The Montreal Canadiens will be among the teams looking to make a splash this season. As insider David Pagnotta noted on November 7, the Habs will be looking to go “big-game hunting.”
That situation means the Canadiens will be looking to get the best available players on the market. But that’s the issue. Big names are not currently available. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be.
One team to keep an eye on is the Nashville Predators. The club’s woes continue, fueling speculation about a selloff. If that’s the case, numerous names from the Music City could be on the block.
One intriguing name could be former two-time Stanley Cup champion Steven Stamkos. Stamkos signed with Nashville during the 2024 offseason, looking to ignite a new era for the Preds. However, the club has fallen flat and could be on the verge of moving valuable veterans.
That’s a situation the Canadiens could cash in on. So, here’s a look at what this swap idea could look like:
Canadiens get:
Steven Stamkos, F
2026 fourth-round pick
Predators get:
Alex Newhook, F
2026 second-round pick
2027 second-round pick
The Canadiens get a proven winner who could easily take up the team’s second line. Stamkos could also jump on the wing in the club’s top six. A top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Steven Stamkos would instantly elevate the Habs’ scoring.
Alex Newhook would go the other way as part of a cap dump to fit Stamkos’ cap hit. Also, the Predators would likely want to get an NHL-caliber player who could fill in for Stamkos in their lineup. So, sending Newhook the other way could make sense for Nashville.
Canadiens Could Face Slight Cap Crunch to Bring Stamkos In
Stamkos comes with an $8 million AAV. As such, fitting his contract under the cap, without moving out another contract, would be challenging.
At the moment, the Canadiens have $6.4 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. So, moving out of a contract would be a necessity. Unless the Predators were willing to retain money on Stamkos, moving out a contract would be crucial.
That being said, it’s unlikely the Preds would want to retain any money. Stamkos has three years left on his current deal. Unless the retention was relatively minuscule, the Preds wouldn’t really go for it.
Habs Can Pass on Laine to Keep Stamkos
Beyond this season, the Habs wouldn’t have many issues keeping Stamkos. The Canadiens could simply pass on Patrik Laine after this season. Laine has an $8.7 million cap hit. So, passing on Laine opens up more than enough cap space to keep Stamkos in the fold.
Moreover, the Canadiens would still have more cap space, from the increase in the cap ceiling, to replace a depth piece like Newhook.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Canadiens have other forwards in the pipeline who could replace Newhook and Laine. That’s why the Canadiens would do well to kick the tires on Stamkos to see what it would take to land the veteran in Montreal.
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