3 potential suitors for Max Pacioretty

Sitting eight points back of a playoff position halfway through the season, reality is setting in: The Montreal Canadiens are likely to be sellers ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

The exodus began Thursday when the Canadiens sent backup netminder Al Montoya to the Edmonton Oilers. While that was a minor trade, Montreal could make a much more substantial move in the form of dealing captain Max Pacioretty.

It may seem unusual for a Canadiens squad that can't find the back of the net to move on from its most prolific goal-scorer. However, Pacioretty's also the most valuable trade chip in the team's forward ranks.

Signed through 2019 for $4.5 million, Pacioretty's manageable cap hit makes him especially attractive to potential suitors. Like his team, he's struggled this season, with just 22 points in 41 games, but he's a five-time 30-goal scorer. Meanwhile, moving him would help the Canadiens add some sorely needed younger assets.

With that in mind, here are three possible trade destinations that would be great fits for Pacioretty, while fetching a valuable return for Montreal.

Calgary Flames

After acquiring blue-liner Travis Hamonic from the New York Islanders in a summer deal, and adding goaltender Mike Smith to stabilize the team between the pipes, Calgary came out of the offseason as a favorite to make some noise in the West.

The Flames no doubt made improvements in their own end, but the team's offensive ability remained questionable, and that's proven to be their weakness. The Flames are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league and haven't been able to manufacture much offense outside of their top-six forwards.

The likes of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and Matthew Tkachuk provide much of the scoring, but Calgary could use one more offensive weapon. Enter Pacioretty. The Flames don't have many draft picks to part with thanks to the Hamonic deal, but they do have a few younger pieces that could entice the Canadiens - like Sam Bennett, who could fill a center role in Montreal.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins have already had success reforming a star from a Canadian market - former Toronto Maple Leafs winger Phil Kessel - and they have a chance to go 2-for-2 if they acquire Pacioretty.

Away from the pressures of Toronto, Kessel has excelled, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh. It's easy to imagine a similar output from Pacioretty if he's free to play without the challenge of carrying the Canadiens' captaincy.

Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has already stated he could be aggressive ahead of the trade deadline, and he'll need to be, as Pittsburgh's currently three points back of a playoff position. That race won't get any easier as all eight teams in the Metropolitan Division contend for the postseason.

Late in December, the Penguins recalled the up-and-coming Daniel Sprong in hopes of jump-starting their offense. However, that opportunity could also be seen as a trade showcase. The former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League scorer - he tallied 59 points in 31 games with Charlottetown last season - could intrigue the Canadiens.

San Jose Sharks

Much like Calgary, the Sharks are struggling to score. Their tight defensive structure, coupled with the exceptional netminding duo of Martin Jones and Aaron Dell, keeps San Jose in games, but the team's lack of finish will prevent it from accomplishing anything of note when the games matter most.

With just 104 goals, only four teams - Montreal and fellow cellar dwellers Ottawa, Arizona, and Buffalo - have lit the lamp less often than San Jose this season. That's troubling for a team that holds down one of three playoff positions in the Pacific Division.

If San Jose hopes to make a playoff run like the one it did two seasons ago, general manager Doug Wilson needs to address his team's offensive woes. It's even more pressing because the Sharks' window of opportunity to win a Stanley Cup is closing fast - the average age of their top four scorers is nearly 33.

Pacioretty has just nine goals this season, but only two Sharks have exceeded that mark, meaning the Canadiens star certainly has something to contribute to San Jose's forward ranks.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)