Exploring a trade with Montreal for forward Christian Dvorak

Would this be beyond comical? Yes. But nothing would put quite as much joy in my heart as seeing the Carolina Hurricanes end up with Christian Dvorak at a far more reduced price than Montreal paid for the Palos, Illinois native. Plus, with a few notable players supposedly testing the free-agent market, this chaotic gesture might actually have some fruits to bear.

It must be said that it is very unlikely that these two organizations even consider answering the phone considering the ongoing offer sheet war between the two organizations. With the two sides having not really done much since the 2019 summer that started this mayhem, it could be seen as a complete pipe dream to expect the two organizations to converse for long enough to arrive at a deal here

Dvorak was a second-round draft selection of the Arizona Coyotes back in the 2014 NHL entry draft. He was moved from the desert to the French part of Canada on September 4th, 2022. Why? He was supposed to be Montreal’s replacement for the recently departed Jesperi Kotkaniemi. He was supposed to help the Stanley Cup Finalists stabilize after losing some big parts in free agency.

His 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 56 games were not enough to keep the Canadiens from becoming the first team in NHL history to finish thirty-second in the league standings. Granted, Dvorak missed a lot of the season and didn’t play a lot under the prior coaching regime, but I’ve always argued that a player’s best ability is availability, and sustained absences are not an excuse for low production.

Capable of playing both centers and on the wing, Dvorak in my opinion is better suited to being out on the wing. He’s been a good depth player but he cannot be relied upon to put up the major scoring that can compare to some of the stars in the league. Dvorak is a 50-60 point player with defensive issues and is likely best served on the wing in a depth role. He’ll give you everything, but his execution is lacking.

I don’t even know what it would cost. I’ve seen reports say Montreal wants a first-round pick back, I’ve seen others suggest they want prospects. I don’t even know if these reports are entirely accurate about Montreal wanting to move Dvorak, but I saw a chance to explore chaos and I wouldn’t turn that down. In the summer months, it’s more fun to think about the possibilities than wait for the calendar to turn to October.