Marc Dumont
Take a closer look at some of the most pressing needs for the Montreal Canadiens as the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline looms.
Physicality
For the most part, the Habs do a decent job when it comes to the physical aspect of the game. They’re ranked ninth in the NHL in hits per game, and yet, if they do end up moving a defenceman such as Arber Xhekaj, who was recently linked to the Calgary Flames, they will remove their most violent player from the picture, limiting their ability to hold an edge in physical battles.
Xhekaj has landed 137 hits at 5v5, far and away the best result of any Canadiens player.
Following Xhekaj is Joe Veleno (115) and Zach Bolduc (111), two players who are also regularly forced to watch games from the press box as healthy scratches.
Stalwart Defender
While most of the attention in trade rumours involving the Habs have centred on the possible acquisition of a forward, with names such as Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou making the rounds, the most pressing need for the Canadiens is to shore up their defensive play.
The Habs score 3.5 goals per game on average (all situations), which is fourth in the NHL.
However, they allow opponents to score 3.2 goals per game, good for 20th in the NHL. Yes, goaltending is part of the problem, but the major issue is that the Habs struggle to control high-danger chances, exposing their netminders to a flood of high-quality scoring opportunities every night.
Montreal has reportedly inquired on a few defencemen, including Rasmus Ristolainen, but according to the insiders, the discussion regarding the Phialdelphia Flyers blueliner did not progress very far.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Rasmus Ristolainen: I heard Montreal had looked into him, I had some people say to me that that didn't go very far – NHL on TNT (3/1)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 3, 2026
Cap Space
The Canadiens will only have about $1.5 million in cap space once the trade deadline hits, though it should be noted that players traded on March 6 will only have a portion of their salary impact the cap. There will be roughly 22% of the season left to play after the deadline, which means the Canadiens can still fit a decent-sized deal under the cap.
However, their options will be limited, and it will be very difficult to convince them to retain salary, particularly if they have to do so to move Patrik Laine’s contract.
Second Line Centre
With all due respect to Oliver Kapanen, who has done a fantastic job finishing the bevy of scoring chances provided by Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov, it’s quite apparent the line construction is flawed.
As it stands, Montreal’s second line is controlling less than 47% of the shots at 5v5, a sign that they’re being outshot on a regular basis. This is reflected in their expected goal share, which is also below 47%.
It’s not overly shocking, as it’s the youngest line on the youngest team in the league, but the Montreal Canadiens won’t be able to win the possession war in the playoffs if half of their top six is constantly being outplayed.
The situation is part of the reason we keep seeing names such as centre Nazem Kadri linked to the Habs.
Goaltending Insurance
Although it’s clear the Habs have not received top-notch goaltending this season, the numbers suggest that Samuel Montembeault’s recent results have been much better than many assumed.
That being said, Jakub Dobes has not lost a game in regulation since December 9, and has essentially taken over the starter position from his veteran counterpart.
In a perfect world, the Canadiens would be able to upgrade their goaltending without using any high-value assets, because the heir apparent, Jacob Fowler, is on track to be NHL ready in the next year or so. Therefore, we can consider this a short-term problem.
There have been some rumours linking the Montreal Canadiens to Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington, but neither goalie would offer a considerable upgrade, and both come with a very heavy cap hit. There’s not much logic in the rumours, especially since the goaltenders mentioned currently have worse save percentages than Montembeault.
Nick Kypreos: There is still an outside chance Montreal takes a run at getting Jordan Binnington – Sportsnet (3/2)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 3, 2026
