Rumor: Both Ehlers and Necas traded to Canadian NHL team?

It's shaping up to be a busy offseason for Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes.

Multiple NHL insiders have reported that Hughes and the Canadiens would like to make a splash this summer and are surveying the trade market for a potential deal. While superstar Mitch Marner is reportedly available from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Habs probably aren't in a position to acquire him. 

More likely targets though are Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, at least according to a rumor report from Habs insider Marco D'Amico. In his latst column for MTL Hockey Now, D'Amico reports that sources have indicated that the Habs have checked in on Necas and that he's "high on their shortlist of players to acquire this summer."

On a recent 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Hurricanes are likely to move on from Necas this offseason.

“Necas, I have believed for some time that one just probably won’t work out there,” Friedman said. “I just don’t think that they’re going to do what Necas wants to do.”

The pending RFA put up 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games this season and added four goals and nine points in 11 games in the playoffs for Carolina. 

It remains to be seen what happens with Necas this offseason, but it's safe to consider the Habs a frontrunner for his services at this point.

As for Ehlers, Jets insider Murat Ates reports that the team is "likely to shop" the Danish forward for some defensive help. And while I'm not sure exactly who the Habs could offer up via trade, D'Amico's sources indicate that there could be a fit between the two clubs on an Ehlers trade.

The speedy Ehlers put up 25 goals and 61 points in 82 games for the Jets last season and has scored 20+ goals in seven out of his nine NHL seasons. He would certainly provide the Habs with the offensive jolt that they need, but at what cost? He's entering the final year of a contract that pays him $6 million annually and he will likely be looking to cash in long-term on his next deal. Do the Habs want to commit themselves long-term to a guy like Ehlers?

Stay tuned.