NHL Rumors: 3 Montreal Canadiens Forwards Being Shopped

The Montreal Canadiens have won two games in a row and hold a surprising 7-6-1 record on the season. Management is committed to re-tooling on the fly, so despite a decent start, expect to see some changes to the roster at some point this season. Here's three forwards to watch as trade chatter continues:

Jonathan Drouin

Drouin is a pending free agent who at 27, still appeals to other teams. His modified no-trade clause protects him from just three teams, which shouldn't be a hurdle for general manager Kent Hughes. Drouin has appeared in 11 games this season and so far has yet to score and has only recorded three assists. Making $5.5 million against the cap isn't ideal for someone who is struggling this much out the gate. The Canadiens will be willing to retain some salary in any move and hope Drouin can turn things around to boost his trade appeal to other teams.

Evgeni Dadonov

Another one of the Canadiens pending free agents, there's little doubt Dadonov will be moved this season. The 33-year-old holds a 10-team no-trade clause and is making $5 million against the cap. After a 20-goal season last year with the Vegas Golden Knights, Dadonov has yet to register a point in Montreal throughout his first 10 games. At this point, the Canadiens will take just about anything in return.

Mike Hoffman

The Canadiens are stacked with wingers they don't see fit in their long-term plans, as you can add Mike Hoffman to this list. The soon-to-be 33-year-old shooter has lit the lamp four times in his first 12 games this season. Hoffman's track record speaks for itself as he's always had the ability to shoot the puck with the best of them and is a six-time 20-goal scorer. With a $4.5 million salary for the rest of this season and next, it's likely going to take a sweetened pot to get teams to bite on this trade.

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