標籤: implications

The Montreal Canadiens have made a rare deal after the deadline, acquiring a pair of prospects from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Riley Kidney.

In return, goaltender Hunter Shepard and forward Jake Chiasson will make their way to the Canadiens organization, and while it may not seem like a blockbuster deal on the surface, it has implications beyond the Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL) and Laval Rocket (AHL).

The 22-year-old Kidney was potentially lost in the shuffle, a holdover from the previous regime that never found its rhythm in the AHL. As a result, Kidney spent most of the season in the ECHL, where he scored 11 goals and 22 assists in 46 games for the Lions. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a significant disadvantage by any means.

However, the comeback is very interesting. Beyond Chiasson, who will serve as a depth option for the Rockets or Lions, the acquisition of a minor-league goaltender in Sheppard suggests the Canadiens are in no rush to return rookie netminder Jacob Fowler to the AHL.

With that in mind, it’s also quite clear that veteran netminder Samuel Montembeault has fallen out of favor with the team, and Kent Hughes and company prefer to keep Fowler as an option in the final stages of the season and into the playoffs.

Fowler was voted as the No. 2 prospect in our annual fan-driven Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings due to his excellent positioning and poise, making it very difficult to avoid direct comparisons with former Habs netminder Carey Price.

And now, the Canadiens have given him one final vote of confidence, as they did with Price in 2010 and Patrick Roy in the 1986 playoffs.

By adding another goaltender to the Rockets roster, the organization has not only ensured that their farm team will be in good shape during Fowler’s absence, as Shepard has already captured the Calder Cup twice in his career, but it has also allowed him to focus solely on the job at hand – which, in turn, should improve his preparation for the challenge ahead.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont