Former Top-10 Draft Pick Lias Andersson May Be Done With the Montreal Canadiens and Martin St-Louis After Heavy Interest From European Powerhouse Davos

It appears the Montreal Canadiens and Martin St-Louis might be on the verge of losing a former top-10 overall pick. According to multiple reports, he's being heavily pursued by a team in Europe that is considered a hockey powerhouse in that part of the world.

Lias Andersson signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Montreal Canadiens in July of 2023. While he has not played in the NHL this year, the 25-year-old has shown excellent potential in the American Hockey League, scoring 17 goals and 34 points in 41 games with the Laval Rocket. However, if the Canadiens want to extend him, it looks like there's some stiff competition.

Davos plays in Switzerland's National League, and has included several high profile players on its roster over the years, like Joe Thornton, Alexandre Daigle, Rick Nash, Radek Dvorak, and others. It's also the host team for the annual Spengler Cup tournament, which brings in hockey clubs from all over the globe.

Andersson is from Sweden, so getting offers from the Swedish Hockey League is not surprising. However, Davos certainly adds the prospect of more money, and a higher profile.

Andersson was initially drafted 7th overall by the New York Rangers in 2017. His relationship with the team was rocky, to say the least. He left the Rangers twice to go back to Sweden, as he was unhappy playing in the AHL. In 2020, he requested a trade, and was flipped to the Los Angeles Kings for a second round pick. He was then given the opportunity to play in the NHL, but wasn't able to find a permanent spot in the lineup. After LA didn't make him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, he was free to sign anywhere, and that's where Montreal came in. They hoped that head coach Martin St-Louis would be able to help him find his game. Many remember an interview St-Louis gave during training camp where he revealed how excited he was to add a player so much untapped talent. Given the Canadiens current standing in the league, it's surprising Andersson wasn't at least given a game or two with the Habs to see what he could do. This may factor into his decision to leave the NHL once again.

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