Now that the Four Nations Face-Off has passed, many will turn their attention to the upcoming trade deadline. Montreal fans and analysts will be no exception, as numerous speculations emerge regarding the Canadiens.

With a five-point gap from the last playoff spot and the number of remaining games dwindling, climbing back into a wildcard position will be a tough challenge for Martin St-Louis’ squad.

Knowing this, one must wonder what Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes’ strategy will be leading up to the trade deadline.

A veteran defenseman will leave the Canadiens by March 7, according to Stu Cowan, and that would be David Savard

In a recent article where Stu Cowan of The Gazette answered questions from fans, the journalist responded to a question about Mike Matheson.

However, the response shifted toward the future of David Savard.

Cowan states that he would be very surprised to see Kent Hughes trade Matheson.

However, he believes that the team’s other veteran defenseman, David Savard, is nearing the end of his time with the Canadiens.

“Veteran defenseman David Savard will almost certainly be traded and, as stated above, it is difficult to win in the NHL with a lot of young defensemen.

The Canadiens have learned that this season, which is why Hughes acquired Alexandre Carrier from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Justin Barron.”

Stu Cowan

Does Kaiden Guhle’s injury change the situation?

In recent days, we saw the first photo of Kaiden Guhle since his serious leg injury. As shown in the image, the defenseman is wearing a massive brace, a sign that the injury is more severe than expected.

 

The young veteran could very well miss a long period of time, possibly even the start of next season.

One must wonder whether trading Savard will truly help the team’s progress in the short-to-medium term.

Cowan put it well, winning in the NHL with a lot of young defensemen is difficult.

Without contradicting his statement, I believe the Savard situation is much more complex than it appears.

In my opinion, it is closely tied to Guhle or his potential replacement. As I have said before, I believe Kent Hughes will leave this decision in Savard’s hands.

Given Hughes’ approach since taking over, it wouldn’t be surprising if he lets Savard decide whether he wants to be traded or not.

The GM has too much respect for his players, especially his veterans, as we saw with Jeff Petry and Sean Monahan, to name just a few cases.

The defenseman could therefore have the chance to play one last time for a contending team if he wishes, or stay in town with his family until the end of the current season.

When you think about it, is a third- or even fourth-round pick really worth it in this case?