Canadiens laugh off absurd Robert Thomas demand

General Manager Kent Hughes has built a solid foundation. The team sits ninth overall with an impressive 33-17-9 record.

With 75 points in the bank, they are a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference and obvious buyers ahead of the deadline. The St. Louis Blues are in a completely different boat.

They are wallowing in 31st place with a dismal 53 points. That kind of gap in the standings usually breeds reasonable hockey trades between contenders and sellers.

Not this time. Reports from Marco D'Amico suggest the Blues have set an absolutely massive price tag for their star center.

St. Louis reportedly wants Kaiden Guhle and Michael Hage in a package to even consider moving Thomas to Montreal.

Thomas is undoubtedly a fantastic playmaker and a proven winner. The 26-year-old center put up 86 points just two seasons ago and has a Stanley Cup ring.

He is currently sitting at 35 points through 43 games this year. That is solid production, but he is not a one-man franchise savior.

Giving up Guhle should be an instant non-starter for the Montreal front office. You do not trade young, cost-controlled defensemen.

The 24-year-old is the physical anchor of the Montreal blue line. He logs heavy defensive minutes against the best lines in the league.

Guhle has only suited up for 19 games this season, but his long-term value to this defensive core is unquestionable.

Then you add Hage to the hypothetical mix. The 19-year-old is actively lighting up the college ranks and looks NHL-ready.

With 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points in 34 games for the University of Michigan, Hage is an elite blue-chip prospect. He also dominated the World Junior Championship, racking up 15 points in seven games.

Packaging a core defender and your most dynamic forward prospect for a single piece is terrible asset management.

The Canadiens are finally built for sustained success after years of misery. Hughes needs to hang up the phone and let the Blues look elsewhere to fix their broken roster.

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