Habs: more than ever, the option of trading (at least) a first-round pick is on the table

It’s been over two years since the Canadiens’ new administration took over. Trends can therefore be established more effectively than in the early days of the Jeff Gorton and Chris Drury Kent Hughes reign.

And what we understand is that the Habs aren’t afraid to move first-round picks.

This is not a new trend(I mentioned it here) for the Habs. After all, of the four picks acquired by the Habs’ new management, two were used to obtain Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.

Filip Mesar was also drafted, and the Habs have yet to make a decision on the Flames’ Sean Monahan. First, we’ll have to figure out when the Habs will be able to draft him.

Bearing in mind that the Habs have drafted three times in the first round, but that there have been discussions about trading some of those picks, it’s clear that HuGo is ready for anything.

We know that the GM likes to trade picks for slightly older guys to gain a few years of development, and that’s what leads us to believe that in 2024, this could still be the case.

Reading Eric Engels’ article, we come to the same conclusion. After all, the journalist believes that the Habs could well trade their top pick this year.

Sean Monahan’s potential trade value and the possibility of Trevor Zegras joining the team are hot topics for Montreal Canadiens fans right now.@EricEngels covers that and more in his mailbag. https://t.co/PId4fcoCKt

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 30, 2024

And why is that? Because an 18-year-old in 2024 will be two years younger than Juraj Slafkovsky, five years younger than Cole Caufield or seven years younger than Nick Suzuki, for example.

Trading a pick, even if it were to be fairly high, for a top-6 forward would be a good idea. As long as he’s not 27, because that would be a bit old for the core.

Would you be open to trading the Habs’ first-round pick, if Montreal drafts between 7th and 10th, for an established 27-year-old forward? This question was at the heart of the debates in Le Club du matin. Tune in every day at 6am for more heated discussions pic.twitter.com/hHvPLjWFod

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) January 30, 2024

But against a youngster of Caufield’s age, say? Why not? #ClassOf2019

Engels wouldn’t be surprised if it happened, not least because the class of 2024 features a lot of good top-10 defensemen, something the Habs don’t need right now with their first pick.

In his eyes, if the Habs can land a good forward with their first pick, they could draft him. But what if the best player available is a defenseman and Hughes has a good offer on the table? The pick could go.

Circumstances make it possible to think like that in 2024. In 2022, at the start of the rebuild, maybe trading the club’s first choice wasn’t realistic. But today, in a class of defensemen? It’s possible.

Remember, the Habs know they have a surplus of defensemen on hand. It wouldn’t be surprising if one of the organization’s current young defensemen could, according to what Renaud Lavoie told BPM Sports, leave.

He doesn’t see Kaiden Guhle leaving, though.

Segment complet https://t.co/dh8GIWBT88

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) January 30, 2024

It should also be remembered that the Habs could get their hands on another first-round pick in the coming weeks, in a potential deal involving Sean Monahan.

And should such a pick fall into the hands of the Habs, expect the trade rumors to do their work.

Breaking news

– Things are hopping in Montreal.

– The boat isn’t sinking.

– Logical.

– Happy reading.