One way to add a player to your club is to scour the waiver wire a day before the trade deadline. The Montreal Canadiens have made a case to get their young players experience in a playoff race so why not add a reasonably priced player to the club? 

Riley Stillman could be that player. He’s a decent defenseman who doesn’t take bad penalties and would be an asset to the team. He’s a rental for 775k and he can play 12-15 minutes a game. They could hold on to an extra defenseman for the stretch drive. Send a player down who has options. 

Stillman has drawn more penalties than he’s taken. He was on Caroliuba so there was no spot for him to play. He is a good penalty killer and according to InStat has won 65% of his puck battles. He has occasional offense. This is a no-risk move that could make the team better. If he works out maybe he wants to sign next year. You never know but the fans might be happy with a move like this. 

Stillman uses his body, blocks shots, and doesn’t turn the puck over very much at all. He’s played in 160 NHL games. I can think of a lot of worse options and it would show the fan base they are trying to improve the club. 

If not this move, then possibly something else. Doing nothing won’t sit right with a lot of people.