Canadiens May Be Out On Potential Acquisition From Flames

The Montreal Canadiens are still looking to upgrade further this season. They feel like they have as good a chance as any in the Eastern Conference and want to continue to build off of last season and the previous additions to make the team better.

The Canadiens are dealing with injuries to Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach, and Jake Evans, so they have been hit very hard at center. To address this a little, Phillip Danault was re-acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, but he isn't having a great season. He recorded five assists in 30 games for the Kings, but has four assists in 11 games with the Canadiens. It's better, but not game-changing.

The Canadiens are not only looking at this season, but the future as well. Michael Hage is a very good center prospect and is on his way. Darren Dreger said, "They'd like to improve the middle of their ice. Nazem Kadri makes some sense to me, but here's why it doesn't to Kent Hughes (Canadiens GM). Michael Hage...they don't wanna block this kid. They wanna make sure that he's got opportunity."

Nick Suzuki is going nowhere and is the number one center. After that, there's a lot to work out after this season with Danault signed for another year, Oliver Kapanen has come out of nowhere and is able to play on the second line, Newhook was playing well before his injury, and Dach is still a solid middle-six center when healthy. There isn't anyone blocking Hage here particularly, but someone like Kadri has three more years left on his contract after this season and is a second line center at worst.

Everyone else can be managed or moved out, but Kadri's contract would be the largest and make it so Hage wouldn't be able to climb anywhere higher than a third line center in Montreal until he's 23 years old or so.

The Canadiens may be looking for someone with shorter term to fit down the middle. So probably one more year under contract at the most and maybe one of the injured centers will be on their way out in a deal like this. Montreal is a team to watch for how they'll maneuver this.