JC Lajoie Proposes Interesting Trade to Bring the 5th Overall Pick to the Canadiens

Several options are on the table for the GM with the 16th and 17th selections in the upcoming draft.

Given the team's urgent needs at multiple positions-especially at second-line center-it wouldn't be surprising to see one of those picks traded.

On a recent episode of JiC on TVA Sports, host Jean-Charles Lajoie even suggested that Hughes could use both picks at once, along with other assets, to move up in the draft and get a chance to select none other than Caleb Desnoyers.

According to several mock drafts, Desnoyers is projected to go in the top 7 of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

With that in mind, Lajoie is targeting the Nashville Predators, who hold the 5th overall pick, in an attempt to move up and draft the promising Quebec prospect.

Here's his trade proposal:

The idea here is to give the Predators a chance to unload Marchessault's entire salary.

He is set to earn $5.5M annually through the end of the 2028-2029 season.

The fact that Marchessault is already 34 and will be 38 at the end of his deal might understandably concern some, as they see him potentially becoming a burden for the organization.

But as Lajoie points out, if the cost of acquiring a top talent like Desnoyers is taking on Marchessault, you have to jump at the opportunity-even if he's only 5-foot-9.

In 78 games during the 2024-2025 season, the veteran recorded 21 goals and 35 assists for a total of 56 points.

Just imagine him playing with a young Ivan Demidov next season-his production could easily rise.

Watch the full clip from Jean-Charles Lajoie below: