The Montreal Canadiens started off the season on a tear. The Canadiens were 9-0 to start the season and went 18-4-3 in the first two months of the season. Now, they are 23-20-4 and own 50 points, sitting one point out of the last playoff spot and seven points back of the division lead.
Most people think that their fall from the top was due to the injury of reigning Hart Trophy winner, Carey Price, but Price has no control over how many goals his team scores. Through the last 21 games, the Canadiens have averaged only 1.86 goals for per game. It's no coincidence that they have gone 4-16-1 over that stretch. Price will be back in three to four weeks, but that won't help the Canadiens' lack of scoring.
Longtime San Jose Sharks' forward, Patrick Marleau, has had trade rumors swirling around all season. The rumors have quieted in the past month or so, but they are back again as it is still being reported that Marleau requested to be dealt out of San Jose. Sharks' General Manager, Doug Wilson, won't be trading Marleau though unless it makes the Sharks a better team. That's why the Sharks and Canadiens make perfect trading partners.
The Canadiens need top six scoring, and the Sharks need some help on defense and their future. The Canadiens have the best goalie and possibly best player in the world, so defense isn't the biggest concern for them. They would be willing to give up a defenseman, not named P.K. Subban, for a trade involving Marleau. The Sharks want to get younger, though. The obvious defenseman that the Sharks would target is Nathan Beaulieu. Beaulieu is only 23 years old and has nowhere to go but up. He is a former first round pick from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and has good value. He has the potential to be a top-pairing defenseman, but for now, he's a fully capable second-pairing or third-pairing defenseman. Wilson may try to get a draft pick thrown in with Beaulieu as a return for Marleau, but even without the draft pick, it would still be a mighty fine trade for both teams.