Canadiens News & Rumors: Savard, Chelios, Zegras & More

Honestly, it is no surprise that Montreal sits as high as it does on this ranking and has as many quality prospects on Button’s list. It is a franchise that has been rebuilding for a few years, and while there are still needs to be filled and development to be completed, it does seem to be trending in the right direction. 

Canadiens Legend Passes Away

Jean-Guy Talbot, one of 12 Montreal Canadiens players to win five consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960, passed away he was 91 years old. 

In 801 games with the Canadiens from 1954 to 1967, he recorded 36 goals and 209 assists and won seven Stanley Cups. In the summer of 1967, he was claimed by the Minnesota North Stars in the NHL expansion draft. After some time there and with the Detroit Red Wings, the St. Louis Blues claimed him off waivers. There, Talbot was reunited with former Canadiens teammates Doug Harvey, Dickie Moore, and the legendary Jacques Plante, all of whom played for Montreal’s late-1950s dynasty. Talbot helped the Blues reach the Stanley Cup Final in three straight seasons. However, they were swept each time, twice by the Canadiens and once by the Boston Bruins. 

Canadiens Linked to Young Star 

TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun recently confirmed that the Anaheim Ducks were casually taking calls on Trevor Zegras. He went on to confirm that the Canadiens were one of the teams that have shown serious interest. 

“The Ducks have listened on (Trevor) Zegras. My understanding is they haven’t phoned other teams or brought up his name. Because his name has been out there, other teams have been picking up the phone and asking, ‘what’s going on here?’. Of the four or five teams that I’m told have phoned the Ducks, the Montreal Canadiens are one of them.”

– Pierre Lebrun 

After two consecutive 65-point seasons, his production has dropped significantly this season, and the addition of Cutter Gauthier in a recent trade could be reasons why Zegras’ name has been out there for the last few months. Despite that, the asking price for Zegras will not be cheap. While Zegras’ obvious skills and his friendship with Caufield could make him an excellent fit for the Canadiens, that may not be enough to convince Hughes to pay the high cost to acquire the 22-year-old American center.  

Canadiens Taking Calls on David Savard 

Hughes isn’t actively shopping veteran defenseman David Savard, but that doesn’t mean he is refusing calls from other GMs about the 33-year-old. According to the Athletic’s Arpon Basu, teams who have an interest in Savard are involved in the Chris Tanev sweepstakes. This would mean that if a Savard trade were to occur, it would be after Tanev is dealt and teams move on to their plan B. 

“Just like the trade of Elias Lindholm from Calgary to Vancouver created a market crunch for Sean Monahan that Hughes was able to leverage, once Calgary trades the right-shot, defence-first, shot-blocking Chris Tanev, a similar situation could be created for Savard as a defenceman who fits that same profile. Only one team can trade for Tanev, and the ones that don’t get him will surely double back with the Canadiens, just like the Jets did once they were unable to land Lindholm.”

– Arpon Basu (Canadiens weekly notebook: Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovský remain a match despite it all’– Arpon Basu – The Athletic – 02/19/2024 

It is no secret that Hughes likes the leadership that Savard provides the current lineup of young defenders; however, he is also a GM who knows the value of his players and will make a deal if that value is offered. Hughes has stated he hasn’t been shopping a player in the past, but he still dealt Artturi Lehkonen to the Colorado Avalanche when his price was met.  

Former Canadiens Captain Being Honored 

Canadiens’ 1981 second-round pick, Chris Chelios, will be having his hometown Chicago Blackhawks retire his number seven on 24 February. The Hall of Fame defender began his career with Montreal, winning the Stanley Cup in 1986 and leading the team to the 1989 Cup Final. He was then named captain in 1989-90 before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in return for Denis Savard.  

The early 1990s saw the Blackhawks as a Norris Division powerhouse and one of the strongest teams not to win a Cup in the 1990s. Chelios was the captain for much of that time, and his play there drove their excellent play. He later won two more Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. His career spanned 26 NHL seasons, where he won three Cups and three Norris Trophies, was named to the NHL’s 100 greatest players, was a seven-time All-Star, and was finally named to the Hall of Fame in 2013. While his trade out of Montreal is seen as one of the worst trades a Canadiens GM has made, Chelios is still beloved as a player in la Belle Province and fans in Montreal will be cheering on his addition to Chicago’s Legends. 

Going into the 2024 Trade deadline, Hughes still has the assets contenders need, such as a solid goaltender and veteran defensemen. He is known as a GM who sets a price for his players and won’t make a transaction unless that price is met. The next few weeks will be an important one for the Canadiens. With the NHL playoffs progressing and the NHL Draft fast approaching, the Canadiens’ roster will be facing significant change over the offseason. Keep an eye on our THW Podcast Network for all your hockey needs, as well as THW’s affiliated podcast, Habs Unfiltered, for the latest Canadiens news, notes, and rumors.