With playoff dream fading… is it time for Habs to start dealing?

The Montreal Canadiens hit a mid-season hot streak, which had them firmly in the Wild Card race. Now, losers in six of their last seven games, the playoff dreams are slipping away. With the NHL trade deadline less than a month away, is it time for Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes to pick up the phone and start trying to sell assets? TSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron discusses on The Talking Point.

[@rogerbutchbouchard8019]

It's over, too many teams to jump up.

[@owenbell852]

Biron's advice is 100% correct...Dach, Newhook, Evans, Dobes all of it, very well done!

[@mikeking-t2u]

Agree with the experiments of Dach and Newhook! They aren’t 2nd line players and we gave up a lot to get them. Would rather have Romanov back in hindsight and see what we could have gotten for the 2 picks we gave up for Newhook.

[@alex-dj9bx]

I'm of thoses who think that Dach and Newhook are 3rd lines players and the two spots in the Top 6 needs to be Demidov and another 2C, but maybe a prospect like Hage who can take that spot.

[@CanadianBiPolarBear]

They need trades like calgary made , sell but retool and improve the team at the same time

[@dixonhill1108]

Evans is going to Winnipeg for draft picks. Bet large money on it.

[@felixeur1276]

​@@dixonhill1108Would be ironic due to Scheiffle demolishing Evans on that empty net goal a few years ago

[@dixonhill1108]

@ That's exactly why I think it's fated to happen. Chef owes him a cup run lol. Also he's exactly what the Jets need as they can't afford a true 2c at this point.

[@CanadianBiPolarBear]

@dixonhill1108 sober up

[@Taooflu]

During our run, our depth was the reason we won - can’t understate how Emil played an important role. I’d say overall our first line is OK but defensively weak at times. Our second line has not been good at all - flashes by some players but put the PP points aside and it’s a bad line. Last 5 games you see how exposed Monty and Dobes have been… they can’t save the fort every game.

[@maynardprenger-hf7ds]

As a die hard anglophone Habs fan, am I missing something on the benefit of listening to Biron?

[@PatDK]

He doesn’t say anything useful that’s for sure

[@pizza603]

spot on with trade/keep martin

[@Beav56]

Agree 100%...move em out, look for picks in 26/27. Re-sign Evans, Dobes, Heineman.

[@sebcharb7313]

not evans. He will ask for too much money

[@Citizen__X1]

Sell Evans for a 1st in 26 or 27 to a contender

[@R7U1LE]

@@Citizen__X1Evan’s isn’t getting a 1st bro

[@steadyAF]

Montreal doesn't NEED to do anything. Shouldn't make any massive gambles. Management in Montreal is top-notch. They know what they are doing. Stay the course. Unless deal is an offer they can't refuse.

[@MurphmanCometh]

No rush to deal Armia, unless he wants some outlandish contract

[@scottmcfarlane7524]

Armia to Winnipeg for a 3rd

[@cheetolics]

They need a defender that can take guhle minutes

[@cliffordjordan9577]

Love arm chair GM comments like this 😂 literally makes 0 sense

[@Snapshot1965]

Reinbacher

[@michaelwhelan1481]

Montreal Canadiens Joel armia needs to be back

[@evenslemire2982]

Keep Armia

[@affiliateninja88]

I would resign Armia too

[@biffstrong1079]

Always time to deal. Montreal is two years away from competing. David Savard. and then if you can trade any of these guys Dvorak, Armia, Anderson, Gallagher. Get these salaries off the books. Resign Evans. Wait for the Price contract to run out. None of that changes with each five game win or five game loss streak.

[@ThirdEye3pic]

Habs could send Armia back to Winnipeg for something nice and cheap

[@timmyadam3542]

If were selling... matheson could go. Hes older and its gonna be hutson playing #1 offensive minutes

[@darrenbrown1188]

Need more habs

[@bradleypittman9370]

Trade now guys like armia just playing for a contract. Get Evans for cheap. Demidov and have will make the team next year

[@BEYONDYOURIQ]

Trade in this order: Dvorak Armia Newhook Dach Defence trade: Matheson Savard.

[@TORHABSFAN1]

Cao going up maybe somebody out there can fit Gallagher or Anderson who are both having decent years. I can dream right

[@guythibodeau4976]

It all started with Heineman lost. The futur is bright give them a few more years.

[@costantino8358]

Yes , trade dvorak , armia , savard

[@RobertShannon-y3b]

As a Hab fan some 50+ years I feel they have no true leader to rally around when faced with adversity. Z is great captain but need strong leader like Messier to get guys on track

[@pmonty420]

They should have kept Monahan

[@williamarmour1656]

Learn the Sabres/Sens lessons. We need to keep some vets. Besides we have players coming into Laval too and we Don't need to add 12 more picks, let alone more than that. All talking heads talk about now now now. We want to look at next year and thereafter.

[@Matt-m5z]

Not much to agree with here. Deep moves?? Come on guys.

