The New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens may not seem like likely trade partners on paper, but they can really help each other. The Canadiens have defensive depth and a few superstars that could be on the block. Meanwhile, the Devils have some young players with upside.
The wizard that is our general manager Ray Shero makes the best moves in the offseason. The offseason is where he added Kyle Palmieri, Taylor Hall and Marcus Johanson. He could make another move to solidify this roster and make the Devils true contenders.
The Devils and Montreal Canadiens could make one of three moves, a big move for a star forward, a small move for a depth defenseman or a combination of both.
We’ll start with the small move. The Canadiens have a problem on defense. They have too many players. Thanks to the emergence of Victor Mete and Noah Juulsen, both David Schlemko and Jordie Benn should be available. Since both of those players would be third-line players, it wouldn’t cost much.
Something like a fifth-round pick in 2019 should get either one. In fact, the Canadiens might take a sixth rounder for Schlemko since he’s on a two-year deal for more money, and they desperately need that roster spot.
Now, moving on.
Alex Galchenyuk was demoted to third and fourth-line duty under new coach Claude Julien. He was never really given a chance to improve. Galchenyuk needs a change of scenery, and the Devils would be a great fit.
He’s making $4.9 million over the next two seasons. If the Canadiens don’t want to play him as a top-line player, then he will never live up to that contract. He’ll likely hate being there, as well. It could be worth it for them to move on from him, and allow him to thrive elsewhere.
That makes it awkward to figure out a trade. Are the Canadiens really just trying to get rid of Galchenyuk? If that’s the case, teams will line up with their offers.
Word is the Canadiens want a top-six center or a top-three defenseman in return for Galchenyuk. That’s a heft price. Especially for a player the team was playing in the bottom six.
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The Devils can make one player available that might interest the Canadiens; Mikey McLeod. He’s a player that just barely missed making the Devils roster last season. An early season knee injury likely forced him to have a season less than expected for the Mississauga Steelheads. Still, he has the upside to be a top-six center in the near future. He’s a clutch scorer who can lead a team to victory.
Honestly, I’m not sure if giving up on McLeod for Galchenyuk is worth it. Yes, right now Galchenyuk is 100 percent a better player than McLeod. However, his upside is waining. He’s two seasons removed from his 30-goal season. He hasn’t even broken 20. McLeod could be a 20 goal scorer next season if everything goes perfectly. It’s unlikely, yes, but possible.
I think the Devils and Canadiens should stick to a smaller trade. The Devils won’t want to give up the assets it takes to acquire Galchenyuk. Yes, he’s a great talent and just 24 years old, but he’s shown some signs of risk. I can’t see Shero giving a Godfather offer to make this deal happen.