Hockey Trade Rumors

In light of the Montreal Canadiens complete collapse, Bob Gainey should be a seller and not a buyer, come trade deadline day. Let’s face it. The Habs are not Stanley Cup contenders. They are not conference finalist material. They are, if they make the playoffs at all, the same as last year. Maybe win a round and if all the stars are aligned, maybe win 2 rounds but thhhaaattt’s all, folks!! With 6 impending UFA’s (Souray, Markov, Rivet, Bonk, Johnson, Abeischer) and several other players the team would likely move (Perezhogin, Ryder, Samsonov) if the right deal was on the table, Gainey is holding the cards that could set up the Canadiens organization for the next 10 years.

If Ladislav Nagy is worth a 1st round draft pick, and as rumors suggest, Forsberg is worth two 1st rounders + a young prospect, the Canadiens have no business sniffing around for a rental. This organization still hasn’t fully recovered from the disater that was Rejean Houle and the miscalculations of his predecessor Serge Savard. In short, this is an organization that can ill-afford to trade 1st round draft picks or top level prospects. Other rentals, be they Keith Tkachuck, Bill Guerin, Todd Bertuzzi, or other players of that ilk, will likely command at the very least a first round draft pick from their respective teams. Will any of these players put the Canadiens over the top? Highly unlikely. Will any of these players sign a long term deal to stay in Montreal? Even more unlikely.

So, in my opinion, the only option that makes sense for Montreal is to be a seller, accumulate draft picks and or young players that fit the mold of the kind of team management is trying to build.

Agree or disagree?