In the world of NHL trade rumors, few topics ignite as much debate as the possibility of blockbuster deals between storied franchises.

Recently, a respected journalist dropped a statement that’s set the hockey community abuzz, linking the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a hypothetical trade scenario that no one saw coming. The focus? Two veteran defensemen whose names carry significant weight both on and off the ice.

While speculation is nothing new for these teams, what makes this particular rumor so fascinating is the unexpected twist in how each organization views the value of their star players.

A single comment from a passionate fan sparked a rapid-fire response from an insider, and what followed was a surprising revelation about trade value, contract realities, and the future direction of both the Canadiens and the Penguins.

The implications of such a move could be enormous—not just for the franchises involved, but for the entire NHL landscape.

Why would one team be willing to part with a respected veteran so easily, and what does it say about the other’s ambitions? As the debate heats up, fans are left to wonder: could this scenario actually play out, and what would it mean for both clubs?

Photo of Canadiens and Penguins

Photo credit: NHL

The excellent journalist Marco D’Amico just made an interesting statement regarding the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s about a hypothetical trade involving defensemen Mike Matheson and Kris Letang.

It’s worth recalling that Letang has been very present around the Montreal Canadiens in recent weeks..

That may very well be the reason a fan said this about the Quebec-born defensemen:

“I’d Trade Matheson for Letang 1 for 1. Aside from one outlier season when first arriving here- it would be pretty much a lateral move.”

And here’s how D’Amico responded:

“I don’t think you’d have to pay that much to take on Letang, who has three more seasons left at 6.1M.

That, or you’re highly underrating Matheson’s trade value.”

– Marco D’Amico

Interesting!

The Penguins and Canadiens would consider Mike Matheson to have greater trade value than Kris Letang

Makes sense.

From this, it’s clear that Pittsburgh would accept a trade involving Matheson and Letang, but Kent Hughes is absolutely not likely to go down that road.

That said, it’s still very interesting to learn that if the Montreal Canadiens were to attempt acquiring Kris Letang, the cost would be “lower” than Mike Matheson.

Letang, 38, is a right-shot defenseman who put up 30 points in 74 games and 51 points in 82 games over the past two seasons.

He makes $6.1 million annually until 2028.

Matheson, 31, is a left-shot defenseman who recorded 31 points in 80 games and 62 points in 82 games over the past two seasons.

He makes $4.875 million annually until 2026.