As the Montreal Canadiens continue their rebuild, general manager Kent Hughes will have to make several decisions regarding the future of the club’s upcoming unrestricted free agents.
Forwards Jake Evans, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak are each in the final year of their contracts, as is veteran defenseman David Savard. Mike Matheson, who is under contract until the end of the 2025-2026 campaign, could also be traded to teams looking to strengthen the blue line heading into the playoffs.
TSN insider Darren Dreger appeared on TSN Radio Friday morning to discuss the path Hughes could take as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.
“Kent Hughes is listening to anything that could help the Canadian. As we know, it’s all about the future. You look at the players you mentioned and wonder how they might fit in long term. You then have to take into account what the market presents and what could be offered for one of these players.
“There are always teams looking for quality defenders. That’s why, when healthy, we view Mike Matheson as a play that could be leveraged by Hughes. It’s the same thing for Savard,” Dreger said.
Savard, who is 34, is in the final year of the four-year, $14 million contract he signed with the team in 2021. He has been a steady veteran on the blue line alongside the young defenders Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj, all 23 years old or younger.
Matheson, who is 30 years old, is an interesting asset for the Canadiens and could have the best value on the market since he has one year left at an average annual salary of $4.88 million for 2025-2026. The veteran scored one goal and collected 13 points in 20 games this season. He is currently dealing with a lower-body injury, but Dreger believes that, if healthy, Matheson could be a bargaining chip for Hughes.
Evans, who is 28, is off to a strong start in his sixth NHL season, scoring four goals and adding seven assists in 22 games so far. The Toronto native is on pace for career highs in goals (14) and points (41) and has been a key contributor for the Canadiens as a third- and fourth-line center and on special teams . Dreger believes that of all the Canadiens’ upcoming unrestricted free agents, Evans is the player Hughes would like to keep as part of his young core.
Dvorak and Armia are two veterans on expiring contracts who could also be traded during the season.
Dvorak, who is 28, has two goals and eight points this season, his fourth with the club. He is in the final year of his contract, which pays him an average annual salary of $4.45 million.
At 31, Armia has scored two goals and collected 10 points in 22 games this season. His contract earns him $3.4 million per year.
The NHL standings are very tight at the top, which Dreger believes could work in the Canadiens’ favor as teams look to prepare for the playoffs.
“Look at how tight the NHL standings are. There are 20 teams within striking distance of each other. It will be interesting to see if a gap widens. Does this encourage general managers to move, to give themselves a little more bite and depth in the hope of making a comeback?
“As teams progress through the regular season, we see injuries affecting certain clubs and teams trying to strengthen. These are the conversations Hughes has with other general managers. »
The Canadian has a record of 8-11-3 this season and is 29th in the NHL with 19 points.
Related News :