Insider Confirms the Canadiens Fate in the Coming Weeks: the Team Will Look Different in Only a Few Weeks

Following several major developments across the league, insider Frank Seravalli recently shared an update on what's happening behind the scenes.

He notably caused a surprise by revealing that the Columbus Blue Jackets have officially put forward Johnny Gaudreau's name on the trade market.

This is a rather surprising turn of events, considering that the star had signed a huge contract of $68.25 million over seven years in the summer of 2022. The fact that the organization is already looking to part ways with him just a year and a half later is remarkable.

After a season of 115 points and 40 goals in Calgary just before becoming a free agent, Gaudreau has seen a noticeable drop in performance, finishing his first campaign with 21 goals and 74 points in 80 games. While this isn't a poor performance, it's a significant drop in production.

However, this year has been catastrophic. The 30-year-old American player has only scored six goals and 22 points in 35 games. At this rate, he is on track to finish the year with 14 goals and 51 points, which would be his worst season ever, even though he's considered a star player earning $9.75 million annually.

A change of scenery could potentially benefit him, as it seems that the adaptation to Columbus has not been optimal for him. However, with such a high salary, it will be difficult for the Blue Jackets to part with his contract without having to retain a portion of the salary or to find a satisfactory agreement for his transfer.

Moreover, we also learn that the Montreal Canadiens are very active in the trade market. According to Seravalli's information, Sean Monahan, Christian Dvorak, and goaltenders Cayden Primeau and Jake Allen, are all available.

The period leading up to the trade deadline on March 8th promises to be eventful.

Credit: Rumeurs de transaction