Ben Chiarot Injury Could Change, But Might Speed Up Trade Talks

The Montreal Canadiens have placed defenseman Ben Chiarot on injured reserve after an incident during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets this weekend. Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday that an injury scare might speed up the potential of a trade before the deadline, but that was before Chiarot was actually ruled as out of the lineup for at least one week.

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Despite the injury, Friedman is likely correct. Eric Engels reports that the injury isn’t terribly serious and it shouldn’t keep the pending UFA blueliner away long. He writes: 

Don’t expect Ben Chiarot to be out long. Obviously, placed on IR means out at least a week, but not believed to be too much longer than that. They’ll be cautious bringing him back, take time so he’s 100 percent. As of right now, not expected to be long-term.

This means that teams will start calling the Canadiens with greater urgency knowing that a serious injury would be problematic. It might also mean the Canadiens will want to get this deal done sooner than later, potentially even sitting him out of games until a trade can be completed. Friedman noted that the St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Lose Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, and Florida Panthers are all teams that have an interest in Chiarot, but probably not if he gets hurt. This minor hiccup could throw off a few teams though.

Arpon Basu of The Athletic writes that clubs may seek Chiarot’s medical records before making a move. Even then, they might move on to other options. He explains:

If teams interested in acquiring Chiarot are able to get access to his medical records and be assured the injury is indeed short term, then it wouldn’t change much for the Canadiens. But the market on defense before the trade deadline is crowded, with supply perhaps even exceeding demand at the top of the market.

The Canadiens were thinking they could get a first-round pick for Chiarot which many believed was possible, but some fans called it too heavy a price to pay. It will be interesting to see how many if any teams remove themselves from the conversation and how even a short-term injury could affect the return for Montreal.

Next: Maple Leafs Getting Interest From Teams in a Nick Ritchie Trade