The Montreal Canadiens have already made a big move this offseason by acquiring Patrik Laine, and another trade proposal suggests they could add another star forward.
Using the PuckGM tool from PuckPedia, which allows users to create their own trades, one user proposed a deal that would have the Canadiens acquiring Jonathan Huberdeau from the Calgary Flames.
**Proposed Trade:**
**Canadiens receive:**
– Jonathan Huberdeau ($3 million salary retained)
– 2025 second-round pick
**Flames receive:**
– Christian Dvorak
– 2025 first-round pick
This trade would be a major move as it involves Montreal and Calgary exchanging forwards who have underperformed with their current contracts, along with the Canadiens swapping a first-round pick for a second-round pick.
Huberdeau is entering the second year of his eight-year, $84 million contract, but under the proposed trade, Calgary would retain $3 million of his salary, lowering his cap hit to $7.5 million per season. In his first season with Calgary, Huberdeau played 81 games, scoring 12 goals and 40 assists for 52 points. Throughout his career, he has played in 831 games, tallying 225 goals and 495 assists for 720 points, making him a likely top-six forward for Montreal.
On the other hand, Dvorak is in the final year of his six-year, $26.7 million deal. He has struggled in Montreal, playing only 30 games last season with 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points. He would likely serve as a middle-six forward for Calgary and could be traded at the deadline for additional assets.
Huberdeau Confident In Rebound Season
Jonathan Huberdeau was involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in 2022.
In his first two seasons with the Calgary Flames, Huberdeau has struggled to meet expectations. However, as he heads into the 2024-25 NHL season, he feels his confidence has returned.
“I think more speed… I’m never going to be the fastest guy, but I’ve gained a lot of power,” Huberdeau told NHL.com. “I’m really happy with the summer I had—it was probably the best summer of training I’ve ever had. I just need to bring that to the ice. I also skated more this summer, so I feel better.
“The confidence is back. I need to bring that to the team, and I want to add fun to my game this year. As a team, we need to enjoy it. You never know—we could pull off some surprises,” Huberdeau added.
Over his two seasons with the Flames, Huberdeau has played in 160 games, tallying 27 goals and 80 assists for 107 points.
Canadiens Make Blockbuster Deal to Acquire Laine
On August 19, Montreal pulled off a blockbuster trade by acquiring former second-overall pick Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The move brings additional scoring potential to the Canadiens’ roster, but general manager Kent Hughes emphasized that Laine’s success won’t be measured solely by his goal tally.
“Whether he scores 20 or 40 goals, his success here won’t be judged just by his scoring,” Hughes stated on August 19. “It will be about how he contributes overall to the team and helps us grow. We’re a very young group, and even though he’s only 26, that makes him one of the more experienced players on our squad. We’re counting on him to support and mentor our younger players.”
Last season, Laine played only 18 games with the Blue Jackets, scoring 6 goals and adding 3 assists for a total of 9 points.
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