Would Canadiens Risk Unknown with Key Center for Offensive Upgrade?

Montreal Canadiens fans are waiting, hoping that the team finds a solution to their second-line center problem. With speculation about the health of Kirby Dach, it’s hard to know how effective he’ll be, if at all, this season. Options to upgrade at the position have proved to be limited, and outlets are now speculating that the Canadiens might pivot.

Recent trade speculation suggests that the Canadiens acquire Jared McCann from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Kirby Dach and a 2026 second-round pick. There’s nothing imminent here. It’s simply an idea being thrown out by the author, wondering if a key offensive winger makes more sense now than keeping an injured 2C.

Would McCann Make Sense for the Canadiens?

McCann, 29, is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $25 million deal and posted 61 points (22 goals) in 82 games last season. McCann is listed as a left-winger, which doesn’t solve the Canadiens’ issues at center, but he brings a strong two-way game, solid contract, and a scoring punch. On paper, he could provide the Canadiens with an immediate offensive boost.

There have been trade rumors suggesting the Kraken would be open to a move.

Seattle, in turn, would receive Kirby Dach, the 24-year-old center who has battled injuries throughout his career. The Canadiens took a risk trading for him, and it hasn’t panned out. Arguably, it’s one of the few misses by GM Kent Hughes.

Dach may rebound and eventually get to 100 percent, but the Canadiens sound like they’re ready to ditch the reclamation project and go in another direction. Why Seattle would feel comfortable acquiring Dach is not clear, but the attached second-round pick in the deal could be seen as a sweetener.

Dach, entering the final year of a $13.45 million deal, recorded 22 points in 57 games last season before a season-ending injury. He could be productive. If not, the Kraken may be ultimately trading McCann for a second-round draft pick.

What Is Each Team Prioritizing?

The real question for Canadiens management is whether McCann’s scoring and reliability are worth parting with their current second-line center option. Dach may not be the long-term solution in Montreal, but he’s the only option they have right now. Hughes has previously expressed comfort in the team’s depth at center, and trading him away leaves a sizable hole.

For Seattle, it’s a question of whether McCann is likely to be part of their quest to be more competitive, or if they’re prepared to move him for a pick and a potential center with upside if he can stay in the lineup.

The Kraken would have trade options for McCann, as other teams, including the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Calgary Flames, could also be in the mix. There would be no reason to rush a trade.

Next: Bruins, Oilers Rumored to Talk Small Trade That Could Turn Big