Marc-Andre Gaudet just became available, and the timing puts him squarely in range for teams looking for a low-cost defensive add.
Elliotte Friedman confirmed the St. Louis Blues placed Gaudet on waivers this week.
The 22-year-old, 6-foot-3 left-shot defenseman was St. Louis' fifth-round pick, 152nd overall, back in 2022.
Gaudet just completed his first full AHL season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, posting 20 points in 53 games before adding 4 points in 11 Calder Cup playoff games.
Before turning pro, he put up 107 points over four seasons in the QMJHL, splitting time between Acadie-Bathurst and Sherbrooke.
He's entering the final year of his three-year entry-level contract, carrying an $827,500 cap hit if he ever plays at the NHL level, and becomes an RFA with compensation in 2027.
That contract situation is exactly why St. Louis had to expose him. The Blues clearly see him as organizational depth rather than a near-term NHL piece worth protecting.
Why this fits Montreal's timeline right now
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Kent Hughes has shown a pattern of adding low-risk, physically gifted defensemen through waivers and trades throughout this rebuild.
Gaudet's size and physical reach are exactly the kind of trait Montreal's development staff has targeted in recent additions to the blue line depth chart.
Claiming him would cost Montreal almost nothing against the cap given his modest $827,500 hit, with real upside if his AHL production keeps trending up.
Montreal finished 48-24-10 for 106 points this season, sixth overall, giving the organization room to stash a project like Gaudet in the minors without any pressure to rush him.
Any team could put in a claim here, and multiple rebuilding or player-development-focused organizations likely see the same value Montreal does.
Whether Hughes actually pulls the trigger is still unknown, but Gaudet's profile lines up well with exactly the kind of depth swing this front office has made before.
Should the Canadiens claim Marc-Andre Gaudet off waivers from the Blues?
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