The Montreal Canadiens made the playoffs last season, which was a surprise, but the Habs are now ready to compete for a Cup.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Canadiens acquiring Nick Schmaltz from the Utah Mammoth in an intriguing swap of forwards.
Canadiens acquire:
- Nick Schmaltz
- 2026 fifth-round pick
Mammoth acquire:
- Kirby Dach
- 2026 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Montreal would acquire a true No. 2 center and a late-round pick for a young center and a second-round pick. The Canadiens go all-in on this year, while Utah gets a younger player who fits their young core better.
The Canadiens would acquire Schmaltz, who’s entering the final year of his seven-year, $40.95 million deal. He would be the Canadiens’ second-line center, replacing Dach, who is a big need. Schmaltz would add more offense than Dach. He recorded 20 goals and 43 assists for 63 points. Having a one-two center punch of Nick Suzuki and Schmaltz would make Montreal that much deeper and a better team.
In return, the Canadiens would give up their own second-round pick in 2026, but would still have Columbus’s second-round pick. Utah would acquire Dach, who would replace Schmaltz in the lineup, as the Mammoth would be betting on the former third-overall pick staying healthy.
Dach is entering the final year of his four-year, $13.45 million deal, but he would be an RFA at the end of it. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career as he skated in just 57 games last season, recording 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points.
Canadiens GM Focused on Building Cup Contender
Montreal was the youngest team to make the playoffs last season, and the Canadiens are looking to build off that.
The Canadiens have been aggressive this offseason, adding the likes of Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc. However, Montreal may not be done adding, as general manager Kent Hughes says that it could go into the season looking at ways to add more talent.
“My focus is more so on what we can do to build a team that’s capable of competing for the Stanley Cup,” Hughes said… “The reality is, we’re not going to put the perfect team together over the course of one summer. We recognize we have other things we’d like to accomplish.”
One area of need is at center, especially if Dach isn’t healthy for Opening Night, which is a possibility. Schmaltz would be a wise target as he’s defensively responsible, but can also score, which is needed.
If the Canadiens are going to make another move, it seems likely it will be a forward, and more specifically, a center.
Canadiens Hopeful Dach Will be Ready
Dach has struggled to live up to expectations due to injuries.
He had another season-ending injury last season, and Hughes admits he may not be ready for the first game of the season.
“Our hope is that he’s ready to go, either start of the season or some point early in the fall,” Hughes said. “But we certainly have no intention of rushing him in any way. We need to get Kirby back when Kirby is ready to be back physically and then be very mindful and careful with his return to play.”
If Dach isn’t ready, it only adds to the need for Montreal at center.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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