Upon his appointment as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Kent Hughes recalled that he would like to trade players when their value is at their peak and acquire them when their value is lowest, rather than the reverse.
That’s what Hughes did on Wednesday, trading defenseman Ben Chiarot to the Florida Panthers. Hughes also deemed the offer good enough to trade forward Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames on February 14.
Hughes, however, tempered expectations as the trade deadline approaches, saying there won’t be a fire sale at the Canadiens, even though the team still sits last in the overall NHL standings. .
However, he does not intend to miss a good offer or an opportunity to improve the situation of the Canadian in his management of his payroll.
Here are five Canadian players who could change addresses by the end of the trading period, Monday at 3 p.m.
Artturi Lehkonen
Knowing what is shaping up to be the most productive season of his career, Artturi Lehkonen may never be so valuable on the trade market. Kent Hughes could therefore seek to maximize the value of the 26-year-old Finn by trading him now.
Lehkonen recently had a streak where he had six goals and two assists in five games. His payroll impact is US$2.3 million and he can become a restricted free agent this summer, allowing the team to retain his rights for at least one more season.
The Canadian could, however, prefer to keep Lehkonen, whose work ethic and qualities in forechecking and in his zone make him a player appreciated by his teammates and coaches.
Jeff Petry
Jeff Petry is the only player still with the Canadiens that Kent Hughes has publicly admitted to wanting to trade. The 34-year-old American defender wants to be closer to his family, who preferred to return to the United States, in particular because of Quebec health restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Petry’s family situation may have had an impact on his game, as he is a shadow of the player whose name came up in some conversations for the Norris Trophy last spring.
Coming in the first year of a four-year deal with a $6.25 million payroll impact, few teams can afford to add Petry to their roster right now. Petry would probably like to return to his hometown by joining the ranks of the Detroit Red Wings, but it will probably be impossible to convince the canny general manager Steve Yzerman to come to his rescue.
Shea Weber
Although he probably won’t play a single game in the NHL again due to an accumulation of injuries, Shea Weber could officially change his organization.
The 36-year-old defender’s lavish contract remains a drag on the Canadiens as he forces the team to look to exemptions tied to the long-term injured list.
Many players in this situation have been traded in recent years – Chris Pronger, Marian Gaborik, David Clarkson, Nathan Horton, etc. — when some teams with flexibility below the salary cap took the opportunity to snub teams desperate to improve their salary situation.
Brett Kulak
Kent Hughes said he likes what he’s seen from Brett Kulak since he took over on Jan. 18. The 28-year-old defender has seen his role grow since the arrival of Martin St-Louis behind the bench, while his average playing time has increased by around two minutes.
Kulak could, however, become an unrestricted free agent this summer. A team looking for reinforcements on the blue line and whose all plans have fallen through could call Hughes at the last minute on Monday and overpay for the number 77 Canadian. Hughes would thus maximize Kulak’s market value.
Mathieu Perreault
Ignored on waivers this week, Mathieu Perreault has still not reported to the Laval Rocket. Perreault reportedly had a chat with Kent Hughes and vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton on Thursday to talk about his future.
The 34-year-old Quebecer has been limited to three goals, all in the same game, and two assists in 18 games this season. He was plagued by a retinal detachment and then a lower body injury. He has appeared in just four games since the start of 2022.
Perreault can play on the power play, however, and he has a marginal impact on payroll by virtue of his $950,000 salary. A team could change course and acquire Perreault, then demote him to his academy without having to put him on waivers again. It would then serve as a lifeline, in the event of an accumulation of injuries down the stretch.