Analyst Proposes Intriguing Canadiens-Predators Trade for Second-Line Centre

A center who can both produce offensively and play with physicality would certainly be a welcome addition next to Ivan Demidov.

Even though Jeff Gorton laughed heartily when asked about this during his Monday press conference, saying that a winger could also fill that role, he did confirm that the team needs more toughness.

In my opinion, the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations was simply trying to throw people off the scent, much like he successfully did last June just before drafting Ivan Demidov.

The plan would therefore be to find a center to complete Martin St. Louis's second unit.

On that topic, Antoine Roussel not only found the perfect player, but also a unique way to bring him to town.

As you'll see, it's a rather unusual and spectacular proposal.

In the podcast Sortie de zone, the former NHLer-now an analyst-surprised many with his trade suggestion.

He believes Kent Hughes should use Patrik Laine to bring in Steven Stamkos..

Roussel's idea is simple and makes sense at its core.

He wants to fix the issue at center on the second line while replacing Laine with another goal scorer.

From the Predators' perspective, they could hit the reset button after a very difficult season.

Relieving them of Stamkos's contract could be a welcome exit strategy.

Roussel even said he'd be willing to retain some of Laine's salary (but not Stamkos's) to make the trade work.

However, one has to wonder if Stamkos is really the right fit for the Canadiens, especially after a tough first season with the team that gave him a four-year, $32 million contract last summer.

Despite putting up 54 points, including 27 goals in 82 games, he ended the season with a -36 plus-minus rating.

Beyond the offensive numbers, it's important to remember that Martin St. Louis's former teammate is now 35 years old and still has three years remaining on his $8M/year deal.

That contract could become burdensome toward the end, but it might be a risk worth taking.

Stamkos is a proven player who knows what it takes to compete in the playoffs.

He would be an excellent leader for the team-if, of course, he agrees to waive his no-movement clause.

On the other side, Laine would also need to remove Nashville from his 10-team no-trade list.

One thing is certain: the next few weeks will be interesting in Montreal.

Beyond the hunt for a second-line center, many other questions need answers, like who will replace David Savard, and is the goaltending duo the right one?