The full trade was the disgruntled Max Pacioretty in return for a 2019 second-round pick, prospect Suzuki and Tomas Tatar. The latter being a throw in to clear some cap space in Vegas, as least that's how he was seen originally.
Bergevin moved the second-round pick for picks 64th and 126th at the 2019 draft which turned into Mattias Norlinder and Jacob LeGuerrier. The former was not tendered a qualifying offer this Summer and therefore became a free agent while the latter is no longer part of the organization (he was diagnosed with myocarditis, a condition that causes the heart muscle to become inflamed and affects the organ's ability to pump blood. He developed this health issue following a bout with COVID-19). Trading for picks is always hit and miss and this time it was a miss, which I'm sure Bergevin had no issue living with considering how the rest of the trade turned out.
As for Tatar, as soon as he arrived in Montreal he started looking like the player who had been successful in Detroit and found a spot on the Canadiens' first line, becoming the perfect complement to Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher. Say what you will about that line, but at five-on-five it was one of the league's best units in controlling percentage of shots.
He had the best two seasons of his career in his first couple of years in Montreal putting up 58 and 61 points. Unfortunately, things went south in his third year and he was a healthy scratch for most of the Canadiens' run to the 2021 Stanley Cup final. Still, considering he wasn't the main piece of the deal, Bergevin made out like a bandit on that one.
Funnily enough though, the best player the Canadiens' got in the deal was the one they didn't want. Suzuki graduated to the NHL a year after being traded and took to it like a fish to water. In his first two seasons, he posted 41 points (although that was over 56 games only in 2020-2021 thanks to the pandemic shortened season) and that was largely due to being sheltered a bit and not getting enough ice-time, Daunault being the most trusted pivot back then.
As soon as Danault left for Los Angeles, Suzuki's ice-time, duties and opportunities increased. As a result his point total shot up to 61 points in his third year, 66 in his fourth and 77 in his latest. It's also worth mentioning over the course of those three seasons, he has not missed a single game and needless to say he is now that Canadiens' leader and captain.
Meanwhile, in Vegas, Pacioretty suited up for the Knights for part of four seasons, struggling with injuries, never surpassing his personal best in points in a season with Montreal (67) but he did come close once, gathering 66 points in 2019-2020.
Vegas being Vegas, they giftwrapped the former Habs captain and sent him to Carolina for future considerations, becoming a casualty of Kelly McCrimmon's infatuation with Jack Eichel. Since Pacioretty was on LTIR when the former Sabres star was acquired, his contract wasn't an issue, but once healthy, there was just no room for him anymore.
Pacioretty was injured again in Carolina and signed with Washington as a free agent the next season. Right now he remains unsigned. At 35 years-old and with a lot of injury issues of late, that's hardly surprising.
More importantly though, Cody Glass, the prospect Bergevin was so eager to get has only played 187 games in the NHL so far and has 71 points to show for it. Last week, the Nashville Predators sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for two draft picks (third-round in 2025 and sixth-round in 2026).
While this ended up being an excellent trade for the former Canadiens GM, it could have been anything but. It almost makes you wonder if George McPhee thinks about Suzuki as the one that got away...
Parallel universes are a funny thing. Often used as a plot device for numerous Marvel movies, they explore different possibilities within a specific universe. Of course, many problems come with this concept, such as closed plots suddenly being reopened and the idea being spammed to death. It's no wonder Marvel movies haven't been good until Deadpool & Wolverine.
The Vegas Golden Knights certainly believe in such an idea, where the world of Cody Glass being traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Max Pacioretty exists. Instead of sending Nick Suzuki over, the team trades the former sixth-overall pick to the 24-time Stanley Cup winner, holding onto their other 2017 first-round draft pick. The Hockey News posted a recent article about Glass nearly going to Montreal instead of Suzuki.
Here's the story for fans at home. Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin needed to find a disgruntled Pacioretty a new home. He contacted Golden Knights general manager George McPhee about trading him to Vegas for a package that included Glass. Bergevin was high on the prospect and believed in his offensive potential.
However, McPhee didn't want to let him go, offering the former 13th-overall pick in the package instead. Thus, the Golden Knights acquired Pacioretty from the Canadiens for Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2019 second-round draft pick. After the fact, he signed a four-year, $28 million extension with the team, becoming an important piece. The trade was a success on the surface, with the former All-Star scoring 97 goals and 97 assists in four seasons with the team.
