NHL Rumors: 3 Potential Trade Destinations For Ben Chiarot

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot is one of the most talked-about players in the rumor mill right now. The 30-year-old is a pending free agent, while the Canadiens sport the worst record in the entire league. Therefore, he is expected to be moved, and there will be plenty of teams interested in the defensive defenseman.

Let's take a gander at three specific teams who certainly can be deemed as potential trade destinations for Chiarot.

St. Louis Blues: It's already been reported that the Blues are pursuing Chiarot heavily. His physical style of play would make him an immediate fit on their blue line. Furthermore, they have been trying to land an upgrade on the left side of their defense since this offseason. They struck out on Zdeno Chara via free agency, so why wouldn't they want Chiarot? He's younger and is capable of producing more offense from the point in the process.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Elliotte Friedman has noted that the Maple Leafs are linked to Chiarot. The Leafs are one of the many teams in this league who are often criticized for not being hard enough to play against. As a way to help silence this ongoing narrative, they could bring in a guy like Chiarot. He'd fit swimmingly on their bottom pair and penalty kill. Would the Canadiens be willing to trade with one of their biggest rivals, though?

Florida Panthers: Like the Blues and Maple Leafs, the Panthers are currently in the Chiarot sweepstakes. They are an absolute wagon this season, but they could use a little bit more stability on defense. Although Chiarot wouldn't be as big of a splash as a guy like Jakob Chychrun, he could be the kind of defensive defenseman Florida needs right now.