Insider Links Canadiens To Two Big Right-Shot Defensemen
Per Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco, Montreal was tied to both Philadelphia's Rasmus Ristolainen and a since-traded Brandon Carlo around the deadline. "The defenseman that the Canadiens have been searching for, a big right shot guy, we heard them tied to Rasmus Ristolainen or maybe even a Brandon Carlo at the deadline," Di Marco said.
Ristolainen Fits, But The Price Is Steep
At 6-foot-4 with a physical edge, Ristolainen checks every box on Montreal's wish list, and he's entering the final year of his Philadelphia contract with a manageable $5.1 million cap hit, which could make him available at a reasonable cost.
He's already been out there as a trade candidate this offseason, with the Flyers exploring moves with several teams before the deadline, and some could revisit those talks now.
Anthony Di Marco: The defenseman that the Canadiens have been searching for, a big right shot guy, we heard them tied to Rasmus Ristolainen or maybe even a Brandon Carlo at the deadline - Campbell vs Gallo (8/3)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 7, 2026
The catch is what it would take to get him.
Di Marco has reported the Flyers are seeking a return similar to what the Boston Bruins gave up for Carlo back at the 2024 deadline, a first-round pick and top prospect Fraser Minten.
That's a big price for a 31-year-old with a lengthy injury history, having played just 94 combined games from 2023-24 to 2024-25.
Carlo Is The Cheaper, Safer Option
Carlo already changed addresses once this offseason, going from Toronto to St. Louis on June 27 in exchange for a pair of third-round picks.
At 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, he's built almost entirely around his quiet defensive work, averaging 16:02 of five-on-five ice time and 2:39 of penalty-kill time per game last season with just seven assists in 55 games.
Brandon Carlo, acquired by STL, is a stay-at-home defenceman with long reach. Not as physical as you'd expect for his size, shoves more than he hits. Brings next to nothing with the puck. pic.twitter.com/UbPbwXxjcu
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 27, 2026
That fits what Montreal needs more. The Canadiens already have plenty of offense from the back end in Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson, so a specialist like Carlo would let coach Martin St. Louis deploy Hutson more freely while trusting a partner to handle the heavy defensive lifting.
With Montreal's defensive commitments at more than $35 million for 2026-27, Carlo's $4.1 million cap hit is also considerably friendlier than Ristolainen's $5.1 million.
There's no indication of active trade talks with either Philadelphia or St. Louis right now, but with Kent Hughes still hunting the same type of player he wanted a year ago, both names are worth watching as camp approaches.
