NHL Rumors: Canadiens Defenseman Open To Being Traded

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes stated that he would trade defenseman Jeff Petry if he can find a deal that works for both parties. Now, according to Pierre LeBrun, the veteran defenseman "would welcome a trade."

When looking at how poorly Montreal is playing this season, it isn't hard to understand why Petry would want out. He's 34 years old and has yet to win a Stanley Cup, so it's unlikely that he would be too ecstatic to be a part of their inevitable rebuild. With that, it's already been reported that his family had to leave Quebec due to its strict COVID regulations. \

Now, it's important to also note that Petry has been struggling immensely this season. After recording at least 40 points over the last four seasons, he has just a goal and five assists in 37 games this campaign. With that, he carries a hefty $6.25 million cap hit until the end of the 2024-25 season. Thus, there is a major risk in acquiring him if this pace of production is now the norm for him. Yet, one could also argue that he could bounce back from here, too.

However, it's beginning to seem that both the Canadiens and Petry are at least open to the idea of ending their tenure together. As we reported yesterday, the Dallas Stars are considering the possibility of adding the veteran. Thus, they are a team to watch from here.