The Canadiens are reportedly set to land four top class players

Canadiens GM Hughes taking calls on four players ahead of the trade deadline, according to reports.

On February 1, the Montreal Canadiens began the trade process by sending forward Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for two draft picks.
However, with the March 8 trade deadline approaching, it appears that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes may be working on something else.

According to a new report from Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Habs have expressed interest in four veteran players from other clubs.

After revealing that a few teams have been in talks with Montreal about trading for defenseman David Savard, Pagnotta also stated that the Canadiens are “fielding” and “making calls” on two forwards and one goaltender.

“The Habs are also fielding calls and making calls of their own on several other players, such as forward Joel Armia, goaltender Jake Allen and left wing Tanner Pearson,” he wrote in an email.

While Savard remains Montreal’s most valuable deadline asset, the other three could provide a good return.

Armia was considered untradeable when the Canadiens placed him on waivers earlier this year before sending him down to the AHL for a brief stint. However, the 30-year-old has improved his performance in recent months, scoring ten goals and five assists in 43 games.
While Armia is a risk, especially given his $3.4 million cap hit and another year left on his contract, Montreal may be able to trade him for a low draft pick or an underperforming prospect if everything goes as planned.

Pearson, whose contract ($3.25 million) expires in the offseason, is an ideal rental player for teams with strong playoff hopes. With extensive postseason experience and a Stanley Cup on his resume, the 31-year-old could provide depth and grit to a contender.

Finally, trading Allen would give the Canadiens much-needed relief in their overcrowded crease, allowing Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau to form a tandem.

Allen has been the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of the season, and his stats could improve if he joins a team in need of a reliable backup.

Allen’s agent, Allain Roy, told Jean-Charles Lajoie on TVA Sports this month that the 33-year-old still enjoys living in Montreal, but has struggled with a lack of starts and a slew of rumors.

“He likes Montreal. He enjoys the fans, the team, and the city… But that’s the business end of hockey,” the New Brunswick native’s agent explained. “There has to be a solution, whether it’s Jake or someone else; one goalie has to be traded.”

Roy even provided a timeline for when a deal could be reached.

“It’s very frustrating, but we should find a solution from now until the end of the season,” he added. “If it’s not in the month of March, it’ll be this summer.”