Connor McDavid traded to the Montreal Canadiens in latest blockbuster proposal as rumors suddenly get louder

Stu Cowan brought it up on the Sick Podcast, telling co-host Tony Marinaro that the Canadiens would make plenty of sense if Edmonton ever decided to move on from its captain.

Cowan wasn't predicting a trade.

He was pointing out that Montreal has the pieces, the cap room and the prospect pool to make a real push if the door ever cracks open.

Then Arpon Basu got asked about it too.

The Athletic writer fielded the question in his mailbag, and his response gave the rumor a little more oxygen instead of shutting it down.

That phrasing matters. Basu isn't saying it's happening.

He's saying people around the league are talking about it, which is a different thing entirely, but still enough to get an entire fanbase refreshing their timelines.

McDavid put up 138 points last season, 48 goals and 90 assists, then watched Edmonton get knocked out in the first round by Anaheim.

His cap hit sits at $12,500,000 after he signed a two year extension instead of locking into a longer deal, a move plenty of people around the league read as him keeping his options open.

None of that means he wants out.

It just means the contract clock is ticking louder every year that Edmonton comes up short.

Realistically, this only becomes real if Edmonton's season completely falls apart, and right now that's not where things stand.

For now it's Cowan connecting dots, Basu confirming there's chatter, and Montreal fans doing what fans do best, letting their imagination run.

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