​A month ago, we discussed the possibility of the Montreal Canadiensacquiring Zach Withecloud from the Calgary Flames to shore up the right side of their blueline. There’s a hole there, and it needs addressing sooner rather than later. In an ideal world, Lane Hutson wouldn’t have to play on his off side, nor would Kaiden Guhle. On his Habscast podcast on Saturday night, Grant McCagg made an interesting suggestion. He also believes Whitecloud would be an interesting target for the Canadiens. But he speculates the Habs should approach the Flames with an offer that includes Adam Engstrom and Alexander Zharovsky. While the idea is likely to ruffle some feathers, it’s not without logic. Former Canadiens Players Took Part In Zee’s Final ShiftWhat To Expect From Lane Hutson In His Third YearDucks Prospect Gives Ringing Endorsement Of New Canadiens PlayerMany believe that Engstrom is ready to make the jump to the NHL, including former Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent, but he’s not the type of defenseman the Canadiens need. Yes, he can play on his off side, but he’s not a robust defensive defenseman. He’s a good skater and has a good first pass to launch the attack, but that’s not something the Habs are missing. That’s why McCagg believes he could be a good bargaining chip. As for Zharovsky, his point is similar: the Russian winger can score spectacular goals and make great highlight-reel-worthy passes, but that’s not necessarily what the Canadiens need. Montreal has got plenty of skill and talent, and that’s not the kind of top-six player Kent Hughes is looking for. The Canadiens have reportedly tried to acquire Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Habs want productive forwards, yes, but they’re also looking for size and physicality from their next top-six forward. Zharovsky may be 6-foot-2, but he doesn’t play that type of game. McCagg isn’t proposing to use both prospects to land Whitecloud alone, though; he adds the Flames could add a prospect like Samuel Honzek. A first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Honzek is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound left winger who was on track to have a breakout season with Calgary last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in a freak collision with a teammate. Would the Flames be willing to do that trade? It’s a good question. They’ve been reported to have interest in Canadiens’ RFA Arber Xhekaj in the past, and while Xhekaj has attributes the Habs need, he’s not being used enough to have an impact. In that sense, he may be worth more to the Habs as a trade chip than as a seventh defenseman. It likely would have to be a sign-and-trade kind of deal, though. If they won’t play him, it could be wise for the Habs to dangle Xhekaj in front of the Flames. That way, they could keep hold of Engstrom. While some believe it’s not time for the Habs to start overpaying for assets, it’s important to remember that if and when th