Analyst Pierre McGuire of Sportsnet has recently suggested that the St. Louis Blues and the Montreal Canadiens should swap prospects Jimmy Snuggerud and Logan Mailloux. The trade makes sense for both teams based on their needs, but is it a smart trade to make?
Could the #stlblues and the #GoHabsGo make good trade partners?
Pierre McGuire and @MurphysLaw74 discuss an interesting player who could be involved if a deal were to go down
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Suggested Prospect Swap Between St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens
On a podcast McGuire co-hosts, the Sick Podcast, the analyst suggested a prospect swap would benefit both teams.
Benefiting the Blues
The Blues have some question marks on their defence. While Colton Parayko is coming off a bounce-back season, Justin Faulk is looking to rebound following back-t0-back injury-filled seasons. Furthermore, Torey Krug could miss the entire season with arthritis in his left ankle. While the Blues did bring in veteran Ryan Suter, he is 39-years-old.
Logan Mailloux is expected to be NHL-ready by this season. Mailloux is considered to be a strong skater and handles the puck well. Offensively, Mailloux has proven to be a point getter. He scored 25 goals in his last season in junior with the OHL’s London Knights. Then, last year, in his full season as a pro, he was very successful. In 72 games, he scored 14 goals and added 33 assists with the Canadiens AHL affiliate Laval Rocket. Moreover, Mailloux has the potential to be a strong two-way defenceman. The Blues have not had one since losing Alex Pietrangelo. It would certainly benefit the Blues to add a defender of Mailloux’s calibre to their blueline.
Benefiting the Canadiens
Jimmy Snuggerud would be a huge acquisition for the Canadiens. Snuggerud is a sniper and passes the puck really well. He is a strong skater and can make the transition down the ice. Furthermore, Snuggerud is no slouch in the defensive zone. While he lacks speed, his stick work can be an asset in blocking passes. He is probably not someone you would put on the ice when holding a one-goal lead late in a game. However, he can hold his own when needed.
Snuggerud almost saw NHL time this season. However, he chose to return to the NCAA for another season. However, it is important to note that he is NHL-ready.
The Canadiens do have a surplus of defenceman so trading Mailloux does make sense. Snuggerud would join a prospect pool that also includes Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. Those three forwards could be part of a strong core of the future for the Canadiens.
The Trade Makes Sense, But One Team is the Clear Winner
The trade makes sense for both teams. The Blues would get a young two-way defender. The Canadiens would get another offensive forward. The trade addresses individual needs.
However, the Canadiens would be the clear winner in this trade. They have the surplus of defenceman to make this trade possible. Furthermore, Snuggerud is NHL-ready now. The only thing stopping him from playing in the NHL this season is his choice to return to the NCAA.
Mailloux could be ready this season, but it is not as certain as Snuggerud. Furthermore, the Blues have many defenceman on the roster already. Young defenceman Scott Perunovich could be getting a big opportunity with the Krug injury. In addition to Suter, the team also brought in Pierre-Oliver Joseph. There is also Parayko, Faulk, and Tyler Tucker. There is already a logjam of defencemen.
The Blues could send Mailloux to the minor leagues while they try to create openings for him. However, that is a lot of extra work the Blues would need to undertake. Meanwhile, the Canadiens could be enjoying Snuggerud in the NHL, even if it is late in the season.
The Blues Need To Keep Snuggerud
Snuggerud is in the Blues long-term plans at forward. Even with players like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Pavel Buchnevich locked up, Snuggerud is very much in the plans. The Blues do have a surplus of young forwards, but Snuggerud still stands out as the guy.
In addition, general manager Doug Armstrong does not have a history of trading big-name prospects. The closest may have been Tage Thompson in the Ryan O’Reilly trade. Regardless, there is no reason for Armstrong to break that trend now.
No Deal, Pierre
If the Canadiens do call the Blues as McGuire suggests they should do, Armstrong needs to answer, ask how the family is, and then hang up. Sorry, Pierre. No deal.
Main photo: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
