The Montreal Canadiens have traded Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Denis Gurianov. The Candiens will also retain 50% of Dadonov’s $5 million salary until the end of the season. Dadonov has only put up for goals and eighteen points this season, while Gurianov has two goals and seven assists to date.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We have acquired Evgenii Dadonov from the @CanadiensMTL in exchange for Denis Gurianov.
Montreal will retain 50% of the remaining portion of Dadonov’s contract.#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/w8D9LcwxFU
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) February 26, 2023
Montreal Canadiens Trade Veteran Forward to Dallas
The Dallas Stars are at the top of the Central Division and are looking to make a deep playoff run. Acquiring Dadonov gives them better depth to go for a run and is a player that coach Pete DeBoer is familiar with, from his time in Vegas. He was productive under DeBoer and managed to put up twenty goals and twenty-three assists last year.
The team is hoping that Dadonov will find his touch again with DeBoer and help provide better depth scoring throughout their lineup. He also comes with playoff experience from his years in Florida, which should help the Stars down the stretch. In addition, the salary retention of Dadonov allows the Stars to make another move at the trade deadline to continue to bolster their depth.
How This Impacts the Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens pick up a twenty-five-year-old winger who was a former first-round pick. Gurianov has a lot of potential. However, he wasn’t able to reach his ceiling with Dallas. His defensive game leaves a lot to be desired, which is why he was unable to earn the trust of coach Pete DeBoer.
However, under new coach Martin St Louis, the Canadiens are hoping Gurianov can find his offensive game again. Gurianov has one twenty-goal season under his belt, so he has shown he definitely can score in this league. This is a shrewd pick-up by the general manager, Kent Hughes, as he continues to bring in young players during Montreal’s rebuild.
Main photo: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
