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The 5 players Canadiens will target this summer

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Colin Gallant | Last updated 4/30/24

The Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of another long offseason after failing to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Habs came within three victories of capturing a 25th championship in 2021, but it’s been all downhill since.

Montreal has finished dead last in the Atlantic Division for each of the last three campaigns, compiling a middling 30-36-16 record in 2023-24 as the futility continues. But there are brighter days ahead for this franchise, and with a strong young core, there’s belief in Quebec that this roster can compete for a playoff spot as soon as next season.

And Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has made it clear that the front office is looking for more offensive talent to add to the roster ahead of 2024-25. That could include one or more of a set of five forwards pointed to by TVA Sports’ Kevin Dube and Benoit Rioux as potential offseason trade targets.

The list includes Buffalo Sabres forwards Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs, New Jersey Devils’ Alexander Holtz, Los Angeles Kings’ Arthur Kaliyev and New York Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko.

All five players have underperformed compared to expectation thus far in their careers, and could be pried out of their respective cities for a reasonable cost, per Dube and Rioux.

Canadiens offseason targets: Quinn, Krebs, Holtz, Kaliyev, Kakko

Kaapo Kakko opens the scoring on the first shot of the game!

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Although the Canadiens are also looking for physicality — something that can be addressed on the free agent market — any of the five young forwards would need to be acquired in a trade.

Either Krebs or Quinn would make sense in a potential swap, especially as the Sabres are loaded with young forward talent and could be tempted to offload one of them. Both players are first-round picks that haven’t lived up to expectations in Western New York, and a change of scenery could make sense.

Krebs, who was selected No. 17 overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2019 NHL Draft, is a pending restricted free agent who has failed to crack the top-six effectively in Buffalo. Quinn, a former No. 8 overall pick by the Sabres in 2020, has struggled with Achilles and leg injuries, but still added 19 points in 27 games last season.

Holtz averaged just 11:38 of time on ice with the Devils in 2023-24, but he was still able to score 16 goals in his first full NHL campaign. The 22-year-old was healthy for the entire season, but was in Lindy Ruff’s dog house on multiple occasions. Although Ruff is out in New Jersey, the youngster is still a breakout candidate ahead of his sophomore year.

Another pending restricted free agent, Kaliyev was almost traded by the Kings at the 2024 NHL trade deadline. The 22-year-old remained on the roster, but he hasn’t been excellent in Los Angeles. After chipping in 27 points in 80 games last season, he was good for just 28 — in 24 less games — this year. The front office in LA could also look to find him a new home this summer.

Kakko is probably the least likely to get pried out of New York, and the young Finn is making a difference in the Rangers’ 2024 postseason run. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2019 has underachieved with the Blueshirts, and he certainly has untapped upside. Although he would look very good on a line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, the price would not be cheap.

All five are decent options, and it’ll be interesting if the Canadiens’ front office pulls the trigger on a trade to bring any of them to Montreal ahead of next season.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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