Since the Montreal Canadiens offseason started in mid-April, there have been multiple rumours, just like every year. Aside from Martin Necas, one name that has been consistently linked to Montreal is Trevor Zegras‘. According to insider Pierre LeBrun, the Anaheim Ducks and the Canadiens have recently connected about a possible trade. Thursday (June 6) on BPM Sports, insider Arpon Basu revealed the Ducks’ asking price, and it’s a steep one. To grab the talented winger, the Canadiens would need to sacrifice one of two important defencemen in their rebuild.
What NHL Insiders Said
According to Basu, to acquire Zegras, the Canadiens would need to give up either Kaiden Guhle or David Reinbacher in return. The former has shown good things in his first two seasons in the big league – he’s a proven commodity – while the latter was the Canadiens’ first-round pick in the 2023 Draft.
Meanwhile, LeBrun reported on RDS that both teams have reconnected about a possible trade for Zegras. However, he also added that the Canadiens are likely not ready to go all-in for the talented centre, meaning the Canadiens are interested but not ready to give up players they believe are important to the rebuild.
Zegras has played 211 games in the NHL across four seasons. His career high in goals stands at 23 in a season and 65 points. He missed significant time this season because of an ankle injury and was limited to 31 games in which he gathered 15 points.
Ducks’ Asking Price
Guhle immediately impressed when he made the Canadiens. He played like a veteran, munching minutes and playing on the first pairing as needed. In 114 games, he has scored 10 goals and 40 points, and he can do whatever is asked of him.
As for Reinbacher, general manager Kent Hughes picked him fifth overall in last year’s draft, to the shock of many. The Canadiens are light on scorers, and many expected them to select one of the many talented forwards available. Yet, the Austrian blueliner was chosen because he was the best player available when it was Montreal’s turn at the podium. The organization didn’t have much depth in terms of right-shooting blueliners, so he was the logical pick, whether fans liked it or not.
Related: Canadiens’ Kent Hughes & his Stellar Drafts: Going for a 3-Peat
Reinbacher spent most of this season playing with Klolten HC, but he was assigned to the Laval Rocket to finish the season once his team was eliminated. In 11 games, he scored five points and looked like he would make the NHL roster in short order.
Should the Canadiens Pull the Trigger?
As always, Hughes will do his due diligence before acquiring the forward. While Montreal does need an injection of talent up front, they don’t need a player who will upset the locker room chemistry. Would Zegras? He is reportedly one of Cole Caufield’s friends, which isn’t surprising since both players were part of the US National Team Development program. But I would be surprised if Hughes was willing to move either Guhle or Reinbacher.
I believe the Canadiens’ GM would be more likely to pull the trigger if Anaheim was less greedy, and were willing to acquire another defenceman, like Jordan Harris, and a first-round pick like this year’s 26th overall. Sending Guhle or Reinbacher to the Ducks would set back the rebuild.
However, Hughes surprised us all at the last two drafts, adding Kirby Dach in 2022 and Alex Newhook on the eve of the 2023 Draft. He might have already moved on from Necas and Zegras, looking at less costly alternatives. We’ll see if he’ll steal the show by getting another talented player in need of a new start rather than overpaying for Zegras.
