The Montreal Canadiens are one of the top teams in the NHL and should look to add more talent to their roster.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees Montreal acquiring a former first-round pick from the Washington Capitals in an intriguing move to see if he can have success with the Canadiens.
Canadiens acquire:
Capitals acquire:
- Joshua Roy
- 2026 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Montreal would add a former first-round pick in Lapierre for a young NHL forward who could also use a change of scenery and a second-round pick.
The Canadiens would acquire Lapierre, who signed a one-year, $850,000 extension with the Capitals. He will be an RFA at the end of the deal. Lapierre could be a middle-six forward for Montreal who hopes a change of scenery will lead to him having more success. He recorded 0 goals and 8 assists for 8 points in 27 games. He was selected 22nd overall in 2020 and would be able to play for his hometown team in Montreal.
In return, the Canadiens would give up a second-round pick and Roy, who could also use a change of scenery. Roy is entering the final year of his three-year, $2.5 million deal, and like Lapierre, is an RFA at the end of it. Roy skated in 12 games, recording 2 goals and 0 assists, and like Lapierre, could use a change of scenery.
Lapierre Was ‘Frustrated’ to be Sent Down
Despite being a former first-round pick, Lapierre has struggled to make an impact for the Capitals.
He was demoted to the AHL last season, which was frustrating for the Quebec native.
“I didn’t really have a good start to the year, obviously,” Lapierre said to RMNB about being sent down to the AHL. “I feel like I can play a lot better. And I still have a bunch of confidence in myself, and I know what I can do. When things don’t go your way, sometimes it’s frustrating, but yeah, I just feel like I wasn’t playing well.”
The hope was that Lapierre would get more minutes in the AHL and continue to develop. But his roster spot with the Capitals isn’t guaranteed going into this season.
So, perhaps Washington looks to move him, and the Canadiens should jump at the chance to acquire a hometown player.
Canadiens Open to Trading Roy
Roy has struggled to crack the Canadiens’ roster, and his name has come up in trade rumors.
Canadiens insider Anthony Marcotte spoke on BPM Sports and revealed that Montreal is open to the idea of trading the 21-year-old.
“I see less and less of a happy future for Joshua Roy in Montreal. And right now, I’m convinced he’s on the market for a deal,” Marcotte said. “If they can get it done in a trade, I’m confident they’ll do it.”
Roy was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. But he hasn’t been able to become a full-time NHL player.
So, with Roy entering the final year of his deal, the Canadiens could look to trade him so he gets a chance to be a full-time NHL player elsewhere.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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