Insider Tabs Canadiens to Take ‘Big Swing’ in Deal For $65 Million All-Star

 

Jordan Kyrou could be on his way to Montreal.

The Montreal Canadiens have already been wheeling and dealing this offseason, making two major trades in the last 10 days. But according to one top NHL insider, the Habs are not done yet.

First Montreal made a draft-night trade to bring in defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islander, sending 2020 second-round draft pick Emil Heineman to the Islanders in return.

Just four days later, the Canadiens sent 2021 first round pick Logan Mailloux — who had turned out to be a draft bust, finding his way into only eight games in two seasons with the Habs — to the St. Louis Blues to bring in a possible top-six center in 2021 first-round pick Zachary Bolduc.

Habs Still in Mood to Deal, Insiders Say

With Montreal trying to build on their return to the playoffs in 2025 after a three-year absence — a strange situation for the franchise who hold a record 24 Stanley Cup trophies plus another three in the pre-Stanley Cup era — those two big moves led some experts to believe that the club was done dealing already.

But not NHL insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. Speaking on an Edmonton sports podcast that aired last week, Seravalli stated it definitively.

“I think the Canadiens are still trying to get Jordan Kyrou,” he said on the program.

Seravalli was not the first in-the-know NHL expert to link the 27-year-old Blues forward to Montreal. Shortly after the Habs executed the Dobson trade, Pierre LeBrun of the Canadian sports network TSN discussed their intention to go get Kyrou, who scored 104 goals in his past three seasons in St. Louis.

“Montreal hopes not to be done,” LeBrun said on June 28. “They would like to add to their top-six up front, it’s been hard to find a No. 2 center, they are opening up that up to perhaps a winger. Jordan Kyrou is a player that Montreal is among several teams that have shown interest in.

At the time LeBrun made that statement, Kyrou was still easily tradeable. On July 1, the no-trade clause in his contract activated, so the Toronto native would now need to be persuaded that shifting to Montreal was a good move for him.

Three-Part Trade Package For Kyrou

And Blues general manager Doug Armstrong would also need persuading. He has so far shown no inclination to part with Kyrou, who has five years left on his eight-year, $65 million contract.

What would it take? NHL analyst William Bourget of The Hockey Writers wrote that the Canadiens are ready to take another “big swing,” and outlined a prospective package that could be something Armstrong would find appealing.

First, according to Bourget, Montreal would need to part with another first-round draft pick — after handing both of their 2025 first-rounders to the Blues to get Dobson. But their 2026 top selection would need to highlight the offer for Kyrou.

Next, the Canadiens will likely need to surrender a prospect, possibly 2024 first-round selection Michael Hage, who “projects as a future top-six center and had an impressive showing last year with the University of Michigan,” Bourget wrote.

Finally, with Montreal $5 million over the salary cap, they will need to send a player from their current roster to St. Louis as part of the deal to secure Kyrou.

Patrik Laine ‘Most Obvious’ Trade Candidate

But who?

“The most obvious name is Patrik Laine, who was acquired last offseason and carries a cap hit of $8.7 million for one more season,” Bourget concluded. “Trading Laine straight-up for Kyrou is unlikely. The Blues are not in a position to take on equal or more money, and Laine is a much more volatile asset. However, if the Canadiens can find a third team to retain a portion of Laine’s salary or reroute him elsewhere, that might open the door.”