher’s situation in the AHL with the Laval Rocket has been a bit of a head-scratcher, especially given how highly teams around the league would value a right-shot defenseman like him. It’s not the first time Montreal has watched a top young prospect stay down a level longer than expected, either. The same conversation came up last year with Adam Engstrom.
D'Amico also pointed to Dvorsky’s spot in St. Louis and whether that could eventually open the door to a move. The Blues recently acquired and signed Mason McTavish, and that pushes Dvorsky further down the depth chart behind McTavish and Robert Thomas.
Dvorsky is 21, a left-shooting Slovak forward, and the 10th overall pick by St. Louis in 2023. He has 24 points in 85 NHL games, including 21 points in 71 games last season.
McTavish, 23, has ten points in twelve games, including three game-winning goals, and carries a $7 million cap hit. Thomas, 27, has six points. Both are clearly ahead of Dvorsky in the Blues’ order.
That’s what makes this such an interesting fit. Even with a new general manager in charge in St.
Louis, the two teams have already found a trade lane before. Just over a year ago, Montreal landed Zachary Bolduc from the Blues in exchange for Logan Mailloux.
And this one would make sense on both sides again: St. Louis gets the right-shot defenseman it would be hard to find elsewhere, while Montreal adds a skilled young forward still working to carve out a real NHL role.
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For now, Montreal appears content to let the situation play out rather than force a move before it has to. The challenge is obvious: once Montembeault is healthy, the Canadiens will have three goalies in the mix, and the front office will have to decide whether patience is the better play or whether the right offer changes everything. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes this one harder to read is the control piece. Larkin and Edvinsson both reportedly have some say in where they would go, which can narrow the field before real talks even get going. Montreal is being mentioned as one of the teams that could be involved, but the Canadiens are still facing the usual trade-market reality: interest is one thing, landing the right fit is another, especially when the destination picture may still shift. [Read more 🡒]