There’s never a dull moment in Montreal.
In an interview with François Gagnon of RDS, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said he has received calls about defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (link in French).
Bergevin mentioned that “it’s [his] job to listen, to analyze”, which if you’ll recall, is very similar to what he said a week before trading P.K. Subban.
Beaulieu, the 17th overall pick in 2011, would definitely garner interest on the trade market. He scored 19 points in 64 games last year, playing over 17 minutes a night as a positive possession player. Beaulieu brings size, power-play abilities, and is a good skater. Bergevin called Beaulieu a “good, young defender” who has yet to find his niche in the NHL.
Should the Habs trade Beaulieu, expect ninth-overall pick Mikhail Sergachev to step in and play in the NHL to start the year. Sergachev also brings size and puck moving ability, though it could be dangerous to ice a lineup with 37-year-old Andrei Markov, a raw rookie in Sergachev, and Alexei Emelin, who didn’t score a goal last season and whose career high is 17 points, three year ago.
The Canadiens would likely be looking for a scoring left wing; their depth on the port side is pretty thin after Max Pacioretty. Bergevin said that in order to trade for good players, he has to offer players “that have value”. It’s clear he believes that Beaulieu could be that valuable player.