With three days to go before the draft, market prices don’t make any sense

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
With three days to go before the draft, market prices don’t make any sense
Credit: Capture d'écran / YouTube

The NHL Draft is three days away.

Of course, you know as well as I do that with the Montreal Canadiens, we're paying more attention to the trade market than to the draft itself this week. However, the two go hand in hand, and the 28th overall pick is likely to be traded.

If the Habs trade their first-round pick, it will likely be before they use it—so by Friday night. That's true for the Habs, but also for several other teams.

So far, there have been a few minor trades in the NHL… and the Brady Tkachuk deal. But this one is different: the Panthers and the player had forced the Senators' hand.

So when can we expect a more “typical” blockbuster trade in the NHL?

According to what Renaud Lavoie (BPM Sports) said on the radio this morning, what's holding up the market right now is the fact that prices are really high.

Teams with players to sell are asking for exorbitant prices, which is slowing down the market.

Selling teams are hoping that the timing (with the draft approaching) will create a sense of urgency, causing some organizations to overpay to get what they want.

For that to happen, a bidding war needs to break out. And that's why Tkachuk's case is different: there was no possibility of a bidding war because of his no-trade clause.

Buying teams, on the other hand, are hoping that as time goes on, some clubs will panic and agree to lower their asking prices.

We'll see how this plays out this week. After all, as Lavoie says, there are quite a few players on the market.

It's worth noting that the Canadiens, in a sense, are playing both sides of the field. They're primarily buyers, but Brendan Gallagher and Samuel Montembeault are on the trading block, and Kent Hughes is trying to trade them.

This reality—the crazy market prices—certainly applies more to Monty. After all, in the forward's case, it's reasonable to think the Habs will be more willing to let him go at a discount to get what they want.


In a nutshell

– Interesting.

– People in Miami are spoiled.

– The Tkachuk brothers will be on the Pat McAfee Show today.

– Sergei Bobrovsky: The door isn't closed in Florida.

– Connor Hellebuyck: Keep an eye on the Sabres.

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