Montreal Canadiens are officially listening to trade offers on rising defenseman
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Montreal has depth on defense and it's starting to show, with prospect Adam Engstrom now firmly on the trade radar this summer.
Engstrom is entering the final year of his entry level deal and there's no extension in the works, which tends to speed up these conversations around the league.
He's a smooth skating, offense first defenseman who Montreal grabbed in the third round back in 2022, and he's done nothing but climb prospect rankings since.
Last season with the Laval Rocket he was an AHL All Star, putting up 34 points in 45 games with a plus 14 rating that jumps off the page.
He also got a short look with the big club, appearing in 15 games and logging around 13 minutes a night.
Why Montreal would even consider moving him
The issue isn't talent, it's fit. Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson and Alexandre Carrier already have the top of the blueline locked down, and top prospect David Reinbacher is still on the way.
Engstrom brings a similar offensive skill set to what the Canadiens already have in spades, and that kind of overlap is exactly what gets a name floated around the league.
What teams are actually offering
Rival clubs have already called about Engstrom, but so far nothing has moved the needle enough for Montreal to pull the trigger.
The Canadiens still view him as a valuable piece, not just a throw in.
This suggests any deal would need to bring real value back rather than a depth piece or a mid round pick.
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