NHL Rumors: 2 Montreal Canadiens Trade Candidates

The Montreal Canadiens are in transition as they are trying to upgrade their roster on the fly. No complete rebuilds, it's more of a retool which has been fast tracked by some savvy offseason moves and some luck at the NHL draft. General manager Kent Hughes is far from finished making moves, here's two Canadiens who could be shipped out of Montreal next:

Mike Hoffman

The first season in Montreal was a bit of a roller coaster for Mike Hoffman and considering Hughes wasn't the one who brought him in, there's a very good chance the left-winger is moved this season. We've seen with the Evgeni Dadonov addition and with Jonathan Drouin still in the mix, Hoffman may find himself in a checking role and that's not ideal. Top pick Juraj Slafkovsky needs a path to some top minutes and don't expect to see Hoffman, who has two seasons left on his deal stand in the way. Regardless of team success, look for Hughes to dangle the veteran left winger throughout the season.

Jake Allen

The Canadiens will be without Carey Price for the entire season and perhaps for good, so you'd think Jake Allen would be secure, however that's not likely the case. Hughes is on the prowl for a long-term solution in net as the Canadiens roster has been quickly retooled with some young talent. 

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Allen is a veteran who has been around the block and performed on the highest stage, so there's certainly going to be interest around the league including from the Vegas Golden Knights. Don't expect to see the veteran netminder re-sign in Montreal and look for a deal before the deadline this season.

photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports