Breaking: Montreal Canadiens trade Evgenii Dadonov to Dallas Stars for Denis Gurianov

On February 26th, 2023, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they have traded forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Denis Gurianov. The Canadiens will pay 50% of Dadonov's salary for the remainder of the season.

Gurianov, who was drafted in the first round by the Stars in 2015, has recorded two goals and seven assists in 43 games for Dallas this season. Over the course of his five-plus seasons with the Stars, Gurianov has scored a total of 46 goals and earned 103 points in 257 career games. He will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

Dadonov, a 33-year-old right-winger, signed a three-year, $15 million contract with Ottawa in 2020. He was traded to Montreal in exchange for defenseman Shea Weber from Vegas last June and has recorded four goals and 14 assists in 50 games this season.

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Montreal Canadiens 2022-23 season so far

The Montreal Canadiens' 2022-23 season has been one marked by inconsistency and struggles. While the team has had some bright spots, they have not been able to sustain any momentum and currently sit near the bottom of the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings.

One of the biggest issues for the Montreal Canadiens this season has been their defensive play. The team has allowed the second-most goals against in the league, and their goal differential of -51 is among the worst in the NHL. Part of this can be attributed to injuries to key defensemen, including Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot. But the team has also struggled with consistency on their own end.

Offensively, the Montreal Canadiens have also had their share of struggles. While Cole Caufield has emerged as a bright young star with 23 goals, the team has had a hard time finding consistent scoring from their other forwards. Injuries to key players like Brendan Gallagher and Tyler Toffoli have not helped matters.

Despite these issues, there have been some positives for the Canadiens this season. Carey Price has played well in goal when healthy, and Jeff Petry has been a standout on the blue line, leading the team in points with 43.

As the season progresses, the Montreal Canadiens will need to find a way to shore up their defense and generate a more consistent offense if they hope to climb the standings and secure a playoff spot.

With a strong core of young players, including Caufield and Nick Suzuki, there is reason for optimism. However, for this season, the team will need to turn things around quickly if they wish to salvage any postseason hopes.