The Montreal Canadiens have already made a significant move this offseason by acquiring Patrik Laine, and now there’s a trade proposal suggesting they might add another star forward.
Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, one user suggested a trade in which the Canadiens would bring in Jonathan Huberdeau from the Calgary Flames.
Canadiens acquire:
- Jonathan Huberdeau ( $ 3 million retained)
- 2025 second-round pick
Flames acquire:
- Christian Dvorak
- 2025 first-round pick
This potential trade would be major, allowing Montreal and Calgary to exchange forwards who haven’t thrived under their existing contracts, with Montreal giving up a first-round pick in exchange for a second-round pick.
The Canadiens would take on Huberdeau, who is entering the second year of his eight-year, 84millioncontract. The proposed arrangement entails Calgary retain in
million annually, lowering Huberdeau’s salary to ** $ 7.5 million per season.
In his first year with Calgary, Huberdeau played 81 games, scoring 12 goals and providing 40 assists for a total of 52 points. Over 831 games, he has achieved 225 goals and 495 assists, totaling 720 points, making him a valuable top-six forward for Montreal.
On the other hand, Dvorak is in the last year of his six-year, $ 26.7 million contract. He faced challenges in Montreal, playing 30 games last season and tallying 5 goals and 4 assists for just 9 points. Dvorak could fill a middle-six role with Calgary and might be traded at the deadline for additional assets.
Huberdeau Confident in Rebound Season
Huberdeau was involved in the major trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in 2022.
Throughout his two seasons with the Flames, Huberdeau has not met expectations. However, as the 2024-25 NHL season approaches, he has expressed renewed confidence.
“I think more speed… I’m never going to be the fastest guy, but I have a lot of power and I’ve had time to develop it,” Huberdeau shared with NHL.com. “I’m really happy with my summer training; it’s likely my best yet. I skated more over the summer, so I feel better.”
“The confidence is back. I just have to relay that to the guys, and I want to bring fun back to my game. We need to enjoy playing together as a team; we could surprise people,” he added.
In his two seasons with the Flames, Huberdeau has played 160 games, achieving 27 goals and 80 assists for 107 points.
Canadiens Make Blockbuster Deal to Acquire Laine
On August 19, Montreal executed a major trade to acquire former second-overall pick Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
This deal enhances the Canadiens’ scoring capacity, but general manager Kent Hughes emphasized that Laine’s success isn’t solely about scoring.
“Whether he scores 20 or 40 goals, his success here won’t be defined strictly by that. It will depend on his ability to contribute to the team and assist us. We’re very young, and although he’s only 26, he brings experience to the Montreal Canadiens. We hope he will help mentor our younger players,” Hughes stated on August 19.
Last season, Laine played just 18 games, recording 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points.
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