The Montreal Canadiens have made no secret of their search for a top-six center this summer. The team has been actively pursuing options in free agency or in the trade market. However, no major deals have come to fruition at this point.
But there might be an opportunity for the Canadiens to make a major move by swapping pieces with a division rival. That rival is the Detroit Red Wings, and the player in question is J.T. Compher.
Compher gives the Canadiens an experienced middle-six center who can also shift to the wing. Most importantly, Compher allows the Canadiens to deploy a former Stanley Cup winner with younger wingers like Ivan Demidov and Zack Bolduc on their second line.
With that in mind, here’s what this trade idea could look like:
Canadiens get:
J.T. Compher, F
William Lagesson, D
Red Wings get:
Mike Matheson, D
2026 second-round pick
2026 fourth-round pick
In addition to Compher, the Canadiens would be getting a depth defenseman in William Lagesson. Montreal doesn’t need a top-six blue liner at the moment. But having more NHL-experienced depth guys would be a plus.
As for the Red Wings, they get Mike Matheson. He’s an impending UFA and a contract the Canadiens could do well to get off the books. Matheson is a top-four blue liner who can stabilize their young defense core.
The two draft picks, especially the second-rounder, would be part of the cost of getting the Red Wings to take Matheson’s contract off the Habs’ hands. While the Canadiens would be helping the Wings in getting Compher’s contract off their books, the Canadiens have a bigger need at 2C than the Red Wings do on defense.
Compher Would Stabilize Canadiens’ Top Six
Let’s be honest for a second. J.T. Compher is not going to score 60 to 70 points and instantly transform the Canadiens into Stanley Cup contenders. What he offers is a solid middle-six center who could use a reset.
His time in Detroit has been somewhat of a mixed bag. He’s played well at stretches. But coming into a rebuild has also made it tough for the 30-year-old to live up to expectations. The Red Wings were hoping that Compher’s Stanley Cup pedigree from his days with the Colorado Avalanche could catapult the young Red Wings into contention.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. But with the Canadiens, Compher would come into a team with a much different identity. As a result, he could be a key complementary piece rather than a sort of franchise-changer.
Compher Would Be Short-Term Fix
Of course, Compher is by no means a long-term solution for the Canadiens. He’s got two years left on his current deal and isn’t getting any younger. On a true Stanley Cup contender, Compher is more suited to a 3C role. He showed that in Colorado.
But then again, Compher did step up in Colorado when needed. That’s what the Canadiens can hope to get from him. Compher can buy some time for other younger players to make the jump to the NHL.
For instance, Owen Beck could grow into a middle-six role. But Owen might need more time to develop. That’s why the Canadiens will need a stopgap measure for the next couple of seasons. If Compher can return to his 52-point form from 2022-23, the Canadiens won’t complain about the cost to acquire him.
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