The Canadiens should be improving their team through offseason trades this summer. Should Patrik Laine be on the move?
The Montreal Canadiens made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021 this year. Their young core clicked down the stretch and soared into the playoffs. They were minutes away from tying their series against the Capitals at two games each, but their Game 4 collapse carried over into Game 5, ending their season. The Canadiens should be big players in the offseason trade market, so who could they sell? Patrik Laine could be on the market.
The Canadiens still have big prospects coming up the pipeline. Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut during the season, David Reinbacher is still in the wings, and Jakub Dobes played well in the playoffs. That means that if a veteran is not working out, the Canadiens can trade him. The front office has decisions to make after they were crushed by the Capitals in the final two games of the playoffs.
How will the Canadiens improve their roster this summer? They have an opportunity to start a competitive window and need to crush this offseason to do it.
Could Patrik Laine be on the move again?
The Canadiens picked up Patrik Laine in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets back in August. They finally had the finisher to add to a power play with all of the other player molds every great man advantage needs. But the fit was not perfect, as Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games and played only two playoff games. His injuries are a massive concern, and his contract ends after the 2025-26 season. If they aren't going to give him the long-term extension, they could move on from him now.
The Canadiens also brought up former first-round pick Ivan Demidov during the season. His skill profile mirrors Laine's, and considering his rookie contract and Laine's injury history, the Habs could have duplicative players. There will be teams willing to take a chance on Laine, considering his elite offensive past. Not every team has a prospect like Demidov and the Habs should make room for him in the lineup.
Josh Anderson should be traded after the Tom Wilson disaster
There is no shortage of cliches about how physical the Stanley Cup Playoffs get. You can insert your favorite into the conversation about Josh Anderson and Tom Wilson in the Canadiens-Capitals series. Anderson could not control Wilson during the playoffs, allowing the Caps' scorer-enforcer hybrid to lay some big hits and tussle after every whistle. At this point in his career, Anderson is not bringing enough offense to get physically dominated in a playoff series.
The Canadiens signed Josh Anderson to a seven-year contract before the 2020-21 season. In his five years in Quebec, he has scored 81 goals and added 54 assists. With a $5.5 million cap hit, Anderson could be on the move this offseason. If the Habs want to get more physical in the playoffs, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett could both be big splashes in free agency.
This would be a big risk for the Canadiens to take, but coming to play with their young core should be an attractive selling point. Anderson did not fill his role in the playoffs, and they are going to need someone that does next year.
The Canadiens are loaded with draft picks to make a splash
The last entry is not a player, but any of the Canadiens' 12 2025 NHL Draft picks. They have the Flames' first-round pick in addition to their own, two second-round picks, and three third-round picks. If there is any player movement at the draft, the trading team should call the Canadiens to see if they can grab one of their two picks. That could play right into Kent Hughes' hands.
The biggest potential trade candidate on the market is three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. The best hockey Karlsson played this year was in Montreal as a member of Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. While the Penguins were terrible this year, Karlsson did not make them any better. If the Canadiens are willing to give up one of their first-rounders, they would be able to land Karlsson.
The Wild may trade Marco Rossi, who could be a great fit on the Canadiens. Whether they want active NHL players or picks is unknown as of now. Islanders center JG Pageau, Kings winger Adrian Kempe, and Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson are all other trade candidates they should target with these picks.
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