However, the former first-round pick has become a key piece of Montreal's future. He's scored 108 goals and 178 assists in five seasons, earning the distinction of being the team's captain. Therefore, let's have Dr. Strange open a portal and see what life would've been like with Cody Glass heading to Montreal.
Let's look at life with Nick Suzuki sticking around with the Vegas Golden Knights instead of Glass first. Let's assume that the former 13th-overall pick puts up great numbers with the team as he has with the Montreal Canadiens. What would've happened if Suzuki stayed put and was left out of the Max Pacioretty trade?
First, there would've been two possibilities, starting with the Golden Knights having a cushion for the summer exodus of forwards this season. He would've softened the blow and moved up in the lineup, making matters easier for Kelly McCrimmon. The other is Suzuki involved in another big trade. Given Vegas's history with trading first-round picks, this would've fetched a bigger name to compliment Jack Eichel or lead the top line. Plus, he would've complimented Pacioretty well, creating a dynamic duo of situational hockey.
There's also Vegas not acquiring key centers such as Nicolas Roy. The team would've had another center to slot one of the lower lines, whether it's the second or fourth. McCrimmon would have his options open for the former first-round pick, giving him more power in lineup construction. He would've been rewarded with a bump in the lineup, similar to what Pavel Dorofeyev (13 goals in 47 games last season) will get.
Reality can be a cruel mistress at times. While most of us would rather jump into a parallel universe portal and escape our current situation, we don't have that power (at least, not yet). Thus, Vegas Golden Knights fans must live with the reality that Nick Suzuki was traded to the Montreal Canadiens instead of Cody Glass.
That's part of the truth that is the following:
"There's no such thing as a perfect thing (unless it's Roberto's chicken tacos)."
If McPhee sent Glass to Montreal instead of Suzuki, it would've helped the team immensely.
Still, seeing Suzuki and Max Pacioretty play on the same team would've been fun. No trading for Nolan Patrick in a three-team deal. No panicking about losing five forwards during the 2024 free agency period. These things wouldn't have been magnified for the Golden Knights, giving fans hope for another Stanley Cup.
If McPhee sent Glass to Montreal instead of Suzuki, it would've helped the team immensely. However, it's not our reality and fans should still look forward to another hockey season. Besides, Cody Glass was eventually traded to the Nashville Predators in a three-team trade. So why cry over spilled milk and dwell in the past?
Now let's explore the parallel universe where Cody Glass is traded to the Montreal Canadiens instead of Nick Suzuki. Remember that nothing will change on the Max Pacioretty front, where declining play and a receding body will leave him traded to the Carolina Hurricanes with Dylan Coghlan. Therefore, it's not worth exploring this further.
What if Glass was a Canadien instead of his fellow 2017 first-round draft pick? For starters, Montreal would have a different captain. The most likely candidate would be Cole Caufield, another young star with promise. The Canadiens would also struggle further without Suzuki as one of the worst teams in the NHL. They were struggling to gain traction in the Atlantic Division and would have multiple lottery picks with Glass.
Also, McPhee would've cut his losses with the prospect sooner. Glass turned out to be a lower line player who couldn't piece everything together for the Golden Knights. If Bergevin got his wish, it would've blown up in his face, with fans calling for his head. As for Vegas, it would've been another successful trade, i.e. Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson.
This narrative explores an alternate scenario where Cody Glass is traded to the Montreal Canadiens instead of Nick Suzuki. In this hypothetical, the Golden Knights would still seek to offload Max Pacioretty but would retain Suzuki, who has become a pivotal player for Montreal. With Pacioretty’s successful stint in Vegas, scoring significant points, the question arises: How would the Golden Knights’ trajectory differ if they instead focused on developing Suzuki while letting Glass go?
As the NHL continues to evolve, recovery from past trades like these could inform future decisions. Vegas might leverage Suzuki’s strengths for potential trades, while Montreal's strategy focuses on Suzuki's leadership and point production.
The draft decisions and trades surrounding Cody Glass and Nick Suzuki underscore the complexity and high stakes of NHL roster management. Reflecting on alternative outcomes highlights the importance of player development choices and their continuity within teams.
