It’s been a difficult season thus far for the Montreal Canadiens and they may be headed for a trade deadline shakeup. Forward Max Pacioretty is aware and admitted that it’s starting to get to him.

“It is frustrating,” the winger said Monday after practice. “You feel it could have been avoidable and you feel like the team could have done better.”

Coming off a loss Saturday to the Boston Bruins – their fourth in the last five games – the Canadiens now sit at 19-22-6, putting their postseason hopes nearly out of reach.

Pacioretty said he loves the city and doesn’t want to be traded, spending all last summer with his family in Montreal. That being said, he understands the rumours.

“Really, it’s up to everyone both in this room and everyone involved (in the organization) to make sure that this team at least makes the playoffs every year. So when that isn’t the case, people are going to be looking for change and for answers. But at the same time, I know that with wearing the ‘C’ they’re going to point the finger at me first and I understand that comes with the territory,” Pacioretty said.

“I’ve always thought that it wouldn’t surprise me if through all of this he’s like, ‘Get me the hell out of here,’ but from what I hear, everything I hear is the opposite. ‘I like it in Montreal. I’m building a house here. This is not something I want,' TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie told TSN Radio 1290. But Max will be the only guy that can truly answer that and obviously whatever he says publicly, does he feel as strong privately. I don’t know," 

While his points total of 29 leads the Canadiens, it’s on pace to be his lowest of the last four seasons.

“I’m just doing my best to try and help the team each game,” he said. “As cliché as it sounds, that’s really all I can do. I can’t really get too caught up in anything else. I could handle (the trade talk) differently and be frustrated — and maybe I was at times. But at the same time, I have a pretty good living right now where I’m doing what I love as a job. I can’t really control that and just focus on helping the team and hopefully we can get through it.”

“There’s got to be some change coming in Montreal and whether it’s Max or not remains to be seen. But as I’m saying, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a big part of the change, but only – and underline ‘only’ – if they can make a real good deal because as I say, you can’t be discounting guys who can score goals like Max Pacioretty scores goals,” McKenzie said. 

Montreal will be back in action Tuesday when they host the Colorado Avalanche.