Vancouver Canucks: 5 Potential Trade Destinations for Radim Vrbata

1. Montreal Canadiens

If there is one club that is mentioned every time Vrbata rumours come up, it is the Montreal Canadiens. There have been reports stating Montreal was not interested in Vrbata, but there have also been reports stating they were. We’ll find out eventually.

Why they need Vrbata: The Canadiens started the season with nine straight wins but failed to establish themselves as the league leader. They have since fallen to fifth in the Atlantic Division, losing 11 of their 13 games in December. Now second in the Eastern Conference wild card standings, the Canadiens need to find a way to win games and make the playoffs.

An obvious area of weakness for the Canadiens is the right wing. They have Brendan Gallagher as No. 1 on the depth chart but depth is the wrong word for what comes next. Former Vancouver Canuck Dale Weise, Paul Byron and Brian Flynn are the forwards who follow after Gallagher. It would not be a stretch to say none of those forwards deserve a top-six role on a team that wants to win the Stanley Cup.

Where Vrbata would slot in: If Vrbata came to Montreal, he could slot in anywhere on the right side. He would be an option for the first or second line, but the third line is also a possibility. After all, Weise is producing at a very similar rate as Vrbata — 11 goals and 20 points in 41 games. Wherever Vrbata might play, he would add some good scoring depth.

Next: 2. Florida Panthers