[@jonathanduplantis1403]

There are options. But we're not ready yet.

[@oSWookie]

Need to aquire players not and star building they need help, Just condeming them to losing everytime we sell and dont do anything to aquire better

[@larryking2698]

might as well trade matheson now to. guy is an awful defender and hutson brings what he can do offensively and then some.

[@m4t67u]

Habs goal is not playoffs….it’s to compete. We’re fine where we are.

[@moonobservergilles5730]

habs have another year hoping Laine will pick up his game . otherwise next year will be the last year for Laine with the habs.?

[@HockeyNutcheerios]

Yeah sell of pending Ufa s not to late to pick top 5 again. Porter martone on a line with hage and demidov 😍 😮 😅

[@Veopoz]

Biron is Hab Hater Fits perfect with the Toronto Sports Network 😅 What a Muppet

[@ethansashes]

Over after that leaf’s game.

[@MetalCharlo]

Detroit. They won against Washington and Tampa back to back after the Leafs L.

[@chronicpark670]

@@MetalCharlo it was the Rangers (in OT) and Tampa back to back after the Leafs loss. The Rangers game they were behind numerous times and the win against the Bolts - they were badly outshot. Hard to pinpoint exactly when the wheels fell off... but that Leafs loss was definitely a blow.

[@ernst-m6j]

Try to draft Hanges

[@jakachava]

Michael hage should be 2C

[@mikeking-t2u]

He’s a couple years away though. Can’t go without a 2C for that long and waste Suzuki and Caufields prime years!

[@scottmcfarlane7524]

Armia to Winnipeg for a 3rd or Kirby/Armia to Peg for 1st and Nikita Chibrikov or maybe Chaz Lucius

[@myrtleluzanta9657]

Lol. Keep dreaming.

[@EmEightz22]

It's not over until it's over

[@DB-gr7ch]

in 2 years, the salary cap will be over US$100 million....and Canadian teams simply won't be able to pay for top talent anymore, at all. Cdn. NHL franchises will live in the gap between a farm team and the contenders.

[@CarlMicks]

Don’t forget 5 of the top 6 revenue generating teams are in Canada and Canada represents 33% of total revenue. The falling C$ will impact the entire NHL.

[@DB-gr7ch]

@@CarlMicks okey dokey, pokey.

[@spooley]

How does TSN have expert ex players for all CDN teams but they bring in Biron who has zero connection to the team for analysis. Stick with Mike Johnson, he was only there a short time but he knows the team well from play by play, smart guy.

[@rockinrodlittle]

100% correct. Mike knows the Habs better than any other in the team

[@maynardprenger-hf7ds]

@@spooley agreed! Francophone ex goalie has to be the reason.

[@5orrs]

Trade Jake Evans.........replace with Owen Beck

[@Jeri0ux]

I agree and not at the same time. Can he be re-signed at a good price ? If so keep him. I see both next years in the lineup.

[@philippelaurent8140]

Beck will replace dvorak

[@jelugo77]

With Beck and Kapanen coming....Evans (as much as I like him) has to go as well.

[@BEYONDYOURIQ]

Not a chance. Evans stays....5 yrs x 4 mil.

[@rvanleersum]

Never wanted to make playoffs. Not ready if we did. Progress has been nice, time to flip some expiring contract assets to add to the already massive draft capital we got. Stay the course, the future is bright.

[@pmonty420]

Trade Slafkovsky, package him along with some prospects to a low ranking team like Chicago or San Jose for a first round pick . Top 5 draft prospects most likely to be better than Slafkovsky. Heineman is already better than him and Demidov will be another good fix for habs top 6 next year .

[@R7U1LE]

Let slaffy marinate bro, he will be just fine

[@pmonty420]

@ He’s been given every possible chance to improve . He plays with the two best forwards on the team and is on the first power unit every game and barely has anything to show for it . His assists stats are boosted due to Caufield’s good scoring season and Laine’s power play hot streak . There is no logical reason to hold back on Heineman’s development or Demidov’s icetime next year . He will also be making 7.6 million next year so if he still plays like he has by then , fans and media will eat him alive . Next year is supposed to be a breakthrough season for the habs and they won’t be able to afford baby-sitting a top 6 player any longer . Hutson won’t come cheap and neither will Demidov so they need to trade Slafkovsky before they get stick with his whopping contract .

[@chronicpark670]

@@pmonty420 reminds of years ago when everyone wanted the Habs to keep Halak as the future and ditch Price after he had a so-so season. Slaf is still 20 years old man.. give him a break.

[@pmonty420]

@@chronicpark670 He’s a bust , you can’t teach gritt or hockey IQ . He’s on his third pro season , he’s not a rookie anymore .

[@jogendron6320]

He’s a bust and Hawks or Sharks would give a top 5 pick for him? 🤡😂🤡😂🤡😂🤡😂 If you know he’s a bust, you think they don’t? What is it with Habs fans thinking they can just ship their garbage anywhere?

[@matt914]

Mailloux not ready for the nhl