The Habs and Hurricanes have made a trade!

The Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes have just pulled off a trade and it is an eyebrow raising deal on the part of Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin.

According to an official announcement from the Hurricanes, they have sent defenseman Joel Edmundson to the Habs in exchange for Montreal's 5th round draft selection at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Now that would seem like a relatively standard trade were it not for the fact that Joel Edmundson is set to be an unrestricted free agent.

This means that the Canadiens have only acquired the rights to Edmundson and it could very well mean that the defenseman will never play a single game in Montreal in spite of the fact that they have given up a draft pick here. This is a gamble on the part of Bergevin but obviously he believes he has a good shot at signing Edmundson before he tests the free agent market. 

In the case of the Hurricanes this has to feel great. Edmundson could have simply departed as a free agent with the Canes getting nothing in return for him. Although a 5th round pick is unlikely to produce a franchise altering type of player, it is an extra asset that could prove valuable to the Hurricanes in the long term.

Update: The Habs reportedly have had no contact with Edmundson or his representation prior to this trade being made, so this is indeed a gamble from the Canadiens.