The Montreal Canadiens could be an inadvertent player in making a Connor Hellebuyck trade happen.
No, the Habs are not looking to land the all-world goalie. Montreal is set for now with Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.
The Canadiens, however, could help the Winnipeg Jets make a Hellebuyck trade happen by sending them a goalie of their own: Samuel Montembeault.
According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, the Canadiens have been kicking the tires of 100-point man Mark Scheifele. The move makes sense as the Habs have been looking for a top-six center forever. And one of the pieces in return could be Montembeault.
"The Canadiens are among the teams asking about Mark Scheifele; And the thought of adding Sam Montembeault to work in tandem with Stuart Skinner is intriguing for Winnipeg, because they then wouldn't need to get a goalie back in a Hellebuyck trade."
The comments, as spoken on the Kyper & Bourne show on September 24, point towards a concerted effort that Montreal is making to address its forward situation. And by the looks of it, the Habs are not afraid to make a splash, especially after missing out on Kirill Marchenko .
The Jets don't necessarily need Montembeault to be the centerpiece of a Hellebuyck trade.
His value could be what he allows Winnipeg to ask for instead.
If the Jets acquire Montembeault from the Canadiens in a separate transaction, they wouldn't necessarily have to demand another NHL goaltender when they eventually move Hellebuyck. That could open the trade to more teams and allow Winnipeg to focus on the prospects, young players or draft capital it actually wants.
That's particularly relevant because Hellebuyck has already made his trade request public and was suspended after failing to report to training camp.
The Jets have to find a solution eventually.
Montembeault could help provide one.
The problem is getting him there.
The Canadiens may be kicking the tires on Scheifele, but that doesn't mean Winnipeg is ready to move him.
The Jets still view themselves as a team capable of competing, and Scheifele remains the centerpiece of their offense. He is coming off a 100-point season and remains under contract, making a trade far more complicated than simply finding a team willing to pay the price.
In fact, Winnipeg could be even less inclined to move Scheifele before resolving the Hellebuyck situation.
The Jets may want to see what their roster looks like once the goaltending situation is settled before deciding whether another major change is necessary.
That doesn't mean Montreal's interest isn't real.
It means acquiring Scheifele may not be realistic right now.
The Canadiens are clearly looking for another top-six center, and Kypreos identified them as one of the teams asking about the Winnipeg star. But if Montreal ultimately wants Scheifele, it may have to wait.
Interestingly, Montembeault could still play a role.
Even if he never becomes part of a Scheifele trade, sending him to Winnipeg could help unlock the Hellebuyck deal.
And that could make the Canadiens an unexpected piece of one of the NHL's biggest trade situations.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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