With Sean Monahan gone, observers’ eyes are now turning to the other files of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.
Many names will be circulating between now and March 8, the transaction deadline, and if there is one thing that the administrators of the CH have demonstrated, in 2022, it is that they are not afraid to liquidate their assets when demand is high.
But if there is a household, David Savard does not want to be part of it.
“At the moment, I continue to play, I have no problem. I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight. If it has to happen, we will have a conversation, said Savard, in an interview with The Press and NHL.com, Sunday afternoon. I know it’s a business, it can change very quickly. But I hope I can stay here, that’s my goal and that doesn’t change. I think they have the same perspective. In any case, I hope! »
If we’re talking about Savard specifically, it’s because Hughes was questioned about him on Friday, and didn’t exactly calm things down. “I haven’t had any discussions with David, not yet,” he said. said the CEO of CH. My door is always open. Am I open to trading it? I’m open to trading any player as long as we improve. If someone tells me Connor McDavid is available, we’ll work it out and try to make an offer. But I can’t say that at the moment, we are looking to trade David Savard. »
Le Maskoutain claims to have had no discussion with the Habs staff about a possible transaction. “My agent spoke to him. But at the moment, it’s the status quo,” said the colossus defender.
Savard, however, understands Monahan, who had reached a tacit agreement with Hughes to be traded to a Stanley Cup contending team. At 29, Monahan found himself in the same situation as Savard who, at 30, was spending the last year of his contract with a team excluded from the playoffs. Savard then played for the Blue Jackets, who traded him to the Lightning, and three months later, he lifted the Stanley Cup.
“It’s the dream of all players,” agrees Savard. By the last year of my contract in Columbus, I was there. When I saw that I wasn’t going to stay long term, the idea was to find training to try to win. »
Even if you are traded to a good club, it is not guaranteed that you will win. I have friends who were traded and for whom it didn’t work out. I was lucky, I arrived at the right place at the right time. That doesn’t mean that if I leave, I’ll win a second one. But the dream remains there. I would like to continue to grow with the team and see where we go. We have a lot of talent.
David Savard
Like Monahan, Savard is universally liked and admired by his younger teammates, a trait that hasn’t stopped Hughes from making a move in Monahan’s case.
Short and medium term rentals
In 2022, Hughes and Gorton made a big move by trading veterans Tyler Toffoli, Artturi Lehkonen, Ben Chiarot and Brett Kulak.
The exchanges between Chiarot and Kulak made sense. They were a few months away from full autonomy and a boatload of young left-handed defensemen were expected in Montreal.
Lehkonen, on the other hand, became a restricted free agent, therefore still under the control of the team for a final negotiation. Toffoli had an agreement good for two more seasons. This means that Hughes and Gorton were not content to exchange rental players in the strictest sense of the term.
If they want to fatten their bank of prospects and choices, they will therefore have to exchange athletes in different situations, because as pure rental players, only Tanner Pearson and the crippled Chris Wideman remain.
For medium-term rentals, i.e. players who have another year of contract before full autonomy, there are more candidates. There are six individuals in this situation, namely defenders Savard and Johnathan Kovacevic, goalkeeper Jake Allen and attackers Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Michael Pezzetta. Christian Dvorak also falls into this category, but his season is over. Of the lot, Allen will get the most attention, due to the famous menage a trois in front of the net that has been discussed on a few rare occasions this season.
What atmosphere?
However, we can wonder what the atmosphere will be like in the CH locker room. The Monahan exchange confirms that management is essentially surrendering for this season. Gorton’s stated goal of playing “meaningful” games late in the season is in the dust.
We play in the NHL, we can’t complain. You lose guys every year at this time. It hurts for a few days, but you play the next day, you get up, you have the chance to work in this environment, so you can’t complain.
Cole Caufield
“Two years ago, the circumstances were similar. You continue to work on your team game and trying to improve our young people, said Martin St-Louis. It’s a process I love being a part of. It comes with attitude. I don’t see that as an obstacle. It’s part of the league, and the league continues. »
The head coach, however, did not hide the fact that he is “disappointed” to see Monahan leave. ” But I understand. You know it’s a possibility, you know what kind of feeling you’re going to get. But when it happened, I was disappointed to lose a good player and a quality individual. »
How many times will he have to repeat such a quote in the coming weeks?
In short
Condotta recalled, Newhook gets closer
Overshadowed by the news of Gignac’s contract, Lucas Condotta was also recalled on Sunday. The latter had played the CH’s last two games before the spring break, before being sent back to Laval, where he participated in the Rocket’s three games last week. However, it remains to be seen whether he will play on Tuesday. Alex Newhook, injured since December, took another step towards returning to play on Sunday. He participated fully in training with his teammates and wore a red jersey like half the other players, suggesting he was given permission to tolerate physical contact. It was not possible to speak to him after the exercise.
Suzuki is here!
Surprise at training: Nick Suzuki put on the skates. Suzuki was the only CH representative at the All-Star game in Toronto, and it often happens that the players who participate are exempt from the first training upon return. But the captain obviously wanted to be there. It must be said that the Habs are entitled to a gradual return to work. The team will play on Tuesday, then only on Saturday.