NHL trade rumors 2017: The Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog sweepstakes has hit Montreal

The lead the Montreal Canadiens built at the start of the year is starting to crumble a little bit. With one win in their last seven games, a 3-6-1 record in their last 10, and a 4-0 shutout defeat against the Bruins on Sunday still lingering, it’s not a surprise the jitters are alive and well in Montreal.

It is, after all, how their slide out of the playoffs started last year. Carey Price was missing due to injury, of course, but it’s an all-too-familiar song for the Canadiens. Which is why fans are starting to, once again, clamor for the release of head coach Michel Therrien.

Bob McKenzie made an appearance on TSN’s Montreal 690 show on Monday, the start of the Canadiens’ five-day break, and noted that it may be time for Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin to get the ball rolling on something.

“They’ve been playing too poorly for too long to assume that getting a five-day rest is going to make anything better, I would think. Unless I’m really missing the mark here. So no, I think it’s probably time for Marc Bergevin to do something. And everybody has got different opinions.”

Firing the coach is an option, as the Islanders, Panthers, Blues, and Bruins can attest to. Since firing Claude Julien, Boston is on a three-game win streak. The Islanders climbed back into the playoff race after canning Jack Capuano. Both St. Louis and Florida found immediate success, as well, after dismissing Ken Hitchcock and Gerard Gallant respectively.

McKenzie noted, however, that firing Therrien is likely the easy option for the Canadiens, but maybe the wrong one. In fact, a trade is likely on the mind of Bergevin, who has stated time and time again that he stands by his head coach.

“But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t think this is a situation where the general manager is contemplating a coaching change. But he most certainly has to be contemplating a trade.

And I think if anything — and this is just my opinion, this is not based on inside information or something that I’m predicting is about to happen — I’m saying that if I’m Marc Bergevin, my desire to make a trade and to perhaps give up future assets for something that makes a difference now would be pretty high this week.”

The Canadiens have been linked to the Coyotes and Martin Hanzal over the past few weeks, but the Avalanche are also likely in the mix, according to McKenzie. After all, Colorado general manager Joe Sakic was in attendance for the Bruins and Canadiens game on Sunday. Sakic and Boston general manager Don Sweeney were seen publicly talking in the press box, so who knows if Bergevin was also approached during the game.

Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog are the big names on the market, and according to McKenzie, the Canadiens would have to give up a combination of Michael McCarron, Mikhail Sergachev, Noah Juulsen, and Nikita Scherbak to get it done.

“Because we’re dealing with Colorado, the expectation is there’s going to be multiple pieces involved. And I’m not saying everyone of those guys would be gone, but you know what? If you’re making a trade for Matt Duchene, I’m betting Colorado is insisting on at least two of those, not to mention a first-round pick or what have you.

Because Colorado’s price for a guy like Duchene, or Landeskog, has been three or four high-end pieces. And what they’re really after is a 20-something — and I say 20-something (meaning) lower 20s — somebody who is already established in the National Hockey League. Somebody who has played games and is NHL-ready right now.”

It’s not a shock that’d be the running price for Duchene or Landeskog. The Bruins are currently debating if 20-year-old shutdown defenseman Brandon Carlo is a worthwhile trade piece with the blue-line talent they have coming up the pipeline in the next few years.

All four of the Canadiens reported prospects are former first-round picks, with defenseman Sergachev being the big draw as the No. 9 pick in the 2016 draft. Sergachev, McCarron, and Scherbak have a small handful of NHL experience, and it’d be a question whether the Avalanche organization believes any of them to be NHL-ready.

Also to consider for the Canadiens is whether a combination of prospects and a likely first-round pick is worth it for Duchene or Landeskog. Both are 26-years-old and under, and would slide immediately into the Canadiens’ top-six, bumping them from playoff contender to potential Stanley Cup contender.

McKenzie isn’t the only NHL insider who believes Bergevin will be active during the Canadiens’ break. On Monday, Elliotte Friedman added more fuel to the fire near the end of his hit on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 show.

“I really think this week Montreal — Marc Bergevin has some decisions to make. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s the big newsmaker this week.”

Friedman also has put forth the idea that Alex Galchenyuk might be a piece going the other way should both sides find common ground in his latest 30 Thoughts column.