Deadline: CH will take a few weeks to decide on the strategy to adopt.

The Canadiens are in a somewhat strange situation.

With the recent successes of the team, it is difficult to determine what the team’s plan will be at the NHL trade deadline.

Will Kent Hughes want to take advantage of the value of some of his players to send them to other places, or would he rather keep everyone to push for the playoffs? The question would have seemed illogical to ask a month ago, but now…

Pierre LeBrun discussed this during a segment on TSN and said that there are some interesting names in Montreal.

He named Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak, and Joel Armia. The reporter also mentioned that teams have already started calling about these three guys.

But LeBrun also said it is too early to truly know what is on Kent Hughes’ mind.

What you need to know is that the Canadiens want to give themselves a few weeks to decide on the strategy to adopt:

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The deadline is in seven weeks (March 7), and by then, the Canadiens will play 19 games.

If they can win the majority of those games, I tend to believe that Hughes will be more relaxed at the deadline because his goal is to see the team continue to progress.

And it won’t happen by sending several players away.

But if the situation changes, I mainly see two players leaving if there’s interest elsewhere in the NHL: Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia.

Jake Evans – in my opinion – should reach an agreement with the Canadiens on the terms of a new contract in the coming weeks because we can see how useful he is in Montreal. Kent Hughes will not let him go for peanuts, and even if Evans is having a breakout season, the chances of seeing another team offer (at least) a first-round pick for him are minimal.

And Hughes will not trade him if he cannot get excellent return for his services.

All this remains interesting because two months ago at this time, we would never have had this conversation.

No one could have predicted that the Canadiens are the only NHL team playing for at least .800 since December 15, and this is changing expectations at present.

To be continued, therefore.

In Brief

– Unsurprisingly, Tristan Jarry was not claimed on waivers.

– It’s not crazy.

– Ping!

– Intriguing…