The Montreal Canadiens recently acquired goaltender Casey DeSmith as a part of the deal that sent Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh. Since being acquired rumors have been flying that the Habs are trying to move DeSmith on to his next team.
Montreal Media Member Gives Update On DeSmith
Marc Dumont of Montreal Hockey Now recently was able to give an update on a possible DeSmith trade. According to Dumont, four teams have inquired about trading for the 29-year-old goaltender. The four contenders are the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, and St. Louis Blues. Let's take a look at each team's case for acquiring DeSmith.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins recently lost both of their top-six centers to retirement. This has led to a massive hole in the middle of their lineup. Luckily for them, they have two starting-caliber goaltenders on their team to use in trying to acquire a top center. If the Bruins were to trade a goaltender away in the coming weeks then DeSmith could be a natural fit as a backup to whichever goaltender remains.
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Tampa Bay Lightning
Of course, with the Lightning, their main solution in goal continues to be Andrei Vasilevskiy. Currently, their backup is Jonas Johansson who has struggled to carve out a role in the NHL throughout his career. Trading for DeSmith would stabilize the crease and if Vasilevskiy were to need a day off the fall-off in play would not be so drastic.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have John Gibson as their main starter. Rumors have swirled for several seasons that he could be on the move elsewhere. Their current backup is the young Lukas Dostal. Dostal has been a good AHL goaltender but has struggled in his opportunities at the NHL level. If the Ducks were to want a more proven option behind Gibson then DeSmith is a natural fit.
St. Louis Blues
The Saint Louis Blues are yet another team with an established start in need of a backup goaltender. Current NHL starter Jordan Binnington has had a stranglehold on the crease since earning the job in 2019. He has however struggled with consistency in the last several years. This then necessitates a strong backup. Currently, the backup for the Blues is the young Joel Hofer. While Hofer is a promising prospect he only has 8 total appearances in the NHL. This is not nearly enough experience to take on a full-time backup role in the NHL.
While all of these opportunities would allow DeSmith to play at the NHL level only one will become a reality. This will be an interesting storyline to watch as NHL training camps begin and goaltender duos begin to form.
| POLL | ||
22 AOUT | 54 ANSWERS Four Teams Are In On Acquiring Habs' Goaltender Casey DeSmith Which opportunity do you think is best for Casey DeSmith? | ||
| Anaheim Ducks | 21 | 38.9 % |
| St. Louis Blues | 14 | 25.9 % |
| Boston Bruins | 9 | 16.7 % |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 10 | 18.5 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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