There is no secret that the Montreal Canadiens are eyeing another top-six forward. In an ideal world, general manager Kent Hughes would land a true number two center. This, however, has proven to be a difficult task for the club. With Vincent Trocheck and Mason McTavish now off the board, there are not many available players in this position on the market.
Because of this, the Canadiens are more likely to land a star winger instead. A recent report claimed that Columbus Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko remains a serious option for Montreal. Nevertheless, a deal between the two clubs is not imminent at the moment. While pursuing Marchenko, or another top winger via trade, is still possible, NHL insider Marco D’Amico has urged Hughes and the Canadiens to take a look at Vladimir Tarasenko.
The reporter connected the Montreal Canadiens with the veteran forward during the most recent episode of The Starr and D’Amico Show. According to the insider, targeting the veteran would save Hughes from giving up prospects, as he would if he made a significant trade. “Vladimir Tarasenko is still unsigned,” stated D’Amico. “You know, a one-year deal in the $1.5 – $2 million range if he so accepts. He was almost a 50-point player last year.”
“And he’s used to playing with a guy like [Ivan] Demidov, because he played with [Kirill] Kaprizov. So maybe that’s how you appease in the short term, and then as the season continues, if a player like Marchenko, or another winger… you’re able to add from there. But it doesn’t cost you assets.”
Montreal Canadiens Have the Money to Afford Vladimir Tarasenko
GettyVladimir Tarasenko would be a fairly low-risk option for the Montreal Canadiens.
As D’Amico alluded to, Tarasenko is coming off of a solid season with the Minnesota Wild. The 34-year-old forward recorded 47 points in 75 regular-season games on the campaign. He also added five points in 11 recent postseason games with Minnesota. Despite this relative success, the veteran remains unsigned. The Montreal Canadiens could, however, change this in the coming days.
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently rated Tarasenko as the 30th-best unrestricted free agent this summer. Johnston also projected that the forward would receive a new one-year contract in the neighborhood of $3.3 million. He recently finished off a two-year, $9.5 million deal in Minnesota. While this is slightly higher than D’Amico’s guess, the Canadiens can still afford such a deal. According to PuckPedia.com, Montreal has nearly $10 million in projected cap space.
Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston is also predicting that Tarasenko will soon sign with a contending team. The reporter hinted that the Edmonton Oilers may be the favorites to land the veteran. Nevertheless, it has been revealed that Edmonton is perhaps more likely to target a young forward instead of an aging veteran.
Montreal has Young Star Waiting in the Wings
If the Montreal Canadiens do target Tarasenko, it would make sense for the development of Michael Hage. Montreal’s top prospect will play for the University of Michigan this coming season. The forward, however, is expected to finally land with the Canadiens as early as April 2027. Bringing in Tarasenko on a short-term contract would not block a long-term roster spot for Hage.
As D’Amico also points out, the question mark surrounding the prospect is not whether or not he will make it in the NHL. He is expected to transition well in the big league. Instead, there are debates on whether Hage will eventually pan out as a winger or center. Despite this uncertainty, D’Amico is “convinced” Montreal will land a top-six player soon and then Hage will join the club next spring.
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