Mason McTavish: The Canadiens were ready to make an offer if the Blues’ offer fell through

Félix Forget
Mason McTavish: The Canadiens were ready to make an offer if the Blues’ offer fell through
Credit: Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images

On Friday night, Mason McTavish was (finally) traded by the Ducks. The forward, who had been at the center of numerous trade rumors over the past year, was ultimately traded to the Blues in exchange for the 15th and 29th overall picks.

The Blues, who had four first-round picks heading into Friday night, used their draft capital to acquire McTavish.

That said, we know the Habs have also frequently been linked to McTavish. The team wasn't able to land him… but according to Arpon Basu, who discussed all of this in an article for The Athletic, the scenario could have played out differently.

In fact, according to Basu, Kent Hughes had talks with the Ducks about McTavish. And in the event that the trade with the Blues had fallen through, the Habs would have been ready to make an offer to acquire McTavish.

But in the end, as we know, that didn't happen.

Keep in mind that the Ducks, with the 15th overall pick, were really after Nikita Klepov. If he hadn't been available, Pat Verbeek wouldn't have completed the trade with the Blues… and that's when a team like the Habs could have (re)entered the race.

It's reasonable to assume that other teams would have done the same, though. 

We don't know what the Canadiens' offer would have entailed, but it's likely that the team's 28th overall pick would have been included. There probably would have been other elements as well, but it's hard to know what the Habs would have been willing to offer… and what Pat Verbeek was after.

But in that scenario, the club likely would never have acquired Gleb Pugachyov.


In a Nutshell

– Makes sense.

– Impressive.

– That's right.

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