Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper drew attention simply by showing up at the Bell Centre on Tuesday, but the cleanest read on his visit may have had nothing to do with the Canadiens.
Pierre LeBrun reported that as many as ten teams are involved in trade discussions centered on Simon Edvinsson, with San Jose and Boston among the clubs in the mix. That immediately gives Draper’s appearance in Montreal a different feel, especially with the Sharks reportedly part of the Edvinsson conversation.
The idea that Detroit was there to watch Montreal has taken a back seat to the possibility that Draper was tracking San Jose instead.
Nothing has been confirmed, but the connection is there. The Sharks are 6-4-1, giving up 3.4 goals per game while scoring just 3, and their defense group already includes Jacob Trouba, Dmitry Orlov and Sam Dickinson. Even so, they could still be in the market for a defenseman with Edvinsson’s profile.
LeBrun also previously pointed to three comparable trades that help frame Edvinsson’s value, including the deal that sent Noah Dobson to Montreal for two first-round picks and Emil Heineman. If that’s the baseline, the price on Edvinsson is clearly steep.
The Canadiens would have reason to keep paying attention, too. Their own blue-line problems are front and center, with the team allowing 3.8 goals per game.
Larkin, 30, has five points in eight games and carries an $8.7 million cap hit through 2031.
Edvinsson is younger, more mobile and more versatile. That’s what would tip the scales in his favor for me... even though he’s a defenseman!
“There are up to ten teams involved in these talks, including San Jose and Boston, who are among the teams interested.”
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans Suddenly Have One More Reason To Watch Winnipeg
Trade chatter around Connor Hellebuyck has picked up enough that a Winnipeg watch feels a little different now, even for fans far removed from the negotiations. The Canadiens are not part of the discussions, but their upcoming meeting with the Jets suddenly carries an extra layer of intrigue because it could come against a goalie whose future is being weighed in real time.
The names being floated around the talks show how far this situation could reach, with Carolina, Buffalo and Utah mentioned as possible landing spots. No deal has been confirmed and the picture is still shifting, but Montreal supporters now have one more reason to keep an eye on Winnipeg before that matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Waiver Option Worth Watching On Defense
A pair of waiver moves around the league created a little more to monitor on the blue line, with Daemon Hunt of the Minnesota Wild and Jack St. Ivany of the Winnipeg Jets among the names available. For a Canadiens team dealing with injuries and looking for short-term defensive depth, that kind of list always gets a second look, especially when the available players include defensemen who might help stabilize the back end without requiring a bigger roster shakeup.
St. Ivany is the more interesting name for Montreal because the right-shot profile matters when a team is trying to patch together a lineup. He would be the sort of depth option worth watching rather than someone who would transform the Canadiens' defense, but in this part of the season those smaller moves can still matter. No decision has been made involving Montreal yet, but the waiver wire has at least given the Canadiens something relevant to track. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Test They Havent Seen In 546 Games
Nick Suzukis absence changes the feel of the Canadiens night in a way they simply have not had to deal with in a long time. Montreal heads into its matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center at 8:00 PM without the captain, who has been ruled out for the next stretch, and the club also will have to manage without Ivan Demidov. For a team used to building around Suzukis presence, this is the kind of lineup adjustment that tests depth as much as structure.
The timing makes it even more notable, because this will be the first time Montreal takes the ice without Suzuki in 546 games. The Canadiens have not yet confirmed their starting goaltender, and the broadcast will be carried on TSN2 and RDS, but the bigger storyline is how the group responds when a familiar constant is suddenly missing. Demidovs absence only adds to the uncertainty, leaving Montreal with a very different look than usual as it tries to get through a rare night without its top center. [Read more 🡒]