Mika Zibanejad traded to the Montreal Canadiens?
The Montreal Canadiens, for several weeks, have been in a lot of transaction rumors, particularly regarding the addition of an enforcer forward or a top-4 defender.
But, there could be a great opportunity on the market and the player is Mika Zibanejad.
According to The Athletic, the New York Rangers star's contract is now considered almost impossible to trade.
This contract of $8.5 million per year, valid until 2030, seems to become a burden for the Blue Shirts.
However, Zibanejad remains a productive 31-year-old center who plays a central role on the team, already accumulating 10 points in 11 games this season. This is why it would be surprising to see him leave New York in 2024-25.
His impressive size (6 feet 2 inches, 203 pounds) and his experience (688 points in 859 games) make him a coveted player.
This context could be interesting for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens.
Jeff Gorton, the Habs' VP of operations, had just acquired Zibanejad from Ottawa, a transaction that turned out to be one of his biggest moves during his tenure with the Rangers.
Perhaps he could consider bringing Zibanejad back in a role comparable to that of Sean Monahan in Montreal next year?
Although this contract is considered undesirable for the Rangers, the Canadiens could take advantage of it to fill their need for an experienced center.
If the Rangers are really looking to get rid of Zibanejad, it would be wise for the Canadiens to find out.
This case deserves to be closely monitored, because an opportunity to strengthen the center line with a player of that caliber may not present itself again, especially a guy of like Zibanejad.
It remains to be seen whether the Canadiens would be ready to absorb this type of contract.
| POLL | ||
Would you like to see Mika Zibanejad with the Canadiens? | ||
| Yes | 121 | 64.4 % |
| No | 67 | 35.6 % |
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