There are only a hundred hours left before the NHL trade deadline… which, let’s face it, isn’t what it used to be.
A rebuilding team like the Habs could very well sell nothing this week, even though they’ve had their sights set on the 2023-24 season for quite some time now. The salary cap, which hasn’t risen significantly in several years, makes it difficult for the NHL’s 32 GMs.
We’re going to have to find a way to make in-season transactions a little easier to carry out in the next collective agreement…
We’re headed for perhaps the worst trade deadline in NHL history. At least, since I launched the site in 2009. I’ve never sensed so little buzz in the run-up to the trade deadline.
No sports station decided to do a special show starting at 6:00 a.m. this year. It’s a far cry from Marian Hossa’s gloves, Thomas Vanek’s arrival or Alex Kovalev’s… or Marc Bergevin’s four patches (Dwight King, Brandon Davidson, Steve Ott and Andreas Martinsen).
RDS will go on special at 7:00 a.m. Friday, while TVA Sports and TSN will do the same an hour later. Sportsnet will even wait until 10:00 a.m. before switching to special programming.
On FM, BPM Sports has decided to keep its regular shows, but to go into special programming from 6:00 to 6:00 pm.
Personally, I’m getting about as much hype over this deadline as I would if Ludivine Reding were to announce a season 3 of Fugueuse…
Kent Hughes might be able to pass on a player or two to a panicking GM around 2:55 p.m. Friday.
Who might it be? Good question…
If I’m to believe the various experts, very few players have a real chance of leaving Montreal.
According to TSN and its famous Trade Bait, Jake Allen is the 12th most likely player/asset (of interest) to be traded between now and Friday at 3:00 pm. Allen is second only to Jacob Markstrom of the Flames. No other Montreal player is in TSN’s top 45.
