Florida Panthers acquire Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens
The Florida Panthers have acquired Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens will get a first and fourth-round draft pick, along with forward prospect Ty Smilanic, in return.
Full trade:
To #FlaPanthers: Ben Chiarot
To #Habs: 2023 1st round pick, 2022 4th round pick, prospect Ty Smilanic
MTL is retaining half of Chiarot’s salary.
Chiarot has been high on Frank Seravalli’s Trade Targets list all season and was sitting at fourth as of yesterday’s list. The Canadiens had been reported to be looking for the “David Savard return”, and they seemed to have gotten that with this deal.
Chiarot was in his third season with the Canadiens, and in the final year of a three-year deal with a $3.5 million cap hit. The Canadiens will be retaining 50% of his cap hit.
The defenseman has seven goals and 18 points in 54 games this season, but he’s better known for his physical play. He has a 44.26% CF% and 43.14% xGF% at even strength in a top-four role with the Canadiens.
Smilanic was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers, going 74th overall. He’s had back-to-back 20-point seasons for Quinnipiac University in the NCAA since getting drafted, with 14 goals and 21 points in 29 games in 2020-21, and 13 goals and 22 points in 38 games this season.
The first-round pick is for the 2023 Draft, while the fourth-round pick is for the upcoming 2022 Draft. The first-round pick is not lottery protected.