Blockbuster Trade Rumour Emerges Between the Avalanche and Canadiens
As the trade deadline approaches, the Montreal Canadiens currently hold one of the winning tickets to secure one of the biggest returns of the year, thanks to Sean Monahan.
The 29-year-old veteran is currently attracting a lot of attention across the league. The fact that he commands an extremely advantageous salary, in addition to all that he can bring both on and off the ice, are elements that greatly interest teams aiming for a championship.
Among the teams keeping a close eye on Monahan's services, the Colorado Avalanche certainly stands out. This organization has all the elements to win another Stanley Cup with the current core, except for one major issue: the lack of depth at center.
Behind Nathan MacKinnon, the backup is weak, as Ryan Johansen is not delivering the expected dividends on the second line. He has even been pushed aside by Ross Colton, who is not a true top-6 center either.
In short, the Avalanche will undoubtedly seek to acquire a versatile center like Monahan.
In relation to a potential transaction between the two teams, NHL Network has just thrown its hat in the ring by raising an extremely interesting trade proposal for the Montreal Canadiens.
It suggests that Kent Hughes sends Monahan to Colorado, in return for the highly promising Russian forward Nikolai Kovalenko, defenseman Caleb Jones, and a first-round pick in 2024.
Frankly, if the GM of the Canadiens receives this offer from his counterpart at the Avalanche, I hope he will absolutely say yes and run away with this return.
Kovalenko, who is 24 years old, is one of the best players in the world not currently playing in the NHL. Many anticipate that he could have an impact similar to Artemi Panarin upon his arrival in North America.
The best part about him is that he has already announced he will make the jump to the Bettman circuit as soon as the current KHL season ends. He is even already signed by the Avalanche until next year, where he will remain a restricted free agent.
He has accumulated nine goals and 29 points in 28 games this season before suffering a serious injury. He also totaled 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games last year, all in the KHL.
If the Canadiens can get such talent, along with a first-round pick for Monahan, it would be madness!
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 29 | 110 ANSWERS Blockbuster Trade Rumour Emerges Between the Avalanche and Canadiens Who do you think would win this deal? | ||
| Montreal | 80 | 72.7 % |
| Colorado | 30 | 27.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Zachary Werenski | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Sean Monahan | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jesper Bratt | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Frederick Gaudreau | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Jack Hughes | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikita Kucherov | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Kent Johnson | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Alexander Wennberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Mitchell Chaffee | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matthew Coronato | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Marcus Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Nick Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Conor Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Stefan Noesen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Corey Perry | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Igor Sharangovich | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dmitry Voronkov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||